Tour de Katanning

So for those into bikes, the biggest of the big, the hum-dinger of 'em all, the Tour de France starts this weekend.

I never really cared much for it. What's so interesting about watching guys pedal on TV?  I find it about as interesting as soccer or cricket.  I love the highlights, but don't really need all the boring commentary in the middle.

But we have many a cycling nut in Katanning and I have been sucked into the melee, and am now doing 300km in the next two weeks during the Tour de France as part of a team effort to travel the distance of a single competitor in the Tour.

It's actually pretty cool.  Katanning has organised two teams (mine's going to win!) and Wagin and Kojonup have both put in teams, too.

Starting Saturday, every kilometre I do won't just count towards my training, but towards my teams' goal of 3600ish kilometres.  Time on the trainer is granted as the equivalent of 25km/hr, so I should be able to do 50-75 trainer km per week easily, and then will do two outside rides each weekend, of 30-45km each.  I think that'll add up to my 300.

I can't believe I am going to ride outside!  It's freezing! Will the madness never stop!?

Wait.

I am reminded, now, that I am in Australia (how could I forget?!).  Yes, it is the middle of winter, and the temps are only getting close to 15 at their warmest each day (past 5 days: 14, 14, 13, 14, 12). It cools to 0 or so overnight, but probably averages 10 for most of the daylight hours.  It comes with cold winds and rain, yes.  But, hey, there isn't any snow, so what am I complaining about!?

If this was winter in Canada, first of all, if it ever hit 15 in the middle of winter we'd all bust out our shorts and T-Shirts!  Second of all, it's minus 15 all the damn time and there's snow and ice everywhere.  And although I was among the Canadian hibernators, many people were still very active in the winter.  In fact, even I ran along the river in Calgary through the winter.  And all I am experiencing here in Australia right now is Canadian spring weather.

The point of these wandering thoughts on the weather?

A reminder to myself:

Toughen up cupcake, it's only weather, and it could be worse!