Voodoo Dundee - Port Douglas

Crikey, Team Voodoo Lounge hit North Queensland this week.  Step aside Hoff, Voodoo has it covered between the flags at 4 Mile Beach. 

The shopping baskets aren’t seen a lot in the pro peloton yet, but I think the cunning Aussies could be on to something. 

 

 

A little later… after a spin down 4 Mile Beach (as used by Kingsford Smith for landing on first airmail run to Papua New Guinea) we’re in croc country.  Luckily I had my trusty Malvern Star go-anywhere rental bike.  Note bike stand aided by use of helmet to combat quick-sand.

 

 

The mangroves were creepy; while I didn’t see the crocs, some of the skid-marks were scarier than Dave’s laundry basket.

 

 

Then the tide tried to grab my Malvern Star.

 

 

I had to get to high land, so it was back up the beach and the highest hill around (which isn’t saying a great deal as the place is essentially flat).                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

 

                                                                                                                                                                                          

About 27 deg here, with moderate humidity but nothing too bad.  Tough life.

 

Lounging around the wairarapa

We took a three day weekend over the hill for some family time and chores like long lawns (filled the trailer with just the clippings) and a vege garden that has been inherited by parsley and mint triffids while we were gone. Stacks of blossom on the pear and apricot trees are a good sign.

Managed to get a couple of good rides in the sun rocking the Voodoo colours. Today however was a bit overcast, still it was 17deg most of the ride so almost tropical.

My fitness sucks, nearly 8 weeks of injury and illness will do that. My physio gave all clear to start training again last week so roll on daylight savings. Riding three days in a row I'm not complaining.

Hello Trail and Mud

 

I left home at 7:30 or so.  when I got to Upper Hutt I found the e-mail from Neil: “Turned out to be too early for me, still in bed. Hope you managed to get bike dirty.“ – Oh yeh, I got it dirty all right.  Enter my new/old Felt F1X cyclocross bike.    I built it from a second hand frame and a mix of new and second hand parts.  When I say I built it I mean i loosely put the bits together and trusted Oli to make them work together.  Oli did  a great job and everything on the bike worked flawlessly. 

Except the rider.  Note to self: don’t try turning when in a puddle, through 2 inches of mud and no momentum.  You just fall sideways.  At least the mud cushioned my fall and there was no one around to see me.  Just when I was getting the hang of surfing through mud, very wet and squashy grass and jumping over dead branches, I hit a dead end by the paintball place close to the hutt river.  it was on the way back that I was getting ahead of myself and the bike and got dumped.  

On the way back home I stopped for a coffee at the Petone esplanade.  people were quite surprised to see me  on a ‘road bike’.  By the way I looked, muddy and all, a mountain bike was more expected.  he he he…

so all in all, the ride was very enjoyable.  I was impressed with the semi slicks tyres I chose.  Only slipped couple of times but still had enough traction to keep me moving forward. 

So a great trail bike. very smooth, and easy on the limbs.  even the odd pot hole I wasn’t ready for didn’t phase the bike traction and direction at all. 

I spent quite some time cleaning the bike once I got home, before parking it in the shed.  Its amazing how persistent mud can be.

That seat bag is way too big – its going back to the cupboard (once its dry after washing all the mud off).  the light has now moved to the right seat stay to make room for a rear mud guard.  I may be crazy, but I’m not stupid.

Now the problem I am going to face now is which bike to use and when.  trail or road, commute or climb, mud or gravel? and how do I explain the line of mud on the carpet in the office that leads to the bike parked behind my desk.  its going to be a very fine balancing act to ensure I keep both my bikes happy, and have enough time to for work and family.  What a predicament to have!

Its a good day...

.... for working on Team Voodoo Lounge's Social Media Strategy. Good luck to the peeps out there in Upper Hutt washing mud out of their butt cracks. 

Rocky says "Zzzzzzzzz".

Zander's Flanders Update!

Just to get in before it's too late - the aforementioned Tumblr blog has been relocated to the following:

http://zandersflanders.blogspot.com

Thank you!

Zanders Flanders!

Voodoo Lounger Alex Revell has gone to Belgian to mix it in the local Cyclo Cross scene. Like he says, its a bit like coming to NZ to play rugby against the All Blacks. Anyway. He has set up a Tumblr blog here for your perusal. Go Alex! (new link here)  http://zandersflanders.blogspot.co.nz/

Alex having an epiphany during 2011's Crazyman "Come to Belgium" the voices said. Photo By Martin Crundwell.