Death Defying

Yesterday was a huge day which started at 4.05am with a feeling of apprehension, and ended at around 8pm, hoping I hadn't caught my death (as my Nana used to say).

The early rise was to drive for an hour to meet friends at Tamborine Village at 6am for a 115k ride up Mt Tamborine and then O'Reillys. It was a pretty tough day in the saddle - and with just over 2000m of climbing all up, there were some killer descents without much protection that gave me cause to think just a little bit about self preservation.

I was looking forward to a Hoodoo Gurus gig at the Doomben races that afternoon, and kept myself occupied wondering what they might play... so during the tough bits of the ride Death Ship kept popping into my head - a song about love gone wrong, but also just a little bit of hope.

After a hectic afternoon we got to the races not long before the Gurus took the stage at 5pm so I found my spot at the front of the stage and waited eagerly.

They got through The Right Time, I Want You Back and Waking Up Tired but at some stage during their fourth song, Death Defying, the rain started. The song ends with the words

If there's one thing that I've learned

It's the point of no return

And if that's to be our fate

Now's no time to hesitate

Collectively, it seemed that the other fans and I thought this was a good omen - and that they would continue despite the apparent dangers. We were all drenched... it was past the point of no return for us!

Ironically, it seems the health and safety folks thought that the rain did in fact make now the exact time to hesitate. The gurus were told to leave the stage in fear of electrocution. Alas, the Hoodoo Gurus would not be defying death today.

Lucky for me I'd already done my share of Death Defying on the slopes of two of Brisbane's best hills... and it seems on waking up this morning (yes, tired) that my fear of my death of a cold is not imminent either...