Hills

Had a good ride this morning while Kim and the gang did their 38k long run in the leadup to Perth - which they all finished successfully and unbroken... I went from Darlington up to Mundaring on Thomas Road and followed Mundaring Wier Road to Kalamunda, stopped for coffee, and headed back. It was extremely cold this morning and I was exceedingly uncomfortable in the descent from Mundaring into the fog around the Mundaring Wier - I had to stop for a bit at the roundabout by Jacoby Park just to thaw out. I definitely know a bit more about wind-chill now than I did yesterday. That said, it was a really good, tough, challenging ride - 72km with nearly 1200m of ascent. I did it in 2:43 with an average HR of 140. More like an interval session than a solid effort - there are essentially three big hills on the way with the climb from the Wier to Hackett's Gully the toughest.

Had two great experiences ; as with the ride down in Denmark, this time I found myself cycling in the middle of a block of white tailed black cockatoos - in Denmark it was the red tailed variety. Fantastic! Almost better, my new preferred mid-workout recovery snack - a Chocolate Outrage Gu washed down with a large long mac. Mmmmm....