A cruisy start to Saturday, time up the sleeve on the roll quietly down the main drag, chilled enough at 4 degrees to don the 3/4 knicks and winter gloves. PistolPete & HBK were made of tougher stuff in shorts, all others (Rocket, Dion, Temple, BigMat, Shorty, Nick and AvantTrev) were rugged up. A delayed start with Dions slow leak (from a tyre), it was launch time a whisker after six to face the cool sunrise. Felt foreign on the first bunch ride since Sunday, matching PistolPete on the first leg a big ask of the legs (I'd climatised to warming up at my pace for nearly a week) The third rotation had HBK and BigMat in gross contravention of the regulations, AvantiTrev calling for credit card details to shout coffee. The internal weather station read a northeasterly breeze being brewed up even though there was no evidence in the tree branches, the turn into Boundary confirmed the prediction. The aero hatted, trakkie topped TT lad was headed south, Nath (north) aboard the Corsa climbed aboard at the pigfarm, it was deja vu yet again for me in Old Dookie on the front with Nick. Over the bridge PistolPete rolled up for his shift, lowered my head and lowered the gear ratio to dig in for the long drag to the toaster (sticking to the speed limit but exceeding the h.r. limit) North to the Emu, left into Lemnos-Cosgrove, effort declined with the ENE aiding the progress homeward. A long 51 pack were first to appear eastbound, Cats a few minutes back in good numbers. Yesterdays reseal of a few hundred metres of Lemnos-Cosgrove left plenty of coarse stone to roll on, Rockets rear tyre protested with a big cut and instant puncture, calling an intermission to proceedings. A small square of canvas from my kit saved using coffee money to repair the damage, Vince (on a maintenance lap) and Jase (earlier puncture then out on a reverse lap to meet us) arrived to lend some sledge support. Soon repaired and keen to make up the time, more infringements ensued but little complaint was heard. Nath, PistolPete, HBK & I had a short sprint stage to catch the pack after the Grahamvale Rd intersection (HBK unhooked by traffic). Torque was applied to the Mt Wanganui climb (all 20 metres of it) then south in Rudd, past the Canterbury roundabout (a rider waiting there wasn't FujiTrev, he was upright) then the usual velocity through the suburbs in an effort to feed the tank at the Lemontree. Much hyperbole over breakfast and coffee on camping, comebacks, Melbourne and Sunday's plans, a late arrival by Patrick, Smuggler and Yahoo from an apprenticeship lap.
Guilt from a Sunday off the bike took hold on Monday, perfect conditions to put in a few k's with 16 degrees on the guage at 5.30. A backward Cat lap to defy convention, south down the main drag then Raftery, Mitchell, Central Kialla, River, Boundary and Old Dookie to earn a bit of toast. The engine struggled for the first 30 minutes (a later view of the AP observatory explained a light easterly) Just 3 puddytats were wheeling westward in River, five minutes behind a long bunch persued (being wound up by Vince). A pair of tail lights were caught entering Boundary Rd, Patricia and buddy on a breezy breakaway. Resumed the tempo after a brief yarn, a little easier bearing north. Not until Old Dookie did I find some form of rythym, one passing car lending just enough draft to get into the groove. Back into town with 10 minutes to spare, raisin toast the trophy.
Almost as mild as Monday on Tuesday, off to a Couldabeens lap but pondered the ability to survive with plenty of young and improving lads in the ranks. An excess of solitary distance done of late, not a lot of high speed pursuit though. Took the plunge finding Rocket, Kenworth, Nick, Shorty, Temple, BigMat, PistolPete, Trav (back after a marathon and house move) and GG (aka "Whispering Jack") on comeback number 47. A southerly annoyed us in Channel Rd and certainly tested in Boundary, pace pegged back a little heading south. BigMat hit the NOs when he rolled over from Nick's turn, putting two bike lengths and 5km/h into the transition. Thought he should enjoy the solitary glory on the front for a k, then bumped up another 4 clicks on my roll over, imitation being the finest form of flattery. Returned to the previous tempo soon after (the old engine almost misfiring) as we caught FeltMat on an advanced reconnisance, recovering from Sunday's 250 round the Bay (with privately chartered boat no less) A smoother pace ensued for Mitchell Rd, AvantiTrev the second advance party caught near the dogleg. A third advance Couldabeen (Jase) was found loitering at Central Kialla Rd, the recurring puncture from Saturday causing another missed start. The scenery passed quickly at a brisk pace, soon crossing the highway and rounding the roughness of Roubaix, many withdrew from active duty leaving only the determined to drive. Into Conrod into the fourties, Shorty and GG offered themselves up as sacrifice to Rocket, PistolPete and the Kenworth, plenty sucumming to fatigue in the closing 400 metres. Had just enough (190bpm @51) to survive for 2nd, Rocket almost days ahead with the choclolates already half eaten.
Tuesday nights weather was doubtful (swear i could smell rain) so erred on the staying dry side, but could have put in a lap as it happens. No matter, a tapering week.
