A long time

Well clearly it's been a while between posts. It's been even longer for the people following me on facebook (both of them), since FB decided to stop syndicating my blog posts here without any correspondence to me at all. For what it's worth, I've just spent four weeks in Europe, cycling between Barcelona and Paris and enjoying some incredible sights along the way -- including (but not limited to) Montserrat, Andorra and The Pyrenees, Bordeaux, La Rochelle, The Loire Valley (and associated chateau) and numerous other things that will leap to mind as I review some of the 620-odd pictures I took along the way.

For those who were wondering about this (and I know it's been a contentious issue), a trip to Europe definitely did not change my mind about one particular subject -- bikepaths are still useless!

This now caps off probably the most incredible 12 months of my life. It started when I was seriously injured by a red-light runner, then took a dramatic turn for the better when I bought my new touring bike and immediately set a personal best time on a local ride, before taking off for four weeks in Tasmania. Now I've been able to do what I had planned to do last year and ride my European tour. Along the way I also lost my football team -- my beloved Gold Coast United FC. That wasn't totally unexpected, as the owner Clive Palmer was and is a complete twat, but it was disappointing as I'd made some really good friends in The Beach (the area where the fanatical supporters congregate).

Now there are other opportunities, such as getting outside and making the most of the stunning Gold Coast weather that this time of year is famous for, and becoming re-acquainted with some of the local rides that I love so much. There are probably blog posts to catch up on and a couple of journals on crazyguyonabike.com that need my attention, and the ongoing process of eliminating things I consider to be "baggage" from my life -- a process I became serious about around 11 months ago, after the crash. There is also likely to be some money coming my way after a court case that I'll talk about more later, and the prospect of configuring a second touring bike -- an idea that had it's genesis in the Pyrenees. That's something else I'll reveal later.

So much to look forward to.