Sunday Ride: Khandallah, Round the Bays (Mt Crawford), Makara

Ride Data:
Distance:	71.45km	3617 Calories
Time:	3:07:58	22.8km/h
Elevation:	Ascent: 581m*	Descent: 590m*
	* I'm think the Garmin read low today?
Ride Data:	Garmin Connect Player	MapMyRide
Location:	Wellington, NZ	5 July 2009

‘twas a bleak morning but thankfully the moisture was more on the road rather than falling from the sky as we were out riding today. It was once again one of the days that I could have so easily spent the day on the sofa. Certainly on days like this, participating in a local riding group certainly helps the motivation to get out and ride.

 

We, the Onslow Tarbabies took in a few of Wellington’s gently rolling hills today with Mt Crawford, Brooklyn, Raroa Rd/Kelburn, Makara all ascended, followed by the steady climb up the Takarau Gorge and Ohariu Valley to Johnsonville.

 

We split into three bunches for the days riding – fast, slow and development squad. I placed myself in the slow bunch and we soon on our way. From Khandallah to the summit of Mt Crawford we were about five minutes than a fortnight ago, and I found myself toward the back of the group on the ascents this time. I have much fitness to gain if I am going to get anywhere near by personal best of 4:58:36 for this years Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge. Thankfully, still plenty of time to put in the training, or pretend to :).

 

The ride was going pretty smoothly, although with dampness around my cadence sensor was on the blink again. Does anyone else have this problem with their Garmin cadence sensor’s in the wet?. That was until Greg picked up a puncture as we were approaching Owhiro Bay. Scott and I played domestique and dropped back to support our team mate. Once we had got back to support him we played the foreman’s role with folded arms watching over him. So quickly, it changed to the self-supporting randonneuring form of cycling :). With the support of the two foreman, Greg soon had his spare tube in place and inflated as the development squad passed us.

 

We caught about half of the development squad on our way up Happy Valley to Brooklyn, and the rest at the pre-arranged re-group point, just before turning into Owhiro Road and the climb up to Kelburn. At the top of Kelburn I succumbed to peer pressure and extended our ride through Karori and Makara with five others. For some reason the ascent up Makara seemed harder than normal today. By the time we reached the steady climb up to Johnsonville I was falling off the pace :(, and also found my bike getting a little nosier from the dampness washing the remaining lube from the chain. Thanks for waiting for my non-performing hide at the top Marty & Ange :).