The Presidents Ride

 Early Saturday morning and jump in the car at 4.20am to get to the start and see our event manager Brian Thompson and his team of helpers. Get to South Perth foreshore at 5.45am and the event team is in full swing. Tents, riders packs, signs, PA, food, water.... the list goes on. Brian has it under control and it is running like a smooth military exercise. I get on the microphone and spell out a few last minute messages to our participants who are now arriving on masse. There is a calm but nervous anticipation of the big day ahead. I finish my PA work and head to my bike, scramble my gear together, find my partner, John and off we head.

The morning was very humid but a huge relief that it was not going to be a scorcher. Set off with a group tap tapping along Canning to Great Eastern. That first hill is always a bit of a shock. The sun is coming up and the cloud cover is welcome, but the hill to Mundaring up the escarpment is never ending. Jonny tells me to tap it out. John lives in Kalamunda and is a veritable mountain goat and so he is in charge today. We eventually get to Mundaring and there is a bit of a frenzy going on. A few pairs obviously very keen to shave off any wasted time, but in the main everyone courteous and still smiling.

The climb out of Mundaring is softened by the water vistas to my left. Once again, tap,tap and thankful that I had gone to the bike shop and had a 25 sprocket put on the gearing. At the top of the hill John and I hooked up with Terry and his son and rode together through to Churchmans Brooke. The Brookton Highway decent being an absolute highlite. Am I going too fast? Do I need to touch the brakes? Dont get a speed wabble...ahhhh!!! The next stop was Wungong Dam, and riding across it would be a one of my joys for the day. It took my mind off the nasty sharp little climb into it and those wretched speed bumps on the decent into it. The view didn't disappoint me, however, my legs were starting to tell me that I was attempting a ride that they were not used to.

Lunch at Wungong was a delight, especially as it was still relatively early in the morning. I had followed the experts advice and was hydrating and eating bananas and bars and whatever else I could find. The chicken roll still seemed to find plenty of room, followed by the sweet fruit cake and washed down with a sports drink. John and I sat there and were a bit reluctant to leave as all we could see was a horrendously steep exit from lunch and in the other direction, the magnificent vistas of the dam.

Grind, grind, grind up the hills and spot your mates going the other way on the 3 dams journey. The right turn into Albany highway was a bit sobering. Out of the forrest and exposed, we made our way to Canning. Johnny told me the worst of the climbing was over. In hindsight, I've got to say that Canning nearly cracked me. It felt wicked and was the turning point of my day.

After what seemed hours and hours, we emerged from Canning only to be confronted by Albany Highway, trucks and cars zooming by... Johnny, I can't do another turn... over to you. What a relief to turn right off that road. My legs at this stage had become decided wobbly and just before Mundaring I stopped, got off my bike, and told John I may have to put up the white flag. Whilst slowly climbing off the bike I looked down and saw rubber pieces on my rear stay and on my chain. I looked at my wheel and it had been rubbing on the rear stay. What the....Whilst it explained my condition (partially) I still had the best part of 90ks to go and didnt want to let John down. I kept admonishing myself for my stupidity in not picking it up earlier, which probably didn't assist my mental state.

A stop at the last dam, Serpentine, a chat with the friendly enthusiastic helpers at the station, a chat to a member who was observing the event by car, and my spirits recharged I was ready to beat this ride. The next 3 to 4 hours were the hardest I have ever spent on my bike. I had the two little people on each shoulder, one telling me to give up and the other telling me to harden up. John was fantastic and tempo rode me without interferring in my confused and fatigued state. The ride from Serpentine to the freeway was a doosy. Flat, hot, into the wind and looking up wishing that freeway hump would appear. We rode past one guy who was leaning against his bike looking absolutely shattered. Not good for my morale. We finally hit the freeway and I thought, homeward bound.... until I got to the last pit stop, seeing a row of cyclists off their bikes, all stretching against the wall, it looked like an aroebics class! I filled up the water bottles, scoffed a couple of giant snakes(a great sugar hit) and asked Michael Hardy, who was the volunteer at the last stop how far to go. Michael held up his five fingers... and my heart sank. The next 50 was head down, one pedal stroke after another, with my fabulous partner, John, supporting me all the way. Who would have imagined that riding on the flat with a cross tail wind would be by far the hardest part!!!!!

Across the line, and the aches quickly disappeared. I will never know, but I can only imagine that it is the closest I will ever get to the feeling of child birth.......for the feeling of the pain followed by the euphoria. That was my story which was one of about 330 (participants and support team) very special stories on that day. No doubt it will stay as a special memory for us all.

It was great to see the cameraderie out on the course. The volunteers at the station were awesome, and Brian Thompson, the organisation was outstanding. Whilst the day was hard, everyone seemed to really enjoy it (in that masochistic sort of a way) and every one who completed or attempted the ride can be proud to say that they were a part of the inaugural 3/5 Dams ride!

ps. special thanks to my partner John, who was the reason why I finished.