One week, seven days

One week seven days to go...until Taupo!

Next Friday I'll be in Taupo. Woop Woop!  Can you feel the excitement building.  The suppressed excitement is now bubbling to the surface....

As for this Friday, today, a few random things:

1.  I observed a guy on a bike (a very nice bike) at an inner city section, balance on his cleats, while the lights were red, until they turned green.  I'd like to be able to do that!- one day.  Have that amount of balance and control over both the body and the bike - fricken awesome.

2.  Purchased 2 bottles of Moet from Thorndon New World as part of the "food/beverage kit" for post Taupo.  Note: New World currently has Moet on special.

3.  Purchased a new set of headphones at Dick Smith.  I was feeling stink that this is my fourth pair in months, when I met a lady who catches the same train I do, buying headphones.  She confessed she too eats headphones up.  What's with that?  My first pair got consumed in the spokes of my bike, the second pair only has volume in one ear, the third pair are a bit big in the ear.  Lets hope this last pair is "just right".  I see in the Taupo info brochure, your not supposed to ride with headphones.  I think at hour 6 or 7, or maybe before I'll need some music.   I can understand the rule when you are riding in a pack but man, when you are out in the middle of nowwhere, I think a little music is going to be a big help.  I intend to carry with music with me on the day, and will assess on the day.

4.  Discovered you can buy Powerade in a big tub - so did when I was Thorndon New World.  I'll try putting this in my Camelback and see how it goes.  Not the whole tub - in my Camelback tomorrow, but the recommended "dose" per litre :-)

5. Purchased a new bracelet from Chris Cole the jeweller.  It will stay on my left wrist until I get my new watch. - which is when I will be 65kg.  So, you'll be seeing it on my left wrist for some time, until it transfers to the right wrist.  The catch is made of the combined wedding rings of my Mum and Dad.  It's quite nice to know that part rests on my pulse.  And the bracelet is a rope design.  So, it's to remind me its about pulling the threads together...it was orignially going to be a different design.  But that's the design I've got :-)

6.  Went to RPM.  It was OK, until the T lady shouted at me in track seven to go faster :-( (no, just joking - really!)  I actually couldn't work out how hard to go in class - whether to aim for "hill work" or "speed work", mindful I want to do a long ride tomorrow, and also a short ride on Sunday.

7.  Mrs Strawhouse has invited me to the Tin Hutt on Sunday for her birthday with a few others, but advised me I have to ride there and back (about 20km each way - or maybe a little less).  So, this means revising my training rides for the weekend.  I'm still aiming to do a big ride tomorrow tho.  At least over 100km.  However, I definitely wont be heading out to the windmills!