It's a long road - not just for a bike

Two days to go and the Red Shield Ride Tasmania will be setting off for its 3rd Edition.

I've just get back from an easy spin for the last couple of hours.  The body feel's good at the moment; I'm happy with the bike; I'm pretty sure that all the logistics of being away from home for five days of cycling is all in hand, but hey!  It's a long road ahead; 660km of it.

Two years ago today, the Red Shield Riders were pedalling eastward from George Town in the States north to Bridport.  On that stretch of road we passed a photographer who was willing to good to great lengths to get the picture he wanted to accompany an article in the Examiner newspaper.  We knew he'd be there, somewhere along the road; we'd passed him once already.  On the second ride by we passed him lying in a ditch, beyond the shoulder of the road ready to capture the moment we went by.

The Perfect Photo?!

Yesterday I spent over fives hours sitting with a friend of mine (we'll call this friend Sam), who it's fair to say sometimes doesn't find life easy at all.  I'd been called by another friend who knew Sam wasn't travelling too well and had gone to find them.  Once found, I sat with Sam with one goal in mind: Keep Sam alive; restore hope.  We talked, we laughed, we growled at each other, Sam slept.  Hour after hour I sat there watching.  Eventually our other friend came and exchanged places with me - there to do just the same as I had been doing.

Will Sam remember or recognise what we did yesterday?  I think, or perhaps I hope so.  But in the end that doesn't matter.  Every minute I sat there was worth it.  It was worth it because I love Sam and want nothing but the best.  Yesterday, the best we could conjure, was to see Sam through to today.

Tomorrow, I'll begin five days of sitting with friends, albeit in different surroundings and with different outcomes in mind.  Everyday The Salvation Army sit with, listen to and seek to bring some measure of salvation - any measure we possibly can - into the lives of people with love, but who we also may never have met before.  

I'll be sitting on my bike pedalling away for the next five days; up and down the hills of beautiful Tasmania to raise money so that The Salvation Army continues to have the resources - be it people, material or financial - to be able to come alongside people like Sam.

Please sponsor me or make a donation here?  There often isn't much 'flash' or 'show' about the work the Salvos do, but in some way, and sometimes only in the smallest of ways, Salvos are able to bring hope where it's needed most and save a life - even if only for today.

Please Give?

Getting the perfect photo!

The Boy Can Ride!

My son Joshua (14) signed up for the Red Shield Ride this morning!

Me and Josh having just conquered Mt Buffalo, VIC

Josh has only been 'road' riding for a matter of months now; not even a year.  As a father I've got to say it is really awesome getting ride with him.

Josh has a good amount of ability when it comes to riding.  Don't get wrong, he's a teenager and it can be really difficult to motivate him to join me sometimes, and even then he can be a challenge to ride with because he'd rather be sitting on his backside doing something lame.  It's actually a careful line to tread as a father; he enjoys cycling and I think he enjoys riding with me - that's certainly something I want to continue for as long as possible.  I don't want to make him ride for fear of turning him off cycling all together, but as his father, there are days when he just needs to get off that backside and get outdoors for a while.

Generally though, once we're out on the road, we have a great time and I love watching him cycle and improve.  His ability to climb is so good to watch!  I don't necessarily make it easy for him, I want Josh to keep improving, but I know it really isn't going to be long before I'm chasing his wheel trying to stay with him up the hills.

His registration though is a serious challenge.  Josh has been recovering from a knee injury (dislocation), the two rides he's signed up for will be his longest rides to date, and while the 100km Hobart Gran Fondo comes before the 80km Huonville to Hobart ride next Wednesday, he's also never backed up one long ride with another as quickly as this before.

I know he'd love to see you supporting, encouraging and sponsoring him, so why not head over to his fundraising page here and send some money and love his way?!

Them's the Breaks!

After an average start to the day yesterday - lousy weather & little motivation for getting wet - today turned out to be nice and sunny.  After seeking and securing permission to get out on the bike, off I headed for an easy spin with my son Josh in tow.  Here's a young fella with heaps of ability, but it sure can take some coaxing to get him out on the bike some days.

Once out and turning the legs over, despite it still being cold, we were having a great afternoon.  Josh has been suffering from a pretty bad cough for the past couple of weeks, but is still eager to get out on the Red Shield Ride with me for the first time.  He's got some pretty ambitious goals; completing the first day's ride; The Hobart Gran Fondo.  This would be his first 100km ride.  He's also looking to ride the final day too; 80km from Hounville to Hobart, not as far, but still a fair effort with a short turn around from the 100km.

Ability wise, he's got it, I'm sure of that.  The unknown factor is how this recent sickness is going to affect him?

Today, he was handling things pretty well.  We 're ever trying to set any PB's this afternoon; it was more about turning the legs over and enjoying the ride, the sun and each other's company.  It was going great until....

...first ever broken spoke!

