Week 51

Procrastination preoccupied the early hours of Saturday morning, a few showers through the night and more forecast threw doubt on the ride. The radar and yr.no proved inconclusive so eyed the skies for an insight, taking a gamble there'd be a window of opportunity.  Nick, Shorty, Jase and Choppy were of like minds so the fearsome five took to the tarmac of Channel Rd, the concession was the short course to save a little time should grey clouds turn black. No speed restrictions in place today (Trev ensconsed under a doona) but the limiter was a breeze from the north east to make Channel and Boundary roads a chore.  The turn into Lemnos-Cosgrove turned us into legends (nothing like a tail wind to aerate the ego) rolling easily to Lemnos Rd with just 9 Cats eastbound and just one tail-light alight amongst them, Leigh Mac in late pursuit nearly half a k behind. A little ducking and weaving of puddles down Ford & Wanganui to Rudd Rd (tempo building slowly) and opened the throttle at the golf club roundabout to make the young fellas earn their coffee (took 52km/h to hold off lots of watts) Comfortably ensconsed at the Lemontree, no show from Area 51 today but Muppets were showing off their new kit  (and about to have it baptised and annointed from the heavens) as they departed for a lap between coffees. Our talk was of Christmas carbon for some but ominous clouds were gathering, so a rapid retreat homeward, lucky to get just the first few spots only 100 metres from home. 

Weather was far kinder on Sunday and took up a lap invite from Cougs. Down Archer Rd I got that sinking feeling of a puncture, the sound of rim against road confirmed soon after so halted to find the culprit.  It's always a worry when nothing is found, so replaced the tube and set off on take 2.  Turned into Mitchell (the north wester less of a burden now) and up to Central Kialla where that sinking feeling returned.  Another inspection of the rear tyre (more slowly and from the inside) detected a microscopic prickle, so change No2 finally rectified the problem. The hand pump is a poor substitute for proper pressure but it gave enough to continue.  Up to the top of Mitchell then north in Boundary, the God of cycling against us with the wind swinging to make each direction an effort.  The lure of coffee and (the now mandatory) banana & walnut toast a great incentive to keep the pace up back to town.

Lots of P&W's away on the Canberra 70.3 (big hoorays for all competing in tough conditions, big ouch's for Meag's blisters!) so took an anti-clockwise course in the wee hours of Monday.  The German Shepherd at Sellmans is on loose again (top of Channel Rd)  and keen to bark at the heels. (giving him a faceful of water with bonus electrolytes applied his handbrake quickly)   As expected, no P&W's, a fair sized collection of Cats though in Boundary, Goats seem to have become rapidly extinct from the circuit.

A perfect 24 degrees begged to be ridden Monday arvo, a west northwester blowing at 18 clicks was going to hurt somewhere so set forth out the Boulevard for a clockwise toaster loop. Spotted a head in a parked car ahead and sure enough, just as I was squeezed by an overtaking car, the door on the parked car was flung open. (mirrors aren't that hard to use are they?) Yelled a thankyou (taking a year off the drivers life), managed to get by unscathed, and put the chin down to cut through the wind up to Wanganui. Easier going for the 14k's out to the Emu but mindful to leave some biscuits in the barrel for the longer leg home. A few solo riders out on the track (one ahead proved to be a carrot to push the average), and was fairly pleased with progress to the toaster, but the turn west brought out the shovel to dig deep.  Boundary Rd came up faster than expected and made a better pace south but by Mitchell Rd the wind had swung to a west southwest to keep the head down. Ironically, Flume's "Holding On" was the soundtrack and by Archer Rd there were just crumbs left in the barrel.  Funny how the head says more and the legs go on strike. Battled on to reach Roubaix corner, the wind pushing the left side now. Finally across the line pleased with a 1.23.20, Colonel Harlem's dinner smelled good riding through town, but cooked myself something a bit more sensible.

