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So, here's a bit of a braindump of CQ 2009.

Day 1: Toowoomba to Goombungee - 37Km

Getting out of the start area was a shocker. 1000 cyclists plus lots of red lights equals average speeds under 10Kph. Most people remained unclicked, and just pushed along with one leg until we were out of the city centre. A lot of people complained that the start should've been better staggered, and I agree. One guy, though, just couldn't let go of it. He was ranting and raving about how some other ride in NSW was much better done and blah blah blah blah. So infuriated by this was he, that he started passing people on the left and bullying his way through small gaps between riders - straight into a road sign. I rode by him, smiling smugly while he nursed his hurt pride. The ride itself was pretty good. Somewhere along the line, BestMate and I dropped mum, unbeknownst to us. I had thought we were actually way behind her, so we were both chasing her to try to catch up! Meanwhile, mum's killing herself trying to catch us trying to catch her! She was pretty pissed off when she finally caught us at lunch, but after explaining it to her, she was cool. Meanwhile, 200m before the lunch stop, BestMate hit a rock or stone or something with his back tyre. It caused the tyre to explode - no word of a lie - and the sharp object was propelled straight into my face.  Ouch.  Note to self:  Do not ride behind BestMate ever again.  There's a photo of the resultant gash in the PhotoBlog section.  The tyre, needless to say, was a complete write-off.  Many thanks to Epic Cycles' mobile mechanics, who replaced the tyre with a Gatorskin on the spot.

Day 2:  Goombungee to Kaimkillenbun - 73Km

Oh hell, what a day.  The brochure described this leg as "Rolling hills (though so tiny they're almost like speed bumps)".  What a load of shite!  Liars, liars, pants on.. fires.  The hills were endless.  ENDLESS.  Now I understand what "rolling hills" means.  Through the entirety of this ride, I found myself thinking that my preparation had been absolutely woeful, and that I should've spent so much more time on the trainer doing Spinervals hill climbing sessions.  I cursed my lack of preparation, and my wimpy attitude towards hills.  On some hills, I just got off and walked.  But I felt no shame in it - I'd given all I could, and after all, this ride is about having fun, not about meeting some artificial target.  I took the opportunity to take lots of happy snaps (seeing as the stops were so damn frequent ).  We were knackered after the ride and all we wanted to do was sleep.  Some fucktards went to the local pub and got drunk, then wandered throughout the campsite at midnight screaming "WOO HOO" at the top of their voices.  They woke the whole fucking campsite.  Douches.

Day 3:  Kaimkillenbun to Dalby - 72Km

The first 17Km of this leg was very tough - headwinds, headwinds and more headwinds.  More stopping on hills, but no walking.  After the first rest stop, I found my groove, and dropped mum like a hot rock.  We stopped for lunch, then headed off again.  I broke away again and just went for it.  I set a new PB - 51Kph.  Yippee!  Mum later told me that she'd spent 15Km trying to catch me.  She had finally caught me when I just got another burst of energy and took off again.  I'd no idea she was behind me!

Day 4:  Dalby to Oakey - 84Km

By this stage in the ride, I'd stopped writing stuff in my daily journal.. so my memories from here to the end of the ride are somewhat hazy.  My recollection of this day is that I found it quite tough, probably a result of overdoing it the day before.  I really struggled by the 20Km mark, but managed to hang in there.  I was very pleased to arrive into Oakey.  I went for a walk into town to get some internet time at the local library and just generally had a look at the place.  Nice little town.

Day 5:  Rest day

OMG, so pleased to have the day off.  I woke up with my right hip, knee and ankle in agony.  I could barely walk.  That day marked the start of my daily pain management routine:  2 Nurofen first thing in the morning, Voltaren on all my leg joints, Dencorub on my quads, Nurofen top-ups throughout the day.  This actually worked pretty well.  I went gliding!!!  There are plenty of happy snaps in the PhotoBlogs section.  Dual control aircraft (of course), plus - to my surprise - obligatory parachutes.  Interestingly, the only instruction given on the use of the parachutes was "pull this".  No details on "flaring" the chute for landing (hello, broken ankles).  In fairness, though, the likelihood of bailing was very small, so it's no surprise they gave so little instruction.  The flight itself was very interesting.  The turbulence behind the tow plane was significant, and I found myself thinking I might get airsick before we even got any altitude.  But once the pilot released the tow rope, it was just magnificent.  So very quiet, and just astonishing we stayed in the air for so long.  We caught a nice updraft and just circled it, corkscrewing up and up and up and up.  We'd started at 2000 feet, and by the time we decided to descend, we were at 4000+ feet.  He gave me a go at the controls.  I'm accustomed to flight sim controls (which I imagine is very much like controlling a "fly by wire" aircraft) - when you move the stick, there's no resistance; it just does it.  Not so on a glider.. at least not this one.  The control stick is directly connected to the control surfaces, so movement of the stick involves counteracting the air resistance.  Similarly, bursts of resistance/turbulence on the control surfaces causes resultant movement of the stick.  I was surprised by just how tough it was to move the stick.  And I was surprised by how uncomfortable I felt being in control of the aircraft.  I handed control off to the pilot a few minutes later.  After about 30 minutes, I started feeling a little odd.  It wasn't airsickness, but in fact dehydration - headaches, nausea, dizziness, dry mouth etc.  Those little gliders don't have aircon, and let me tell you, a clear cockpit with the sun beating down on you leaves nothing but hot air to breathe.  I told the pilot I was ready to land.  So good was the updraft that he had to force the aircraft to drop by applying the air brakes.  The descent was pretty quick and the landing was absolutely perfect.  I was so impressed by the flight!  Having said that, now that it's done, I don't feel the need to do it again.  It was a lot of fun, and I'm so pleased I did it! 

