A break with Saturdays' ritual group ride and a steady lap with the Cougar, the stiff southerly not best recipe for a bunch ride to be honest. Good to mix up the routine from time to time, keeps a balance on things. Roads were free of bike invasions at 6.15 but it was peak hour for the bunnies on Channel Rd. The ride was good tonic for worn legs (more from work than the bike last week) but didn't miss the post ride social intoxication at the Lemontree, 9 arriving to update news on all matters (with post mortems on the Armstrong interview) Nath tucked into a big slab of bacon (with just a hint of egg on a sliver of toast), much verbosity from Pom, Shorty, AvantiTrev, Rocket, BigMat, FeltMat, Jase and the Smuggler.
Sundays' arranged tour had Rocket, Pom and Trev turn up to a wind that changed as often as a Japanese government. I drew the short straw of matching Rocket for 7k into the headwind of Raftery, arriving at Mitchell to have the wind swing south east (and Trev was too short to hide behind) Down the Mt Niclolaci decent where Trev's tail light departed it's mount (we'll have to recommend a good bike shop to fix it), a brief pause to retrieve the pieces then off to central Kialla, picking up Pete H on the way. The blue haze from Gippsland fires contrasted the straw stubble of fields recently mowed, only one or two out riding today (aluminium mudguards on the historic road bike a rare retro sight) but our gang of 5 plugged away to Boundary Rd where the wind now blew from the east. Inherited John near the Pub to even the numbers up, then all enjoyed the only respite in Old Dookie Rd with a tail wind to get us back for coffee (and breakfast part two for some) as a last supper for Pete before his shift west.
A cheery little lap on Monday to get the working week started. The ubiquitous Channel-Boundary-Old Dookie course with Cougs, a big greeting from gentleman Graeme steering the Cats southward, long-time-no-see Weapon, the solitary P&W, steaming along nicely a few hundred metres behind. A decent pace was maintained without breaking records, prevents ancient joints from rusting I guess. One wonders how long the engine will perform to adequate standards, but there's still a few old dinosaurs about doing ok. Hope springs eternal. Young Smuggler was on executive hours departing town in Old Dookie Rd nearer 7am, I was on schedule to clock on on cue.
An eager ensemble formed in the car park early Tuesday, BigMat confusing the critics by turning up too. AvantiTrev an early arrival, Nick, Temple, Kenworth, Cougs, Coalminer Steve, Leon, Rocket and, securing his regular rear seat booking, Daniel . Newbie Brent climbed aboard as the pack rolled out but the last enrty went to FeltMat (lives nearest, arrives latest). A south south west breeze was waiting to annoy all in Boundary, Nath was found touring half way, Ronnie and Garry out on a reaquaintance ride in the last k of Channel Rd sat on the back for a short spell whilst Rocket, Gav & Daniel (funny how the big guns just happen to group together) made the legs burn pointing south. All had a good crack at train driving for Mitchell Rd (decent diplomacy regardless of duration or pace), caught a rare sight of RobMac, one of a few on solo missions. Rocket's familiar blast in the closing stages of Raftery is still worth watching, Nath took a rain-check (but lent a hand to FeltMat's lag) all were done and dusted in 47:42.
The sun rises noticably later of late, ditched the little headlight today in favour of the Cygo's 380 lumens and decent spread across the tarmac. (sorry, I just can't fathom how you see, or be seen, with a light as big as a match head. Some swear by them. There again, there are those without lights.....and without sense) A swift southerly battered several bunches in Boundary Rd (taking the nothbound route maybe a bit soft but certainly felt sensible) a copious contingent of P&W's had halted to chat over a quiet puncture, 51 was scattered on three fronts with gritted teeth and furrowed brow. Cougs and I assumed a list to starboard on the westward leg home, 35km/h of southerly keeping the heart rate up.
Quite the suprise to only have 6 entries for Thursdays' Couldabeens. Maybe the forecast winds (which didn't eventuate) had some scared, it was left to Rocket, Kenworth, Nick, Temple, Cougs and Tim, the tough to tough it out . Quality quashed quantity quickly, quietly qualifying quirky quads (& questioning quorums) out Channel Rd we went. Garry and Ronnie were out again (twice in 18 months for Ronnie!) and jumped on and joined in, till Archer Rd anyway. Several soloist in Mitchell, RobMac again, Blackie too, and a bunch or two. Double duty for our compact crew today, twice the turns with half the riders, but the tenacious team triumphed, only 20 seconds slower than Tuesday for the same course, Rocket (of course) taking the honours, a rugged up Kenworth second, both getting the jump on Nick.
No attendance issues with the P&W's on Friday morning, a big field of Stace, Jo, Hayles, Fox (recently crowned king of Echuca) , Cougs, Fee, DrugRob, Simon, Meags, Sootie, THM, Weapon and even Dutchy on a brief comeback from Qld. A pause waiting for Chops was in vein, 14 finally set sail into a humid 26 degrees and a hairdrying northerly at 26km/h. A resounding relief to turn into Boundary Rd with the wind behind us, collecting Fitzy on the course south, Temple & Daniel spotted plugging away northbound. Stace, Sootie, Hayles and Meags opted for a thrash down River Rd, the remainder toured to Mitchell where DrugRob wore thin from a recent blood donation (skirted home via Archer to recollect his spot in the pack). Wunderlust wheeling west, whimsical, witty words with wisecracks with Weapon, wind (without weakness) wandered wheels wantonly. (must get some tablets for this acute verborrhoea....or is it diarradjectivitis?) Sootie, Hayles and Stace were vanishing into the distance when we arrived at central Kialla, Meags tacked back on, Tommygun snuck into the fold somewhere and Dutchy copped a bee sting (unable to remove it for some distance, ouch!) The bunch stayed glued together to the end, a windswept Raftery Rd not that enjoyable, all just content to finish without fanfare (and feed up at Friars)
Week 4 286km 9438 calories (46 you beaut Aussie lamingtons) YTD 1320km
"He who laughs, lasts" Mary Pettibone Poole ; Author 1938-
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