The last nine days have seen me return to normal.
When I signed out a week last Friday I said that I intended to go for a ride on my new bike which I did. I actually rode about 44km which is my longest ride since my accident in 2000. I cycled across Noosa to Sunshine Beach and followed the coast road (David Low Way) to Perigien Beach where I stopped for a coffee and some banana bread. The David Low way has several steep grades which had put me to the test and I was feeling a little tired. I had intended to complete a circuit via the inland roads to get home but this would have added about 10km so I returned the way I came. I made it home OK and averaged about 18kph while riding. A far cry from my 25 to 30kph averages 11 years ago. I suppose riding with a dodgy leg and being in my mid seventies instead of early sixties could be having some affect. It looks like my riding distances will have to be limited to 50 to 75km a day in future. The weekend of my accident I had ridden 150km in one day carrying my full camping gear over a fairly hilly route.
On the Saturday I drove down to Mudjimba to ride with my cycling club. I decided to stick with the 30km ride and we rode back up the David Low Way to Coolum where we had coffee. I managed the hilly ride OK. I think that I was the oldest rider but wasn't last up the hill around Point Arkwright which is quite steep. When we got back to the cars we had averaged just under 20kph which isn't too bad.
On Tuesday I had to return to see my GP to get my Pathology results. I didn't have any problems this time and my results were OK and my blood pressure back to normal so unless i have any problems I wont be going back for about four months.
I also made arrangements for my own funeral. Actually I signed up for a pre-paid funeral plan. This means that what ever happens from now on I will be returned to Noosa for cremation. This means that Helen wont have to try and find the money at short nice providing of course that she outlives me1 I made the arrangements with the same funeral director who arranged Margaret's farewell and strangely enough had no adverse feelings.
The rest of the week has been normal with one MOW run and my usual Thursday shopping day on my old bicycle. I also did a 25km ride around Noosa on Friday followed by a 30km club ride on Saturday on my new bicycle. S and K would know this ride as it was around Caloundra from Dicky Beach to Golden Beach via a circuitous route. Coffee was at Golden Beach looking out over the Pumicestone Passage.
Today I am cleaning up the house and doing my washing. I am also putting together my camping gear and clothes for my weekend away in Grafton NSW with the Bike Friday Club. Louis goes in kennels on Tuesday afternoon and I'll drive the 500km to Grafton on Wednesday. The next four days will be socialising with the other members and going on rides around the local area. I shall limit my rides to 50km each day but the younger members have a couple of 100km rides planned. On Saturday there is a dinner where we will also raise funds for Guide Dogs. One of our members is Earl http://community.bikefriday.com/specialneeds/pamhaigh . We finish up on Sunday with a morning ride to a communal lunch stop before returning home. I will stay in Grafton overnight and drive home on Monday. Louis will come home Tuesday morning.
I am hoping to be able to blog from Grafton as i will be taking my old laptop with me and I have a mobile broadband wireless account and dongle.
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Friday, March 18, 2011
A Bit of a Set back
I managed to go out for a ride with the Sunshine Coast Bicycle Touring Club (SCBTC) last Saturday morning. I decided to take the 30km option and we had 10 riders. Seven were normal club members and three of us were guests. We had a nice fide along the sea front at Kawana to the lighthouse and returned via the new Kawana developments around the lakes. We took about two hours and finished off with a sausage sizzle near the Surf Club. I enjoyed it and it was well within my capabilities. The two other guests were a couple of young mums who are trying to get fit for a 200km bicycle ride over two days later in the year. One will be OK even now but the other was new to cycling and had a cheap mountain bike which really wasn't set up properly. She will get it fixed and as I pointed out that in two hours she had done a third of one day's ride. With a careful built up of her fitness she will be OK. Both mums had family ill with cancer and they were trying to help raise money for research.
My GP's office called me last Friday to let me know that it was time for my six monthly check up. I have Type 2 diabetes which I control by exercise and diet but it is still necessary to check the extremities for circulation and the kidney and liver functions. I made an appointment for "next" Monday and I arrived at the surgery on Monday to find that next Monday was a week later and this was "this" Monday.
What happened next is difficult to explain. As I had entered the waiting room, which I had done many times before with Margaret, all the terrible things which happened before Margaret died came flooding back. When faced with the appointment mix up, which i normally would have laughed off, I became aggressive and told the receptionist to forget it and stormed out. I couldn't face another second in that place. I was having a full blown panic attack. It took me some time to compose myself before I could drive. I had some shopping to get and had coffee and cake afterwards before driving home. It took me most of the day to regain my composure.
