Adventures in Melbourne in 2004, Volume 2

Still busy writing- committee meeting in 3 weeks. So I'm back to old journals. Getting closer to my first tri race report now...

Introduction of my first "tri" bike

2/26/04

Journal

Let me tell you about my wheels.

A guy in my lab has a son in his late teens. He’s outgrown a bicycle that has been sitting in their shed for several years. So Rob tells me I can use this bike when I’m here. I’m thinking I have definitely hit the jackpot here because the local bike shops are fresh out of used bikes for sale since the new school year has just started at the Uni. Plus people in my lab have told me that Rob’s son is a bike enthusiast, so any bike that he would own is probably better than a bike I would buy for myself. On our way down to the bike shed I was chatting with Rob about the things I need to buy for the bike. It needs some brake pads…. I need a helmet… I need to buy a bike lock… with that Rob laughed and said, well that might be a little overkill. Hmmm… And when we got to the bike locker I realized the meaning of his words. The Black Fox is a beauty. It is about as rusted out as they get. And underneath the rust and layers of mud is a lovely pink and white mountain bike. Now don’t let me give you the impression that I am ungrateful. I love this bike and it gets me everywhere that used to cost me $5 a pop. But it’s humbling when the local kids heckle you as you drive buy. I hear pre-pubertal voices trailing behind me saying “nice bike, lady”. I was just getting back tonight from the random people party and there was a guy smoking at the entrance to the building. I looked up as I was locking up the Black Fox and I could tell that he was doing all he could to keep from busting out laughing. I think he’s still rolling on the pavement out there. Bastaad.
Ahh, the random people party. Where do I begin? Well there’s not much to say. Suz’s random firefighters were huge boxes of rocks. Complete meat heads. And there were about 15 people there and there was about enough space for 6 on her patio. So I ate her food and then snuck out to spend some quality time with the Black Fox. That was the best part of the night. I had actually found a random person for the party, too. But he was a nerdy scientist so I was happy to see him strike up conversation with someone else so I could fade into the background.
While we’re on the topic of boys, let me mention the main disadvantage I face here. I’m an American. I’m pretty sure I’d get better responses from guys if I’d introduce myself by saying: Hi I’m Jodi and I have a flaming case of genital herpes. We’re not really on the rest of the world’s best side right now. So if I spend the rest of my stay here dateless I’m blaming Bush.
What else can I tell you about? Well I’ve found a great pool to swim at. It’s about a mile from here and it is outdoors. That in itself makes it enough of a novelty to keep me showing up. But it’s really nice and I picked up a 10 swim pass for 22 bucks that includes locker rental. It’ll do for now. I went over there this morning and it was a hell of a way to start out the day. I had a great start yesterday too. I had a nice jog around Prince’s park and on my way back I passed Royal Park just in time to see 2 hot air balloons land. Right in front of me! It was so awesome.

Update: Saturday night- 1:30am

I have a couple of last things to update before I send this off:

1. Remember the random people party? Apparently Suz had a much better time than I did. She apparently had a slide down the fireman’s pole Thursday night.
2. I am in love. Well, not quite, but I have been ruined for other men. We went to a concert tonight- it was a local band that has just started to tour internationally. The lead singer was the finest specimen of the male sex I have ever seen. My new job as formal band groupie begins tomorrow.
3. There was just a cockroach the size of my head in my bathroom. After screaming like a little girl and chasing it throughout my house it took up residence in the crotch of my swim suit that had fallen on the floor during the commotion. From there I threw it into the toilet and let the 2 cups of water work its magic. The real trauma is going to come when I next go swimming…
4. I spent 3.5 hours on the Black Fox today. I got myself hopelessly lost in Melbourne. I narrowly escaped death as the comedians that put up signs for the bike path directed my right onto a highway. So there I was in a rusted out pink and black bicycle peddling for my life going down the wrong way on Melbourne’s busiest thoroughfare. Sons of bitches.

I’ll catch up with y’all next week.

Jodi