on retiring, holidays,training and ash

The last few days have been exhausting!  Lots of farewells, hugs and kisses, a lot of nice things said and many laughs.  I need a few days to get over  all the emotions.  A holiday in fact!

Today's ash cloud and travel woes have taken a back seat in the news for all except Iceland and the  far north of Scotland.  Of course even if it was in full force, it would have been knocked off the front page here in Aus 'cos we have....wait for it.... a sporting scandal...and so nothing, I repeat NOTHING tops that here....even WW3 would struggle to hit the front page!

I'm not sure how other airlines are dealing with the backlog, but Singapore airlines are slotting the poor stranded ones in where there are spaces and those of us with confirmed seats  later on are guaranteed a seat...which means there'll be some very full planes I guess. Also noted are that prices have shot up...Alex has got caught by that with his Emirates flight to Portugal going up by $200.

Better get back on the bike I guess..racing and retiring have kept me over tired and  away from steady training recently and my mental health needs the physical activity.  So only 2 weeks to go now.  I've had a test pack and am happy that I've reduced things down to just within the weight allowance.  All I have to add to  the untidy heap of gear on our lounge room floor are mud guards (a part of my leaving present). 

I know, I know.. not a very PRO look,  but  since I'll be riding no matter what the weather having them on is heaps better than a greasy wet streak up my back .......but I draw the line at the following!

although if  my neck was so stiff I couldn't turn it and the only way I could get on the road would be to have a mirror then perhaps/maybe/possibly I could go with this one