Yesterday's ride...
Started the day needing 51km to complete 6000km in one year (for the first time). The plan was to get on the road early before what was predicted to be a 37° day - didn't quite go according to plan. An appointment set for the day before had the other party not show up

, so had to reschedule for 0700 in Melbourne CBD. Eventually on the bike shortly after 0930 and heading up to Kinglake for the first time ever. I lost some time when a shifting problem became a real nuisance, refusing to go down cogs on the rear; I dropped in to Bike Force in Eltham and they had a quick look and diagnosed the problem in the shifter (I had worried it was the cable), frustrating but wouldn't put and end to the trip (Thanks guys!!!). Pushed on through Eltham and Kangaroo Ground and already getting pretty warm on the bike, progress was getting pretty slow and the Garmin was reading 39.2°C. I realised that I would be even slower once I hit
the harder climbs at the end and was starting to worry that i would be back in time to be cleaned up, showered and in my party clothes for a family event. So I pulled the pin at St Andrews, cooled off and had a bite to eat at Smith's Gully bakery and headed for home. Ended up a good decision as it was still a struggle to get home, needed to stop a few times to cool off and find more water, I rolled in to the driveway right on time. Disappointed i hadn't got up to Kinglake but the Garmin was reading 60.1km in 3:03 which meant 6009km YTD.
