Het Vlokt!

Looking out over Brakel, circa 12:30pm.


My street, circa 6:30pm.

Yes I was riding at the time. I have learned something: It's hard to see when riding through a snowstorm. My jacket is snow proof though, so that's good. Jeez it's cold.

I'm going out, I may be some time

After reading the weather forecast for last weekend, I was eagerly looking forward to testing out my new Canari jacket. Thus, I was slightly disappointed to find that, at 9:00am on Saturday morning, it wasn't even raining, even though the roads were wet. In fact, there were patches of blue sky everywhere and it looked like a nice day. Damnation!

Nevertheless, I suited up with an undershirt and short sleeved woollen jersey underneath the jacket, along with various other paraphernalia, and bravely sallied forth, puncturing almost immediately. It wasn't a bad day, even though it was wet on the roads and 2 degrees, but when I turned around after 45 km I could see a large gray cloud that was unavoidable. Pretty soon it began to rain, then by the time I came to the foot of the mighty Col de la Cafe Trap Op (3 km at 2.7%), it was sleeting very nicely. Due to the 60 km/h winds, it was sleeting horizontally as well. I had to look up sleet when I got home just to confirm that it was indeed frozen pellets of rain - sort of halfway between rain and hail. And it bloody stings!

My legs started to feel like someone had replaced them with an ice prosthetic, my hands were pretty much history despite wearing a short and a long pair of gloves, but my torso wasn't too bad thanks to the Canari (tm). I noticed that it was both rain and sleet repellent.

Fortunately the sun came out after a bit and I could enjoy a frozen ride into the icy north wind on the way home. At some points I was down to 23.7 km/h and not enjoying being out there any longer than I had to. Of course, the wind brought with it more sleet and with 10 km to go I was doing 23.7 km/h *and* getting stung to death by icy pellets, forcing me to take shelter momentarily next to a tree. The jacket was keeping me toasty warm though.

The sun had come out by the time I got home, but I still had some difficulty getting my keys a) out of my saddle bag b) into the door lock and c) turning them (that was the hardest part).

Sunday was somewhat better, even though it snowed overnight and in the morning. I had to wait until midday to get out and ride through the slush, which was fun in a cold sort of a way. The sun was out for most of the ride, and that makes a huge difference when the temperature is hovering around zero. So it was almost pleasant compared to Saturday (that wouldn't be hard).

This week, the weather is predicted to be "variable cloudiness with risk of snow showers, or cloudy but dry" which I reckon is a bit of a cop out. I love talking about the weather. Favourite site at the moment: www.meteo.be

Problems have solutions

As I continue to annoy the neighbours with my GIGANTIC subwoofer/speaker sound entertainment system, I am pondering the world's problems. To whit: the weather, which is my favourite problem. Since I got here on Tuesday, it has barely snuck above zero degrees celsius, to use the modern system. That has meant some very cold hands and feet and pretty much everywhere else, should I opt to go for a ride in the morning. I have been doing so, suffering the consequences...but I think I'm starting to get used to the cold or my brain has frozen solid. Not sure which.

Due to jet lag, I've been hitting the sack at about 9pm each night, which has actually worked out ok. I've been waking up at a stupidly early hour (5:30 today), meaning that I can get a couple of hours of news writing done when my head is actually clear. Then go for a ride at about 9-ish and finish it off when I get back, still well within our 2pm deadline. Of course, this will all collapse when I inevitably start working late, but I'll cross that bridge when I come to it.

Now, what to do with those spare afternoon hours? Sleep, buy food, watch snow fall outside, write bilge etc. Where is the sun, I ask?

Turning back to the weather, it looks quite promising for the next few days, with maximums of up to 4 degrees, along with "variable precipitation, sleet, wintery showers, snow showers and thundery showers". That sounds like my type of weather, and I'm sure I'll have the sunnies on, sitting out on the front steps in my shorts and thongs, working on that tan. It's gunna be great.

The good thing with my new found SOUND is that I haven't had to resort to watching TV in the evenings. This, I believe is a good thing. I don't know what the Belgian equivalent of Outback Jack is but so far I've been able to spare the brain cells for something more useful (like this) by not watching it.

Someone has drunk all the beer while I've been away and there are only three bottles left!! That will have to be rectified.

A bientot.

Real time flight

I've been researching the facts, and will report that I'm writing this in real time and it's 2:35am at KL International Airport, which indicates that I am approximately a third of the way towards my final destination of Koningin Astridlaan, Gent, België. All facts, all the time. I'll have to write this in sorta reverse chrono order because that's a) the way I feel at the moment and b) easier to remember. I haven't fractured anything, by the way, and did start riding again last week.

