Two days off the two wheels over Easter, enjoyed the break and the chocolate, now back into it to pay for the indulgence! A touch cool Monday morning, dusting off the winter gloves to guard the pinkies against 4 degrees. Rocket posted a 7am toaster loop from Harvey's to which Shorty, Temple, Cougar, SuperMario, Jase and WhisperingJack put their hand up, BigMat hurridly arranging fishing to provide an excuse. All , bar me, were dressed in winter longs for the chilled start out Conrod straight, my ever erratic heart rate monitor frozen at zero whilst pacing Jase's pace. Out of the trees shelter in Mitchell Rd a light northeaster gave us something to push into, dodging the meadowcakes in the shadows and chasing a solo rider in the kilometer distance. My HR finally came onscreen at the dog-leg, 135bpm didn't reflect a fair stress keeping with Temple's rate of knots. We'd made little ground on the rider ahead heading north (but had dissapeared in Channel Rd, removing the carrot from Rocket's aim). Cougar took on Whispering Jack into the wind (braver than most) of Old Dookie Rd, a heaven sent tail wind home enjoyed by all in Lemnos-Cosgrove Rd. The toaster loop burns up 10 slices of toast in calories but only two medium (100g) Easter eggs, so it was up ante for the 14k back to the Wanganui Hill and a fair clip down Rudd and along the Boulevard with breakfast begging at trips end. Coffee and calories filled the tanks at the Lemontree (the company of a 458 Spider from Maranello devalued the bikes a little), conversation on caravans, corrupt politics and road closures occupying the crew.
Plenty of breeze from the north east on Channel Rd made a mild 12 degrees Tuesday morning, an earlier get away today to squeeze five days work into three at the coal face. Cougar & I had barely a kilometre covered when several giant drops from the heavens caused thoughts of abandonment, a glossy tarmac at Doyles Rd increased the doubt, but only high clouds visible renewed some optimism to press on. A dry road beyond the kinder was a vote for the affirmative, although the 25km/h headwind put the case for the negative . Speed bumps of dried mud at the cypress trees and a grind into the last unshielded 300 metres made a task of the eastward leg, the clear path north in Boundary a blessing in comparison. A string of Pussycat headlights filed into Boundary Rd from the west, Area 51 a minute later from the east, following in hot pursuit. It was a bonus to turn for home into Old Dookie Rd with the wind now assisting, almost felt sorry for the Goat group grinding into it on a feline follow up. We piled on the pace for a euphoric trip home but Cougar found a bindii back in town to deflate a Continental and the senses.
Careful scrutiny of the skyline, forecasts and radar for the hospital bunch ride on Tuesday night, the odd shower during the day extinct by sunset. WillierTony, GT Craig, Axel, Juzza, Clive, Darren, Travis & Liam all confident at the boom gate, a variety of long and short kits showed varying predictions though. We were squeezed for space in Verney Rd by a Falcon that couldn't move a metre (despite two desserted lanes), a light SSE breeze didn't hamper the leg to the Emu, young Liam quite capably driving the train. A few large spots from the sky dampened the spirits but the road didn't shine, it had stopped by the Emu turn to inspire but re-appeared to infuriate at Old Dookie's piggery. Juzza ran out of headlight volts to complicate rotations, invisible on the back but rolled through almost unseen. Little rooster tails of H2O were appearing off wheels in Boundary Rd which made an exit via Harpo's retreat (Channel Rd) unanimous, Liams' sleek new Jamis well and truely baptised on its' maiden journey. Almost zero brakes, spray off wheels, spotty specs and concentration on a dark (and grass strewn) road was further intensified with Sellmans stupid pooch suddenly beside us growling at the ankles. The relentless Darth Vader will find that the Empire will strike back! Hope of keeping my socks dry was rapidly sinking, a big downpour at the kinder brought on that delightful squelchy feeling of wet nappy, soggy feet and water trickling down the valley of darkness. Almost back to town and all suitably saturated, Juzza lit up the tempo (in his own darkness) for the Mexican Bonanza, I copied to shed some light on the apex of the last turn for his lack of lumens. All retreated for home at Archer, a well earned trophy of a hot shower and dinner awarded to all.