I've never had one before.  But as soon as I heard it go, I was sure what had happened.  I am pretty sure I could feel the difference in the wheel too.  It's funny though how you can stare at your wheel for what seems like far to long before being able to spot the break.

Now I've seen my mate Phill ride both his mountain and road bikes after breaking spokes and so that was my immediate thought.  But after maybe only a hundred metres or so, I was certain that I didn't want to risk damaging my wheel less than a week before starting the Red Shield Ride.  So now I'll add getting my wheel fixed up to the list of things to do before next Saturday.

It's going to be a full and hopefully fun week!

The sponsors are starting to roll in, but it would be great to get some more; please consider clicking on this link and sponsoring me?  All cash goes towards helping the Salvo 'bring hope where it's needed most.'

Training In The Rain

RSR16 - Day 1's ride in the rain; me & Phill Climbing

It's fair to say that during last years Red Shield Ride, we got our fair share of inclement weather.  The first day out from Burnie, it poured down with rain all day.  In fact, with the possible exception of the final day of riding, I don't think we had a day when it didn't rain - I'd have to check back through my posts from last year.

Tomorrow (Saturday 6th, May) is the last scheduled training ride for this years Red Shield Ride - which is coming far too quickly.  The weather this week has been pretty good, if not a little cold.  But as I sat in the car listening to the radio (and having checked online since) the forecast for tomorrow is for almost certain rain.  The Bom predicts a "Very high (near 100%) chance of rain".  The only redeeming factor is the "from the late morning" forecast.



RSR16 - Day 1 Overlooking Gunns Plains

I found myself thinking, do I really want to go out to train for a cycling event in rain?  And more to the point, will anyone else want to either?  Now with any joy we could and will miss the rain, but still....

Now I know that training in the rain is good for conditioning to ride an event in the rain - I'm convinced that true for serious athletes, but that's where the snag comes in.  I'm not a serious athlete in that sense (or any other really); and with all due respect to my fellow cyclists - you know who you are - neither are they.  So the question that remains is; do we need conditioning to ride in the rain, are do we just grin and bear it if and when it happens?


I used to have similar thoughts years ago when playing golf.  I was never going to take golf seriously enough to warrant me going out to play in the rain.  And in the years since, I don't think the outcome has changed.  Granted I'm more likely to enter and take part in ride events than I ever was when playing golf, but on the whole I know I'm never going to be good enough to compete at cycling.  And therefore, why would I go out training in the rain?


And so .... given all these ramblings, 'we're on!'  Unless it's streaming down at departure time, we're going for it; the Training Ride Is A Go!


We'll be leaving New Town at 8am as usual - hope to see you there!  Check out the route below.

Red Shield Ride Training Ride - Saturday 6th May

Training Ride Elevation

RED SHIELD RIDE: Free Publicity!

RED SHIELD RIDE: Free Publicity!: I'm really grateful this week for the publicity from within The Salvation Army itself in regard to the Red Shield Ride. This months ...

Free Publicity!

I'm really grateful this week for the publicity from within The Salvation Army itself in regard to the Red Shield Ride.

This months 'Others' magazine features an article on the Red Shield Ride and some of my favourite photos from the past couple of years.  You can read the article online here.  Or you can order a copy of the magazine by clicking here (but you will probably have to subscribe for a year).  Alternatively, you can walk into a Salvation Army Corps and probably pick up a copy for a couple of bucks!

Its a funny thing though, publicity!  I love to see and hear it because the more riders we can get participating, the more people I get to meet; the more fun I'll have and the more money we can potentially raise - that's a big reason for doing this after all.

I'm consistently finding that the build-up publicity takes so much more energy out of me than the publicity we get during the ride.  I'm not why that is, in many respects it should be the other way round.  In the 'build-up' I'd say I have more energy and time than I get during the event itself.  Interviews, phone calls and write-ups can be just as draining as spending the whole day riding - and often are at the end of those days.  But I for some reason I find it more engaging and rewarding at the same time.

I definitely don't want a career in the media, but I'm grateful for the reach it affords me at times to speak about the work of The Salvation Army with some of the world's most vulnerable and marginalised people.

Training Rides

In a first for the Red Shield Ride, we're offering Training Rides which will kick of tomorrow!

I find it a little amusing that I'm offering to lead others on training rides for a cycling event. I wouldn't say that I'm particularly gifted, fit or creditable as a cycling to even be suggesting that I could help others perhaps for an event in the future.

But hey?  Why not?  We'll give it a go!

So from now until we being set off on Saturday 20th May, every fortnight I'll be leading anyone who wants to come along on a series of rides that will increase in both distance and meters climbed. 

So if you want come along, I'll be behind New Town Station Nursery on Bell St in New Town at 8am.  Don't worry if you're not sure about your ability, come along and see how we go!  This week we'll be heading down to Kingston Beach and back via Strickland Avenue (up passed Cascade).  We'll be shooting for between 55 & 60km.  Bring your own drinks and food if necessary!

For an idea of the route, you can have a look here.