A few missing in action for Easter Saturday, so no great expectations Charles Dickens, for a bulging bunch at the shop. A few had tendered apologies but only Rocket, Shorty, Jason and Tim (today's birthday boy) made an appearance, no doubt inspired by a sultry eight degrees, or was it to burn some calories in advance of Sunday's chow on chocolate? Rocket admitted it was a rehab ride to rid his system of alcohol, Jase must have had a visit to a Spanish doctor (such was his opening pace) whilst Shorty was on a holiday hangover. Birthday greetings to Tim, all speared lights through the darkness and few foggy patches of Channel Rd and up to Boundary. Not a lot of arguement to cut the lap a little short straight up Boundary to Lemnos-Cosgrove Rd. A momentary pause over New Dookie Rd for Tim to retrieve a Rudy Project lens (worth a month's mortgage payment?) dislodged whilst wiping fog from the view. Found and re-united, ten wheels sliced through the chill to reach Lemnos-Cosgrove's tarmac, then head west to the prospect of warmth at the finish, pussycat attendance a whisker lower than normal as they clawed their way east with a purr of wheels. All were well behaved to the cemetery (save a small spurt of speed in Wanganui) and an unabaited push through town to arrive at the Lemontree, scuttle indoors and warm up on coffee and cooked breakfast. And its not even in the minuses yet! An amusing yarn on Ozzi-cosy's, Shticks and infomercials, concerts, clowns and fishing. An all points bulletin posted for BigMat.
A day off Sunday with a bad case of the C.B.F's. Guilt took over for Monday though, a lap planned to burn off the carbo loading session (thanks to Easter bunny). Heated 3am outdoor relationship counselling by ferals in the next street was an early alarm (a proliferation of profound profanities), but I finally rolled out at 6 to face an anti-clockwise Toaster lap. Few cars about and speed by feel (no km/h visible), a few tunes from Chet Faker and Goldfrapp took me up to the top of Mitchell, pleased to see one other bike westward (meaning I'm not the only nut case) A chilly patch for the leg to the pub, relying on the head to decide if speed was too fast or too slow, to be dissapointed or to be burnt to a crisp?, that is the question. The big soup tin came into view nearing Lemnos Rd (so did the speedo....not bad) three other dedicated cyclists / crazy lunatics (strike out that which is not applicable) heading clockwise to greet the rising sun. Pushed on to Wanganui then Rudd, down the Boulevard with the tank steadily emptying and was satisfied to stop the clock for a solo 1:36 to Tarcoola, burning up 840 Easter egg calories. Pressed on (munching a mum's home-made muesli bar to top up the tank) to add a reverse Couldabeens lap with Cougs, at least the sun was up now to psychologically warm the bones. A few more riders out and about in daylight (most likely sane) , two tending to a puncture at Archer Rd. A good steady 30k, with a bit of a push into a building WSW breeze along Channel Rd to finish. Coffee at Degani's rounded off 85k, good to get a bit more distance in for a change, only lots of 30's and 45's of late.
Early duty at the salt mine meant an early lap of Channel-Boundary-Old Dookie on Tuesday, legs feeling the legacy of a longer stretch yesterday. A milder 14 degrees helped, lack of light doesn't though (sun not up till after 7 now) Ahh, the long dark chilly months of winter are but weeks away to inspire us all ! A health string of Cats filed into Boundary Rd as a dozen or so in a mystery group (a Goat revival?) finished the last k of Old Dookie Rd. Cougs had the hammer down for the return home, a southwester providing the resistance.