Thus far it has been a good flight, and it promises to continue en route to Vienna, ah Vienna. Reason being is that the plane is nowhere near booked out and in my row of 10, there are only four people! So I can stretch a bit, which is nice. On the other hand, the very grumpy lady at the check-in counter in Sydney frowned at my 5 kg overweight baggage and charged me and extra $150 for the privilege of taking my very valuable backpack and bike bag (sans bike). I wasn't very gruntled about that, especially as there were no people in the queue and the flight was nowhere near booked out (she woulda known that too). She then asked to see my cabin baggage and frowned again because, in addition to my laptop and stuff, I had this rather hefty subwoofer + speaker system that John got me today. I was in two minds about taking this with me, but I want my computer to be a fully sick slum-clearing ghetto-blaster. About bloody time, 'cos I don't have a proper stereo at my place.

Even though you're only allowed one piece of cabin baggage at 8 kg, the nice lady said that she would overlook my subwoofer, which I reckon was fair enough in the circumstances. Anyway, the extra seats aren't too bad so I shouldn't complain.

Working backwards, Sunday night was the famous Cyclingnews 10th Anniversary Party, which in true Cyclingnews style was full on and very efficient, in that most of us were in and out in about four hours. It was a seafood BBQ at GK's place and we had about 20 people all up, including nearly all the CN and IDM hangers on in Sydney, plus a few of Gerard's friends who have lived through the process. He has only been doing it for five and a bit years, but the site has effectively been going since February '95. Pity the founder, Bill Mitchell, couldn't make it. He was recovering from a holiday business trip in the Caribbean.

Also on Sunday, I managed to see Josh and Anita and clan, which has recently been Enhanced with the addition of Samantha. Very cute and very quiet, unlike Daniel who is full of go juice. So it was a jolly nice afternoon with them and I wasn't totally wasted like last time. And wait, there's more...The weekend before we all saw Justine and Nick's inaugural production, who goes by the name of Zoe. Also very cute and quiet at five weeks old, so that's all good.

There were many other last minute catchups this week, and I'll certainly miss everyone in Australia over the next nine months or so. It has been a most excellent three and a bit months with much merriment and whatnot. And there will be more in Belgium with my new subwoofer system. I should have a visitation from Lucy in London sometime in March, so that'll be fun.

As for the hip bone/thigh bone connection. Thank you (plural) for your concern, but once I got the x-rays back the doc said it was all fine, even though I doubted his capacities. He seriously looked worse off than me! Once I started riding again, the pain gradually went away although riding my titanium machine after the luscious carbon fibre job was a bit jarring.

Film review: A Very Long Engagement. French. 132 minutes (a very long film). Also a very well made film, even though you have to be concentrating fairly hard to pick up all the nuances. We (especially Stu and I) were somewhat distracted at the Moonlight Cinema because it started raining at various intervals. All very atmospheric, especially with the WWI mud. Brief plot: Mathilde a.k.a. Amelie a.k.a. Audrey Tautou is looking for her fiancee, believed killed in the middle of WWI, by either the French or the Germans. Four others were also thought to be killed at the same time, but weren't. With the help of a couple of private detectives, Mathilde tracks 'em down. Well, the ones who were alive. Includes fiancee, who doesn't remember her. The end.

I am being summonsed by Austrian Airlines.

Postscript: I made it, everything intact and more or less on time. It's cold here and the subwoofer totally rocks!!

Update IV, psalm 53

Today is Friday and I have the day off. It's my second one in five weeks so I can't complain. Appointments for the day include getting my wheel trued, physiotherapist (eindelijk!) and the Moonlight Cinema. That'll do nicely, as you don't want to push things. I hope the physio fixes me, or at least tells me what's wrong, because my adductor (inner thigh) muscles are still very sore after me crash.

News flash: It is now Saturday and I'm still alive, but I don't have the day off. Alas. Physio's report was a bit worrying, but inconclusive. After poking and prodding me for a while, he sent me up to get referred for an x-ray, which I didn't get to until today. I was referred by a doddering 105 year-old doctor at Edgecliff Medical Centre, who at least (I assumed) had some experience. I don't get the results until Monday, but I hope it's neither a) a pelvic fracture b) a dislocated hip/pelvis or c) a separated pelvis. The latter would be really bad.

The good thing was that after 20-30 minutes of deep and quite painful massage, I can actually walk OK again and the pain has significantly diminished. I could probably throw my leg over my bike now without the accompanying agony, but I'll wait until Monday for the yay/nay diagnosis of a fracture, as it's not a good idea at all to ride with a fractured pelvis.

