sunday evenings always make me sad

But oddly happy. Something about the ending, the beginning, the ending, the beginning again. And it’s been a helluva weekend.

I had an old love who always used to start their emails with the exact single message they wanted to convey to me, before starting on all the other stuff. Given that they lived about nine million miles away, we had lots of strange misunderstandings, and long periods of non-contact or bad contact, or missed contact, so it was pretty important that we didn’t offend each other all the time via email. Email was kind of new at the time.

So they’d start, with these really direct statements, like:

I love you and I miss you and I saw a bird that reminded me of that bird we saw on that weekend in Apollo Bay and the person I am dating now makes me feel shitty about my veganism and I miss you and my caravan is leaking in the back corner.

Then, they’d give me all the other stuff.

Sometimes it worked really well. Sometimes it was kind of disorienting.

But I feel like it might work with the Rollers Round Up. Let’s see how we go:

I had a really great time, and I feel it was totally worth getting so very het up about things, and Brisbane is actually a really friendly place, and the cycling community is kind of hard to work out but friendly too, and young people totally impress me and I wish I was a better person and I’m going to try harder to be that person in the future, which is a future that I hope includes more roller racing. Oh, and thanks to the sponsors.

Did you get all that? (good, now get ready for very poor photos). Bjorn took some better ones – even if it seems a bit daggy/narcissistic for me to say so. And so did someone on Flickr, who is a part of the Brisbane Biking project. What is the project? Can I learn more?

Please see Rahne. She did not get to ride, but she Came the Longest Way to do so. But she too was very punctual and had her lovely kids in tow, so it’s pretty understandable. I’m sad I didn’t get to see her roll, but this is a cookie, crumbled. I know she’s got the power, the power of voodoo, who do, you do, what? Remind me of the babe.

Please see Katherine and Maaike. Katherine (that blur on the left) was a last minute entry, taking on Rahne’s fine mantel and had come to SUPPORT, not to roll and so should be lauded for participating. Maakie (that blur on the right), I spotted rolling down the road on a fine steed before the race and I almost went to catch her to convince her to come along, so I was really pleased that she was already there and ROLLING. See how you can spot good people from miles away.

This is me. I promise AD – there’s proof in the pics. I totally rolled.

But not quite fast enough – for it was Emma and Katherine who rode in the first ever River City Rollers Women’s Final. And the inimitable Emma brought it home in sweet style – I told you Andrew. Roller Derby Girl or no Roller Derby Girl. Totes respectable time lady; I won’t say cute. It was awesome.

Smash that (….)!

It’s clear that Erik at Gear requires some serious thanks (we cannot roller without the roller or the swag or the frastructure); the Bjorn and some others too (we cannot roller without the poster the pleasing the pressure the playspace); and BREW (nice new space, happy face); that Knog; and Domestique and the others too! It was a lovely evening.

Biggest thanks to all involved.

Winner of the men’s bracket was Julian – a very young fellow. Who I have (possibly/definitely/totally wrongly/totally right/nah, totally wrongly) objectified from a distance so I apologise to the gods of ethical living. And to Julian as a person. I tried to express it to others but I reckon I botched it. But the young fella put in a helluva a ride, he’s fast, he’s fly, but – more importantly – he clearly loves something so much that it’s his thing.

When I was seventeen, I was worried about everything. That was a shitty way to be. I wish I’d had my thing and I’d committed to it hard. You can always go back to being moderate about life and slightly embarrassed about yourself, you can never really go back to the flush of silly stupid into it, and just loving your totally niche thing in the way you love it. Well, actually you can.  Helmet blog case in point.

Rollers is clearly a strange thing. Apparently, you can do 120km/hour if you’re on them a long time. Like an hour.

My partner in crime wants to get rollers at home, but I am thinking that maybe touring bikes and matching lycra and other dorky things can be first. Zoe says this is a total cliche. I say that she is wonderful and loved and far away and hugged in empathy each day. (I am demonstrative but strange and I would open the door whenever I could/can.)

Highlight of evening was the ride home; stilted and small and without good flow, yet triumphant triumphants heralded the evening home on the Pedi Cabs. Are they pedicabs? Green Cabs.

Whateves. YOU PLAY THE MUSIC ON YOUR BIKE AND YOU’RE TRAVELLING WHERE YOU WANT TO GO. Thank you Camille (spelling?) for your kind carriage.

Can someone please organise a Bromptons vs Pedicab ride? And they will play Amerie Feat Eve all the time (THIS GOES OUT TO SANDRA AND RAE)

Either way, there’s more fun to come on Friday; Brisbane has goodness in its heart. Let’s see what it brings.

Thank you to my coaches; Casey, Brendon, Blakey, Nik – I wore red lipstick and a lucky shirt and tried not to look like a dill. I had a really good time.

Tomorrow, however, is a morning for riding alone.

I’ve had some sweet times with people lately, and I like the people big time.

But tomorrow maybe I need to please rewind be kind and have just a little moment on my own.