Set sail southward Wednesday morning for a Kialla lap. That moment of suspicion when a cars' approach speed to an intersection seems a bit quick gets the fingers to the brake levers post haste. Instinct was rewarded when said car flew straight through the give way. Just 200 metres later, another car rips straight into a roundabout (when I'm already in the middle of it) putting the squeeze on lane space. I must be invisible with 380 lumens of headlight, a helmet light, a white and yellow jersey, white helmet, shoes, armwarmers and reflective wheel wording. Or maybe these drivers should try driving eyes open? Never presume boys and girls...... The howling westerly (with a bit of a northerly hint in it too) scared a few away, only Rocket, Nick, LegalDave and FeltMat at the Kialla start. The usual PistolPete pick-up in the last metres of Archer, then blissfully blown east along Mitchell Rd, nearly all in the top cog. Heard of the LegalDave Dookie to Beechworth ride, FeltMat's Round the Bay effort and Rockets venture into Tuesday nights thrash. All good things eventually come to an end (reaching Boundary), headed north with the wind as pushy as a used car salesman (no pun intended Nick) to test straight line ability. A long train of Supercats/51/Hurt Locker bore into River Rd for some torture, 5 a little behind were in for some load sharing i'd guess. We'd caught and passed Rosco on a solo, tuning up after an overseas break I'm told. A goat or 3 were on a puncture pit-stop at the Broken bridges, but it was our turn to lower heads, grit teeth and grind the length of Channel Rd soon after, with a headwind hovering between 26 - 39 km/h. There were brief shelters amongst some trees at times, Nick doing the hard yards though, copping the wide open spaces on the front emptied his tank quickly. I took Nicks shift for the final stage, his prior effort earned a break and two breakfasts.
Another keen westerly started the day Thursday, this one with a hint of southerly about it. Felt the need to go solo to ponder life's mysteries, Pythagorus' theorum etc., so rolled out Old Dookie with the wind behind wondering what torture the return trip would offer. Kept the ticker at aerobic level to the toaster, up to the Emu, then head down for the long 12 k back to Rudd Rd with the WSW at 25 clicks (one wonders the reason at times like these) Found a rythym on the 15 tooth cog that kept the lungs/heart from explosion but working none the less. Just as the h.r. climbed into the mid 160's a small line of trees here and there offered a little shelter to recover. Soon enough the township came into view to find the motivation home, legs were a bit rubbery up Mt Wanganui but Rudd Rd's reprieve was sweet southbound.
The week's had more wind than a bag full of dim sims, Thursday night no exception with a southwesterly not giving up easily. Down to the Library to join with Robbo, Paul, Nath, Hamish, Rocket & Dalton, where are Axel, Clive, Sean, Skeeta, Dave, Harpo, Sprinter, Gools, LegalSteve etc etc? (All now missing in action presumed to be softening on couches). Off at 6 with Mitch and Steigy jumping aboard in the first 100 metres, Nath and Robbo set a rapid agenda out Rudd Rd. Rocket followed suit for Wanganui (Craig attached as passenger) scoring many of us some Strava PB's in the pusuit to Numurkah Rd. I'd hoped all the eastward enthusiasm (40+) would make way for conservatism facing the wind at the Emu turn, but it was Mitch and Rocket against a mid 20's southerly doing the measuring (but no quotes) to the Pine Lodge church (a closely matched pair). Dalton had the handbrake of asthma to contend with, Robbo took a natural break nearing the toaster which (thankfully) eased the pace for a bit so he could rejoin. The bunch had regrouped by Boundary Rd, speed elevated again as Rocket and Mitch cranked up test #2 over the bridges. River Rd seemed shorter at a brisk pace, managed to do duty for Central Kialla Rd (thanks to the courtesy of Nath and Rocket not tearing my limbs off) albeit a couple of k's off the boil. Trent joined in for the remainder, speed settling below heart attack levels so all may survive. Slowly back into the 40's for Conrod straight most had shelved ideas for a sprint. Temptation was too great for Nath and Paul though, a 150 metre tharsh sorted the pair in that order, a good yarn with many on the roll back through town.
Robbed of proper temperature Friday morning, 1.5 degees more akin to July than October. No intention of setting records, just a short quiet lap to make sure legs remembered what to do. Cougar back from holidays was in a similar mindset, shaking the rust off. Chewed over the weeks' news on an enjoyable 30k without benchmarks to set or time to beat, keeps variety in the week and a chance for old limbs to limber.
Week 43 = 304km (Karratha to Barradale W.A.) YTD 14,937
October Great Cycle Challenge = 1613km
"The pessimist complains about the wind, the optomist expects it to change but the realist adjusts the sail"
William Arthur Ward US author 1921-1994
Sad to hear of the passing of Frenchman Albert Bourlon (1916-2013), still the record holder for the longest successful breakaway ('47 T de F). A 253km effort, scoring a stage win by 16 min.
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