Up in the wee small hours of Saturday again to persue this crazy pastime, but hey, could do far worse than seeing another day start enjoying a laugh with a group of mates. Down the traditional tarmac to the starting line, some buildings going up, others being pulled down. Just the dedicated one or two runners pounding the pavement these days, the bakery aroma filling the street, polizia patrolling it and broken bottles decorating it. 4 degrees of temperature to start the ride, Rocket, Jase, Shorty, Tony & Stew on a 4 ride apprenticeship, Cougar, Temple, Avanti & FujiTrev, Tim and HBK were about to kick off but for a text to AvantiTrev to wait for one more. A few minutes wait to have Fitzy finally join in, shaking the cobwebs of the bike. I'd paired with Tony to lead the first leg, quite the chill as we picked up to the speed limit. Nath was wrestling with the flu but had delegated Smuggler as a stand in, rolling in wait down Boundary Rd. The weeks comings and goings were chewed over in the process of navigating past the toaster then the Emu (or more correctly, "the lambs" these days) Unusual to have AvantiTrev aboard a set of Zipps, a wave to a reduced Cat pack eastward in the last 2 k of Lemnos Cosgrove Rd. Greendawg was a very distant rear-gunner, maybe putting in the solo k's in tri preparation? Tim teased the tempo on HBK in Ford Rd, and how could HBK resist? The dual duellers soon gapped the pack by two lengths but were promptly brought back into line by the captain. A no show by Nick today, could be on the BigMat (doona) training programme? Tony had intentions of reaching coffee a wheel ahead of me for Wanganui Rd, but he took a quick roll-over on Rudd Rd. A scramble of musical chairs this morning to get the warmer spots under the Lemontree heater, three good cheers (and cake) for the supernana Cougar's birthday. Enthused chat on award ceremonies, civil libitarians, investments and mafia as Muppets steered east from Friars. Rolled across to Mooroopna after coffee for the ride of silence, joining Cats, Goats, Muppets, Bugs and everything in between to remember those injured or killed on bikes. RobMac had things well organised for a massed silent ride back to Shepp, an eerie sensation but an effective message. Strange there's only this and one in Bendigo for the nation. There was plenty of social discourse on completion, good to yarn with PeteMcK, Gools, Andy & Tania, RobMac and co at a packed Friars, quaffing yet more caffine.
Partook of a minor sleep-in on Sunday, felt odd throwing the doona off at 5.30. A minute or two of internal arguement on the positives and negatives of getting a ride in, but determination finally won. What drives us to do this? Plenty of layers to insulate against 2 degrees, I set forth on the Boulevard (golf course bound) through blankets of fog with a time mission. The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy roundabout (near your place Kylie) and not a car to be seen, the edge of the road equally invisible. A number 2 fog filter view today (but hardly the close up of Grace Kelly in "Rear Window") , grateful that Zeiner had cleverly put towelling on the gloves' thumbs (to wipe lenses) A bit like riding through soup with the air so sodden, the effort reflected in a 174bpm for much of the journey to the "lambs." A little hunting between the 15 and 17 sprockets to pick the ideal rpm, kept a close eye on the dotted centre line too with no hope on seeing the roads' edge. A feint tint of orange in the sky defined direction a little better, turned at the Emu and again at the toaster, speed invisible. Passed the piggery (still manage a little chuckle at the "bp ota") and down to Boundary with Husky as a calming soundtrack, but effort wasn't calming the h.r. Must have zoned out well for the stretch to Mitchell Rd, seems to have passed by with little thought. The soup was turning to custard heading west, but fog told me wind was absent. A bit of daylight showed reasonably good speed, just needed to make the mind overpower the messages from the legs. 2 lads emerged from the white blanket headed east as I approached Central Kialla, only a few k remaining (but legs were negotiating strike action) Out of the seat to scale Mt.Nicolaci (thighs went to rubber) almost to a halt for the highway traffic, then on toward Roubaix. A shape in the distance (thought to be a walker) was in fact Skippy in the middle of the left lane, quickly vaulting the fence at the sight of some weird old creature aboard a pair of wheels. A fairly empty tank for the last 3k, crossing the line at Steptoe's, pleased to overcome the original negatives to finish 50 in 1:25. (5 minutes less than the target) I'll put the 170 hr average down to the fogs' co-efficient of drag, 40k in zone 5 was a workout.
As is winters' whim, a lazy Monday morning with H2O making a mess of the road, the pros can ride the Giro in the rain, but they get paid and don't have to clean bikes! Tuesdays' fog was as thick as two short planks, pocketed the glasses just 100 metres from home after 10 wipes. Navigating to the Archer Rd shop was difficult enough, but Rocket, Kenworth, Nick, FeltMat and Chris A found their way. Understandably small numbers for such average atmostphere we set forth in Channel Rd (or where we thought it was) far better in a group than solo, given the lack of visiblity. Puddles and a damp track quickly made a mess of bike and body, calls at intersections needed a keen eye (and a disclaimer of liability), the next white post barely visiible. A fair pace for Channel Rd, into Boundary and over the bridges, Rocket and Chris took the lead and engaged warp drive. FeltMat, fickle back, no attack, felt flat, fell back, Nick tact, sitting back, Chris & Rocket paddy whack, give the boys a tow! Off the gas at River Rd to let Nick & FeltMat catch on, a k at an easier throttle, then a revised max for Mitchell to keep solidarity. Totally lost in Mitchell Rd until the chicane appeared, Kenworth getting cuddly with Chris having lost sight of the roads edge. Our two recovering riders were now engaged in quite a chat on the back, a couple of clicks soon added seemed to minimise the noise. Rocket & Chris put in the hard yards after the highway doing the lions share, Kenworth and I on much shorter shifts. Gloves and gear were quite soggy from the fogs 99% humidity, Conrod straight was a big test to hang onto the youthful exhuberance of Chris & Rocket dead heating on the finish. Mid 30's average for four working in pea soup was a pretty fair effort.