Paul, Clive and Mike were at the Hospital roll-call Tuesday evening, a pleasant 21 degrees to roll out but the fragrant Ford tacked onto the back in Graham St (nightmares of previous attempts), about as welcome as a Labor Party opinion poll! It was revival night with Sprinter rejoining, then Steigy and Sticks, soon after LegalSteve and Luke enrolled to revitalise Tuesday nights lap. A drafty SSW @ 22km/h slowly built to a full on southerly @ 32, giving all a workout (the pungent one thankfully came to it's senses staying at the rear) Rhys came aboard at the church to pair with Luke, a fine couple of young engines to bear the brunt at the front. My shift came in Old Dookie with the Sprinter, keen to bump up the pace 5km/h (a warm-up for the forthcoming criterium) Lots of gym time has built some endurance in the little guy, but he's like drafting a matchstick when ahead. Tucked in nicely for the southerly section, turned into River Rd to find long-lost Graham with Craig ready to contribute. Sailed the length of River Rd with the speed on the increase, passed Roscoe (out solo) nearing the end. A blast down to Mitchell with Sprinter ramping up the tempo again, then west to Raftery courtesy of the young ones. Luke took an Arcadia Downs exit and Rhys lit the fuse and gapped the pack in Conrod straight, turning the bunch single file with Sprinter as the sacrificial lamb in pursuit. I'd won the lottery with Steigy's wheel (a great torquey diesel engine to follow) and found the last relics of energy with 150 to go, just managing to shake off Paul for 2nd, nudging 60 at the end (and nudging 570 watts according to Garmin)
Wednesday's regular steady lap was most welcome, the nuts and bolts were a bit loose after the last few days effort (the bike's a bit rattly too!) Lack of moonlight hampered navigation to just the headlight, easy to lose the roads edge at times. The familiar route tapped out, beating the Boral truck today, a procession of (un-identifiable) groups headed southward. Aware of a light joining in behind, Cougs upped the ante to make the hitch hiker earn his breakfast, finally, spoken words of "car back" identified Fitzy as the culprit. A quick finish after a long warm up was good tonic.
A welcome restoration of Library group numbers on Thursday evening with Trev, Mike, Robbo, Dalton & Clive at the flag off, Craig & Simmo rolling along the Boulevard in wait. The long length of Brett came along (from a long lay off the bike) his seat post longer than my arm I reckon. My lately erratic heart rate monitor was showing 185 on the first leg, down to 130 whilst in the low 40's later. A few forums suggest conductivity problems (will try ultrasound gel), has anyone else had this fluctuation? Up to Wanganui Rd to welcome Sprinter and LegalSteve aboard, across Numurkah Rd and onward we had a close shave with a wannabe Winterbottom overtaking us at breakneck speed, a car suddenly turning from a side street into his path induced the OMG's. Mahem narrowly avoided, the bunch added Sticks & Bomber in Lemnos Cosgrove Rd for the push toward the Emu, just a light easter to battle. My second shift at the front was after the Church with Sticks, who cooked the calves picking up the tempo into the high thirties, then beyond 40 up to the piggery where I'd had enough and rolled over (cheers to Paul for an ease of speed on his turn) Got through a full rotation by River Rd, Sticks and Robbo wound up the wick to 40+, me hopeful they'd stay put whilst I sat second wheel. Unfortunately Sticks retired from active duty just beyond Trevaskis Rd, leaving me to be roasted on the Robbo rotisserie for nearly 3 k. Satisfied i'd survived till Central Kialla Rd, and grateful Robbo took pity, back to 38 for the run to the Kialla Hall. It seemed just a couple of minutes passed before we'd paired again out of Roubaix corner, momentum building to Arcadia Downs, Brett quickly and unceremoniously discarded off the back. Deja vous with the Robbo-mobile again climbing the Conrod dip, i emptied the tank to get around, only to let the criterium contenders (having had a generous tow) loose for a thrash to the line (none could match Robbo's watts mind you). 48k's over in 1:21 and suddenly keen to refill the 1128 calories used. A headcount beyond the Raftery bridge was minus Brett, so dropped back with Craig to find and tow him back to the social fold of the team for the cruise (and post mortem) through town. A bit scary to note that the Library bunch is now 4 years old, (born 19/3/09) originally set up to get away from the hard hitters of the hospital group but it seems there's no escape! "Fleeing is futile"
The little blog odometer clocked over 6000 today, truely flattered that this prattling prose is read at all (but maybe not understood!) Took a sedate little 25k along Archer, Mitchell and Raftery in the early hours comfortably distant from the freaky friday fans, letting legs recover as an epilogue to a busy week.
Week 14 405km 12,150 calories (20.6kg of porridge) 4978km YTD
"The tragedy of life is what dies inside a man while he lives" Albert Schweitzer 1875-1965 German-French theologian, organist, philosopher, physician and missionary
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