The Cat, the Mouse, and the Missing Warm Kit

You can tell we’re nudging into the cooler months. The air has that bite that makes you question your life choices at 5am. Unfortunately, my winter kit drawer currently resembles a minimalist art installation. Mick — who sponsors my cycling wardrobe — clearly hasn’t delivered the latest seasonal refresh. I’ll have to give him a gentle nudge.

The morning was also plagued by technological betrayal. Garmin was having one of those mornings, repeatedly disconnecting from the ecosystem. If I don’t have power data, is there even a point continuing the ride? Philosophical questions like this are difficult to answer before sunrise.

Mick started stirring the pot early with a cheeky 5:15am text ahead of the meetup, referencing the General missing a ride recently after misjudging the weather. Might I gently remind Mick that he himself was absent for both rides last week. Apparently he was “working on his fitness” by sinking tins with the boys on a 4WD trip. Different training philosophies, I suppose.

The Hour of Power began as it usually does — Steve passing on instructions with the authority of a five-star general. This week’s game: Cat and Mouse. The rules are simple:  mice head off early and the cats chase them down.

Initially there were to be three mice. Steve then added a fourth. Marco, blatantly ignoring the General’s instructions, appointed himself the fifth mouse. Balance of power instantly looking questionable: five mice versus four cats.

Then, just as the cats were about to launch, Ethan struck mechanical trouble with an untimely Di2 battery issue. That dropped us to three cats.

Not ideal. Balance of power firmly with the mice.

The five mice slipped further up the road while we briefly stopped to sort Ethan out. Eventually we had no choice but to leave a brother behind and get moving. The chase was on.

Mick took the first turn.

40km/h. Strong. 

As we approached the first rise, I was watching carefully. Mick's signature move is to deliver the rider behind you to the base of the climb and then peel off, leaving the next bloke to do the graft uphill.

But Mick didn’t.

He stayed on the front. He must really love catching mice.

Halfway up the rise he began to fade slightly, and the relief on his face when we rolled straight into a red light at the top was unmistakable. Perfectly timed recovery. We had enough time to chuckle about Neil's prowess up hills. Mick has started calling him KOM Neil.

Chris took the next turn.

Up ahead: flashing red lights. The mice were now in sight.

I rolled through for a turn. As did Chris, and Mick again. We were working well together. The gap was closing rapidly and the rear lights ahead were getting closer and closer.

A few hundred metres later — mice caught.

Justice had been served.

From there we rolled turns back toward the start of the WCG social ride. It was a big group this week, which is always good — plenty of banter and the usual questionable tactical decisions.

Ethan had managed to plug his Di2 in long enough to get some juice back, so he joined the social. Having missed the chance to stretch his legs during the Hour of Power, he made up for it by launching himself into the front of all breakaway sprints on the social ride.

Speaking of Ethan — big news — he revealed that he’s expecting his first child in about a month.

Outstanding.

If the kid can ride like their old man, they’ll be doing just fine.

I suggested that John is a strong name for either a boy or a girl. Ethan, make the right decision.

A special mention to Marco who somehow managed to fit a quick McDonald’s stop in between the end of the social ride and the café. While the rest of us went straight to coffee, Marco clearly had bigger priorities and peeled off for a tactical Maccas refuel. That was elite time management. Respect. As the saying goes — never get between a man and his Maccas.

Back at the café the discussions covered a wide range of important topics: Mick’s 4WD adventure, the possibility of organising a group 4WD trip, and Ethan’s impressive collection of 4WD recovery gear — which, at this point, he mostly uses in his garden.

We also spent some time discussing UKE cycling kit size guides, as many of us are looking to beef up the winter wardrobe situation before the real cold arrives. Speak to Marco to get a good deal.

Best Dressed:
A tie this week between everyone proudly flying the flag in their WCG kit. Always looks sharp.

And if you’re still buzzing from the ride, legs cooked, coffee in hand and stories getting better by the minute — don’t forget to kit up for the recovery phase. Our post-ride funny cycling t-shirts are designed for exactly this moment: zero watts, maximum laughs. Because the ride might be over, but the banter definitely isn’t 🚴☕️😄

Photo credit: Sharanne 📸