Love is in the air - The Longest Valentine’s Day
Forget roses and chocolates, this Valentine's Day was all about endorphins and energy gels. A hearty crew of MC Velo adventurers swapped Cupid's arrows for carbon bikes and set out to conquer the legendary Longest Day to Ettalong.
The Longest Day is no walk in the park (or a casual spin along the beaches). It can be a beast of a ride that tests your mettle, your legs, and your love for all things cycling. And that’s without any obstacles thrown in your way. But when you put in a Valentine's Day twist, that's a whole new level of dedication.
Our cycling Valentines, fueled by the promise of adventure and camaraderie, rolled out before dawn. We had Longest Day veterans like Tim and Julian, cool as cucumbers, ready to tackle any challenge. Swerlo, a Longest Day stalwart and seafaring expert, had already forecast the swell and wave height. Jeff, who has been excited about Valentine’s Day for a while. And then there were the Longest Day newbies, Sorcha, Carly, and Emily, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, eager to experience the magic firsthand.
Though we missed Elliot, still recovering from the Wollongong inferno, and Steve, saving himself for next week's gravel grinder (we suspect some secret local hill repeats were involved), their spirits were with us. We are sure Raff would have been there, but he said he had very different V-day plans.
The ride itself was a classic Longest Day affair. A ‘not-too-fast’ start up the Pacific Highway, followed by the ferry crossing to Palmie. Coffee stops, lunch stops, avoiding mechanicals (Grecia's "silly broken shoe" wasn't going to stop her riding), and plenty of banter along the way.
But this Longest Day had its own unique flavor. Sally, freed from her usual calendar commitments, finally joined the crew and celebrated the freedom of every pedal stroke. Sorcha, channeling her inner speed demon, attacked the descents with a Cheshire Cat grin, though a mid-ride panic set in when she realised her Garmin watch battery was running low - would her epic longest achievement be recorded for posterity?! And Tim, after a prolonged iced coffee-related ordeal, powered the group home with a caffeine-fueled surge.
The day wasn't overly hot, but the humidity was a thick blanket at 90+%. As we rolled through the Northern Beaches, the heavens opened, and we welcomed the light rain to cool us down. By the time we hit our final pit stop in Neutral Bay, we were rain-sweat-drenched, but still raring to go as Valentine’s Day wasn’t yet over.
Back at the MC Clubhouse, the tales flowed as freely as the post-ride beers with HC. Swerlo confessed to his sideline as a seasickness tablet dealer on the ferry (apparently, a couple of our riders were feeling a bit green but kept it under wraps). Sally and Grecia, not content with the day's epic distance, squeezed in a few bonus km’s in Centennial Park.
As the sun set on another Longest Day, we were left with tired legs, full hearts, and memories that will last longer than any bouquet of roses. Because that's what the Longest Day is all about – pushing your limits, sharing the journey with friends, and creating stories that will be recounted for years to come.
The numbers:
- 10 Valentines
- 4 longest rides ever
- 4 Longest Day first timers
- 6:51 riding time. 10:40 elapsed time.
- 1 puncture
- 8 massive sandwiches, 2 burgers, 1 wrap
- 0 roses
The verdict
“The best day, ever.” Sally
