Wise Decisions, Yellow Jersey and a little tender

So…. following last night’s ruminations, in the end I went with the early group (the softer option) and am very happy with the decision.  Half the bunch went at 7:00 (and the faster guys at 7:30), and they caught us at the top of the climb (so they did in 1.5 hours what we did in 2).  Kym is a rider who is about my standard and decided to go with the later group – lets just say he was looking a lot the worse for wear as we pulled in for lunch!

I mentioned the hotel in Mansfield was a bit ordinary, and breakfast, consisting of 2 bits of bread in a lunch bag and a mini box of special K meant it maintained that high standard.  It was 60k to the far side of the big hill for the day and a lovely little cafe in the middle of nowhere was assaulted by the arrival of 40 cyclists (the dear old owner rang her son in law in a panic to get some help!), and it was bacon and egg rolls all round.

The hill did have a big descent off the top and with a bit of dirt on one corner, one rider came down.  But on the faster part of the descent the big men came out to play (less kind people call me a Clydesdale) but it is the one place where all that extra baggage I carry means i just go faster.  Baxby and I rolled past one of the whippet’s of the bunch (who was pedalling like mad) as if he was standing still.  Lots of smiles from the Clydesdales as we pulled up for coffee.

80 k to lunch was steady and the group started to get the hang of each other, so we made good time.  Lunch was one of those great country bakeries in a village outside Wodonga called Myrtleford – even snuck in another coffee - Nice.  A cheeky 30k ride into Bright and that was 173k just like that.  Someone somewhere must think i rode OK today, as i got the yellow jersey at the awards ceremony tonight, so will wear it with pride tomorrow.

Have to say the appetite has started to kick in, as i think it has for us all.  Half the smorgasbord was gone before they’d brought the other half out.

Sadly my GPS completely gave up the ghost today, so i don't have the ride stats.

Legs are tired but doing fine, upper back is a little stiff, but its some tenderness downstairs that is perhaps most notable.  Might mean i resort to 2 pairs of padded bike nix tomorrow – bet you cant wait to find out whether i go with one or two pairs!

h