Are we starting this ride earlier every year? It certainly felt like it as I rolled out of bed at 4:27 am knowing that I was on a tight schedule to be out the door in 30 minutes.

No chance to take my time, as this year young James wanted to attempt his first ATB and he was already up and about saying "come on Dad, get a move on". "Take it easy" I said, I need to apply cream - sunscreen for the bare skin and Assos cream for the unseen skin. JJ declined the latter, but as it was meant to be a perfect sunny day out there, we didn't want to get burnt, even carrying extra sunscreen for the ride.

Alphie boys Bufa, Beauie and Andre were waiting at the bus stop and off we headed down the road a bit to pick up Chris and Paul. Wearing sunglasses at night can be dangerous, but Bufa managed to negotiate without getting himself or anyone else into strife. After some debate on the best route, we made it down to 1 Fitzroy where the others were all waiting - TC, Mark D, Damian D, Paulie, Rick Z and John W. When I announced it was JJ's 16th birthday today, all broke into chorus and we even had a passing group of cyclists join in with a hip hooray at the end.

We headed off at 5:30 and quickly passed some of the less organised groups on the road. With Rick up front, this was not going to be a leisurely pace down. After we'd passed a few groups I headed up front to have a word, but the road ahead was looking mostly clear now and he made the good suggestion of a slow rotation with a couple of minutes each up front. We got into the swing, with Paulie not impressed at getting to lead all the uphill sections, but it was going well, until some were happy with just sitting out the front and having a chat. This just did not suit James, and so he headed up the ranks to explain how it should work and that we must all get a move on. Rotate! Rotate!! Rotate!!!

As he headed off into the distance a way, I thought I'd better see if I could calm him down. A little father to son chat to explain how these social group rides are meant to work, and I think he understood. So we roped him in and settled him down for a bit. After all, we had a long way to go. However, as we headed into Mordie, our group passed and absorbed another, I was caught on the outside of the pack and so headed up front to get back in line. It was not an attack, honest! JJ saw the challenge and then pounced. As I yelled out to "slow down" he was gone, and sprinted into Mordie and beyond. We all decided on a natural break there, and awaited JJ's return, where he jubilantly informed me that he won that sprint.

Along the ocean road from Mornington we latched onto the back of the Hampton cycles group and decided the pace was not too bad. That'll do we thought, and just hung on there for quite a while. This group were not totally consistent and seemed to apply the brakes on every downhill. Annoying, but we didn't mind too much...at least most of us. Somewhere around Rosebud, JJ tried to rally a new challenge, but all of us older and wiser gents decided patience and a little drafting was the wiser course. Well, all of us except for Paulie, who did the decent thing and headed off to look after the young bloke - onya Paulie!

After some much needed sustenance at Sorrento we agreed there was no need to kill ourselves on the way back and that we should all just 'roll out together'. Good theory, but did anyone tell Andre and JJ? When they took the lead the pace seemed to pick up a little each time. And when we got to those rolling hills back into Mornington it became every man for himself. Regroup at Mornington and then onto Frankston with another regroup there. Good to catch up with Seipy and the Pinkies there, but we weren't ready to latch on, except for JJ, who took it on though. We caught up with him later.

I found the ride in the drizzling rain between Frankston and Mordie particularly difficult as I seemed to have nothing left. Thankfully Chris towed me in. I think we were still doing a decent pace of around 30 and as we passed one group I heard someone say "they make it look easy, don't they?" Hah!

A more relaxed pace from Mordie to Racer as we chaperoned Damian and his cracked rims through to the end. Coffee at Racer was just okay.

It was a solid effort from everyone, and we all did well. I continue to be impressed with all the blokes in this team, and continue to be astounded by JJ, whose skills on the bike are growing and who is a pleasure to ride with (when he's not giving us old blokes too much shit).