Saturdays ride has settled into a fairly regular crowd, good to have Matt and Kylie back and always a pleasure to have Hoffy's laugh aboard. Andrew's wheel is a prized one, a great draft sitting tall in the seat. The always considerate Nev had snuck onto the back somewhere out Raftery to join Kel, Bo, Cougs, Temple and Chris. Fog didn't help (particularly in the narrower stretches) but then every circuit has it's challenges. Six degrees wasn't assisting the muscles but a considerate tempo made it bearable, Dave hooked on near Archer Rd (already a few k's completed), the bunch steered down Central Kialla Rd and into the thinning Karramomus Rd (but thickening with bands of fog). Needed a smoother surface to lessen the punishment on the gluteus maximus but before long, a smoother and more visible path onto Shepp-Euroa Rd appeared. Sprint tactics were being bandied about as far back as the pub, all in vein though with master blaster Nev in the mix. Bo gave him some work to do (finished a fine 2nd), most just keen to finish as a team and warm up with coffee and exhuberant chat back at the Butterfactory. Great to see Leon join us, the collarbone mending well.
A relaxed short loop on Sunday, keeping the obsession enjoyable. A perfect day too, the sun warming the bones by 8am. Dispensed with my somewhat obsessive recording of numbers, just enjoyed turning the legs around for what it was. Made a great ride perfect with a big dose of caffine that the Butterfactory does so well (yes, blatant unpaid plug for my favourite cafe)
Hope springs eternal for the P&W's with Meags, Fee, Cougs and THM brave enough for the 3.6 degree start. All pleased to tackle the track single file (no abuse hurled by motorists either) we were out past School Rd when THM had a lighting malfunction, the lamp doing a dismount and attempting to be julienned by the front wheel. A pause in proceedings couldn't remedy so Griff chose the handheld option for the remainder. Cats caught us near River Rd, but we soldiered on, great turns by the quick chicks again. We managed to reel in Cat Keeno who'd gone OTA near Archer Rd, and by Conrod straight Fee & Cougs had hit the turbo for a quick finish. A good solid performance despite breathing icy oxygen and muscles protesting from the chill.
Only had half a tank of motivation Monday arvo, dreamed up a figure eight circuit that took in some of the toaster loop. Put some effort into Archer Rd (spurred on by a hint of tail wind) but reality set in for Mitchell Rd. An inbuilt rev-limiter set the pace as light faded from viewing the speedo, something says faster or slower when the mental picture of distance is calculated. Up Boundary, right into Old Dookie, to the toaster then the Emu. Left back into Boundary (not a great decision, forgot how bad those rumble strips were) then onto Old Dookie and homeward. Had no great expectations of the average, flying blind, but pleased to finish under a street light showing a 34 average. A 151h.r. average explained a big appetite (and legs of stone)
An early call from Kel Tuesday morning told of a puncture in transit for Bo, with a hope of intercepting us in Mitchell Rd. 16 assembled in the carpark got away a minute late, almost mild at 11 degrees but a NNE blowing at 17km/h was the payback. A bit of a push out Channel Rd but the reward came at Boundary. Goose had confessed nobbling Greendog at the weekend (one way to win the sprint) Temple nursed a crook knee, great to have an freshly inspired Matt back in the bunch, Chris A played diplomat and Glenn G squeezed the accellerator. We tore down Mitchell at a fair clip but were stalled at Central Kialla Rd with traffic from several fronts. A considerate slow build up to cruising speed once underway, but pussycats closing in had a whiff of line honours after we had another wait at Melbourne Rd. They'd almost emptied the tank in pursuit, with half of their bunch crawling past near Arcadia Downs, but couldn't make much ground. All went a bit ugly with three and four wide in Conrod, calls of car back unheeded. Many of us joined the self preservation society by staying back from the sprint, content to finish upright and enjoy the 35.4 result. Train services have resumed, the old loco just beating us to the crossing. Had yet another moment with a motorist veering left then braking a metre after passing me, right in front of the police station too! A brief verbal spray was subsequently delivered at the traffic lights.
A new set of Vredesteins on today inspiring some confidence, the previous pair surviving 5,300 km in 13 weeks with just 3 punctures. 9 had gathered at the hospital boom gates Tuesday evening, welcoming back Graham from many weeks on northern drilling rigs. When underway and bunch order established, i became the meat between two slices of Nathan & Robbo, hot fast food to go. In the high 30's and into the 15k northeaster bumped up the heartrate, a suprisingly mild 19 degrees saving some pain. By end of Ford Rd there was a spicy serving of Bomber, Mitch and Steigy to really keep talk to a minimum. Turning at the Emu, Bomber lit the fuse stretching the bunch out for the next several k's, subsequent engine drivers copying his effort. Gasped a few words of brief conversation with Gools but soon after preserved the oxygen for the turn with Robbo, barely a kilometre at 44 per hour was enough for this old bloke. Steigy shaved a whole k off the pace beside me (should I be grateful?) and a few turns later it was a pleasure to be 4th wheel with a decent draft and a now managable heart rate. There was a brief respite at the end of River Rd but the hurt started again nearing Archer. Came up for front duty again rounding Roubaix corner, this time with Bomber. 300 metres was enough, so called a short turn (setting off similar turns by others which only snowballed the tempo) Most of Conrod straight was driven at 48, so hung on by the fingertips at 187bpm to finish midfield. Didn't feel so bad looking back, half a kilometre of scattered lights, the legacy of 43k's in just 1.09 with a 37.3k / 143bpm average.
All kitted up, breakfast on board by 5.30am Wednesday , battery charged and tyres pumped, keen for a quiet roll, but got as far as the letterbox when spits of rain spelt a destiny of dampness. Radar confirmed the guess, a heavy band approaching from the north west. A morning off won't hurt. But missed the pleasure of a ride to fill up on motivation.
An earlier start at the coalface on Thursday morning, so a shorter lap earlier was the heartstarter for the day. Not as icy with a light south west breeze (but cool all the same) made a no pressure journey east and north, two large bunches passing south in Boundary Rd. Cats and Supercats possibly? No idea in the dark. The wind had picked up (co-incidentally when turned west back to town) which drained a bit from the fuel tank. Perfect reason to justify a second breakfast and a good feed at "smoko". The intention of a Thursday night ride was scuttled by a rather busy day, cold temperatures and bad case of the "can't be f..........."
Princess, Sosso, Grasshopper, Cougs and Meags were tenacious enough to endure a 2 degree P&W start Friday, no TT faction this morning, solidarity ruled. A couteous pace by the lads, though Princess is gently on the recovery trail and Sosso admitting a lack of training. Quite a suprise hitting the loose gravel of road repairs after Dobsons' estate, those split seconds with fear of altering steering or touching brakes. Down near River Rd we caught ejected supercat Rod (stopped for puncture) who hitched a ride back on our little train. A little hesitation for a car on the main channel bridge, then the seemingly relentless 10k of Mitchell Rd with fog and even cooler patches to keep us on alert. Bo & Kel were sidelined at Archer Rd with a puncture forcing an early Supercat exit. Over the highway and onto Raftery, Grasshopper and Rod weren't short on velocity, I was content to witness the sprint from behind (as were Meags and Cougs), muscles not complying over 40 and lungs full of iceblocks. Content beating the Cats to the line, but then mocked by the train, boom gates halting us.
Some highly recommended reading at <cyclingtips.com.au > "The Mt Everest day in Melbourne"
(thanks Grasshopper)
Week 18 383km 13,405 calories (10kg potato wedges) 32.9km/h average YTD- 7,166 km
"If you think knowledge is dangerous, try ignorance" Mark Twain 1835 -1910
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