Ohhhhhh shift!

Hi guys,

I've been away from blog-land for a little bit as work has been a tad busy, and has been eating into my training time.  As luck would have it, yesterday I had a free day with no obligations other than completing an assignment for my online course, so I had a bit of a sleep in then went for a ride.

I headed off with the intention of cycling to Brindabella.  I pedalled my way down William Hovel drive, still listening to "the invisible gorilla"... it's a 9 hour audio book, and I've still got a little way to go.  It's still fascinating me every chapter, and yesterday I learned about things like "flashbulb memories" and how false they actually are.

A flashbulb memory is the term used to describe how everyone can remember "where they were" or "what they were doing" when a momentus event occured, ie if I ask "where were you when you found out Osama Bin laden was killed"  I'm sure you'll have the answer popping readily into your head.  If I ask what you were doing the day before though, the memory might not be so clear.  However, our "flashbulb" memories are not always correct, our memory is fallible.  Furthermore, as time goes on, the memory gets worse and worse.

While slowly tackling the steep hills at Coppins crossing (and I must say the downhills and bends are quite fun, and when you do go cycling out there prepare to be using your lowest gears, and trundling up the hills quite slowly... I was)  I participated in a thought exercise with the invisible gorilla.  The book asked me "where were you during the 9-11 attacks"

"Ha I thought... too easy, I was actually in hospital, with a stack of broken bones in my left leg, a broken hip, broken ribs.. etc etc."

  In September 2001 I was hit by a Nissan Patrol 4WD while cycling, and was very seriously injured, in fact I'm extrememly lucky to be alive.  The car that hit me was doing 80km/h at the time, and there's about a 5% survivability rate for Car VS cyclist accidents at that speed.

  However, my memory was completely wrong....   I was hit by the car on the 3rd of september.  9th september was my first day home from hospital.  I learned about 9-11 while lying down on the couch in my parent's loungeroom.... Wow, how could I have remembered it incorrectly; I have such a vivid memory of being in hospital and watching the 2nd tower fall on the TV.  I remember the IV in the back of my hand, I remember the white cotton hospital blanket, and even the pajamas I was wearing. 

How amazing, that my brain all by itself has made this nice little video montage for me... I had not just one momentus event, but two! (the 9-11 attacks, and my serious injury) to remember, so one would think I had every reason to have strong memories of the time.  I think it's quite amazing and fascinating that our brains simply don't work the way we think they do, that simple anecdote just raises so many interesting questions... how accurate is memory really?  how many of these "incorrect" memories do I have?... why do our brains do it?..... why are we so confident in these false memories?  why do they "feel" so real?

Bending my head around this concept was great, as I wasn't thinking too card about the hill leading up from copins crossing.  Oh my it's steep.  I was in my lowest gear, and trundling along at a very slow speed.  However, I surprised myself by making it up the really steep hill (some of those hills are actually quite a bit steeper than Black Mountain, and that's a slog). 

I took the right turn onto Uriara Rd to head out towards Brindabella, but got distracted.  There was a stream of mountain bikers heading into a place called Stromlo Forest.  How could I resist?  Who was I to say no?

I figured I'd check it out.  Brindabella would still be there next weekend I figured. (well as long as that harold camp guy was wrong about the rapture being today... just like he was also wrong back in 1994) 

I turned left into the Stromlo forest park, and was not disappointed by taking the turn off.  There's kilometers an kilometers of mountain bike track, ranging from "tad bumpy" to "omg a billy-goat would be scared of that!"  I took a few of the "tad-bumpy" tracks, then tried a "tad bumpy and a little bit hilly" it was all quite fun, and I'd like to return without so much stuff on the back of my bike some time to have a proper crack at those tracks.

I popped out on the Mt Stromlo road, said G'day to an amazing lady on a road bike who was cycling up mt stromlo.... cycling down.... turning around... cycling back up..... Wow, there are some really really fit people out there. 

I putted down mt stromlo road, and got to a T Intersection.... I could turn left and go back to Canberra, or I could turn right and go to Cotter.  I turned right and went to cotter.  The views are just stunning.  Rolling hills, gum trees, blue skies, sunshine.  Perfect Autumn day.  I roll on down past Casurina Sands, and mentally mark that park as a place to visit in the future, looks like a beautiful spot by the river.

I stopped at the traffic light before entering Cotter township, and crossed the one way bridge with a very patient BMW 4WD trundling along behind me.  I found a nice park on the edge of town and sat at a picnic table for lunch, which I shared with two of the fattest crows I've ever seen; though I'd almost swear they were raised by seagulls.

The ride back was great, with undulating ups and downs culminating in a big uphill at Coppins crossing; during which I used my 2nd lowest gear.  It was a big slog up the last hill, but well worth it.

Total distance, 77km.  Didn't keep time.