A new neighbour didn't front to a Saturday lap invite, so set off solo to the start with another balmy (22 degrees) start to the day. Good to have Axel join in with Nick, Tim, Jase, Shorty, Cougs, Temple, FeltMat, Daniel, Steve, AvantiTrev, Rocket Trav and Weapon. An ENE made some work of east and north bearings. Weapons' new Avanti Chronos has had a repaint, now positively personalised, part pink, part purple (pinkle?) pleasingly palatable, portraying puritanic presence; perfunctory? parochial? pfftt! Perfect! Lots of time put into little details makes it a work of art. Certainly copped a run-in with two 165k laps over the long weekend, special bakery stages included. (Me thinks Carole will tear up the Melb Tri.) Rocket & Daniel provided the b.h.p. up to the toaster, great back up by Axel and Cougs taking over to the Emu. There were a few odd pairs on the clockwise tour (almost viewed as a pair of car headlights) Yet another 25+ Cat pack headed east as we made the most of the tail wind west, even Trev turned a blind eye to the 40km/h flog. Gave way to (gym-boy)Matho when arriving at Numurkah Rd (a late start or an early knee trembler?) Rocket was the priveledged lead out for Cougs great finish, all congregated for chat over caffine, todays topics on drugs in sport and a proposed pub crawl.
Took a relaxed ride Sunday, a short circuit to preserve limbs and interest. Just a short tour of Old Dookie, Boundary and Channel Rd, enough for what should be a day of rest. Kept the motivation with what has become a Sunday ritual, the sacrament of coffee and a yarn with Cougs, watching several bunches heading out to do battle with the increasing temperature and humidity.
Set the alarm for a 7am sleep-in for the holiday Monday but the little grey cells were in work routine, open for business at 5am. Diversion only lasted half an hour, so up and away (after sustainance) at 6.30. Plotted a P&W course with near perfect conditions, viewed a magic sunrise tuned into Atoms for Peace and Chet Faker. Not a hint of movement in leaves or branches but heading west in Mitchell added 3km/h to the cruising speed (a hint of the easterly to come?) Several were out making the most of the cool end of the day, I backed off the cruise control with plans to join a few Couldabeens for an 8am Toaster lap. (needed a few volts left to match the crews' amps) Mitchell over, Roubaix & Raftery conquered and Conrod completed, content with a 33.3 at Steptoe's house (only oldies will get that one!) Fronted up to Harveys' to find Temple, Shorty, Tim, FeltMat, AvantiTrev, Steve, Cougs, Rocket, DocPaul and Emmet ready. Had the first shift with Temple down to Roubaix, Trev and Shorty took over but Shorty slowed at Archer, being bit by bee. Long time no see DocPaul, the new Scott steed a little unfamiliar, the faithful Oppy now with the gods. Trev was the little diesel in Old Dookie Rd with the ESE building and the humidity rising. The breeze behind in Lemnos-Cosgrove Rd was a lotion for motion, making a lot of ground on the Adams family on a shortcut loop. Unseen by many, FeltMats' Felt felt flat at the cemetery roundabout, a bindii slowing progress but all eventually assembled for brunch at the Lemontree, hot and humid but commraderie overpowered any discomfort. Pom along for a social debrief too, recovering from the surgeons' knife.
