Unusually, Vince was lurking at the north end of town Saturday morning, on the look out for Eamon (a no-show), so we headed to the start line, collecting Jase en route. Rocket, Nick, Shane, Dion, SuperMario, PistolPete, AvantiTrev, Weapon and Trav, fairly cooled at 11 degrees, set off east on Channel, the usual conversations bouncing left and right. Nath made a comeback near the cypress trees, mumbling a little through a repairing jaw. MachineSteve (with pocketted tucker) was caught nearing Channels' end, off on a Euroa tour, machine that he is. Our course was the usual toaster, emu & home but Shane included an intermission with a puncture in Old Dookie Rd, an opportunity for roadside in depth conversation. Repaired and rolling again, a nasal assault at the pig farm, round the toaster then emu, and felt the chill in Lemnos-Cosgrove Rd. Lads were hard at work with a laser bucket in the paddocks before the sun was up, our work increased with Rocket, Vince, PistolPete and Dion creeping the speed up (AvantiTrev silent despite nudging 40 clicks) A close call for a Verney Rd Camry (driver asleep at the wheel?) failing a give way, but rhythm resumed when heart rates settled, back to the previous tempo, clearing a clear Numurkah Rd. A cruise down the Boulevard and pitted at the Lemontree for chat on grunge, future roadworks and the Crit post-mortem.
SuperMario's 40th social soiree Saturday night saw several copiously hydrating and carbo loading, disqualifying themselves from a Sunday start (despite the extra hour recovery time) in the Peter Mac fundraiser. Teamed up with a few familiar faces for the anti-clockwise Toaster loop, AvantiTrev, Kylie, HBK, BassoDave, Hoffy, Cougar and Aimee, a bearded BMC bloke attached but we whittled down a few others on the warm-up through town. A bit of southerly made Conrod straight the usual chore, cautious passing manoevres for some browns' cows bunches to the highway, and adding Tommygun & Weapon to the team. We got into a steady rhythm for Mitchell Rd when BassoDave climatised to HBK's half biking, an easier northerly leg up to Old Dookie Rd with the breeze behind and perfect temperatures. The bearded BMC bloke's hair-raising handsfree snack session was a worry (put soundly into his box by Cougar), Tommygun & Weapon took an Old Dookie exit, the remainder remained on the regular course. A few more slower ones were caught and passed (some in precarious positions) many with no aft-sight, a worry in events like these. The familiar run home went incident free, nice to have Aimee, Kylie & Cougar tap out fine turns. Racks were full back at Mr.Monks (coffee service overwhelmed by the numbers) a speech or three, a well stocked raffle (missed it by one to HBK) and a yarn with many, finished up a good $3.5k earner for the Peter Mac Foundation.
The Monday morning ritual of a short quiet lap continued, a pleasant way to start the working week, a red signature from the rising sun today, now that clocks have reverted to real time. A bit of daylight so much more positive that a lap that starts and finishes in darkness. Chewed over the weekends' happenings with Cougar, the regular southbound packs in Boundary almost identifiable in the early light, but how long does this last? We guess a month at best. The trusty steed ticked over 170,000 this morning, (and so starts lap 5 of the globe) almost run-in now. Ten years faithful service this August.
Doubts of Rafterys' rideworthiness with roadworks prompted a snoop on Monday evening, just drainage work for the moment. Assurances of one lane at a time when widening occurs, the bonus of a bike lane when complete (about the only bike benefit seen from COGS cycling strategy, now 2 years old) Headed out Channel Rd on a short mission via Boundary, Ford, Wanganui and Rudd, clouds overcast the sky with only a light north east to overcome. Suprised to see a few bunches coming in, great to see a Breakaway trio out of retirement and back in action. Smoke hampered the respiratories a little heading east, but happy to be holding the mid thirties under the circumstances, nearing the pub someboby was burning buggered Bridgestones, the source of earlier smoke. Progress north in Boundary was better than predicted, the northeaster not too difficult but ingesting some of the half million insects attending the dusk was an annoying protein supplement. A clear run through intersections motivated the pace, over New Dookie Rd and using the sealed shoulder at the rumble strips prevented rattling the nerves. The turn west at Lemnos-Cosgrove Rd had the slightest hint of tail breeze but a few oncoming trucks threw a gust or six pegging back progress. Eventually hit the sweet spot in Ford Rd, a slowly overtaking car gave just the draft to get on top of the 14 sprocket, on the smooth strip of the car wheel track tarmac, head down at 74 rpm covered the k's quickly. Clear at Grahamvale, Verney and Numurkah Rd's was a rare blessing, another sweet spot in Wanganui Rd had the Mavic's singing 40's tunes(but quickly went off song on the hill) . Pushed home via the Boulevard to clock 33 clicks in 54 min, this route maybe an alternative Couldabeens circuit if Raftery becomes difficult?
Legs felt good Tuesday morning, the most comfortable sit on the saddle in ages too, ripe for a lap with the Couldabeens. Rocket, Jase, Kenworth, Vince, Cougar, Trav, AvantiTrev, WobblyTrev, PistolPete, Nick, Temple were lined up at the shop, comeback kids WhisperingJack and BigMat making an appearance too. I won first turn again, a big enough ask beside Vince but add 15km/h of northeast wind to amplify the difficulty rating. (cranky heart rate monitor showing 58bpm....I wish!) Nearing Channel Rd's end Trav had reached expiry date, the lure of a tow from Kenworth was enough inspiration for him to close the gap and recover in the draft of drafts. WhisperingJack and BigMat were making up for lost rides southbound in Boundary, Temple with the tempo in Mitchell Rd into the mid 40's. The rubber band had snapped for WobblyTrev, OTA at the dogleg, Trav the charitable one dropping back to tow him, Vince donating his services to the cause soon after. I stayed with AvantiTrev and Cougar to bridge a small gap, a slow moment after central Kialla regrouping the bunch. Barely 50 calmer metres covered and it was straight back on the gas by Rocket and Pete, Whispering Jack scored the polka dots on Mt.Nicolaci but nearly spent a cardiac arrest winning it. A short wait for Melbourne Rd traffic, and back into the speed, pairing with Vince for a squirt from Roubaix to the horse stud at 40 drained the tank. Not looking forward to the headwind in Conrod I stayed with the rear gunners, content to record a 36.6 and finish with another pleasant sunrise.
Forecast foreboding, I was keen to squeeze another ride in Tuesday evening. About to suit up at 5.30 when a brief downpour hosed down hopes. A look at the greasy road and uncertain skyline put the brakes on quickly. And so the week spiralled into a wash out for bikes, (finding a long bearded bloke with a wooden boat and pairs of animals wouldn't have suprised me) plenty of doubt about Fridays' conditions in the early hours softened enthusiasm to err on the side of staying upright and dry.
Week 15 250k YTD 4,150km
Word for the week (a Weapon inspired challenge to foster neologisms into the bike vernacular)
Intrider ("in-trahy-der") (noun): an unwelcomed addition to a peleton, usually of questionable skill and character and of unsavoury etiquette.
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