HypoActive

This was my second GVBR. I rode my first one in 2004, on the Great Ocean Road GVBR, with my sister and some of her friends, and 8000 other cyclists.

2006 was as different as you could get. The first day, it was so hot the bitumen was melting on the road. We all drank 10litres of water a day for 3 days, and swallowed flies by the dozen. OK slight exaggeration, my worst fly tally was 4 in one day, the day we rode up to Powell’s lookout. The campsites were dusty and we all felt the reality of drought and dust as we contemplated the impact our moving town of 4000 was having on water supplies in the region.

It was my first big ride with an insulin pump, and the mode of transport and dust in camp made hygiene when doing set changes, a bit of a giggle. The pump worked brilliantly, my usual ride basal is 50% of the normal basal. After 3 days of constant riding I set a new pattern, putting it down to 30% of normal.

The best bits were the friendship and camaraderie, and the joy of arriving in camp to find someone had retrieved my bag and pitched my tent for me, absolute bliss! And not to mention the sense of achievement in making those big climbs and the gorgeous downhill runs. Oh, and the scenery, and the red wine at night, and the moonlight cinema and the ….  Well, there’ll be more next year, see you there.

Buy the jersey.