It was Ryno's swansong on Tuesdays Couldabeens ride, we'll miss the lad immigrating to the north west of the state (but a return visit is on the cards) Jase fronted on new Cosmic's (as if he needs to go faster) Gav, Shorty, Trev, Cougs, Steve, Temple, Nick, Rocket, Trav and Tim congregrated to take in the usual lap, with FeltMat arriving near Kensington (with a note from Mum?). Steve exited in his usual manner at the start of Mitchell, the pace on with Gav, Rocket and Temple up front, a chance to breathe if Trev Tim or FeltMat took control. Nick  & Ryno flew up Mt Nicolaci, gapping me with a lack of bhp. (a victim of last nights personal enthusiasm?)  Rocket did a Renshaw for Ryno in the dying stages of Conrod, but it wasn't a hand-out lead-out, he had plenty to do to earn the win. Over the tracks a 6.52am signalled a decent rate.

Another large contingent of P&W's had taken the early shift on Wednesday and tapped out 30 before the usual 6am lap. HWK, Hayles, Stace, Meags, Fee and THM arrived to boost the morale of Pom, Al, Cougs and Simon to make up 11. Many stories of the Canberra 70.3 circulated, Gools wasn't circulating in Boundary Rd though, a puncture had sidelined him from the Supercats (who'd super-abandonded him) Our k's ticked over easily with a light breeze helping in Boundary and Mitchell, a perfect 15 degrees wouldn't raise a sweat (until the Conrod slog anyway)  Big Brad cruised past cresting Mt Nicolaci, stirring enthusiasm amongst 51 (who passed with utmost courtesy crossing Melbourne Rd).  A similar enthusiasm (with a tad less horsepower) struck the P&W's on arrival at Conrod straight, Stace taking the chequered flag ironically a half wheel ahead of HWK. The odometer ticked over 20,000 for 2012 this morning, 12 days ahead of target. The addiction is put into perspective pondering that it's 357 toaster loops worth of rides before the year's out.  

Just 7 turned up to the Couldabeens on Thursday morning, maybe the forecast  winds kept a few indoors? Rocket, Gav, Nick, Trav, Temple, Daniel and Chris A headed out Channel Rd making good progress with the wind behind, pointing at a poliferation of puddles. Boundary Rd was a different story though, as enjoyable as an enema with winds gusting to 30km/h from the south west, turns turning shorter. A 121 heart rate jumped to 169 at the front, great expectations soon become great comiserations. All kept plugging away in Mitchell Rd too, but Daniel, Temple and Gav retreated via Archer Rd leaving 5 to share the load. By Arcadia Downs the wind was a little less demanding but i'd become the meat in between two slices of sprinter.  Hit the lead with 600 to go, only to become a Homebrand Renshaw (a voice inside yelling "I'm givin her all she's got Capt'n" ) 212 bpm at 52 km/h nearly bent a valve when Rocket and Chris shot past in the low 60's to fight out the final 100.

Back to the glory days of the P&W's on Friday with a cast of thousands (well, 25 anyway) on the now legendary Christmas ride. All tinselled up, baubels and costumes aplenty for a leisurely lap in the Christmas spirit. It's been a long time since all the founders have been together on a ride, Fee, Choppy and Ayto (bah humbug indeed!) led Jo, Liz, Stace, Al, Mick, Coota, Jase, Cougs, Meags, Fox, Sootie, Wizz, Grasshopper, Hayles, Pom, Weapon, Greendawg, Goose, Sosso, HWK, Tommygun and THM. Several couldn't resist the need for River Rd speed but most stuck by the traditional map. A great cruisy lap with the festive spirit even rubbing off on the pussycats passing. (a few cheery words from more than the usual Matho, Graham, Gools and Sprinter) Lots of laughs when Fee's baubel detached at Melbourne Rd. HWK and Al took the helm for all of Raftery picking up the tempo for a sprint to erupt in the last few hundred metres, but the Friars buffet and Christmas commeradery was the priority, with a generous Ayto sponsorship. The only downside was to leave early to get to work and to lose our little Grasshopper after many years of faithful service........  

Week 51  361km  12,274 calories (47 fruit mince pies)  YTD 20,106 km

"I stopped believing in Santa Claus when my mother took me to see him in a department store, and he asked me for my autograph"  Shirley Temple US actor 1928-