Crystal clear starry skies Wednesday morning with a foggy hangover from last nights' shower, my old R220 shoes dragged from their mothballs to stand in while the R240's still dried. The starting grid again single filed at Kialla Lakes (Lynx no better than Rexona), Pistol Pete game to come up front to share the lead at 6. We timed the green light to perfection at the (still) gravel roundabout (although it's resembling a roundabout now), Rocket, Cougar, Nick, SuperMario, AvantiTrev, Whispering Jack, Shane, Trav and Wobbly Trev in tow. Shane & Pistol had braved shorts for 9 degrees, WobblyTrev braved nothing sitting at the back, still smarting at yesterdays average. No hounds of the Baskervilles amongst the dead trees rising from the fog in River Rd's moonlight, just a SuperCat pack driving into the dipper with a single filed 51 closing in behind. The Breeze lasses breezed south on Boundary as we chilled in the dip at one tree dam, Whispering Jack retired to the rear, also tired by Tuesdays tempo. Others took turns to bump up the knots in Channel Rd, PistolPete warming up everyones legs in the last legs. The sun seems up later already on the way home, a helmet headlight reassuring through town to wake the almost dozing drivers.
Skipped the Couldabeens Thursday, instead a lap with commrade Cougar prepping for a forthcoming Tour de Belgium (lucky duck). A 99% soup to carve through in Channel Rd, noticing FeltMat enroute to the Couldabeens starting grid, Nick and Jack on their warm-up lap, nearing the school. The 4 degree start to the day had the 17 tooth cog in use to spin some warmth into my limbs (70rpm is spinning for this decrepit dinosaur), the fog rising from the channels a picturesque backdrop. A lengthy, lithe line of luminous l.e.d. lanterns loquaciously (?) lanced into Boundary Rd , quite the cool Cat cortege (not stated to inflate the ego's though!) in the pre dawn, 51 were on their usual mission from the east, Goats following from the west.
Found Rocket, PistolPete, Jase, Cougar, BigMat, FeltMat, Shorty and AvantiTrev at the dawn service Anzac Day, a big band of Cats also paying their respects. Set forth at 6.30 on a clockwise Toaster course, thawing frozen limbs a difficult task in the 1.7 degree atmostphere. Turn one to Wanganui with Trev twasn't tortuous but it was up tempo with Jase to Numurkah Rd, grateful for a tow after 7k at the front. The pairing of PistolPete and Rocket is de rigueur, turning up the heat and closing in on the Cat pack cruising ahead in Lemnos-Cosgrove Rd. Serene scenery of fog in the fields again, sucking in iced air not quite as pleasant. (how soon we soften from winters woes) FeltMat, AvantiTrev and Shorty turned the tempo down to 135bpm but Jase, Pistol & Rocket soon pushed my beats to 160, the Cats ahead seemed to have noted us closing in and turned up their heater beyond the toaster. Boundary Rd's new coarse surface felt like two clicks on the handbrake, BigMat bid farewell on a Channel Rd exit with a pressing engagement. Shorty, AvantiTrev and FeltMat retired from active duty leaving just four to rotate for River Rd and beyond, hopes for a little h.r. recovery time dashed. Overpowering the mental signal to call quits and use a tow is a tough ask, I pushed 5 white posts beyond comfort levels a few times to test myself (while others just cruised I guess). Many were pleased to have Pistol & Rocket tow us the last 3k's of Raftery and keeping a sprint finish off the agenda (compensation for the cold?) Returned to the Lemontree, the plastered Wozza joining in for a yarn on fast cars, surgery and anniversaries.
Week 17 277km YTD 4,776km
Word of the Week ;
"headal" (verb)
The bobbing action of the skull brought on when legs fail to provide sufficient power to the pedals
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