Things to do and places to go Tuesday evening so put in a ride at 5 to keep to the agenda. Without a hampering breeze the decision was an anti-clockwise Hospital bunch circuit, maybe a chance to sling a bit of cheek as they cruised clockwise. Suprised to be holding a fair speed south and east (I wonder would the return home payback with pain?) perhaps the Pro-Race 4's hadn't been worn on the left side with so many clockwise rides? Light faded in River Rd, kept a 160bpm lid on the h.r. (pleased to have scored a Strava p.b. on the download later). 13 degrees at the start had now halved for Boundary Rd and beyond, so set the concentration on time, the 160 limiter and absorbing Flying Lotus as the soundtrack. 6pm turned into Old Dookie, 6:05 at the toaster, a 6.10 turn at the Emu, spying a bike 200 behind as I entered Lemnos Cosgrove Rd. The Hospital bunch had a decent dozen (sailing by a little beyond Boundary Rd) but didn't sledge, I kept up the tempo with this new target behind me, get to town before them. Approaching Ford Rd another goal post appeared, a distant red flashing light to aim at, but guesstimated as a k ahead. A sneek look confirmed the bike back was a mere speck of light in a distant galaxy (probably punctured?) but the forward aim wasn't quite reachable when the roundabout appeared. Headed south down Shepparton's world class extreme BMX track (Verney Rd's bike lane), right into Graham St and stopped the clock at the hospital, happy with a solo lap at 1:17.
A little too much crook fuel in the tank on Wednesday night caused a missfire Thursday, not travelling too well in the digestive department making the search for enthusiasm a little more elusive. 10 k's of southerly supplemented the struggle. Joined Cougs (back on two wheels after a break) for a short lap, a sensible roll around to run in the engine without breaking a crankshaft. Starting to climatise to the recent temperatures, 4.7 degrees not feeling too vicious, or is it "no sense, no feel?" We'd beaten Boral's Mack to the Boundary Rd tarmac, a couple of greetings from Supercats (gentleman Graham of course), not far behind 51 were single filed in pursuit, then a long string of lights (presumably regular Cats?) turning in from Old Dookie Rd. Darkness is the other riding partner all the way back to town these days, sun not out of bed till the walk to work.
A marked improvement in matters gastrinomical later in the day (though the head was 2nd hand) so a Library bunch prescription was filled. The warm afternoon diminished to 11 degrees by 6pm, down to the library to find 10 loitering with intent. AvantiTrev moved away (a few minutes early) Jamie, Dalton, Clive, Dave, Nath, Mike, Paul, Dion and Tony saddled up too for the leg to Wanganui Rd. Mitch, Bomber and Luke joined in at the homestead with a light south westerly to aid and abet. A flashing red light ahead proved to be a carrot called Sprinter, then another beyond the soup tin easily i.d'd as Kev (ponytail a dead giveaway), missing from night rides for 6 months. A bad joke from Jamie (of course) picked up the mood, turned at the Emu, the SW breeze shortening Sprinters turn (too much on the windtrainer, not enough in the real world?) Tony put in a good go at the front, all bore west at the Toaster to head for Boundary Rd but we'd lost Mitch and Bomber (punctured apparently) by the turn south, a collective sigh of relief from many? All survived with the bunch intact for River, Mitchell and beyond (a nice change from hanging on by the fingertips), crossing the highway some serious speed started, albeit in shorter turns. The rider sequence was getting a mix up as several elected to sit it out in the rear stalls, out of the Conrod dip things turned single file with lambs led to the slaughter up front (Sprinter miscalculating his jump point to become a kamikaze lead-out). I had the perfect sit 4th wheel, but a 52km/h sprint (valve bouncing at 194bpm) couldn't catch the muchly youthful Luke. 2nd fiddle was plenty, 1:23 a good time with good company.
A solitary spin on Friday, the mercury just touching 1.4 degrees chilled the motivation. A few waves exchanged with 51ers on their way to the launch pad, I headed east on Old Dookie a little early to make an early start at work. A car had kindly halted at Dobson Rd but when I was a mere 20 metres away, he decided to pull out heading east too! Locked a rear wheel and burnt a hole into his mirrors with the headlight, avoiding a buster. Thanks very much "KEEGO", may the fleas of a thousand camels infest your underwear! Panic had settled a k later, settled in to rythym to push through random fog patches. Up to the Toaster, fog was laying above and below the eye line, an eerie monochrome Dr.Who opening sequence if you like, the odd waiting rubbish bins at the roadside may have passed for Dalek's. The pace was fairly brisk (to match the temperature?) good thinking time in the tranquility of a day about to start. Back to town clocking 30k to end yet another week, hearing my neighbour hacking on his Horizon heart-starter when I got home reminded me of 10 years since quitting, it's not bad being alive eh?
Week 21 360km (Shepparton to Young) YTD 7,476 km
"Whenever I see an adult on a bicycle I have hope for the human race" HG Wells 1866-1946 UK Sci-Fi writer
A post script best wishes to Weapon on her quest in the 70.3 Ironman in Nice, I'm sure France will suffer a national shortage of vanilla slices for the next few weeks to drive a great engine!
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