Speculation on the forecast wasn't promising, but the reality in the early hours of Saturday weren't all that gloomy. A peek skyward at 5am saw some cloud but nothing sinister, worthy of kitting up for a circuit. The constabulary appeared to have their hands full chatting with late night / early morning riff raff, i had hands full of handlebar against a fairly insistant north easterly (predicting a push out and a helping hand in on this mornings lap) Tim, Temple, Trav, Jase, Daniel, GG, Cougar, Rocket, Dion and RidleyTrev (yep, back on 'ol faithful till the coarse seat of the Corsa gets sorted) had made the effort to ride. With just a minute remaining, BigMat fronted (to raptuous applause) motivation found and goals carved in stone to take on the FruitLoop just 8 weeks away. The starting flag dropped for a slog out Channel Rd, Jase back in action after a holiday household full of gastro sidelined riding. DiscoSteve joined beyond the Kinder, navigated the bitumen break-up at Jameson Rd (thanks to Coug's call) and on toward Boundary for some relief northward in Boundary. GG and Daniel poured pronto on the pace (with finger pointing in both directions), Temple's cadence approaching triple figures. More than coincidence being handed the lead into a head wind for Old Dookie Rd, pairing with Dions' smooth rhythm was at least achievable (but he took till the church till relinquishing the lead) Rewards were paid out after the Emu turn, a tail wind (well, almost) home was the icing on the cake, even Capt. RidleyTrev was clocked over the limit . Greetings hurled at le jeune chatte (pussycats) on their easterly pilgrimage while Jase and Rocket took a long if not greedy turn till Lemnos North Rd. The k's covered quickly in what was riding utopia, Dion taking a Verney exit, the rest toward Rudd and the welcomed social soiree. DiscoSteve attacked the Boulevard as if it were a catagory 1 climb (a chase for the warmest seat?) but all enjoyed the usual nonsense and chat on cleavage, rotations, Tuesday tempo and justice. A definitive wave from Vince arriving with 51 to Friars, whilst Muppets were sledged departing, traitor FujiTrev amongst the ranks.
Misty rain predicted for Sunday, an attempt to take in the Tour late at night was in vein, gravity and eylids combining to thwart the attempt. Highlights on SBS2 tomorrow instead. Monday morning's miserable mist put the dampener on a ride, but by afternoon a little blue sky was cause enough to tour a course. Michelins were duely rotated, time for the wheels to rotate around the old faithful toaster loop. All good intentions to roll quietly around, finding speed with reasonable ease in the first k changed the plan quite quickly. By Wanganui Rd (with a very light north easterly) it was full steam ahead with legs burning and the heart-rate in the 150's. The odd passing car seemed to arrive at the right time, bringing a little (but shortlived) draught to assist in speed maintenance, by the kennels all hopes were on an easier leg south and west. A bit dissapointing to have no advantage (the light NE breeze had evaporated) beyond the Emu, at least a picturesque dusk with a few foggy foregrounds took the mind off the subject. By the piggery i'd begun to climatise to the sustained tempo, no second wind but managing the hr and breathing to last the distance. Southbound in Boundary ticked away, even a couteous car allowed my right turn into Mitchell without being muscled into submission. The long westerly Mitchell monotony was broken up by a few i-pod tracks, even had a brown dog pacing me on the right hand tabledrain for a few hundred metres. Watts were failing by Mt Nicolaci (could have done with the watts being burnt at the trotting track) but darkness hid the speed, avoiding heartbreak (well, till the finish anyway). Relying on an inbuilt metronome (and Flumes "More than you thought") kept up the cadence , a solitary anti-clockwise rider approached Roubaix as I finished it, most relieved to reach the end of Conrod in 1:26:20, a thousand calories thinner.
Suprisingly foggy on the way to a Couldabeens thrash Tuesday morning, thick enough to turn away many (and interrupt BigMats' training schedule) except Rocket, Kenworth, Trav and PistolPete. 10 degrees was most bearable, just a hint of a north east breeze didn't bother either. The fog had all but vanished by the school, making navigation a lot easier so steamed on to Boundary Rd with lots more turns than normal. Trav's Garmin had given up on volts, but plenty of amps in Kenworth's and Rockets power. PistolPete now levels nicely on the front, bit by bit the heart rate climbed as the k's clocked over, 160+ by the Mitchell chicane. Considerate departures from intersections kept the petite peleton together (PistolPete on a usual departure at Melbourne Rd) but Trav was shortening turns and the Kenworth was hampered by fog reappearing in Raftery Rd. Rocket wound up the wick out of Roubaix putting me close to the redline but everyone did their duty till Conrod's end, Rocket courteously (and sympatheticaly) sparing the sprint to have a united finish with the lap done in 47:36, a fair rate for five. Missed the usual Tuesday night lap (and missed the usual thrashing), I guess the regulars will appear again next week to dish out the distress.
Wednesday morning had a repeat session of fog, albeit a tad thinner, and the similar scenario of being clear out of town. Tarmac was damp again (glad I hadn't tubbed the bike) but made my way 6k to the Kialla start to find GG, Rocket, Jase and Nick the only players. The now manditory sledge at BigMat for a no show, guessing his 180 training maybe a 180 degree rotation in bed? Took to Archer Rd with GG for a roll south, picking up PistolPete nearing Mitchell Rd. Glad to be off the front with a north east niggle of breeze but not finding comfort of late, fidgeting on the Fizik, no nitts in the knicks thankfully, but a pain in the posterior that puzzles. Despite the 1k+ rotations there was another shift at the front to stretch the lungs, heart and legs, happy to relinquish the lead to Rocket & PistolPete for the assault on Boundary. The 6am Cat express was headed to the River Rd line, casting off a punctured pussy at the bridges to make repairs solo (not in his nirvana, doesn't smell like team spirit) A light ahead u-turned, Shorty had shortcut down Channel to catch the team after missing the start. Some relief from the wind heading west in Channel Rd but speed substituted for respite, into the high 30's for the Devils lane dash. Rocket and Pete drove the train beyond the kinder but Rocket deployed the afterburner running the Pistol out of ammo. My offer of a tow came to late for him, but I just held ground with Rob (ticker on the rev-limiter) till the brakes for Orrvale Rd. Survival speed returned to complete the lap, the bunch halving north and south at Archer to recouperate homeward, no time wasted posting a 44:37 (and a PR for the dash) for the circuit.
A morning off the bike (but on the footpath) on Thursday, afternoon thunderstorms put the lid on any attempt at riding, yet another testing evening battling eyelid gravity against the Tour. Destined to score another low k week (something resembling normal maybe) with mother nature putting the handbrake on.
Another week rolls by, the fearless felines, fittingly for Freaky Friday, flapping furiously, fortuitously flogging form for further fastness (the God of cycling looked down kindly and annointed them with a tailwind today), whilst Cougs and I pushed into the 24km/h northerly to knock over a short lap to keep some form. Others quite scarce lately, but i guess a few more degrees of temperature will see hibernation end.
Week 29 232km (Mt Christian to Proserpine) YTD 9,866
"When my legs hurt, I say; Shut up legs! Do what I tell you to do!" Jens Voigt German cyclist (1971- ) Team RadioShack-Leopard #48. Tour de France competitor 16 times
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