Seems the older I get the less I crash but the better I get at it. It’s no longer a graze or a bruise but a case of re-growing some bone or re-training a limb. At least this shows my commitment to every facet of cycling, including the slapping yourself on the ground bit.
Time off the bike allows for other things like hiking and catching up on all the current affairs whist sitting on the trainer. Morning television has a lot to answer for, its incredible how you can sit through 2 hours of ‘news’ and somehow get off the trainer less informed.
It means sleeping late is ok and you find out just how much more time in the day there is when you haven’t spent 5 hours of it riding, going away without racing seems to be ok too.
What it really does though is make you appreciate why you ride and what it contributes to your life.
It’s not just about the bike or the trails or tarmac. It can be about the friendships you have and those hours you spend talking about the nonsense cluttering up your brain.
Most importantly the reason you ride should be entirely what YOU want it to be.
And that’s that makes it the best, most fun, challenging and rewarding pastimes out there.
Making up for lost time is no joke this fortnight. I launched back into racing last Sunday with Round 1 of the Focus Australia Crossfire Cup. The Cyclocross field in SA is pretty stacked and with the Velo Festival running in Adelaide right now the race had a great atmosphere. Finishing upright and mid field was good, but also an incentive to keep chipping away at getting back into some form.
Here’s the race write up and photos from Australian CX Magazine:
Australian Cyclocross Magazine
This weekend brings the National Gravity Enduro Series to SA with Round 3 being held at Fox Creek. The trails have had some great upgrades over the past 12 months so it should make for a good solid weekend of riding and racing. Here is a small edit from Sam Roberts of one of the trails we will be racing, glorious Green Smoothie
Touching all the wood nearby so not to jinx myself; providing I will be in one piece after the Enduro my trusty Lust and I will then be going on to race the Port to Port MTB race in NSW. This is a fantastic opportunity and a great way to see more of what Australia has to offer.
I’ve been getting the low down on the course via Flow’s write up, which is here – SUPER EXCITED!
Flow MTB – Port to Port Preview
So all in all its right back into it and with some awesome gear thanks to KASK and Selle SMP, which for the record has a new MTB Saddle called the ‘Hell’. It’s not, its possibly the most comfortable saddle I’ve ridden, the name does seem to warrant some caption contest though. So for those that way inclined, comment away and there might even be a prize for an outstanding response.
Thanks as always goes to Liv, Giant Bicycles, Giant Cycling World Adelaide, 4Shaw, Adidas Eyewear, Torq Australia and now KASK and Selle SMP for supplying me with the best gear around!
More blogging on the flipside, and hopefully typing with both upper limbs.
Jac
Schaps Racing - Jackie Schapel MTB 