I did manage to (eventually) get on my bike, on a glorious looking, but surprisingly cool day. Whilst I had left home in knicks and a short sleeve jersey, within a kilometre and a half I had stopped to pull on arm warmers, and wished for more. Nearing the lake, spring had sprung a mass of once a year joggers, getting out to enjoy the fine conditions, many no doubt in preparation for the Canberra Times Fun Run in a fortnight's time.

I was thrilled to see 'my' family of swans and their five cygnets in their usual place by the lakeside ~ although this time the youngun's had grown to close to full size, although mother (pen) and father (cob) were still always close at hand, usually ensuring that one was on each end of the group of large, gawky ugly ducklings.

I arrived at the designated starting point for the amended Floriade course of the Friday Custom's handicap planning to give Friar a call to check what side we ran on under Commonwealth Ave Bridge. As luck would have it, just as I arrived at the designated meeting place under the eucalypts alongside the Archbishops Residence and the fenceline marking the Floriade boundary, Mr Customs himself, Nick Blackaby jogged up! I explained what I planned to do, we confirmed the course and we each left on our merry way, wending our way through the throngs lunchtime walkers and joggers.


I measured the route carefully and was a little surprised and delighted to see that it came in at 5.04 kms. The elevation profile is a little more pronounced that the 'original' route, which had a culminative rise of less than 10m over the 5km. There is a short, sharp rise at 'hospital' hill with an equally pleasant descent from the 2km mark. The corresponding rise from where the path veers away from the edge of the lake before the National Museum. Aki certainly remembers the final rise at the end of the run, although she will no doubt think that it doesn't even rate as a pimple now!

Bob was once again doing a days work in the electorate office, his last day until after the World Championships in Newcastle. We arranged to meet for a quick coffee at the Blue Olive. I would have been there a tad earlier if I hadn't tried to be quite so much of a smart alec; the usual trick . . . slowing down at a pedestrian crossing behind a stopped vehicle, and balancing on my bike. The pedestrian took a lot longer than anticipated, and I slowly fell sideways with my feet still clipped in the pedals. Lots of people came to assist, however as one guy succeeded in guessing, I only hurt my pride. I had to take my shoe off to get my foot off the pedal, and then flung my leg over like an expert in some cowboy movie and pedalled off into the sunset (OK, a block and a half to the cafe). Afterwards, we walked the short distance to Map World to buy a lonely planet guide of Laos. We are only limited by my plans to do the Six Foot Track in March, and the verdict of the Sydney surgeon next week. Very exciting!

A short diversion on the way home to the National Gallery shop to buy a small birthday present for my sister. A gentle day: not much cycling, although I felt good and stronger than over the weekend.

On another note, this was taken as Aki disappeared from view when we played on Friday!

Climbing Tunnel