In a carbon copy of last Saturday, the predicted forecast didn't match reality. A dry road, high scattered cloud and vague specs on the radar prompted kitting up for a ride. Hope springs eternal! An assisting light breeze heading south to the start boosted the enthusiasm, but with 2k travelled, doubt returned with a few spots from above. Another k later raindrops were aplenty, a shine coming to the road and a hint of spray from the wheel. At Archer Rd I found Cougar on a reconnisance, but within a few hundred metres optomism had buckled under reality. A brief committee meeting moved a motion to abandon ship and retreat for home. Had a cold shower on the way back (thankfully twas brief), the proper hot shower at home far more appealing. Ye olde BM got a clean, then off to the Lemontree for coffee (puuting a silver lining to the clouds) joining Rocket, Jase, BigMat, HBK, Temple, Cougs, AvantiTrev, Nath and GG. Seems Temple & HBK had attempted a start earlier too, most others predicted precipitation and kept dry indoors, BigMat needing little convincing. A good social fix in lieu of a ride, GreenEdge videos, who's peaking and who's piking, crashes, injuries and road repairs on the chat agenda.
Sunday was a sleep-in (yep, softer than the carbon tax), but fronted Monday to the P&W's. Numbers down on normal (as are most groups) but mainstays Choppy, Fox, Meags, Cougar and Fee were in for a lap. Chops is just two weeks into breaking in a flash new Focus, but the others were on familiar steeds, some with signs of cobwebs from a winter hibernation. A relaxed pace out Old Dookie with the tempo assisted by a light northerly in Boundary Rd. No records to break today, Fox recovering from a 5 x Harry's Creek Rd assault yesterday with Nico (what a pair of mountain monsters!). Good to catch up with the crew after a long absence, guessed it was Princess and Sosso turning into Mitchell from central Kialla as we bore west from the dog leg. No sprint spirit in Conrod straight, many are just back on the bike with hopes that frost and fog are now behind us?
Radar and forecast looked clear on Monday arvo (keen to make up after a lethargic Sunday) so set forth on a Merrigum-Lancaster loop with distance the only target. Happy to plod away into the northwester with sights set on a tailwind home, it was pleasing to be travelling 10% better than expected. Out the Midland 12k's the horizon became quite grey, large black clouds brewing quickly. Negatives began to fill the head with plenty of sharp, chilly drops now beginning to fall, spotting the glasses and cooling the back. (hey, haven't I been down this path in recent history?) By Dhurringile Rd determination was being over-ruled by reality, a u-turn decision had the numbers in the cranial caucus, not relishing the thought of a soaking 60k's, the glossy road and a wet arse being the last straw. Plenty in the tank for a blast home (not the tailwind that dreams are made of though) in the high 30's and a few k's of low 40's, erasing the distance goal and inking in speed instead. The Mooroopna roads were frustratingly dry as a chip, so the original course could have been done, but wasn't worth the risk. Happy to be home a bit earlier logging a PB and a 3rd overall on Strava sectors was some compensation.
Tuesday morning was Groundhog day, an assisting wind on the way to the Couldabeens start, down by the lake when the first spots from above blurred the glasses, a few more spots in McIntosh then a whole lot more reaching Archer Rd. Bugger! Deja Vu strikes again! Not much of the sky to see at this hour made judgement difficult, and i'd exhausted all optomism in the last three days. I guess it's best to err on the side of commonsense (but i'll bet i'll be proved wrong) so turned for home for a very short 12k total. Just as I thought, it was only a brief shower then mostly clear, so could have done the distance. Hindsight..........bah humbug!
Weather didn't look so questionable on Tuesday night, punters plentiful at the boomgates nearing 6pm. Sean, Dalton, Oz, Clive, OlympicSteve, Hamish, Paul, FujiTrev and others seemed confident of a dry evening, so it was forward ho enjoying a south to south-southwest breeze at 17k's in 10 degrees of cool. Bomber, Steigy and Sticks blended into the rotation in Verney Rd, speed staying stable and considerate of a yarn. Many in my boat of trying to squeeze in a lap without getting wet lately (many doing a better job of forecast and prediction than me!) LegalSteve joined the pack to make a bakers dozen, a monster moon magnificently mounted Mount Major to light the way nearing the Emu. All doing duty at the front had to dig a little deeper against the breeze as we plied south but the tempo wasn't too tortuous, restrained in fact in River Rd for a change (only a pesky persuing pooch perverted pace). OlympicSteve and Hamish had departed in Channel Rd, Bomber & Sticks peeled off at Kialla Central. Those remaining pushed along Mitchell, no doubt looking forward to the rare gift of a tailwind for Conrod straight. A few had retired to the rear (keeping FujiTrev straight?) for the closing stages, Oz taking the tough front turn from 500 to 100 metres to go, many waiting for someone to jump. Sean emerged from pack in the dying moments to take the honours, only enough jellybeans in my jar (192 bpm) to get to his rear wheel, but no further. Chewed over the sprint post-mortem on the way back through town, the odometer clicking over 10,000 for the year so far.