I did manage to walk up to Centennial Park so it can't have been that bad. Saw Ocean's 12 with Kate M. and a few of her friends and it was quite good (I haven't seen Ocean's 11). George Clooney, Brad Pittttt, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Julia Roberts and a cast of thousands and directed by Stevie Soderbergh. Lots of twists, funny bits and in-jokes and, incredibly for a movie about grand robbery, no violence.

I will not be as flattering about the appalling finale to the TV reality show Outback Jack, starring Jack and a host of American bimbos. It's without doubt the worse piece of television I have ever watched, and mum and I sat through the last episode which was an hour and a bloody half long, because of some masochistic bent.

The story goes that a whole gaggle of bimbos landed in the great Aussie outback (west, I think) and met Jack, who is a supposedly a rugged Aussie dude with half a beard. Jack was one of the most boringest farts you could ever imagine, and rarely lifted his voice above a monotone. Over the weeks, he had to whittle down the alleged talent until he finds his perfect match. So there are all these completely contrived "romantic" scenarios, with romantic cameraman, soundman and lighting present, where Jack works out who is the best babe.

When we tuned in on that fateful Thursday, there were just three left, and he flicked one of them (Mel?), probably because in her last one-on-one with him, she white-anted one of the other remaining contestants (Marissa), who deserved it anyway. When it came down to it, he flicked Marissa too and ended up with the southern belle Natalie, and they sailed off into the sunset together, leaving the rejected and crushed Marissa on the beach. I give it 3 months.

Mum and I agreed that not only was it reinforcing bad male and female stereotypes, it was also repetitively boring and extremely contrived. Actually I think Marissa had the right idea because she seemed to be acting more than being her "true self" (which could be one and the same) and really just wanted the money or whatever they ended up with.

Last but by no means least, congrats and well wishes to Josh and Anita for producing their second Child last Monday. It's all good.

P.S. I can now play Chopin's prelude number 4 in E minor from memory! Phwoar. It's been ages since I've memorised a piece like that. Funnily enough, I can still play the Funeral March from memory :-)

Onya Safin

I'll probably be hauled up in front of the UnAustralian Commission for saying this, but I was going for Marat Safin (really) in Sunday's tennis fixture. On Saturday night at the James Squire, Paul and I had opted to back the Russian, while Kate and Kristy said that were gunning for Llleyton. Thus, the scene was set at the North Annandale Hotel on Sunday, where a capacity crowd had gathered to watch the much anticipated showdown. There were even a few other Safin supporters!

Mark you, this is the first time I've actually gone to a pub to specifically watch a tennis match, but it was worth it. Almost like being in Melbourne itself. [Note how the court had 'Melbourne' printed all over it in large letters. The other three grand slams don't do that. Must be a complex of some sort.]

Despite not being a big tennis fan, the match itself was quite good I thought. Safin was hopeless in the first set 'cos he was hitting the ball a) too hard or b) into the net or c) both. So Llleyton won that one. He got it together a bit in the second set but it looked like things were going Llleyton's way in the third until the big bloke really fired. From 1-4 down to 6-1 up then another couple of games in the fourth set...L.H. didn't have a chance. End of game. Not exactly nail biting but it was still quality.

Hmm, from last Thursday through Sunday it's been: (the) Clock, Trinity Bar, James Squire and North Annandale Hotel. There is a pattern, I know there is. And on Monday we, that is Ma, Pa and Ik, had dinner with my Aunty E.E. at a nice café in the shadows of the Harbour Br. She has a rather nice apartment in the vicinity, despite claiming that she is indigent. Hmm, I don't know what that makes me then!

I saw Elektra too, which was my first movie for ages. It's based on a Marvel comic. which I read back in school and thought was tres cool, so 20(?) years later... It's about a female assassin who has Greek parentage. Unfortunately, the parentage was deaded when she was young, so she has Issues. Nothing that a couple of throwing knives can't fix, eh what?

Time wounds all heels

It's nearly a week since my crash and I'm getting there, slowly. Hips were stiff and sore for ages until I started stretching a couple of days ago, and now I seem to be on the right track. I'll have to get some physio though, just in case I've put myself out of alignment. That's quite easy to do, as I have found out previously.

I might even ride again on Thursday or Friday, but just steady for a month or so. There's definitely no rush, and I probably haven't lost much condition in the last three weeks, despite various excesses and not really training much. I know from last year that it will come back quite quickly.

Return date for Belgium is set at February 14th, getting into sunny and warm Brussels on February 15. I hope it's not snowing too much!