It’s quarter to six and the alarm goes off. I jump out of bed and eat a breakfast snack while I make our coffee and feed the cat. My bike is in the hallway ready to go. I have to be in my cycling gear and out the door by 6:30 to complete my ride before work on time.
Out the Door
Derek drives off in the car and shortly after I’m away, leaving the cat and the dog in the warmth of our bed.
6:35 am: I have crossed the main road and I’m heading up Bicentennial Drive. When the days were longer I would take a dirt track for this part of the ride, but now it’s so dark that it’s safer on the bitumen.
6:45 am: After a short section on the Golden Way I have turned onto Martindale Avenue, which follows the upper part of Slate Creek. There is a glimmer of the dawn through the trees to the east.
6:54 am: It’s light enough now to follow a dirt track before I turn onto the paved path next to Golden Grove Road.
The moon is still in the sky.
7:02 am: I’m back on the dirt in Cobbler Creek East Reserve. My coordination has kicked in now and I’m really enjoying the undulations of the track.
7:07 am: The sun is rising on my left as I head up John Road.
I love this low gradient climb:
7:15 am: It’s great to take a break here on the hill at Coconut Grove. There’s a view to the ocean.
7:23 am: Now I’m on the track through Jacaranda Grove – not sure where the jacarandas are though! I greet the vision-impaired man in the beanie as usual.
Home on Time
I’m home by 7:30 am. My ride before work is 11 kilometres long with 161 metres of climbing.
To be honest, even though it’s so beautiful in the early morning, I’d probably rather be riding at a more civilized hour. But when I’m working full-time it’s at the crack of dawn or not at all on the weekdays, and I know which I’d rather.
Such a warm report and beautifully illustrated.
Thank you Gwen 🙂
Hi Helen,
Early morning rides are invigorating aren’t they. Seeing the day break under clear skies is so beautiful and your photos capture that change so nicely. Is a bicycle commute to work an option for you?
Gail 🙂
Hi Gail,
To ride to my current workplace would be doable in the morning but riding home would be up a major hill in the dark with a lot of traffic so it works better for me at the moment to go out and back before work. That also avoids the issue of forgetting to pack items of clothing for work. I did commute to work at my previous job and on separate occasions forgot my trousers and undies 🙂
Oh nooo, 😀 I always worry about doing something like that on a work commute. Your pre-work ride sounds like the best choice Helen. Good riding! 🙂