A Red Shield 'Hard' Ride

Third start from Burnie in three years!

For the third year in a row, we started a stage of the Red Shield Ride in Burnie, at the Salvos on Wilson St.  As I think of that now, each year though the route we've taken from Northwest has changed.  This years ride was the most ambitious so far; 140km and almost 1400m of climbing.

The first couple of hours were great - on par with yesterday if not a little better.

Leaving Burnie behind again

We took an early lunch in Devonport and then set off at another good pace.  The next hour heading over to the Rubicon River saw us making good time.

Then the halfway mark came and went and that, was that.  We entered the third quarter of the ride and each of us found ourselves on struggle street at some stage over the next 30-40kms.

Beautiful Northwest coastline

The next hour and a half were pretty dark for me.  I rode with Stuart for about 10km and struggled to watch his energy levels drop.  A lot goes through your mind when you're watching your good mate and regular riding buddy not being able to switch to the big ring to put a bit of speed down on the descents:  Do you say something?  If so, how do you do it?  I was (and still am) sure that Stuart could go the distance, the trouble was that our average pace was dropping at the same rate our E.T.A. was extending to the end of the ride.

Not easy watching a mates energy levels dropping

At the 80km point, Stuart decided to rest up until we got to Exeter, and I blowed on.  It wasn't long until I was struggling too though.

Craig and I kept going, and as we pedalled on, all with the hope of a quick rest at Exeter before the final dash down the West Tamar Highway; I recalled to Craig the ride along the Fingal Valley last year.  I was pretty close to being that down again today.

We pushed when we could; coasted when the gradient allowed, and ground our way up the inclines whenever they appeared.  All the time up to the 100km mark I was thinking "we're not even at the halfway mark of tomorrow's ride!"

But then these words of Jesus popped right into my head: "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.  Each day has enough trouble of its own" (Matthew 6:34).

Craig and I simply pedalling - hurting too

So then, it's no use thinking about what's still to come tomorrow; but at the same time, we couldn't just ignore it either.  If we went too hard and to deep into our reserves today, tomorrow might turn into a none event?

A little while later, the sun came out just as a song from church at Launie Salvos yesterday came back into my head; suddenly I was back in a better place again.  Not long after that, we rolled into Exeter.

Dad bought me Ginger Beer, Stuart gave me a couple of snakes and I found some corn chips; even better, we only had 24km to go to the finish.

Stuart got back on the bike, and off we headed for a final effort.  The vibe on the bikes was good, and so was the pace and scenery.

Heading south down the Tamar Valley

We've covered over 340km in the last three days; that a first for both Craig and I; three consecutive
days of 100km+.   Tomorrow will really test us, but we'll worry about that tomorrow.

We are over half way through the Red Shield Ride 2017 in every way except in metres climbed - that'll change tomorrow!

Thanks to everyone who has sponsored any of us riders so far, but I'm still not halfway to my fundraising goal.  It would be so awesome to have exceeded by the time we head off tomorrow.  So please head over to the website and be generous?