Bushlove Racing: October 2012

"So how many peaks do we visit?"

"Nine."

"Oh. And we ride them in any order we like?"

"Actually there's eleven."

"And we have to be back here in under six hours?"

"Go!"

A simple idea with minimal organisational requirements. Starting and finishing at the fine establishment that is Revolution Cycles you take any route you like so long as you snap a selfie at the top of each noted hill-top as proof.

A happy bunch of 30 or so regular and less regular Wellington cycling misfits took off in all directions.

My cunning plan to ride my single speed with cyclocross tyres began to unravel as I fixed my first puncture at the summit of the first hill. At least I had a nice view as I feverishly hammered away with a stupidly tiny "emergency only" bike pump. Back on the road and a few peaks later I started to feel somewhat hazy. I finished all my food and drink and felt a little better. There's quite a bit of "flat" riding between hill tops and my one gear was never quite right on the flat or the uphills this day.

Keeping it classy at the Mt Vic trig

Nearing the 3 hour mark I found myself at the bottom of the tip track, not only out of food but also out of water that I'd been cunningly restocking along the way from various garden taps. A less fuzzy brain would have sent me up through Brooklyn and a dairy stop for refreshments, but I was set on going up the tip track. On a good day when fresh I can happily climb this hill in a little over 20 minutes, today however it took nearly 40 minutes of mostly walking. And it was hot with the gentle southerly held back by the hill. I had visions of those cliche desert scenes with buzzards circling above me in the midday sun. Actually they were just seagulls from the nearby rubbish dump but I wasn't going to let facts ruin my desert hallucinations.

'statue bro?

I'm pretty sure it's a bad sign when you start planning in careful detail all the goodies you are going to ingest when you get back to base. Luckily the next food stop was only one hill away on my current trajectory. I lay prostrate on the grass outside the dairy at the bottom of Karori. I poured most of 2 litres of chocolate milk and six Cookie Time biscuits into my wilted body and slowly started to recover. The world came back into focus and I found myself surrounded by about twenty disappointed ducks, not a crumb had been dropped. Feeling much better although slightly bloated, I bolted up Makara Peak, my final summit for the day.

Arriving back at Revolution Cycles I was greeted with smiling faces, pizza, and beer! Choice. In a little under 5 hours I'd traversed Wellington and done some cool riding. A few new trails and some I hadn't ridden for nearly 20 years. I'd travelled about 70km and climbed about 2500 metres. What a fun event, cheers!

Bushlove take on the Duathlon World in our new NG@A (Not Ghey at All) Pink Bushlove top.

The weekend started off with My Little Pony crankin on the iPad for the road trip up. The scene was set for a raging weekend!!! My Little Pony and Pink Blouses. A combination that would scare the hair off even Nick K's calves of doom.

We said the new kit was pink, but no body believed us.

Known as mountain bike pure breeds, two Bushlove Stallions bolted from the stables in an insane attempt to harness the Duathlon World, starting with "The New Zealand Duathlon Champs". Little did they know they were not entering the Grand National but more like the My Little Pony Fashion Parade. You see Duathlon is the sport where if you don't look that part, you supposedly cannot race the part, not true I tell you.

Personalised Tri suites for the season NG@A!!

Race day was here and we packed the horse float with steeds and set off for Taupo. At race headquartes we trotted over to transition to drop our steeds off. On the way through getting our hoofs saftey checked we drew our preferred start gates; opposite a donut cart and next to a pink towel. The Bushlove stallions were primmed for competition.
With two races on offer Bushlove covered both corners of the feild; Mr Ed saddled up for the long haul, while filly Tigs galloped into the sprint feild.

Bolting out of the gates at 10am sharp, Mr Ed was off! Following a fast start Mr Ed settled into the feild holding onto the tail coats of seasoned duathletes. After running 3 laps of the Taupo Motorsport race track (with no motor to boot) the opening 10k run was dusted off and Mr Ed could get settled into his work on the bike. Ears pinned back, tail straightened, Mr Ed jumped staight into his work picking off riders like Angry Bushlove digging for gold up his nasal passage.

While Mr Ed was out picking off riders, Tigs roared into action in the sprint race. Towards the end of Tigs dash, he had a momentary lapse in concentration (must have been away with the fillies) which meant he overshot transition by 100mtrs. Under the direction of our seasoned Bushlove support crew (And dutiful wife) Tigs turned back on course, but not after team-mate Mr Ed caught him commiting the crime...

Seeking redemtion for his navagational sins, Tigs saddled up his speed steed and earnt forgiveness through a storming bike leg. As everyone heard Tigs roar on the back straights, Mr Ed started dragging his heals in his final 5km run. Head high Mr Ed stumbled across the line in a touch over 2hrs, good enough for a silver medal. But the Bushlove stable was still out there chasing greater glory.

Hard on the reins Tigs racked his weapon of choice and set out on his final gallop around the race track.
After a final 2.5km hot lap Tig's sprinted through the win by a country mile.
Following the days success, Mr Ed and Tigs reflected on their success with a couple cold ones and their fans. If the Olympics don't want Duathlon, Bushlove and fans will bring Duathlon to the Olympics.

Olympic touch carrier in the making.

The highlight of the day was still to follow, the first outing of Bushloves new threads. With the My Little Pony fashion title still for the taking, Bushlove threw down the gauntlet showing you can never wear too much pink.