400km around the Mallee

Big plans for the weekend - two 200km rides up in the Mallee. I spent the weekend respoking my front wheel, gluing on new singles and generally setting up the road bike for the epic. Even though the ride is famously flat, I'm looking forward to the challenge immensely. It's been a gradual buildup and I'm very happy with my preparation. It will be an interesting weekend and a good introduction to the bigger challenges which lie ahead.

Coming into the end of the audax season, I'm ticking off the goals. I've done the rides I need for the Percy Armstrong award (1x50km, 1x100km, 1x150km, 1x200km) and the EA Maddock award (5x100km). Two more 200's will put me one short of the Irene Plowman award (5x200km) and I'm only a 50km ride short of my Noveau Randonneur award (1x50km, 1x100km, 1x150km). I'm a little surprised, and very satisfied, that it's all gone so well. They seemed such impossible goals at the beginning of the year - it bit like next year's goals seem from this distance.

Bike shown top left is from the Trading Post. I'm suffering from heavy desire - even though keep telling myself I really don't need another bike. Still, I keep looking it up, knowing one day soon it won't be there any more. Sadly, I have not the cash.

4,575km so far this year.