ACT Insanity: Rusjel

Rusjel

Premier Member
#1
The riders on the bikes go round and round, round and round, round and round. The riders on the bikes go round and round, all the way to the asylum.

At least that’s what last weekend’s ACT Insanity ride felt like to me.


Pic by Ed.

The many roundabouts were a metaphor for the whole ride. The repetition was maddening, but you amused yourself by perfecting each little bit over the 20 times you did it.

Like many IBA rides there was self discovery. In this case I have discovered that one of the main reasons I do LD riding is watching the horizon scroll towards me, changing vistas, taking me to that place where there is peace, discovery and self understanding. Doing the same thing over and over again while playing with the traffic, not so much.

The opening laps were about settling into the thing, enjoying riding with the others. The parlous state of my license meant I had to back off and let the others go after the first four laps. Its wasn’t that they were flouting the limits, just that they were so close a little slip in concentration would have them contributing to consolidated revenue, something I couldn’t afford.


Pic by Ed

Laps 6-10 I had the goal of getting to halfway as quickly as possible to set up the rest of the day’s ride. This I accomplished, completing lap 10 a few minutes ahead of plan at 1320. Kept phasing in and out with Ron as he caught up after fuel stops.

Laps 10-14 were the nightmare laps. Questions going through me like “what on earth are you doing out here?” “What does it mean anyway?” and the beckoning left instead of right every time I came to the Barton Highway. Right meant continuing the grind, left meant releasing myself out into beloved open spaces. I made myself keep turning right. The pizzas were coming on at 5, but I made myself grind out another lap, because it would be 6 to go then, one tankful. Lap 13 I faffed around trying to find out why my front tire had suddenly deflated 9psi. No puncture, no ding in the rim, reinflate, press on, reflecting on barely socially acceptable places to take a whizz. Some of the riders I passed would take themselves into the scenery and out of sight, some like me settled for partial obscurity. A few hardy souls made it to the end of the lap and used the loo in the servo.


Pic by Ed

Beginning Lap 15 and the Hume servo had run out of 95. A quick consult with Ed and I decide to run 91. We’ve both done it before with the Katos, just don’t lug the engine. This turned out to be my blessing in disguise for this ride. Riding to an economy number while at the same time avoiding low revs introduced a new discipline and paradoxically, interest. Also, having dragged myself through existentially draining middle laps finishing was now a stronger motivator than it had been. Also that funny saying, “ the floggings will continue until moral improves”. Well, I was giving myself a flogging and morale was improving. The people in the cars had transformed from afternoon sullen serfs on a mission to get that lawnmower blade, through the sunset mini vans full of sportsters, to the smiling evening Millennials on their way to the micro brewers of authenticity.

Comparing notes with the others, many of us were now chasing efficiency, keeping the laps close to the hour mark was a real sense of achievement and the rhythm was finally getting me to that LD riding place I love, albeit via different path.
The last two laps I Phased in with Derrick, Mick and Lyn. Someone had told me they had a lap more to go than I did but it was good to ride around with them for a bit. Derrick’s smile and pointing out the features still after 20 odd hours seeing the same stuff was inspirational. Mick and Lyn are a team worth watching. They take turns standing up and having a stretch as they go along and they are so used to each other they can do it without the slightest wobble of the bike or deviation offtrack. Good stuff. Finally pulling in at 0040, 530k for the leg on the wildly optimistic KTM speedo, 492 actual and a litre or so left in the tank. I was slightly melancholy watching Derrick set off for his final lap, somehow resisted the urge to follow.


Pic by Ed

Ron had just beaten me in, a few minutes difference after 20hr40 of riding. Disgusting offerings from the pie warmer were consumed; shoot the breeze with Lionel and Bill for a minute then head home.

Having a chat with Wombattle at the breakfast the following day I was struck by his dedication to process and how that helped him through. No he hadn’t had any questions about what he was doing out here, it simply hadn’t come up for him the way it did for me. But then, reading his report the other day I realised that mental fatigue had come for him as it had me, it just took a different form and in different thoughts.

So pleased to have finished this ride, so thankful for all the volunteers and all their help and encouragement. Grateful to Olaf and all he did to kick this off. My fellow riders and pillions were a delight to share the road with, coming on another rider, or having one range up behind you was a delight and made me feel less like my older brother’s scalectrix slot car going round and round and round and round and round.


Pic by Ed

Would I do it again? Dunno….I really don’t. But it is a unique discipline within long distance riding worth your partaking. If I’m not there with you on the ride I’ll probably be there signing your form, giving you a smile or telling you about that rider five minutes infront/behind you.
Cheers.

 
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jeffrey gebler

Premier Member
IBR Finisher
#9
Great read Russ , thanks for sharing what was going on in your head. Always so good to hear about what goes on in other riders minds during these times.
Congratulations on a mentally tough ride.
 

Tele

Premier Member
#16
a wonderful achievement for you Russell and some great personal insights in your report. very well done. After about 1200k in every SS1600 I have done, I convince myself that this will be the last time I'll do one of these damned rides :confused:

Congratulations on your consistency of riding. Your line and positioning through that roundabout is identical in every picture. The true mark of a great rider :D:D