Southbound Wednesday I felt sorry for the poor guy (each week) unloading several tons of newspapers by hand, the garbo's disposing of everyone's aromatic rubbish, the guys keeping the town tidy, we're quite lucky to have an enjoyable start to the day. Cruised down to the Kialla Couldabeens start, Shorty, Tim, Rocket, Cougar, RidleyTrev, LegalDave and Jase ready for a quiet lap. Barely a k into the ride, LegalDave punctured, so a customary and courteous stop if only to lend encouraging words and sufficient sledges (well, he is of the Goat persuasion!). LegalDave was handling the tyre levers as delicately as an assylum seeker policy, so thank heavens RidleyTrev took the controls of repair. Back underway, it was off to Mitchell, bearing east took advantage of the light SSWer. It turned chilly on the willy by the chicane (Garmin showed 2 degrees) but there was plenty of verbal hot air to warm the social side. Twas easygoing northward in Boundary, our slightly delayed run missing Cats and others. An in-depth analysis of riders turns on the front from Jase as we ventured to the bridges, seems a little rain has washed away the mud speed humps (and concerns) in Channel Rd. No Devils Lane dash or blast at the Bonanza today (mind you Shorty was firing on all cylinders) just a steady tap around satisfied all.
Somebody left the freezer door open on Thursday morning, quite a bracing minus one would keep a few sane people indoors. Kenworth, Jase, Tim & Rocket were not of that disposition but were prepared to commit to a circuit. Fog wasn't as thick out of town, Kenworth with contacts fitted would navigate more easily. Tim was just a few watts off the pace, but an A for effort anyway. Beyond Channel & Boundary Rd the heart rate had climbed, Rocket called single file at the Mitchell Rd chicane, taking the lions share of the lead for 3k at 38 clicks to warm up the circulation. (reminded me of the Energiser bunny that just won't slow down) My rather ordinary 2k effort at 36 pales into insignificance. Tim took a leave of absence up Archer Rd, Jase shortened his shifts at the pointy end to survive. (I took a moment behind the Kenworth's smooth wheel considering; 1.What the hell are we doing? 2.Why am I at the point of giving up but want to continue? 3.Where is the next landmark amongst all this fog? 4.Will Rocket ever wear out? But then i got over it........) A hot dash through the cold of Raftery Rd and by Conrod straight i'd run out of coins to feed the meter, Rocket & Kenworth shifted into overdrive for a 100 metre thrash to the line, Jase and I sat back and watched from the cheap seats. A good 48min effort by all in rather brisk conditions, plenty of icing on the cars through town to put some perspective on the conditions.
Cool on Thursday evening too, just 8 degrees rolling down to the library. Came across half a dozen leaving nearly 10 minutes early, didn't get time to recognise faces, maybe a left wing faction forming? Only Dalton, Oz, AvantiTrev and FujiTrev had assembled by 6, so a compact crew tapped out a lap for a change. Maybe the big guns would have a feeding frenzy on the group ahead? A distant tail-light took 10 minutes to reel in, Kevin had wrestled with the winter blues (and won) to join in. AvantiTrev seemed convinced of a southerly breeze but the bureau denied it. Thoughts of painting a white line for FujiTrev to follow may not get past the budget committee with 47k to spray, one wonders if it would be effective anyway. A steady cruise around the familiar track kept us tuned up without torture, a chance for a chin wag a rare treat. The throttle was gently squeezed after Melbourne Rd (without un-hooking the two Trevor cabooses) Dalton stretched the legs in the big cogs, I handed Oz a lead-out for the honours at the finish in consideration for his time on the Conrod washing line Tuesday night.
A day off the bike Friday, a walk favoured the legs, and the head. A few hours less wear on the rear as well. Too much of a good thing can't be good for you, can it? I'll regret the day if riding no longer has appeal.........
Week 30 303km (Townsville to Hughenden) YTD: 10,169 km
An ironic follow up on last weeks' quote from Jens (this one made following his breakaway on the second last day of the Tour)
"I thought about saying shut up legs to my legs today but I realised I've been saying that too often so we had a deal today. I promised my legs if they would leave me alone today, one more time, that I wouldn't hurt them too much again in the future". Jens Voigt (to be contracted by RadioShack-Leopard for a 17th Tour?)
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