Two things that can really get to you

So I've sent two emails back home today, if you weren't one of the lucky few be sure yours is slowly on your way. But during these emails, I tried to explain about my new bike purchase, and my trying to stay positive about said purchase. The bike is not that bad at all, it was a great price and two years removed from slowtwitch.com's "Entry level tri bike of the year" which has many good attributes to it. But I can't help from subliminal messaging and advertising and their proven track record, and the fact that they have to be one of Canada's greatest rising companies, I really wanted to get a Cervelo. Well, just like a shot in the guy, I picked up a triathlon magazine I purchased to day and started reading through it, and happen upon an add from all3sports.com and here dawns the bike I was interested in purchasing as a complete build for $1750 (Cervelo P1), and even the Cervelo P2, an up grade from that, starting @ $2000. I spent about $1800 including pedals and shoes (neither of those included either) but man, to know that there was an outside chance of owning a piece of Canadian triathlon history...that can really get to you. I figure this is a very common reaction to spending a good chunk of money on a single thing, and I have to say, I hope it goes away. Here sitting in my room looking looking at the beauty, I can't help but know I'm gonna put in some serious km's and hours in its relatively uncomfortable saddle. The uber excitedness of the bike made me take this picture right now, as proof that yes, I do infact own it and not just a picture from the internet (hence my shoes and boxing wraps in the background). I think had I purchased the same bike at another shop, I'd feel more comfortable about my purchase. I really haven't been too happy with the company I purchase from, but they were one of the only clubs that TT/Tri bikes in stock and I certainly wasn't going to order something in without being about to atleast sit on it. But now I've found a place that I'm really a big fan of, and I've got them looking at bike computers for me and Aero waterbottle holders. Who says just because its entry level I can't take it seriously?

So that was one thing that really got to me, here's the other. I am out of cycling shape, but thats not the worse part of it. I had a 1.5hr scheduled ride ahead of me, supposed to be a relatively easy hill ride, but hills and tri bikes are hard in the first place. So 28 minutes in, I decide "heck, maybe I'm not the intermediate I thought i was (referring to the program I'm trying to follow), and I allowed myself to drop down to the Novice level, who were being asked for just a 1hr ride today instead. So up the hills I went, and hot damn, it was tough work. I head back down and head back up a little bit ways again, and head back down. I'm close to home but 8 minutes are remaining in the hr, so I take a turn and head down another way, thinking that I know where I'm going. Well, in closing, my ride ended after 1hr51min. I got so lost, I was somehow on the other side of Adelaide without actually going through the city. How does that happen?? So net time, its going to be a planned route (next time being tomorrow, either a 1 or 1.5 hr ride depending on how novice/intermediate I'm feeling haha). Well, in closing, what gets to me is that you get lost, in Norwood, where you head up into the hills, then back down, and then back up the hills you thought you were just in until you realize that Norwood is in the middle of a valley and there's hills in both directions. Boo.

View from the edge of the Pinnacle lookout, in the Grampian National Park, taken on the Great Ocean Road trip.