Starting out Solo returning with a Group.

Saturday morning training ride took on the all to familar 5am start.  Only 30 minutes of riding before first light but it was a very moody morning weather wise.  Got a nice shot of the morning rays peeping over Lake Mountain, attempting to light up the Yarra Valley from Healesville back to Yarra Glen.  I was watching the storms roll past further to the south but I was fortunate to have 3 hours riding rain free. 

I was particularly exciting this morning because my lonely ride up Myers Creek Road and then attacking Mt Slide into Kinglake Lake would hopefully be rewarded with a meeting with some of the guys from the MAMILS (middle aged men in lycra).  My eta at Kinglake was 8:10am and I did this after a good climb up Myers Creek and even pace upto Kinglake.  If the group wasn't there I was to descend Kinglake the St Andrews side and do a repeat.  Hopefully seeing them on the way down.  Well no sign of them at Kinglake.  In fact it was very quite all round.  2 bikes sighted in 3 hours.  Down Kinglake and still no sign of them.  "Pikers!" I though to myself.  I could see now that there had been rain in Melbourne already and a storm was approaching Kinglake.  I completed my hill repeat and committed myself to a apple and coffee scroll at the bakery.  My hill repeat was ordinary - I was a bit disappointed that the others had not make it, but understanding as the weather had now well and truly deteriorated.

A refuel at Kinglake and a chat to a local Toolangi cyclist who had ventured out in only her short sleeve jersey.  They breed them tough up there.  By this stage I was puting on every bit of clothing I had and eating everything in the pocket.  The trip home was going to be about surviving the wet slippery descent and the lonely trip home.  With one leg over the bike around the corner came the wet wind blown figure of David Ratten soon followed by Ross Grace and David Wells.  They MAMILS (or a select few of them) had made it.  After another coffee and a chat the storm had passed and the air tempture had dropped about 6 degrees.  The four of us rode together back to Kangaroo Grounds.

 Ross & David catching me on the Kinglake descent.

 David climbing well before Kangaroo Grounds followed closely by Ross and David Ratten.

 I learned later that a storm had hit Mitcham at about 6:40am Saturday morning turning half the MAMILS back to their doonas.  Having they 3 guys was a great group to get back to town with.  A great way to finish off 130kms in a conservate time, but feeling good all round as the countdown to the Apline Classic is on.