Week 42



OC's preparing for blast-off

 Aside from the ubiquitious broken stubby on the road sucessfully dodged, the smell of hot toast from a nearby house put a pleasant slant on the ride to the OC start. Such a mild morning, at last the arm warmers and  3/4 longs can stay at home. Just a base layer, jersey & knicks takes little preparation.  18 at the start line, Robbo a suprise addition (a big bullet for a tiny gun?) Paul turned up with helmet zip ties that could take your eye out! (long enough to pick up Radio Moskow too) Daniel rolled in from an early lap, the OC crew took off at 7 (8 non-conformists left much earlier, a lateTony chasing) just a light south westerly to contend with.  A sizeable collective of Cats passed in Mitchell Rd, favourable winds in Boundary had us into the 37 mark. The wind had swung more to a northwest by Ford Rd.  Nev & Robbo amped up the pace at DECA swapping fast turns which halved the bunch rapidly. Lots of the young guns made up the gap, i was happy to sit with the trailing group to watch the fight to the finish. A neat sprint taken out by Dean, Nev second & Bo third.  33.3av, 46 max.  Almost half didn't make the Butterfactory (Nev, Matt & Paul going to GB....must be my deodorant?) still, plenty of room and fast service to enjoy (along with great banana bread) at the Butterfactory , missing Bo's extensions of fact though!            Had a lazy Sunday morning, sleeping in till 5.20! Contemplated the sore calves and quads, maybe a lap would cure that?  No takers for a 7am circuit, so the i-phone was the riding partner, Butterfly Effect & Tool on the playlist. Only a slight westerly heading up Mitchell, but it strengthened to make keeping straight in Boundary Rd difficult.  Time was a restriction, so Channel Rd was the way home. Or should i call it Agony Avenue? (Lactic Lane, Stress Street maybe?) A tough head wind made the push home quite a workout.  Pleased to make a 33.1 average though, the aroma of bacon cooking at Sebastians inspired egg & bacon muffins and pancakes with maple syrup part 2 breakfast at home. (only to make the legs feel better!)

Dragged the chain a little Monday morning and missed the P&W start by half a minute, the chase quickly picking up the heart rate! Finally caught the 11, thanks to their pause for traffic, most recovering from a 40km/h smashing from the start line! Glad i missed that one. (Meags served the appropriate slap!) The cobwebs had been dusted off Dutchy, just his 2nd ride for the year! (he was dead keen for a beer seeing the Pine Lodge Pub) Ryan travelling well, and he's hoping to get his bike legs back. Yikes! Sly slipped behind to see what held the Rabbit back,  great to have some teamwork and order in the bunch, a far cry from fiasco Friday. A steady tap down Mitchell Rd, Bugs & Sly cruised past and held a 200 metre lead....mmm, ironic; a rabbit dangling a carrot? The two held an even pace till they eased up at Archer, rotation halted until Sly stepped aside for a rest behind at Arcadia Downs, i drew up with Bugs for the last km.  Managed to hold Micks pace till 75 metres to go, most being towed suddenly jumping for a sprint. (Mmm........?)   Rolled slowly after the finish to chat with Cougs, Fox and Meags. Delighted with a 35.7 average, beating the train by 4 minutes!  (thought for today; "how can we win, when fools can be kings" Song & artist?  No takers for last weeks: Radioheads' Paranoid Android)  A rest stage Monday evening, excercise on this epistle instead.

15 Couldabeens fronted Tuesday, newbee Gavin a defector from Wednesdays anti-clockwise ride, Greendog along too, recovering from the 'round the bay' (a great 6.5 for the 200).  Super smooth first leg by Steve & Vince, which set the standard for a good steady pace. Rob dissapeared from the rotation at the Channel Rd turn, just 3.5 degrees was a raw deal for October. Rabbit & Aka rolled up to the back just before Mitchell and stayed there for some odd reason. Good to have Trev, Norm & Chris on-board again. Leon, Bo & Kel had their usual departure at Melb Rd, good teamwork prevailed till Arcadia Downs. Vince rolled to the front then hammered into the distance, luring half a dozen up for the sprint. Finished with a 33.8av and over the tracks before the train did.

Tuesday nights Hospital entourage of 14 were joined by a dozen in various small groups out to the Emu. Graeme back from drilling duties in Qld fired well, Al, Gools, Gav and Jamie back on too. The big redhead and his rpg's put the hammer down after the church, joined again by Garmin-Cervelo's Carla. Several guns kept the kettle boiling in Old Dookie, 45+ the order of the day with just 9km/h of northeast wind assistance. Just a whisker shaved off the pace for Boundary, then back to the pain for a belt down Mitchell in the 40's. Settled to stay single file for the last 2km, just wanted to finish! Eggy led out Nath for a good win, Chris 2nd, most other positions went quite blurry for me (it's a quick ride when 58.5km/h comes up for just 8th place!)  Only 1.05.40 for the circuit , 38.5av a buzz!

Recovery ride Wednesday was enjoyed immensely! A nice ride in the 30's, wise words and good laughs too from Norm & Marion. Good to put a lap in without gasping for air.  Days are getting a little longer and slowly milder. Summer cant arrive fast enough!

Another fine turn up of 16 for Thursday, and a mild morning too. Missed the cheek of Kel (bit crook),  Daniels' chuckle also absent.  Graeme made a suprise visit, big Bill going like a steam train after his op. A niggling east-northeast breeze made Channel Rd a push, but all went first rate though after the turn. The TT team  passed by in Mitchell Rd, great to see the big wookie back on the tall seat. Team spirit continued to Arcadia, all the young fellas in the right spot for the rush to the line. Rocket Rob showed how it's done. 34.8 worth a second course of breakfast.

Thursday nights' mild 23 degrees was worth a ride (maybe the winter thermal can be put away till next April?) 14 thought the same at the Library. It's de rigueur for another 10 to join in as we work our way toward the (absent) emu, Wongy and Al showing their winter hibernation. A slightly easier tempo than Tuesday night, a northeasterly favoured us after the turn. Team Huggard, Robbo & Bomber set the cruise control in the high 30's after the toaster. The engine drivers were thinning by Mitchell Rd, 6 were playing tailight. By Melbourne Rd half the bunch had clocked off the work shift, it was a roll of the dice taking the righthand row, a big risk of nobody backing up behind! Worked ok till a km to go when Kev found himself the sacrificial lamb leading out the whole bunch with 800 to go. Young Mitch took the chocolates ahead of Sean, it was nice to stop the pain in 4th spot at 56.5.  Had a great whiff of someones bbq on the way home, pretty chuffed with a 36 average too. Loathe the arrival at home though, hayfever goes ballistic near the hedges. Slept like a swinging brick though!

Friday had 21 turn up for the P&W's. Great to welcome back Irongirl Jo after a long sabbatical. Good to  have Matt, the Chopster, THM & Dutchy back again too. Ayto absent though.....busy robbing templates? Got whole wheeled for 2km in the first leg (aka's been training others?) but it settled into the great team ride it's been for the three years i've known. Chaddy as always the dapper dude, immaculate in the Lotto kit. The Rabbit, Bart and fishy sailed into the sunset on their TTT mission. Another mild morning to enjoy some good company with some great laughs along the way. End credits went to Matt with a fine win, the team finishing the circuit together, beating the train by 5 minutes too.

Week 42  :     434km   16,014 calories ( 254 Weet-Bix in 5 litres of milk)   34.5km/h av.

Quote of the week  " You can't win unless you learn how to lose" Kareem Abdul-Jabaar