Later in the afternoon I phoned the surgery to apologise for my rudeness and made an appointment for next day for the check up.
I had a chat with my GP, C, about the episode the day before and he said that he wasn't surprised and by coming back I had shown great courage which is a bit over the top. I passed all the physical tests except for my blood pressure which is unusually high. As I had to have some blood and urine tests done i shall return next week to review them and check if my blood pressure has returned to normal.
I have only managed a ride on my shopping bike this week but will join the SCBTC tomorrow for another short ride and if the rain stays away will take my new bike for a ride around Noosa later this morning.
My GP's office called me last Friday to let me know that it was time for my six monthly check up. I have Type 2 diabetes which I control by exercise and diet but it is still necessary to check the extremities for circulation and the kidney and liver functions. I made an appointment for "next" Monday and I arrived at the surgery on Monday to find that next Monday was a week later and this was "this" Monday.
What happened next is difficult to explain. As I had entered the waiting room, which I had done many times before with Margaret, all the terrible things which happened before Margaret died came flooding back. When faced with the appointment mix up, which i normally would have laughed off, I became aggressive and told the receptionist to forget it and stormed out. I couldn't face another second in that place. I was having a full blown panic attack. It took me some time to compose myself before I could drive. I had some shopping to get and had coffee and cake afterwards before driving home. It took me most of the day to regain my composure.
Later in the afternoon I phoned the surgery to apologise for my rudeness and made an appointment for next day for the check up.
I had a chat with my GP, C, about the episode the day before and he said that he wasn't surprised and by coming back I had shown great courage which is a bit over the top. I passed all the physical tests except for my blood pressure which is unusually high. As I had to have some blood and urine tests done i shall return next week to review them and check if my blood pressure has returned to normal.
I have only managed a ride on my shopping bike this week but will join the SCBTC tomorrow for another short ride and if the rain stays away will take my new bike for a ride around Noosa later this morning.
Thursday, March 10, 2011
More Blooming Rain
I managed to go out on my shopping bike on last Thursday to get a few things but overnight it started raining. By the time I got to do my Friday MOW run it was pouring. In fact we had about 25mm over the hour and a half I was out delivering. Getting in and out of the car even wearing a waterproof jacket meant that my lower half got soaked. I had to use an umbrella to cover my delivery basket, Even so I enjoyed my self. Most of my clients made some weak joke about it beginning to rain soon but I had my own back on them by dripping on their tiles or carpets!
The weather for Saturday was supposed to be as bad so I didn't go on a ride with the local Cycling Club but stayed home and cleaned the house. On Wednesday and Thursday last week I borrowed B's pressure cleaner and cleaned all the silt off my back patio and went on to clean the pavers around the house which were thick with mould. It was fairly hot and I got covered in filth from head to toe so I just disrobed in the back garden and hosed the worst of before going in for a shower. I kept my underpants on to prevent spreading alarm and despondency among my female neighbours.
Since then we have had showers on most days meaning that I haven't been able to pitch my new tent as the back garden has been under water again - perhaps tomorrow,
I did an extra MOW delivery on Tuesday and managed to fit in a short ride around Noosa on my new bike on Monday.
I did my normal shopping ride on my old bike this morning and on the way home came across a couple who had just been knocked of their tandem by a truck. Fortunately they were just bruised and very shaken. I offered assistance but they had phoned their host for the night in Gympie about 50 north of Noosa and he was picking them up. After cycling home I drove back to ensure that they were OK and to give them a map showing where the best Bicycle Shop was in Noosa. They will probably need a a new rear wheel for their tandem. They are Carolyn and Huw Thomas who are on a 10,000 mile ride around the world raising money for Shelter Box.
I think Huw was in a shock so I stayed with them until their host arrived and took them off to Gympie. Details of their ride can be found at http://tandem10.wordpress.com/ .
Carolyn said that they had completed over 9600km with absolutely no problems up to now. She was also determined to get the tandem fixed, come back to Noosa and continue their ride. I hope they can do it. They are raising funds by giving talks to various Rotary Clubs around the world and are on a fairly tight schedule in Queensland.
I has just been raining again.
