A roll down south turned into a bit of an effort against a southerly wind, a BMC kitted rider passed by with personal greetings, i have no idea who in the dark! (no doubt i'll cop a pasting for unsocialitis at a later date) Just Rocket, Nick, Jase, Shorty, Daniel and AvantiTrev at the car park for the Saturday sojourn, the 7 took to the 7k of Channel Rd in 7 degrees (numerically ironic), an epiphany for Daniel, finally fitting armwarmers and long knicks (wondered if he owned them) The chill cooled the extremities and had the respiritories running, narrowly avoided the nasal silastic disposal from (un-named), would rather the hanky method personally. Channel Rd completed (sans shepherd) and into Boundary, unusual to find a black Benz parked, driver smoking at this hour. A few protests from AvantiTrev when signals signified the toaster and Emu were planned, reckon he would have wanted to cut the lap short but he was outnumbered. Stacked into the wind on Old Dookie Rd things were still icy on the way to the toaster, briefly towed by a farmers 4X4 ATV. It was tailwind heaven pointing north, suspiciously parked near the channel bridge a black BM waited, one wonders if the drug squad would be interested? Up to the Emu then homeward bound, distant pussycat lights to aim at (attendance a little lower with some on a Goat tour of S.A.) Princess, Fee & Meags were on the same cat course 2k behind as we bore west, matching Nick then Jase was picking up the heart rate. Back to the front again at the Rudd Rd turn (double shifts with a small bunch) Jase was keen to up tempo to the cemetery so I gladly obliged, headwind turned it tough. A glance back at 40 showed a big gap to the rest , figured we should ease up for a united roll to the Lemontree pitstop. New roof mounted heaters made a warm welcome, Temple then Cougs arriving to join in the chat on afternoon knee tremblers, the Thursday thrash, corruption, a secret spill and social decay.
Took up an AvantiTrev invite Sunday morning, a 30k roll around to shake the bed bugs off. The only other punter was FujiTrev, other invitees were thumbing through their books of excuses. Down Archer and up Mitchell, the northeasterly became evident, FujiTrev went to the front then rapidly reduced forward motion. He took course ownership and hooked a left into Central Kialla Rd, out of the pan and into the fire of the 20k breeze. Thought I should respect my elders (there's not many) so played tow truck up to River Rd. The two lads were firmly ensconsed in 2nd and 3rd, so kept up the duty. Nearing Laws Drive a bit of chat started up behind, were these boys putting their feet up and reading the Sunday papers? Picked up the pace slowly till talk ceased, a good indicator of all working, but handed the lead back to AvantiTrev when we were headed north in Boundary. Back to the front when we reached the two bridges, and left there to tow till Old Dookie. THM, Fox and Meags seen sensibly southbound. Back to town to indulge in coffee, chat centred on bike position and set-up. Caffine take 2 at Friars for a social catch up with THM, Meags and Fox just arriving.
Now is the winter of our discontent.....Monday morning's damp road and spitting sky washed out ideas of riding, spoilt by a mild and favourable summer? Saddled up (before the real weight of 90 minutes on the bike took hold) Monday arvo, rolled out the Boulevard attempting to get the heartrate monitor to function above 94 (finally sprang to life at DECA to a believable 147) Out to the Emu driven by Butterfly Effect and Tool, a very light northerly the only hinderance. A whisker easier at the turn south, the Emu may be back from Zeerust holidays soon with lambs aplenty in the paddock. By Boundary Rd darkness had hidden the Cateye speed so kept an eye on the RPM, kindly lit by Garmin (74 seemed ideal) A long flog down Mitchell Rd, flashing red lights in the distant distance may have been a mirage but it kept the motion forward and on target. Quite a relief to reach Roubaix but the last 3k felt like 6 against the weak northerly, weak legs to blame. Over the line satisfied with 1.25.39.
A damp road Tuesday morning, slept through the 4am shower. Couldabeens an endangered species today with just the Kenworth, Rocket, Cougar, Trav, Nick and Daniel showing up. A helping hand out Channel Rd, a WSW at 15km/h speeding our progress to Boundary Rd. The winds reality was a slap in the face heading south, stuck between the Kenworth and the Rocket not the ideal place. Daniel kept up his standards half biking (hereafter dubbed HBK) I appreciated Trav and Nick taking the edge off for a chance to draw breath. Damp tarmac and the odd puddle kept the bike looking very secondhand, chain protesting soon I reckon. Several times a gap opened up to the wheel ahead, last nights effort had taken the edge off. HBK took his Archer exit, leaving ust 6 left to survive, Rocket kindly keeping the pack united till Conrod. My rubber legs had no effort left other than survival, Rocket leading the Kenworth to the chocolates.
