THE Coach - What Coach?

We spent Easter with friends staying in a beautiful country home, between the towns of Blayney and Orange in western NSW.

The weather was glorious and this part of the country was looking its best after some much needed rain.  Who could blame THE Coach for taking off every morning to ride with some very keen cyclists along empty country roads, through dazzling green fields, past pretty country villages and best of all, up some long steady hills?

Yes, THE Coach was in heaven as he rode with Richard, Anne, Kate, Catherine, Julie-Anne and occasionally, his trainee Jenny, along the country roads around Blayney and Millthorpe.  

Luckily, while THE Coach was out pedaling furiously up and down as many hills as he could find, I enjoyed some lovely rides with Anne and Catherine, who kindly kept me company at the back of the pack.  Although the rides were some of the longest that I've done (38kms around Blayney and 42 kms into Orange), we also made time to drink coffee, eat lots of Anne's delicious home cooked biscuits and taste some wine with Melissa at the Philip Shaw vineyard just outside Orange.

 

So, although THE Coach was consumed with riding fast, up as many hills as he could find, he encouraged his trainee with reward cups of coffee and the odd encouraging remark - "Good to see you've finally arrived" - words of encouragement from himself as I hauled myself off the bike at the Union Bank Cafe.
We loved visiting Orange, Millthorpe and Blayney.  Cycling in the morning and then eating out - lunch at Tonic in Millthorpe on Saturday, follow by lunch at The Union Bank on Easter Sunday.

We still managed to feast again on Sunday night as our most generous hosts, Anne and Richard, prepared a delicious roast dinner, followed by a very moreish apple crumble.

I've said it before - there is only ONE Coach.  His ruthless coaching methods are working as I've now cycled similar distances to those we'll be doing in France.

Admittedly, I'm lacking considerable stamina, but there are still many months to go.  Thanks to THE Coach,  I'm still on my bike and enjoying the riding more than ever.

Cycling round Orange was sensational.  Catherine, Mary and Julie-Anne assure us that the Dordogne will be even more delightful.  Hard to believe after such a fantastic weekend!!!  Thanks Catherine, Richard and Anne.

France this year, but in 2011 it's GOT to be New York!

 Wareemba cafe, again.

THE coach was persuaded to head off early this morning for a ride to Parramatta with JulieAnne and Mary.  I was invited but preferred not to slow them down, so I was able to spend a little longer in bed before getting on my bike to do the usual 18kms to Abbotsford.
Those extra minutes in bed meant that I could read  Monica's "Cycling in New York story" published in the SMH today.

When I met the others for coffee and "Sydney's best raisin toast" (JuileAnne agrees), I was able to announce that our next cycling holiday just has to be New York.  I'm sure you'll agree when you read Monica's feature travel article about the joys of cycling in the Big Apple.  So you can see why we just have to plan another cycling  trip after France -  New York it is.  I'm sure THE Coach will say yes...eventually.

There it is!

Lots of rides planned for the next few weeks - Canley Vale, Orange and in May, a ride in Canberra. Yes I'm well and truly back on the bike and have now clocked up the required 4 solo rides.  Have told THE  Coach that a reward ride is on the cards for next weekend.

Just one more thing.  There is a new website for the apartment where we're going to stay in Paris, so I thought you might like to have a browse. We've booked the 1 bedroom Marais Village apartment.  Isn't it beautiful!  Can't wait.

We did but see him zooming by...

Hey, there goes that royal, bald guy!

Yes, on our way to Clovelly for a morning stroll along the new boardwalk, Anne and I were stopped by some very official motorcycle coppers in a mad dash to get William to the airport.  Such excitement.  What a start to a fantastic morning walk!

Delightful company, beautiful sunshine and a pod??? of dolphins leaping out of the surf to keep us entertained, as we enjoyed the cliff walk between Clovelly and Tamaramma.

To finish on a high, we stopped at Seasalt Cafe for the usual coffees and raisin toast.  Yes, this was the best walk of the week.

Thanks Anne and Trudy for a great walk with a real summer holiday feel.

I've also been riding during the week, not as much as THE Coach would like, but I have been on my bike.  Three rides since my last blog post. Two of the usual Bay rides, one with Therese where we finished the ride with a coffee and raisin toast at the Pavillion Cafe in Abbotsford.

Sadly Therese and I had our last morning ride of the holidays today.  I rode over to her place in Petersham, cycling slowly up a few hills along the way and then we rode down to the park at Blackwattle Bay.

Although the photos don't show it, this shared walk/cycle path was really too busy for much of a ride.  Very popular with walkers, bootcampers and the dreaded small dogs off leash.  We won't be back to ride there in a hurry.  All up it was a slow 21kms, taking an hour and a half.  Don't think THE Coach will be too impressed.

We finished up back in Annandale at the Gallery cafe for a coffee and raisin toast again.  After all the raisin toast I've been eating, I'm giving the 'Best raisin toast award' to the Trovatino cafe in Wareemba - medium sized slices of brown bread with sultanas and raisins lightly toasted, with butter on the side.  Perfect.

Very last ride of the holidays tomorrow.  It will be a reward ride with THE Coach, Bill and Gen as we head into Centennial Park again to hand over Melissa's bike.  On the French cycling front - we have a final itinerary from Bruno at Cyclomundo, so it's all speed ahead as we train for our own 'Tour de France"!