Day 6:  Oakey to Pittsworth - 79Km

I didn't write any notes on this day; my recollection is that I was still in some pain in my hip/knee/leg and found the whole thing much tougher than I'd anticipated.  From memory, this is also the day BestMate developed a problem with his knee 3Km out from lunch.  It was so bad, he couldn't continue, and he was picked up by the SAG.  He ended up going home the next day as he just could not continue

Day 7:  Pittsworth to Warwick - 97Km

OMG.. another tough day.  The first 60Km was bloody hard - I developed symptoms in my right knee very similar to those experienced by BestMate the day before.  Every single pedal stroke hurt.  I wanted to give up.  I wanted to get on the SAG wagon.  I wanted to stop.  I wanted the pain to just end.  Guess who forgot to bring the Nurofen with her?  Urgh.  I begged the ambos for some pain relief and they gave me some Panadol.  They kicked in at around lunchtime, and the remaining 30-something Km was OK.  The pain seemed to just go.  I was just so pleased about that!  That night I ended up having an extended chat with one of the people in our little group, Tracie.  A very nice girl.  We ended up staying up until 2130, which doesn't sound like it's all that late, until you consider that other nights have ended at around 1930!

Day 8:  Warwick to Clifton - 60Km

Woke up in a lot of pain.  Could barely walk from the tent to the toilets.  Found myself considering just getting on the SAG from the get-go.  Talked myself out of it and did my pain management routine, then got on the bike.  Made a point of not forgetting the Nurofen!  Once I was actually on the bike, I felt great.  I just kept myself topped up with Nurofen and was fine.

Day 9:  Clifton to Toowoomba - 59Km

A day of mostly long, easy-ish climbs.  They don't seem like much, but they take their toll after a while.  I bonked out at about 50Km and had to rest for a bit.  I was determined to make it to the finish line!  Mum said unhelpful things like "put it in the easiest gear" (gee, mum, that hadn't occurred to me ).  I got back on the bike and we rode the final leg together.  At the finish line, there was no fanfare, no cheering, no excitement.  I guess by the time we got there, everybody was over it.  I was disappointed - I wanted recognition, dammit!  Nevertheless, I congratulated myself and mum too, and we made a beeline for the nearest food vending place.  Got picked up by my grandfather to go get my car, headed back and picked mum up - then drove home.

I'm so very glad to be home!  I'm glad to be sleeping in my own bed with MaxBabe.  I'm glad to be able to use a shower without having to hide my body from a bunch of strangers - and conversely, without having to shield my eyes from a bunch of naked strangers.  I'm glad to be able to shower without having to wear thongs.  I'm glad to be able to use a toilet that hasn't been used by the unwashed masses.  I'm glad to be able to sit in a chair with a back!

I had a great time at CQ.  I met all of mum's mates from prior CQs.  Mostly dykes (how she manages to find all the queers, I'll never know), and, fortuitously, they all live nearby to me.  So we have our own readymade dykey bikers group.  We've promised each other we'll get together for rides over the coming weeks, but I'll wait and see if it actually transpires.  I hope it does.  They're nice people, and I'd like to have some new people in our social circle.

The organisers kept saying things like "without our volunteers, this event just couldn't happen".  When they first said this, I had no appreciation whatsoever of the level of effort put in by these people.  Now, having seen them at work, I know it to be true.  The volunteers did all sorts of behind-the-scenes work:  setting up tents for the Easy Campese travellers (thankfully that included us); marshalling people; acting as walking information centres; manning the info tents; setting up the catering tents, massage tents, workshop tents etc; counting people in and out of the course to make sure nobody was left behind; manning rest stops; setting up water stops; directing people on the course to make sure nobody got lost... the list really is endless.  I made a point of thanking as many people as I could.  They really made the event just WORK.

I have to say that the event itself was very well organised and very well run.  It just seemed smooth and seamless and easy.  It was a great holiday, and I wish it wasn't over!!!

Now for the bad news.  I have come home with a 3.1Kg gain.  MaxBabe has trotted out the obligatory "you've probably gained muscle mass/muscle weighs more than fat" line, but I'm finding it a little tough to swallow right now.  But I must admit my quads look like they've grown and I'm looking leaner overall.  So perhaps there is some truth to it.  Nevertheless, I'm still feeling a little down about it.  Will I ever reach goal weight?

They announced that next year's CQ will be from Yeppoon to Bundaberg.  Unbelievably, we are already organising ourselves for it - figuring out transport etc... are we nuts or what?  :>>