Updated 22 November 2008

Updated 22 November 2008 - Zara

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1. HY - 672km
2. Geek - 528km
3. Keith - 479km
4. HP - 267km

Last updated 09:00, 22/11/08 (GMT +10)

I went to the letterbox to get the mail this morning. After reaching in with my bare hand to take out all the mail, I noticed something at the back of the letterbox…

This one was a female (the more dangerous one!). Identifiable by it’s large size and characteristic red stripe on its abdomen.

“The initial bite of the Redback is easily dismissed. Though it is usually felt, it is not said to be painful. Some victims, however, have reported a ‘burning sensation’. To add to the confusion, puncture marks are not always evident.

The Redback Spider bite is diagnosed by localised sweating at the site of the bite. Common symptoms (about 40% of cases) include sweating, muscular weakness, paralysis, stiffness, loss of coordination and tremors. Less common symptoms (about 10% of cases) include muscular weakness, nausea, vomiting, local redness and swelling, dizziness or fainting, rapid or irregular heartbeat, insomnia, rigours, fever and muscle spasms.”

Source: www.qm.qld.gov.au/features/spiders/redback-bite.asp

Here’s another fact I learnt, while Googling the Redback Spider:

Daddy Long-Legs are the natural enemies of Red Back Spiders which are known to hunt and feed on the Red Back.

The next time I see these annoying daddy long-legs spiders I might just leave them alone!

Tonsai Bay, Krabi, Thailand

Linky

The Story of Stuff. I’m kinda more conscious of what we use and what we waste these days so I found this an interesting video. I mean, why buy and accumulate so much stuff to begin with? (Especially when you don’t need it). Gin and I have bought barely anything since coming here (okay, our apartment is fully furnished but we haven’t really bought anything additional that we don’t use).

Anyway, so maybe you guys should stop trawling eBay all the time too…

My gosh… new record for me I think. Haven’t posted in almost 3 months!!! (And yet I’m still ahead in the total post count).

Anyway, went out for my mid-week ride today, doing some hill repeats as per last week. I don’t know what it is but I seem to be very consistent when it comes to a lot of my rides. Considering I had about 6km of traffic to deal with, it still took me almost exactly the same time to the second as my last week’s attempt.

Some other examples of my consistent performance (or lack thereof).

• Time trial course I did 2 years ago in Melbourne. My first leg out was almost identical to the second again as my return leg back.
• My regular commutes into work is usually +/-30 seconds apart from the commute back home, despite the hundreds of traffic lights that I have to deal with.

And it’s not like I try to time them that way. I just don’t look at the elapsed time figures until I get home.

Is there an explanation for this?? Or am I really just consistently slack?

Just the same old ride, but we managed to get three of us together. Alan, Keith and I did the same old Beach Road ride to Mordi before Keith and I had to go to work on a SUNDAY!

It’s Movember. Men often neglect their own health. It’s a good reminder for all us blokes to stay active, eat well, be happy and keep healthy.

Photos to follow, at the end of the month…

Finally another proper YPR. HYG, Keith and I joined quite a few BV forums for a ride around the AToS route. HYG rode in from Ringwood with another forumite so it was another decent ride for him. Keith came to my place first to make sure I woke up. Good thing I was dressed.

New bike computer working reliably now after some tweaking with the position of the sensor. Still need to tweak the wheel settings a little bit as the computer gave a max. speed of 83 and 84 km/h down Williamsons Road and Foote Street. However, GPS data says it was just a touch under 80 km/h.

I intially tried keeping up at the front of the group coming up Doncaster Road. I quickly realised that was a bad idea so I backed right off and plodded along. behind them As usual, Keith was monstering up every hill. HYG was maintaining a good pace up all of the hills. If we keep up the regular road riding, we should see some better results at dirt crits.