Queanbeyan ride

Yesterday I cycled down to Queanbeyan and return.  Cycled down via Belconnen Way, then the highway.  Time 40 minutes to the city, 1:00 to the airport and roughly 1:20 to Queanbeyan.  Total ride about 60k's... Total time on the bike... about 2 and a half hours.

My spiffy mountain bike came from Hammer'n'cycle Queanbeyan, so I figured I'd ride it down there for it's "settle in" service.
While waiting for the lovely people at the bike shop to service my bike, I took a stroll through the shops, and had a coffee. 

It was pretty chilly on the ride out, and upon returning home I checked out the www.bom.gov.au  to discover that it had been -1C ... no wonder it felt a bit nippy.  However, I listened to most of "I am legend" as an audio-book on my ipod.  I don't think I'd survive without the ipod.  I had a funny moment while stopped at a set of traffic lights, as the line "Do muslim vampires cower from the cross" intoned through my ear buds.  I started laughing; and the guy driving the car in the lane next to me gave me a very odd look.  Note to self: just because I can hear what's going on in my ipod... nobody else can.  That guy just saw some crazy lady on a bike start laughing at nothing...  As an aside, I am legend is a great book.

The ride back was just lovely, blue skies, sun shining.  I took the shorter way back via William Hovel drive.  If anything the short cut took me a tad longer to ride back, as crossing the freeway exits every couple of K's required a stop and a dismount to do safely.  However, there's no 2nd chances when mixing a push-bike with car and truck traffic at 90-100k's per hour, so slow and safe it is. 

I ended up getting back home in time for lunch, taking approximately 1:30 to ride from Queanbeyan to Florey. 
I hope to start taking a few pictures while out cycling to share, but I managed to lose my USB cable that connects my camera to my computer while moving to the ACT.  It's proving more complicated that I expected to replace the item, as the electronics shop at my local shopping center doesn't stock it, so I'll have to go to a camera store, as I'm away for work this will have to wait till mid-next week.

Tomorrow my training ride will be more getting up and going when I really don't feel like it.  I have a 6:45 am flight to Sydney where I have to be Monday and Tuesday for work.  I've discovered that Canberra Airport allows bicycles to park for free in the undercover car park.  Since I'm an environment specialist, I suppose I really should put my money where my mouth is, and reduce my carbon footprint.  I can also save myself about fifty bucks in parking fees.  Sweet.  My bicycle is going to pay for itself in no time.  The only catch is that in order to make my check in time, I'll need to be on the bike at about four in the morning.  In Canberra, heading into winter.  That's some serious bike love.

However, I know that I'll feel like such a champion when I stroll into the airport lounge in my cycling gear, and stroll out to board the aircraft looking sharp as in my suit  completely worth an early morning and being a bit chilly.

I'll sign off for now, and will be back next week.

M