In my n=1 orthogonal riding universe – please excuse or forgive a psychologist’s attempt to engage humourously in the current email banter of the cccoglioni physicists – there is much to see when heading south along the freeway. The bluewrens are striking but tricky to photograph; the insects too abundant and small. But I did get capture this ~30cm common brown, before giving it wide berth. I have seen bigger en-route but never considered stopping!
Next Thursday, 5th November, you can see Cadel Evans talk, ask him questions, have a 2 course meal, and all for $95. Its 7pm a the Fremantle town hall, and according to the Dymocks web site, if you buy his book, he will sign it.
“Time meant nothing, never would again.”
I look forward to the official Wednesday ride report by Swee’Pea, but the singular events of this morning compel me speak out. I fear that my irresponsible comments of the past few days may have damaged the time-space continuum.
After trying to raise expectations about punctuality, I had to arrive on time this morning or lose all credibility. I did not lie-in, had a shorter than usual shower, and avoided putting on a load of washing. I arrived at the bridge fifteen minutes early at 5:45. Swee’Pea and Mike not wishing to become embroiled in a family spat arrived about a minute later. At this point I sent an SMS to Crash to see if he intended to come — Nick had already given apologies for the next four weeks. Digger, obviously not having heard that daylight saving was voted out, arrived at about 5:50!
When Crash texted back his apologies, we signalled to See’Pea who was circling to stay warm and we set out at 5:55, an unprecedented five minutes ahead of the start time!
My greatest fear is that next week I will arrive at 5:45 and Sick Note will be there waiting and berating me for being late. At that point I will know that the damage is catastrophic and irreversible.
il Pirata
There is currently some confusion over the meaning of things. Big things, like global warming, and little things, like “7am at the bridge”. In all things, there are at least two meanings. There is a literal meaning, which has a precise mathematical definition, and while it can be fun to debate such things, it serves little purpose other than keeping physics types happy for a few minutes. Then there is the cultural meaning, the way in which “7am at the bridge” is interpreted by the group. The exploration of the cultural meaning is fun, at least for people whose only alternative activity is getting down to work.
To explore this properly, lets take an analogous concept (hard “g” or soft “g”? I can never work it out), namely, the speed limit. Technically, the speed limit is defined as something which is broken if the number shown on the radar/laser device is greater than the number inside the last red circle on a pole on the side of the road. Again, a boring definition which only physicists worry about. But culturally, its a whole different world. The speed limit is something which you should try and exceed as soon as is practicable. It is generally considered impolite to drive (for example) on Great Eastern Highway at less than 60km/h. The acccepted practice is to acccelerate as quickly as you can to somewhere around 63 - 68 km/h and then sit on that. There are exceptions to this rule, for example, if there is a police car nearby you should do about 58 km/h until they get bored and speed off.
So to return to “7am at the bridge”. My interpretation of this is that I should arrive at the bridge as soon as possible after 7am. I don’t know why, but that is how I look at it. Sometimes I’m early, and no one else is there. If that happens, I ride a bit further and then turn round and come back, being careful not to stop in the alcove until after 7am. On very odd occasions, I’m early, and another Coglioni is sitting there waiting. This causes me anxiety. What is the cause of their odd and worrying behaviour? Have they had a fight with their wife/husband and got no where else to go? Are they early because by being so they hope to catch another Coglioni on their own and tell them some terrible secret which they don’t want to share with a group? Is their TV broken?
Anyway, I propose the following. That when a ride is said to be “7am at the bridge”, that people who interpret the world literally, assume that this means “there is a ride leaving the bridge at 7:10am, and it would be polite to be there a few minutes before that time”. People who go for the more vague cultural constructs should simply tell themselves to be at the bridge at 7am, and then, the world working as it usually does, they will be there before 7:10. Under no circumstances should these people let the notion that the ride will only leave at 7:10 enter their heads!!!
Seeing the point came up at Gino’s today I just thought I would
comment on the pervading Coglioni punctuality ethos.
Lets for argument sake say that A is arriving for a ride late while B
is arriving on time. If you choose to arrive on time (B), you get to
stand around in a small concrete corral beside a busy highway and scan
the horizon for late comers while your legs cool down and stiffen up.
If you choose to arrive late (A) you get to lie-in, have an extra-long
hot shower, put on a load of laundry or all of the above.
The admonition has not only been ignored but it has been surpassed.
Rather than merely rewarding A, while hoping for B, the Coglioni have
added the new dimension of actively punishing B as well!
(Let the flame war begin 
Pirata
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