Its Friday - the day before the big opening race for me in 2010, the Rapid Ascent Otway Odyssey .

A sleep in, well until around 7:30am was on the cards. 

Here is my best mate, Soxy Boy, Fatty, Boxy, Fatty Fat Fat...he has many names but he is very cuddly.

When I woke up the sun was shining and the view from my room, spectacular.
Even the chooks and sheep were quiet for me today. Normally they are noisier than living on a main road at 7:30am on a weekday.

We have done all we can to get me to the start line in top form, but as things always pan out...something inevitably goes wrong.

Last week I was meant to go to the inaugral Husky 100km near Jervis Bay, and it was a hard call to make, but I pulled out on Thursday before due to illness. 
Just dead tired, swollen glands and feeling like I was about to be hit with a cold of some sort.

Unfortunately for the race promoters , the rain set in big time and they had to call off the race.  Lucky for me, I was at home resting.
I had 4 days off the bike and I was stir crazy, bored our of my brain and terribly agitated.  Worse still, Norm was in Melbourne all weekend.

Finally on Monday I was back on the bike. My new sponsor, DeGrandi Cycle & Sport , has given me some new Fulcrum carbon wheels to use, and I got to finally test them.  Also, some new bits from Giant to round off a new set up. 

First ride - feeling like a new born foal, could not quite find my feet, or my wheels in this instance. 

Second ride a few hours later, it was like the good old days of last week!

Good luck to everyone competing. 

The weather will be perfect, the trails in awesome condition, an amazing array of riders from national champions through to first time racers.
Most of all I hope for everyone to finish safely and reach their own personal goals for the day and finish with a big dirty smile!

See you at the finish...and dont forget to smell the roses whilst you are out there riding.