A positive turn up at the hospital on Tuesday night, Craig, Paul, Clive, AvantiTrev, Nath, Mike, Harpo, Axel, Jamie and even Sprinter made the start line (instead of finding him 5k out the road) A relaxed start with Trev & Sprinter setting a moderate pace, by Lemnos Rd, LegalSteve and DiscoSteve had come on board, Bomber, Sticks, Mitch & Steigy swelled the ranks too, putting spice into the pot. OlympicSteve and two others (unidentified in the darkness) were additions after the Emu, Bomber bolted after the toaster, Steigy tried to bridge the gap but the charge was abandonded soon after arriving in Boundary. Beyond the pub the bomb was dropped, top guns had combined at the business end, gaps opened, chat ceased, efforts doubled and drafts were cherished. By the Broken bridges half a dozen had stretched away, the leftovers looked for allies to team up. Clive, Axel, Sprinter, Jamie & I soon had AvantiTrev then Mike tack on for a run down River Rd at a more survivable speed. The swift six ahead appeared to slow half way along, but then slowly resumed to dissapear toward the horizon, maybe tired of waiting? Our 7 stuck together for the remainder, gave a squirt in Conrod straight but it only attracted the Sprinter to jump on then take the win. A lap of survival without a lot of massacre.
Not a lot of spring in the step on Wednesday, set my hopes on a considerate bunch of Kialla Couldabeens to loosen the leg rust. Shorty & Jase took the first shift (most respectfully I should add) Pete climbed aboard on leg 2. A hint of a westerly took us up Mitchell Rd, the usual banter from Rocket, Nick, Cougs and GG as we persued Mr & Mrs Someone east then north (fitting neatly between Cats and the 51 pack on their River Rd odyssey) Rocket had steadily raised the bar and by the bridges on Boundary, was chewing into my reserves. Others rolled through in Channel Rd (our annoying Shepherd now seated on his cool front lawn instead of being in hot pursuit) but turns came round quickly as our mystery Mr & Mrs were caught and passed. Back to the front again with Rocket limits were maxed beyond the Kinder (feeling a little victimised till Nick was worked over a little faster) Good to be back into town, grateful the Mexican Bonanza wasn't tackled.
A few Couldabeens assembled at the dawn service on Anzac Day, a good selection of Cats too paying respects. They headed east to Old Dookie Rd, Couldabeens Tim, Shorty, Rocket, Cougs, Kenworth and Trav headed out the Boulevard for a toaster lap. A good decision to rug up, 10 degrees felt fresh after standing still in town. Cougs spotted 3 in pursuit as we reached Numurkah Rd, Temple, FeltMat and HBK finally caught us at the kennels after much muscle was expended. To the Emu then toaster, HBK had recovered to bump up the pace again, unhooking Temple in the process. A hasty reformation then down to Boundary, Cougar & I setting a course north to Lemnos-Cosgrove then west back to town at a moderate tempo to join the P&W's in their lap, satisfying social commitment and throwing in a long challenge too. Got all the way back to the Boulevard before u-turning, Princess, THM, Al and quick chicks Fee, Meags and Hayles forming a great team in Ford Rd for a tour with them to the Emu (yet again). Socially updated despite the noise of THM's Carbontechs (spied Paul on a 90k anti-clockwise effort at the church) down to the Toaster and beyond to Boundary, a straggle of Adams family northbound. A little easier for us heading south, Col battling it out north solo, Port Mac the aim. Most of Mitchell now done, homeward via Archer to get stuck into Teller's porridge and coffee, (Friar's overwhelmed by Goats, Muppets and Cats) replenishing the 95k's of consumption.
A calm and collected short lap on Friday, witnessing the 20+ Supercats being hunted down by the Area, an orchestra of howling wheels to raise some Cat fur. Passed the Boral Mack again and kept it in arrears till the Old Dookie turn. The light northeasterly would aid the fast and furious heading south, helped us back to town to complete a week.
Week 17 421 km 12,630 calories (4.1kg Haggis) YTD 6,281 km
"It seems rather incongruos that in a society of supersophisticated communication, we often suffer from a shortage of listeners" Erma Bombeck US humorist 1927-1996
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