Week 30

It's wound up to be the Tuesday /Thursday bunch filling nearly all positions of the OC squad on a Saturday. Just 10 today and a typical cold one at that. Captain Slow did the warm-up leg then had a little squeal when the younguns hit the front, ramping up the pace.  Well, it makes us earn our breakfast doesn't it? When the rotation came around to Kens' second turn the sledging hit top gear! Funny stuff. (well done "Cougs")  Sprint demons Bo, Matt, Nev & Kel had us stretched out in the last 300 metres. Saturdays usual infusion of caffene followed.  The weather looked grim for Sunday, an early shower greasing the roads. A flurry of sms's staged a chat at the Butterfactory instead. Good to see Temple along serving his usual cheek and wit. The wrist & elbow still giving him grief though.

Mondays weather was just as crook, that fine mist and shiny roads making common sense prevail. Took up the Ayto training schedule of doona diving!  Tuesdays south-wester and 8 degrees made tough work in Boundary Rd. Think Bo & Matt have that special powder on their Weet-Bix....gunpowder!  Those two need to be seperated in the playground!  Made a decent average of 32.6 though, got to see the Melbourne train leave the station too.

Rolled up to the hospital bunch Tuesday evening, a likely lot of 14 waiting. No mistaking Kev's attendance, the bright orange knicks glowing like a Fukashima reactor core!  Plenty of chicken noises to welcome him along.  Some bright spark in a truck had dragged a few metres of mud over the bottom end of Raftery Rd, turning it into a real Roubaix section. Having a wheel skip sideways at a fair speed aint much fun.  A good train cranked up the speed in the last km, Nath hitting the gas with 200 to go. We could but pretend to keep up. Wound up the Cosmics to 55, but the young gun had vanished. 2nd quite acceptable for this old bloke.

Wednesday morning was super cold. Minus 3 for the quiet lap, Marion wound up with ice on the handlebars and overshoes! Heard later that others had ice on front forks, helmets etc. When the going gets tough......

A decision to take another calm lap Thursday morning was a great idea, zero degrees this time. (balmy in comparison to Wednesday!)  Muscles just don't want to work and breathing in ice cubes does nil for the Vo2 max. Thursday's library group had 16, out the road another 7 joined in to make a very big bunch for a mid winter 7 degree night. A full toaster loop has become the norm. All went single file after the muddy roubaix section of Raftery, Leighs guns leading the train. I had Robbo's wheel with 800 to go and inherited the front way too early. When in doubt, gun it i say. Spent all the jellybeans too early but stretched the rubber band i guess. Finished mid field with a 33.5 average over 46km.  Earned my dinner.

Good to join the P&W family Friday morning, and a great turnout of 6 quickchicks too.New starter Erin earned her stripes well on her maiden voyage.  Thankfully Chaddy wore decent knicks this time, the cheap chinese ones last week had him winking at us way too much! Puts one off their breakfast. A very enjoyable and safe ride as usual. (lucky to have such a good crew, free of crazy stunts and risk taking.  Another bunch apparently causing great concern later with a silly overtaking manoevre)

Week 30 --  335km  12361 calories  (ten and a half packets of Tim Tams)  32.6 average

Thought for the week "We must beat the iron while it is hot, but we may polish it at leisure" (John Dryden)

A special post script this week...to announce the sad passing of one BMW saddle. The poor thing had survived 2 Mt Buffalos, 5 Murray to Moynes, 6 rides to Melbourne, 4 Round the bays, 5 Fruit Loops, countless toaster loops, An Adelaide Tour DownUnder, lots of racing and bunch rides with my sorry bum on it for 6 years.  It just wasn't up to going beyond 117,000 km so has been put to rest.  A spanking new Fizik Airione feels SO different.  A case of a new saddle breaking in an old arse now i think!