Last ride of the year in all likelihood as tomorrow we're planning to be off to Sydney for New Year's Eve / Day, so wanted to make it a good one. Even so, didn't get going until midday -- it was bright and dry, 23C with wind threatening to ramp up in the afternoon. Went off on the Kona Jake to see if the newly-mended rear wheel and general fettling would reveal its true qualities.
All was good climbing out of town on the tarmac and held up well through rolling countryside to the first gravel section. This has recently been graded, smoothing over the stones and corrugations, so it was a pleasure to race over a few kms' fast gravel -- but over the highest point we ran into the first of the breeze coming off the coast, right into our teeth. Stopped for a quick chat to a bloke who had pulled his ute over and was striding purposefully to where the dirt rejoins the highway. He declined my offer of help and I watched as he prodded his watch and set off up the road at a jog . . . miles from anywhere! I suspect a Strava segment bagger.
Another undulating gravel section, much rougher than the previous, took me through a nicely kept farming community and then onto a road which was barricaded with large 'road closed' signs -- the old wooden bridge further down is being replaced with concrete. Took the road anyway, enjoying the wind now at my back, until we reached the bridge works. Some consternation as the creek at this point is a good 10m wide and clearly pretty deep. Had to climb a fence and drag the bike over, giving myself a picturesque graze on the forearm in doing so.
Carried the bike a way downstream through a paddock until some stepping stones appeared and was then able to scramble up the other side to rejoin the road. It's great pedalling along a closed road, knowing you have it all to yourself -- we even surprised a Kestrel sitting on a fencepost and tucking into a field mouse.
Just a little more climbing and then it was all downhill back into town, going nicely with hardly any traffic. 40km, 450m climbing, no bike issues -- a nice close to a year which I started flat on my back with a leg in plaster and continued with seven weeks' inactivity with lower back trouble!
Happy new year to all you retro wronguns!
Luckily, I had an emergency scrim in the bag and trousered it to make a highly effective woolly cod piece. 
Toes were also numb - really need to up my winter game….
