Stage Four: Norwood to Victor Harbor - Perfection

Bang! The riders set off from Norwood and head for the hills, on their way to Strathalbyn.

It has rained in the night, causing even more humid conditions.

Dries rides steadily, on Schopenhauer's bicycle, ahead of his team mates.

He soon catches up to Gaius who is following Victor.

Dries! says Gaius. Ride with me. How are you enjoying the Tour Down Under?

Dries feels the need to unburden.

Team Condor's a basket case, says Dries. Pablo's gone off with a Marilyn. Ssü-K'ung Shu's only interested in seducing Arthur. Arthur's not trying to stop him. Sweezus is jealous as hell.

I suspect that you're reading it wrong, says Gaius.

Am I the only one who knows it's all pointless? asks Dries.

That's Schopenhauer's bicycle talking, says Gaius. Let me tell you something. Schopenhauer wasn't just a miserable curmudgeon. He was also a Buddhist.

A Buddhist! Dries didn't know that!

Has his bicycle also forgotten?

But it's food for thought all the same. What we think we become.

Gaius and Dries ride on together.

Victor drops back.

I thought you were tailing Gaius, says Dries. And yet you're in front?

I'm extremely competitive, says Victor. All we policemen are. And we all end up in the same place eventually.

How true that is.

Victor pulls ahead again. Dries pedals harder, which is not what the Buddha would do.

Vello and David ride up level with Gaius.

Dries is doing well, says Vello.

I cheered him up, says Gaius.

Cheer us up, says David.

The giant cuttlefish are returning to the Upper Spencer Gulf, says Gaius.

Thank you, Gaius, says Vello. That alone is enough to make us ride faster.

He and David speed up a little, but are soon passed by Ben Swift, Giacomo Nizzolo and Jay McCarthy.

I say, is that Terence I see? says David. Up ahead in the distance?

No, yes, maybe, says Vello. He's a quick little devil. Odd to see him without his pet parrot.

Baby B-B? says David. The little bristle bird. I haven't seen him since the ukelele competition.

Nor me, says Vello. He was good, for a bird with half a finger.

Mm, agrees David. Perhaps he's with mother. I believe she's still got his hover board.

......

(Baby B-B is not with David's mother. He is with Pablo and the prettiest Marilyn. They are in a small private room at the Hilton, practising ukelele and .....another thing. They've been there now for three days.)

.......

Pablo: Marilyn.

Marilyn: Pablo.

Pablo: I want to do with you what spring does to the cherry trees.

Marilyn: Pab....lo....ooh!

Baby B-B  (strumming) : Pingka-ping.

.......

Meanwhile the Tour riders are all looking up at the darkening sky.

A storm is coming.

It comes...

.... and it goes.

It's fine for the final dash into Victor Harbor.

Now it's best just to ride fast and win.

Simon Gerrans knows this. It's what he did yesterday.

And does again to perfection today.