Oz Day weekend away

For anyone interested we're heading to Yeppoon for the Oz Day long weekend to ride some different roads and experience some different sights. Campers are staying at Beachside caravan park and the rest organise your own accommodation; campers don't hang around it's filling quickly. There are a few good riding options up that way with something for everyone. Rides will be early morning and relaxing the name of the game after that :-) If you have any queries contact me.

2014 Mitchelton Bay Cycling Classic Day 1

Day 1 at the Bay Crits and Dylan comes in 5th in the Support Teams but on the same time as the winner, great start to the 4 days of racing with his new team - Bikebug.com. Bikebug are now also leading the teams classification with one of their riders winning the race. That's Dylan holding the Champagne!

New Years Day Slog

Not too many today for the ride to the Dam with an early morning shower enough to give some an out for the ride. Once through Boyne and off the wet roads Reg soon wicked it up to around 40 with a slight tailwind and with Dane, the Fox and Daryl behind it wasn't looking like an easy day in the saddle - I was bludging down the back ;-)
The pace was very firm all the way to the Pikes Crossing turnoff with Reg or Dane pushing up every incline that came along keeping everyone honest. By the time we got to the Dam hill most were feeling the pinch a little but Reg and Dane shot off up the incline until Reg threw a chain. Once at the Dam the heat was too much so we headed back for a brew in air conditioning. Once again the pace was pretty up there and not far from the end of the Dam road we lost Daryl who is far from fit at the moment. By the time we got to Boyne Reg and Dane didn't stop pushing and low and behold the Fox called it a day at the BP! Maybe he was cooked by the long sleeved jersey. Needless to say we were sweating just a little by the time we got to Maccas - Great ride gents.
Word on the street Marty felt the pressure and did a runner to Noosa the night before ;-)

Tannum Tri - Better late than never...

The Tannum Tri was held a couple of weeks ago with perfect weather for another great event. The event was sold out with just over 200 competitors. There were plenty of Grinders in action, along with other local and visiting athletes, and some excellent results were posted throughout all distances and events.  Ben Wriede took out the Long race and set a new course record in the process. While we could say it’s even more incredible with him just coming off night shift, it is worth mentioning he’s an electrician, so it’s highly likely he wasn't too tired lol. I personally think he saw me closing him down after the swim and he got worried but nobody else seems to believe me! Other winners from Tannum were Mitchell Earl in the Short Duathlon, Julianne Cilliers in the Women’s Short Duathlon and Ben, Cathy and Wayne in the Team Short Tri, well done to all.

A special mention to Mick, Craig and Graeme for helping out with the setting up of the bike course and other duties they performed during the morning, thanks gents can’t thank you enough. Geert for once again looking after the run course. The Wriede's for doing what they always do so well. Of course a big thanks goes to Doug for looking after the swim and pulling it all together.

To any others that helped out that I have missed mentioning, thank you as well; these things run so much easier with people to help out. 

The Lazy Leg Ride

There we were, 3 of us looking less than impressed with the prospect of actually riding so the call was made to go straight to the brew shop. To reduce the guilt we did mange to clock up almost 10k's before relaxing in the aircon at Maccas.

Are those legs shaved Mr Fox?

Ok so how do you get that mark on your left leg?

What a Year!!

It has been a very big year for the Coffee Grinders in 2013.  The organised rides are always well attended and numbers have been steadily increasing throughout the year.  There have been impressive individual participation and performance in road & track racing, mountain biking, and triathlons.  As a group we have participated in events such as the Noosa 85/160, Brissie to the Bay, Bike for Life (Rocky), and our very own 235km Great Divide Gran Fondo.  The Brissie to the Bay is a charity ride of MS Qld and the 14 member TSCG team raised a phenomenal $8447, the 17th highest amount out of 340 teams!!

This year saw the formation of the Port Curtis Bicycle User Group, which our own Graeme and Craig have kindly donated their time to become committee members of.  In August, a large contingent of us (including our families) travelled into Gladstone to attend a community forum with the Council that was organised by the PCBUG.  I think it is fair to say that without our efforts to attend, it would have been embarrassingly small audience with the Council.  Well done to those that participated.

I would like to acknowledge the efforts of Mark and Craig in organising rides such as the Thursday Roll, weekend rides, Calliope & Boyne Valley rides, the Gran Fondo, etc, etc.  Mark has also organised Monday, Wednesday, Friday morning ocean swimming and Wednesday afternoon running, for anyone else out there that doesn't have a wife/husband or family!  The Tannum triathlon is on this Sunday, if you are near the surf club keep an eye out for a number of Grinders that are participating.  Thanks also to the TSCG volunteers who are doing marshalling work for the cycle leg. 

Before closing out with some photos and awards from the Christmas Party, I would like to thank Jody (and Mark might have helped a bit) for organising the clothing purchases throughout the year.  There have been 3 orders placed this year which is a fantastic effort.  It's thrilling to see our jersey being worn at triathlons in London, on the podium at the State Track titles and MTB races, and on the boys in Melbourne.

It's been a fantastic 2013 year and we can look forward to a bigger and better 2014.  Thank-you to all of the people that we leave at home while we are out riding.  Have a happy and safe Christmas and New Year. 

Now to the awards:

Greatest Stirrer - Bloody Wayne : no wonder Kaye is the way she is.
Biggest Scar - Ronnie : she'll be right, it's just a scratch.
Best Trick Gone Wrong - The Fox : could've died! a couple of nurses, no resus but they took photos!
Best Female Crash - Robin : more metal than Robocop.
Best Male Crash - Wentzel : Weipa Wipeout
Crankiest Rider - Kaye : do not fire off a snot rocket near her!!
Closest Near Death - Marty : sticks and stone may ... may kill me.
Outstanding Performance - Dylan : no easy feat to get picked up by an NRS team
Best Dressed - Daryl : the King of Bling
Biggest Motor - Eagle 1 : the big diesel just keeps purring along, always pulling the little pink caboose.
Most Supportive Rider - Garry : never leaves a soldier behind
Best Support Vehicle - Poppy : why ride when you can have air-conditioning?
Most Flat Tyres - Schalk : must have shares in South African tyre company
 
And a couple that I'll throw in for good measure:
The Lone Ranger - Mark : "I'll meet you at the highway"
Mother Duck - Jodie : took good care of young ones, until they dropped her for a faster bunch

2013 Xmas Gathering

What did you do Daryl?  It made Wayne's eyes water!!

 

The speed men

Xmas looms

Hi all,

The last couple of weeks have been pretty mad socially and with only a couple to go until Xmas I can't see it getting any better :-)

This weekend the Saturday ride was small but all quality and the pace was on almost all the way there and back. Craig, Mike and Steve (Birdy) were the main offenders keeping Graeme and I honest at the back. Craig made the mistake of saying out loud he hadn't had a flat for a while and paid the price not long into the ride lol. The Sunday ride was on and off like usual and was the perfect warm up for that first coffee of the day. It was a sad day with the 2 young blokes Sam and Mac having their last Sunday ride with us. These 2 have improved out of sight and will be missed. All the best boys.

This weekend coming we see the running of the Tannum Triathlon on Sunday. With it being sold out already we should see a great event and fingers crossed we get some great weather. Once again thanks to those that have volunteered some time to help out on the day, much appreciated.

Also the Christmas Thursday roll where you all have to decorate your bike will be on the 19th so start getting your decorations and outfits ready.

Mountain biking returns to Boyne/Tannnum this week on Tuesday leaving from the usual spot and time and we might get to see what improvements the lads have working on this last week.