The weather for Saturday was supposed to be as bad so I didn't go on a ride with the local Cycling Club but stayed home and cleaned the house. On Wednesday and Thursday last week I borrowed B's pressure cleaner and cleaned all the silt off my back patio and went on to clean the pavers around the house which were thick with mould. It was fairly hot and I got covered in filth from head to toe so I just disrobed in the back garden and hosed the worst of before going in for a shower. I kept my underpants on to prevent spreading alarm and despondency among my female neighbours.
Since then we have had showers on most days meaning that I haven't been able to pitch my new tent as the back garden has been under water again - perhaps tomorrow,
I did an extra MOW delivery on Tuesday and managed to fit in a short ride around Noosa on my new bike on Monday.
I did my normal shopping ride on my old bike this morning and on the way home came across a couple who had just been knocked of their tandem by a truck. Fortunately they were just bruised and very shaken. I offered assistance but they had phoned their host for the night in Gympie about 50 north of Noosa and he was picking them up. After cycling home I drove back to ensure that they were OK and to give them a map showing where the best Bicycle Shop was in Noosa. They will probably need a a new rear wheel for their tandem. They are Carolyn and Huw Thomas who are on a 10,000 mile ride around the world raising money for Shelter Box.
I think Huw was in a shock so I stayed with them until their host arrived and took them off to Gympie. Details of their ride can be found at http://tandem10.wordpress.com/ .
Carolyn said that they had completed over 9600km with absolutely no problems up to now. She was also determined to get the tandem fixed, come back to Noosa and continue their ride. I hope they can do it. They are raising funds by giving talks to various Rotary Clubs around the world and are on a fairly tight schedule in Queensland.
I has just been raining again.
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Life is Getting Busy
I didn't get round to riding my new bike until Saturday morning due to some heavy rain and other commitments but I did make several decisions are a result of owning it.
First I located the web page for the Australian Bike Friday Club (ABFC from now on). The first thing I saw was a picture of the club's founder, Margaret Day. (Note I have given Margaret her full name as it is clearly posted on the club's web page.)
I first met Margaret back in 1992 when we were both members of the South Australian Touring Cyclist's Association (SATCA). We both went on a tour of Tasmania in 1993 and became good friends. She and her husband, Graham were the first people to import Bike Fridays into South Australia. In fact they had them specially built, picked them up in the States, rode across America, flew to Europe to attend a Bicycle Conference in Denmark, cycled across Europe to Austria then flew home. They were very second-hand Bike Fridays when they demonstrated them at the club meeting.
After my accident I had contacted Margaret about getting a Bike Friday but as I mentioned in my previous blog my Margaret became seriously ill so I took no action at that time.
The ABFC page also talked about a gathering in Grafton NSW to be held from the 31st march to 3rd April this year but unfortunately registration had closed on February 1st.
I emailed Margaret letting her know about my Margaret's death and my subsequent decision to buy a Bike Friday Pocket Expedition. I also asked about joining the ABFC Within an hour I received a reply, or rather three replies. In the first Margaret and Graham passed on their sympathy for my Margaret's death and reminded me that they had met when I lead a SATCA breakfast ride around Adelaide. We ate our breakfast on the little park opposite our house. We all used our house's toilets for a comfort break and my Margaret accepted the invasion of twenty sweaty cyclist disturbing her Saturday morning lie in. I went on many breakfast rides with Margaret and Graham as she was the organiser.
The second reply told me about the ABFC and its get together. The final said that she had arranged for me to make a late registration and they would love me to attend.
I decided that I would as it would enable me to meet old friends and give me an easy way back into cycle camping. I sent of my registration check and began to sort out my camping gear. My sleeping bag and mattress were OK but the tent had not been looked at since my Margaret retrieved it from my last camp site following my accident back in 2000. The fabric had become brittle - it was 20 years old!. I managed to buy a similar tent from Macpac Australia, a Macpac Microlight. This is a one person tent and is incredibly light. It arrived yesterday.
I also looked at the ABFC Facebook Page and there my old frien Jenny Currie was a member and she had bought a Pocket Companion last November. Jenny was the founder of the Sunshine Coast Bicycle Touring Club (SCBTC) and I was camping with her and other members the day before my accident. The last time I saw Jenny was when she came to visit me in hospital after the accident..
