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Today I did my regular 40Km ride to Nudgee and back.  Riding on the path outside of my normal riding hours has introduced me to a completely new set of path users.  Namely schoolkids, people commuting to work on their bikes, and people walking to work.  I decided to take it easy through the Kedron Brook area, where the pedestrians were at their most numerous.  I rode through Kalinga, then headed to Toombul, only to find the bike path has been blocked off for path works!  I had no idea how to get where I wanted to go, but thankfully a kindly bike commuter let me follow him to find the other end of the path.  Random Bike Commuter, I thank you.

The ride was made especially good for two reasons.  1:  I got to see lots of unhappy, cranky, frustrated drivers stuck in traffic, trying to get to work.  And for once, I wasn't one of them.  And 2:  I got to see lots of happy, smiling, not stuck in traffic bike commuters, all of them making better time than the car commuters.  Oh, and also, I got to see a handful of cute chicks on hot bikes. 

The going through the Schultz Canal was tough due to headwinds, and I found myself once again muttering things like "stupid bike, stupid wind, stupid canal, stupid exercise".  And my iPod's earpiece doodad kept falling out of my ear!  Nevertheless, I made it to Nudgee with a very good average speed.  I suspect if it weren't for the headwinds I might've had a new PB!  But it wasn't to be.  On the return trip, I kept trying to beat my speed record, but I just didn't have the legs in me, and I eventually gave up.  One of the people I'd passed on the way back eventually caught up to me and passed me.  I tried to catch her, but I was done.  Within minutes she was just a blob of fluorescent yellow on the horizon.

Lots more schoolkids and walkers on the Kedron Brook stretch on the way back, which suited me fine as I had no desire to go fast.  Oh, and another (*&@#$ headwind.  THANKS, MOTHER NATURE!!!!!!!

Got home and the stupid resident magpie swooped me three times.  It perched itself on the power line just in front of my driveway and gave me the evil magpie eye.  I cursed at it, waved my arms at it, and dared it to try to take me on to my face instead of cowardly sneaking up on me from behind.  Like the coward that it is, it declined, and I walked into the house, greeted by my very excited dog.  You'd think I'd been gone a lifetime!!!

I am pleased to report that I am only a very short ride from completing my goal of riding 2000Km this year.  I'm very excited about this!  Who ever would've thought I could do such a thing!