Sunday, November 05, 2006

Northcott Vietnam Cycle Trek - Day 14: Rain, rain go away!

Never thought I'd be making the "Rain, rain go away!" statement in a water hungry Sydney but, having had a ride on the bike yesterday, and ready to go again today, Sunday, the rain has hardly let up. Picked Kerry up from work this morning and hoped the rain would disappear but I'm not confident about heading out on a wet road at this stage. Might be confined to a walk the doggies day after all. A bit early for my usual blog but I want to get in the habit of a shorter daily blog than the combined stuff I've written before.

I'm clearly capitivating people with this blog, so much so that they can hardly bring themselves to respond (at least that's what I'm putting the total lack of comments down to *grins*).

Saturday, November 04, 2006

Northcott Vietnam Cycle Trek - Day 13: I'm a bike rider again!

Who said 13 is an unlucky number? It's an overcast Saturday morning in Sydney but the sun's shining on me coz I'm a bike rider again! Yep, up early this morning and decided "That's it; no more delays!" Didn't make an ass of myself in the process of riding a couple of kms (couple of miles for any North American readers) and so I'm really on my way. Yippee!

Have I still got a long way to go in the health, fitness stakes? You betcha! But I'm currently feeling very pleased with myself at the start I've made - the longest journey begins with the first steps. Didn't take long to get used to the 24 gears in their various combinations - bikes have come a long way since my first (green) Malvern Star bike with no gears that I used to ride to school every day from Warwick Road in Dundas Valley to St Patrick Marist Brothers in Kirby Street Dundas.

Anyway, it's a big cheezy grin from me for today!

Friday, November 03, 2006

Northcott Vietnam Cycle Trek - Days 9, 10, 11 & 12!

It's Friday evening 3 November in Sydney, and this is yet a further demonstration of how I am struggling to get into a disciplined habit of "blogging" each evening, or at least at some time of the day to maintain the continuity .....

So ... on Tuesday, I had a great morning with the folks from the Beijing Culture Bureau, as anticipated and came back to the office to do emails and stuff... well suddenly it's 5 .00pm and I'm getting ready for a networking function in Parramatta. At least I listened to a very interesting speaking speaker and was able to talk to more people about what I am trying to do with Northcott.

Wednesday came along with promise. Attended a Board meeting in the morning and then met for lunch with a dear friend who I hadn't seen for a while. This was a prelude to an inspiring speech on Australian history through Aboriginal art, given by Emeritus Professor Di Yerbury, former Vice-Chancellor of my alma mater, Macquarie University. Di was talking with the folks from Beijing and was in great form as she showed a series of carvings, paintings and other indigenous artefacts, most from her own collection. Then it was back home to take Fi to Uni and ... well that was Wednesday.

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times .... sorry to come off all Dickensian but the last couple of days have felt like that.

The best of times: FIRST CHEQUE FOR $500.00 FROM THE MIGHTY EELS! Parramatta Leagues Club, through the generous spirit of Alan Overton, Denis Fitzgerald and the other Directors, decided at their October Board meeting to provide 500 big ones in sponsorship - Vahoo! So the fundraising now has begun in earnest with a great hit to start.

What's more, the Club is also sponsoring its Gaming Manager, Hugh Perrottet, for the ride and so we'll be riding partners, along with brother Tony, and the other guys who have already signed up.

The worst of times: STILL haven't managed to get on the bike - I was beginning to think I was finally over my procrastination yesterday and headed home to "get on my bike" when it started raining! Today the rain has been intermittent, but generally fairly heavy, especially at the times when I wasn't in meetings of one sort and another and could have gone for a spin to find my "bike legs" again.

I looked back and figured it's probably been about ten years (at least) since I've had a proper bike ride (going any further back is scary). Getting on the bike now and doing a few circuits in front of the house (and therefore in front of the neighbours) is the basis for likely embarassment and so I have avoided until now - the weekend definitely!

In the meantime, Adam Spencer (yes that Adam Spencer of 702 breakfast) kindly wrote directly to me, to let me know that the ABC policy is not to single out individual charities for support and so he wouldn't be able to auction the bat on his program - bugga! I kinda figured that would probably happen, and I certainly appreciate the reasoning behind the decision, but I reckon that, if you don't ask, you don't know - ah well. Good news though - Adam has suggested we see if we can organise a "cross" from his program to the ride while we're on it, so that might be a possibility.

So I think the last couple of days have been a bit like a Tale of Two Cities, or at least a Tale of Two Days. Roll on the weekend and the bike-riding!