I sent Jenny, who has married another clum member since we last met, an email. She replied the next day and we arrange for us to meet on Sunday morning for coffee and a chat. She and her husband, Ray, had just returned fro a bicycle tour of New Zeakand. On Sunday I rode up Gyndier Drive to the Sunrise Road where Jenny and Ray met met and took me the The Orange Cafe where we sat for a couple of hours catching up on things. We are going to meet one evening soon and have pizza at the same cafe.
I actually got out for a good ride on the new bike on Saturday morning when I did a 33kmkm circuit from Tewantin to Cooroy via Sunrise Road and the Eumundi Range Road. This is a very hilly ride and I was happy to average 17km an hour. In the past I have averaged about 22km but that was 11 years ago and I had two good legs. I also did the same loop yesterday at about the same speed. I think that I am strong enough to go an a 35km ride with SCBTC on Saturday morning.
I did an extra MOW delivery on Friday and have been going to my computer club on Wednesdays so life has been quite busy.
First I located the web page for the Australian Bike Friday Club (ABFC from now on). The first thing I saw was a picture of the club's founder, Margaret Day. (Note I have given Margaret her full name as it is clearly posted on the club's web page.)
I first met Margaret back in 1992 when we were both members of the South Australian Touring Cyclist's Association (SATCA). We both went on a tour of Tasmania in 1993 and became good friends. She and her husband, Graham were the first people to import Bike Fridays into South Australia. In fact they had them specially built, picked them up in the States, rode across America, flew to Europe to attend a Bicycle Conference in Denmark, cycled across Europe to Austria then flew home. They were very second-hand Bike Fridays when they demonstrated them at the club meeting.
After my accident I had contacted Margaret about getting a Bike Friday but as I mentioned in my previous blog my Margaret became seriously ill so I took no action at that time.
The ABFC page also talked about a gathering in Grafton NSW to be held from the 31st march to 3rd April this year but unfortunately registration had closed on February 1st.
I emailed Margaret letting her know about my Margaret's death and my subsequent decision to buy a Bike Friday Pocket Expedition. I also asked about joining the ABFC Within an hour I received a reply, or rather three replies. In the first Margaret and Graham passed on their sympathy for my Margaret's death and reminded me that they had met when I lead a SATCA breakfast ride around Adelaide. We ate our breakfast on the little park opposite our house. We all used our house's toilets for a comfort break and my Margaret accepted the invasion of twenty sweaty cyclist disturbing her Saturday morning lie in. I went on many breakfast rides with Margaret and Graham as she was the organiser.
The second reply told me about the ABFC and its get together. The final said that she had arranged for me to make a late registration and they would love me to attend.
I decided that I would as it would enable me to meet old friends and give me an easy way back into cycle camping. I sent of my registration check and began to sort out my camping gear. My sleeping bag and mattress were OK but the tent had not been looked at since my Margaret retrieved it from my last camp site following my accident back in 2000. The fabric had become brittle - it was 20 years old!. I managed to buy a similar tent from Macpac Australia, a Macpac Microlight. This is a one person tent and is incredibly light. It arrived yesterday.
I also looked at the ABFC Facebook Page and there my old frien Jenny Currie was a member and she had bought a Pocket Companion last November. Jenny was the founder of the Sunshine Coast Bicycle Touring Club (SCBTC) and I was camping with her and other members the day before my accident. The last time I saw Jenny was when she came to visit me in hospital after the accident..
I sent Jenny, who has married another clum member since we last met, an email. She replied the next day and we arrange for us to meet on Sunday morning for coffee and a chat. She and her husband, Ray, had just returned fro a bicycle tour of New Zeakand. On Sunday I rode up Gyndier Drive to the Sunrise Road where Jenny and Ray met met and took me the The Orange Cafe where we sat for a couple of hours catching up on things. We are going to meet one evening soon and have pizza at the same cafe.
I actually got out for a good ride on the new bike on Saturday morning when I did a 33kmkm circuit from Tewantin to Cooroy via Sunrise Road and the Eumundi Range Road. This is a very hilly ride and I was happy to average 17km an hour. In the past I have averaged about 22km but that was 11 years ago and I had two good legs. I also did the same loop yesterday at about the same speed. I think that I am strong enough to go an a 35km ride with SCBTC on Saturday morning.
I did an extra MOW delivery on Friday and have been going to my computer club on Wednesdays so life has been quite busy.
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