In 2011, I am riding for enjoyment ... I am thoroughly enjoying getting away from the office and the computer, and getting out on the road among nature.

This year we've done four centuries so far, one each month as a part of the CAM Challenge (Century-A-Month Challenge). The first was on singles, and the other three on our newly purchased tandem. Each of the four centuries has been on a different route, in a different area, allowing us the opportunity to explore!

We liked the tandem we borrowed last year enough to consider looking around for a tandem of our own, and in early February we took a weekend away at the beach ... and bought a Santana.

Riding the tandems has done wonders for my cycling. I enjoy it, and we can do long distances at a decent pace so I don't feel so incredibly frustrated. Our March century was the fastest century I've done in years!

Tandem Photos

Riding regularly most days each week (switching back and forth between the tandem and singles), on evening and weekend rides has also helped a lot. I'm going to have to set up my Giant on the trainer soon so I can keep riding regularly all winter.

And because of all the riding, we've managed to do 1000-km months in October 2010 and March 2011. I haven't done that since May 2009, before moving to Australia.

We've also gone away several weekends with the longest weekend away being the Easter weekend. There was a weekend in the Torquay area in early February when we bought our new Santana. Then we took a weekend a couple weeks later in the Shepparton area, and did our February century. In March we spent a weekend in the Port Fairy area. And then we got away for 6 days in South Australia at Easter.

But just to break things up a bit, and do something different, we've also dabbled in canoeing. The Goulburn River runs quite close to where we live, and Lake Eildon is just a short distance away. The massive quantity of rain we've had over the past 18 months has filled Lake Eildon from a low of about 15% when I arrived in Australia up to about 85%, and the Goulburn River is quite full as well.

We have done several small voyages on the Goulburn River and one afternoon on Lake Eildon. But our biggest "event" was a sort of triathlon on 8-Jan.

We drove to the top of the Goulburn River with the canoe, and spent the next 7 hours canoeing about 30 km down river. Our trip took us through everything from quiet deep water to small rapids. When we arrived back in our town, we docked the canoe and walked approximately 3 km home. Then we cycled to where we parked the van by the river, and then we drove back to collect the canoe. It was a canoe/walk/cycle day! And it was so much fun!! I really enjoyed that.

Canoe Photos

I'm feeling quite a bit better about cycling this year. I still don't feel ready for anything like a 1200K, but I'm making progress and enjoying my rides again. :)

Photo Collection of Australia - especially Victoria, Tasmania, and South Australia.

Machka's Miscellaneous Meanderings - 2011

2011 is another rebuilding year for me ... coming back from recent difficulties and building up my strength and endurance again. There will not be any 1200K randonnees this year, and no extended cycling tours. But if all goes well there will be a lot more riding than last year, including several long rides and several hub-and-spoke tours. I'm enjoying riding again ... cycling gets me out into nature, to breathe fresh air, and to see the beauty of nature.