Dirty deeds done dirt cheap

After watching AC/DC strut their stuff at ANZ stadium last Wednesday I was convinced that if a group of blokes the same age as my old man could go hard for 2 hours then I was ready to to take on my 2nd Fling. Impressive concert by the way!

Like last year, the family decided to make a weekend of it and so we arrived in Bundanoon on the Friday and settled into our accommodation. It was a cottage backing onto 100+ acres of beautiful southern highland countryside complete with horses, alpacas, rabbits, chickens and sheep which you could all go up to and feed if you were game. Great for the kids and the wife loved the gardens which was great as this weekend (and race day itself) is our wedding anniversary - it's the only weekend of the year the bike can stay in the same room as us

Anyway on the Saturday morning I took the bike for for a short easy spin to Morton National Park which was fantastic just pedalling along Bundanoon with hardly anyone around. On the way back I went up constitution hill which was a good chance to test the legs out! Later that day we went and saw the dash - Andy Blair smartly deciding to deploy the parachute half way up the hill and let Ivory and Lewis battle it out for the win...

Come race day and it was nice and cool - ideal conditions really. A short 5km spin to the start line and I then I was away at the back of the first wave this year. Bullet points of the race :

* Start identical to last year, steady pace.
* About 15kms in, first sandy patch, unexpected lay down after following a fishtailing rider's line. Softest landing ever and up again in no time.
* With 3km to go in first stage in a group of 5 entering the flat road section I ask the group to form a train and put the hammer down - one person follows and we tow each other to transition. Stop for 2 mins refilling bottle - Considered dropping off bottle the night before but didn't happen.
* Onto 2nd stage and loving S/T, the descent from the vineyards wasn't too bad this year as I remembered to open up the suspension!
* No rogue cows and definitely kept the shoes and socks on whilst crossing creeks.
* Slightly dissapointed I didn't make it up any of the roller coaster pinches this time around. It was fairly crowded and I was tiring - took the easy option - lost time here.
* Onto the techy singletrack and again this was my favourite bit, passing a few riders.
* Group of 6 formed on Sandy desert - I dropped off the back in this section but knew I was saving a bit for the last 4km. Took the easier option at ’your call'.
* Hammer time again at the road section emptying the tank, considered the free beer with 1km to go but pushed on and caught the group I was in with 100m to go and flew right past which was a great feeling.

Crossed the line a few mins slower than last year in 3:40 - May have been the baggies I was wearing compared to the aero Lycra shorts from last year but more likely due to not as much time on the bike due to 'life' happening in the background. Had a great time though and an awesome weekend away from the grind of the Sydney 9-5.

Thx to the Nobmobbers who came along to a few rides with me in the lead up to this weekend - and to Turra Cyclery who gave my bike the once over last week - it was flawless again!