Took the short lap option on Tuesday morning, two days work in one for the start of a shorter week. Fronted the hospital ride on Tuesday evening but all had gone soft (Robbo exempt after some monster rides at the weekend) except young Scott. With the hope of collecting others we set off, 33 degrees and 15km/h of northeast breeze to battle. I was whole wheeled all the way to Lemnos North Rd, (hang on, only HWK has that honour!) playing on the anger nerves, but old grandad's words of "time, patience and perseverence" rang true, Scott eventually burning all his biscuits and retreated behind me to be towed all the way to the Emu. Ignored the anaerobic heart rate with satisfaction compensating, a bit easier for the rest of the journey south and west, young Scott putting in appearance at the front once more after recovering from his earlier enthusiasm. Most pleasing to have Mark join in after the Pub, providing a 30% saving in energy, good progress in River Rd (but Scott half and whole wheeled us both) All finalised at Conrods' end, 1:14 not a bad effort for just 3. (h.r. over aerobic for 29k)
A fairly breezy northerly blew me to the Kialla Couldabeen contingent on Wednesday morning, Nick, Jase, Avanti & FujiTrev, Shorty, Chops, Cougs, Rocket & FeltMat ready to go anti-clockwise. It was going to be solibrious southbound, working westward and nasty north but numbers were there to share the load. Peter and Rosco joined in in Mitchell Rd to lessen the shifts, noting the Supercats filing into River Rd soon after we reached Boundary Rd. There was a sizeable P&W mob and 51 were at warp speed single file in the hunt for victory. FujiTrev's moment of inattention nearly had caused a tangle, a little gust of wind had FeltMat rub elbows with Jase, throwing caution amongst the ranks. Easier going in Channel Rd but in the darkness near Hanlon Rd lurked a tractor trailing several bins, with not a light to be seen. A minute later, another showed up in our direction, again devoid of any lighting and carrying pickers in bins! Aspertions cast and profanities delivered, the last few k's were covered, but a crook call at the alternative route (inexperience to blame) split the bunch momentarily but all finally made it home safe. Not too many of those rides thanks. Post script; the constabulary are keen to hear immediately of unlit vehicles (front and rear lights are mandatory), particularly carrying people in fruit bins to allow immediate prosecution. Must have been wacky Wednesday, Gools on the ride home from the Cat lap went base over apex on a slippery corner, ripping a hamstring.
A big drop of temperature overnight (explains a more restful sleep) and a swing of wind to a southerly. Out with the base layer to cope with 14 degrees (how quickly we soften) and hesitantly lined up for a Couldabeen lap. The change of conditions had changed some minds, just Rocket, Kenworth, Nick, Cougs, Trav and Daniel brave enough to start. A steady escalation up to speed out Channel Rd (hooray, no cloaked tractors today), lots of turns taken with attendance low and by Channel Rd's end, a quick conference with Cougs confirmed a left turn into Boundary, the young lads left to go right for a thrash into the wind. (Rocket apparently kept the bunch silent) Happier to get in early (and a reprive from the breeze to be honest) it was an easy roll up Boundary (a couple of mystery bunches un identified in the dark) but a slog home into the resistance of a SSW blowing at 22 clicks. I've travelled Old Dookie Rd 1000+ times (literally) but still manage to find the odd pot hole. The tempremental heart rate monitor recorded a 45 bpm average (just concious) but the legs recorded plenty.
Hope sprung eternal at the library Thursday evening with several there waiting, Jamie, Harpo, Dave, Killer and son (recently fed dynamic lifter...piled on six inches and cost dad new shoes and a new bike!) All set sail at six, enjoying being blown to Wanganui Rd by a 28km/h SSW wind. We inherited Simmo just past Lemnos North Rd, Dave driving us well to the Emu. The reality of the headwind wasn't vague on the way to the toaster, matching Jamie's engine was the hard task at 33km/h. Young Luke joined in to lend a strong hand with a pair of strong legs, a few trees shielding some of the wind in Boundary Rd. Dave & I got the short straw after the Pub, wide open paddocks and gusts up to 37km/h tested the tenacity. A chance to recover a little in River Rd until Luke hit the front firing on the big cylinders. All did double duty tonight with the small attendance, a collective sigh of relief to reach Roubaix and have the wind help rather than hinder. But Luke immediately switched to attack mode, thinning the field to single file at 45. Dave saved the day to bridge the gap (towing the bunch back together) and in Conrod Jamie took the initiative of leading out, lucky me to hear his wheels coming from behind, jump on then pass, just enough velocity to hold 'em off to take the chocolates. Thoughts swung quickly from leg pain and lack of oxygen to dinner, with several bbq aromas enjoyed through town. Dark enough now to start carying lights again, the real sign of Summer's demise.
Legs of lead on Friday morning (and a bit low in the motivation reserves too) but just enough to take in a lap of leisure to watch the passing parade of peletons on Freaky Friday. Supercats not so scintillating but 51 were scorching southward. Of course the usual chirpy greetings from P&W's. Legs appreciated the relaxed reconnaissance, overcoming the initial "cant-be-bothered's" pays dividends in mind and muscle after a lap (regardless of distance or tempo)
Week 11 453km 15,855 calories (27 slices / 4.7kg of Black Forrest gateaux) YTD 3,897km
"Our fathers were indeed wise. They invented printing, but not newspapers. They invented gunpowder but used it only for fireworks. Finally, they invented the compass, but took care not to use it to discover America"
Mao Tse-Tung 1893-1976
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