Noosa Tri and lotsa bikesNoosa Tri and lotsa bikes

October in Paradise is Triathlon time – the Noosa Tri that is.  This year, I was lucky enough to get a place on Jon L’s (the fittest man I know) team due to an injury to their runner.  I opted to do the bike leg as I have a niggling heel injury.  I need to put my modest efforts into perspective.  The winner of the 65 to 69 age group Mike Griffin completed the swim, ride and run in 2:34:39. To put this into perspective – our team time was 25 mins more than that! There were 3 runners in the over 70 category and a guy who completed it despite only having one leg!

Here was my hero of the day – we saw him finish.  Markus Hanley, 77, prepares for his 18th triathlon. Picture: Megan Slade. In case of any doubt, Mr Hanley is second on the left.  

If you’d like to see the course I rode, here’s a link.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UD8_GpzbmJs    When you watch this, just see how Courtney Atkinson (3 times winner) flashes past other cyclists.  That would have been me peddling for my life!  Speeds of 80 - 90 kph down the hill with tyres at 120+ psi – brown trouser stuff I can tell you. 

Next year I want to be fit enough to wear one of these.  That’s the hat, not the pink corset.  I couldn’t squeeze my fat backside into one.  The suit that is not the hat. I’d look a bit daft with the hat wedged up my crack. Besides, how would I peddle?

You may have read about the Qantas lockout.  There is no truth in the rumour that their CEO (pictured here – Alan Joyce) got on a plane and was surprised that no one else was on it.  There is a rash of strikes in Paradise at the moment it seems.  I’m waiting for Queensland Rail to go on strike to see if anyone notices.  I’d like to say it’s a Banana State but I can’t – since the floods last year, no one can afford bananas.  However, it seems the Queen can afford them.  According to the Courier Mail, she was offered bananas, pineapples and Bundy Rum as she cruised up the river.  I wonder which she took. What happened to cucumber sannies?

Anna Bligh at Brisbane Airport, waiting for the arrival of The Queen.
Picture: Robyn Ironside. Source: The Courier-Mail.  Next visit we hope to have an airport building to welcome Her Majesty. No, I am not kidding.  Here’s the link.

http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/  

Friday Mash was spot on with the Queen’s visit I thought.  http://www.fridaymash.com/au/gillards-girls/ .  “During her visit Queen Elizabeth II has made no attempt to establish herself as the Green Queen.  She obviously recognises Bob Brown’s prior claim to the title.”  For non-Aussie readers, Bob Brown is the Queen leader of the Green party, whatever that is.   It’s a good job she wasn’t relying on Qantas.  The Queen that is, not the Green Queen.   Some cynics have suggested that Bob Brown emits more hot air than a Qantas jumbo jet.   Well, for a couple of days this week that was actually true as Joyce grounded the entire fleet.   

From the Queen to Queen of the Road. I need to give heaps of credit to the people that put Trumpy on the road.  Thanks guys.  The boys at BJ’s Bikes and Bits posed for me when I popped in to pick up a few spares.  Chris pointed out that I had ridden the bike there with the choke full on.  I could’ve choked!  The BSA T shirt was a bit embarrassing, but Chris also explained that BSA owned Triumph at one point, so I guess that’s OK.  You can find them at http://www.britishmotorcycle.com.au/

Eagleby Q Test

I also am now licensed to ride the bike having completed my “Q Test” at Eagleby.  Not many people come out of Eagleby alive, although I must add that the land sectioned off in the picture wasn’t a burial ground for people without tattoos or who didn’t pass the Q test, or both, it is the base of a cell phone tower (under construction in case you were looking for the tower).  My steed for the 5 hours was a Korean Ducatti copy, a 650 cc Hyosang, quite quick up to 7,000 rpm, red lined at 11,500 rpm.  Non petrol heads may not pay much heed to this, but I can tell you, it was quick, very quick and stopped on a sixpence when doing the emergency stop from 50 kph.  I couldn’t find a sixpence so I had to stop on an Aussie 10 cent coin which is a bit bigger, but hey, I am an older rider.   Here’s the classroom.  Fortunately, the bins weren’t being emptied on Saturdays.  The Hyosang is the yellow bike, and in case you’re wondering, we didn’t all ride it together.  It wasn’t that kind of a Q test. 

From the sublime to the ridiculous.  When I went into the offices of Queensland Transport to exchange my Q Ride Certificate for a fair dinkum driver’s licence, I saw the bike equivalent of Arnold Schwarzenegger on steroids.  Yes, it is a V8 engine in a bike and the rear tyre must be at least a foot wide.  I have actually talked to the guy who owns this when we walked in New Farm a while ago.  He was a human being not a terminator. 

Keep Well, Stay Safe

Kidner Jeremy and Mrs K