Santos Great Perth Bike Smash :: 25th November, 2012

And so it was! I expected it to be hard but this morning was ridiculously hard as far as a "participation" ride is concerned. HCT put together a team of nine and we were all a-buzz and feeling confident that the rivalry with Team Access Unlimited Racing was going to live up the expectations that had been bandied about leading into the event. Problem was that nobody told the Arbitrage and Ride Advice Cyclery teams that this was a HCT-AUR showdown. Even with the 6am start, the announcers for the morning (one Gary Suckling, et al) were lively and happily identified the tension in the air at the start line, overstocked with teams, while reminding us that "it's not a race".

To The Memory Of Mike Burton :: 20th November, 2012

I was shocked and gutted to learn just now that Mike Burton is no longer with us. Mike was one of the first people I met through racing with West Coast Masters and was one person whom I would always look forward to racing or riding with. He had a fantastic sense of humour and his work ethic on the bike was second to no other person I got to know through the club.

I first raced with Mike during the Masters 2011 road race season (my first) in C grade and I recall vividly how impressed I was by his ability to knock out riders (not literally of course) with his incredible sprint. He was a true inspiration to me and given my inexperience in bicycle racing at the time, I made a point of being able to compete in a sprint like Mike. I like to think that my ability now to do so is a direct result of the impression he left on me.

Mike and I progressed through the grades at West Coast Masters together and we had a fantastic friendly rivalry to try and out-sprint each other when it came down to it. While he was always a fierce competitor, it goes without saying that he would also be there for his comrades on course and help them through some of the more difficult phases of a race. I was often lucky enough to be on the receiving end of his assistance (even if it meant he sacrificed his own chances of placing) and at times I felt so inadequate in his presence as I struggled to keep up with him. But he would always pull me through whether it was in the pack or when we were both stuck in no-man's land.

I was upset to hear the news of Mike's passing and I wish his family and friends all the strength needed to get through this hard time. Mike will be sorely missed at the club and out on the road by many, especially myself.

I hope I can do you proud, Mike. You'll be a part of every sprint I do. So long friend.

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You can find a Memorial web page for Mike here.

WCMCC Kewdale Criterium - A Grade :: 18th November, 2012

After the WCM Crit at Wangara last week, I had thought to myself that this week couldn't get any harder or faster. Kewdale is a slightly longer course but is dead flat so no nagging little hills to contend with and the wind was not too bad. Wrong!! Put $2,000 on the line and harder and faster was the suddenly the order of the day. With 44 riders in the A grade field it should have started to ring the warning bells that should also have resonated a lot louder when the likes of Sam Smith, Eddy Hollands and Hilton McMurdo appeared. But I was feeling pretty good considering I hadn't eaten well or had the chance to ride at all the day before to stretch the legs out.

WCMCC Wangara Criterium - A Grade :: 11th November, 2012

Short, fast and hard. Three simple words to describe this morning's WCM Criterium at Wangara. Being my first time on that course, I didn't have much of an idea of what to expect. This was also my first Criterium for the season given my decision to pull out of the Kings of Wanneroo event last Sunday due to bad weather conditions so I was hoping for a good hit out to kick start my venture into A grade Criterium racing. As soon as I arrived I knew that I was not going to be disappointed given the large number of riders lining up to register - most of them the usual A grade suspects.

Santos Great Bike Ride in Perth :: 6th November, 2012

Having benefited so much over the past couple of years from my ventures in cycling, both in a recreational and racing capacity, it is time I took some time out and put some effort in to raising some money for a good cause. The Santos Great Bike Ride in Perth on the 25th of November, 2012 is a great way for cyclists to raise some much needed funding for some fantastic and well-deserving Charities. I have signed up for the 106km ride which I will no doubt have the pleasure of being taken apart bit-by-bit by what I expect will be a strong field of riders - not that it's a race of course!!

I have set a target to raise at least $500 for the Great Bike Ride Charities and am appealing to all of my readers to consider donating to the cause via my on-line fundraiser account which can be found at:

http://www.everydayhero.com.au/charlie_gargett

It only takes a few seconds to donate and please, dig deep for a great cause. Please also spread the word and send as many people to my fundraiser page as possible.

Thank you very much for your generosity.