Uplifting encounters

For our exercise today, Julie and I decided to take our new touring bikes for a 67km spin around Tuggerah Lake to our north.  We bought the bikes just before the domestic travel shutdown for an intended backroads and trails journey around Australia and they are built to carry heavy loads on rough roads, so are not particularly speedy.  Nevertheless, they are comfortable and go OK.  There's a possibility we could still fit the trip in this year if domestic travel restrictions are lifted by end-June, but after that weather will prevent a full circumnavigation until sometime in 2021.

It was a beautiful morning for a ride, clear and cool, and we enjoyed extensive views across the Lake to the Watagan Mountains and saw many others out exercising on foot and on bikes.  Everybody is doing their own thing, without meeting up, so it was a pleasant surprise to encounter some old friends while on the bike quite a long way from home.

First, there was local running legend, Romeo, who with partner, Robyn, we spotted unloading their kayaks on the Wyong River.  We haven't seen them for a long time so it was good to have a chat and catch up.  Chronic injuries prevent Romeo doing as much running these days, and judging by the fresh scars on his arms, he should probably also give up cycling.  Maybe kayaking is all he has left?  Just joking.  He's as tough as nails and someone you can never write off.

Not much later, we were riding along the bike path on the Tuggerah Straight and observed a runner ahead with a very familiar gait ... Steve.  I cycled quietly up behind him and said something like "Get out of my way you **** old fart, this is a bike path!", to which he replied (when he worked out who I was), "I would be too embarrassed to post a 6km run on Facebook!", which is what I did yesterday as part of a Club challenge.  There is nothing like trading insults with old running rivals on a beautiful Sunday morning.  Particularly, when you are not likely to see them in the flesh again for some time.  We had a good chat until he needed to turn off the path.