Its time!

 Here is my home for the next week.  I am leaving early in the morning to join my friends and over 3800 other cyclists for my adventure.

 My bike is ready to roll.... my bags... well they are not looking as bad as they did in this photo!

 Cookie gave my cycling basket a 'catscan' The funny thing is that I put this basket out every week and he doesn't give it a second thought.... but today had sat in it for ages and also made himself at home on my unpacked clothing.....  think he is on to me!

May you all have a wonderful week, I shall return next week and hopefully not bore you all too much with my amazing holiday.

Nearly there!

only 3 days to go until I join the Great Victorian Bike ride.  7 days of riding and fun (with a rest day thrown in) 520km

It starts in Albury and winds its way down towards Lilydale.  We ride to Yackandanda, Bright, the tiny town of Moyhu where we will increase the population by 1600% down to Mansfield where we stay for 2 nights (might ride up Mt Buller again!)

 down through Bonnie Doon to stay in Alexandra and then through Marysville where the bush fires all but destroyed the town in Black Saturday.  We get to ride through the black spur to Healesville for our final night under canvas and then a short ride the next day to Lilydale.

I am very excited and have been counting down the days for nearly a year now.  This will be my first holiday by myself without the fisherman or the girls.  It will be all about me for this trip!

I have been sewing today, sorry no photos.

If I don't post again before my trip I shall do a GV posting when I return.

happy sewing and riding!

weekends!

 So last night I go and get my bike ready for the morning ride... I check my tyres after my rides but I hadn't realised that the rear tyre was as bad as this.  you can see the wire thread and the tyre itself is flat instead of being rounded... not a good mix when you like to descend big hills at top speeds!

 So off to the bike shop I go this morning and get some new tyres, I got a sweet deal on a pair of gatorskins,,,, (love the name of these tyres!)  I'm going on the great Victorian bike ride in 2 weeks time, I don't think the old tyres would have done so well after 500km....

 I have been sewing bits and pieces in between working extra shifts and doing all my rides.

 On Thursday night the froglet scored free tickets to go to the Melbourne's food festival at Albert park lake, so we went and tasted our way through various stall holders..... no the above item isn't a spider... its a soft shell crab in a souvlaki... it WAS good.  We had other yummy treats and the macarons below were the best... we had a salted caramel one... mmmmmm

I really enjoyed my night out with my beautiful daughter, she is moving up to Brisbane in January so spending time with her at things like this is great.

The Slog

 Today's adventure was in Pakenham.  My bestie and I rode in a charity ride called The Slog.  We did the 100km route.

 we heard there was about 350 riders doing  the ride.  There was 4 options 30km, 70km, 100km and 150km.

 It was one of the best supported rides I have ever done, and Ive done a few now.  The volunteers were amazing and seemed to be there just when you needed water or a snack.

 We rode into Drouin for lunch which was great.  For $10 they gave us a chicken and salad wrap, an apricot bar, a huge cake bar and 4 freddo frogs!  I also had a gatorade... love those drinks!

The temps were high and the winds blew hard but we got to Garfield and had a well earned icy pole.  The last 10kms were hard with the headwind but we are locking in the ride for next year!

No sewing today for me, but I have nothing planned tomorrow so I'm hoping to get some sewing done.

whittlesea show time

 Who doesn't love a show? its been many years since I was at the whittlesea show but it hasn't really changed which I believe is a good thing

 lots of lovely baked good, arts, crafts, stunning display of botany!

 music.... this was the Yea pipes and drums, I love hearing this music

 my training partners favourite animal!  Camel rides and of course pony rides

 Equestrian events, showjumping and dressage as well as showing and the small ponies pulling the little carts.

 lovely quilts in the show, I happen to know the lady who made this one :)  and she won a prize.

 of course there are show bags.

 Clydesdale's waiting to be judged

 The light cavalry was even there.

In the entrance to the arts and crafts was this stunning appliqued quilt.  I managed to get up close and personal with it to study it better.  beautiful work.

I enjoyed my visit to the show, I was actually there helping man our tent for the swim club so was able to do a little sight seeing before my turn on the stand.