More mild mornings mean mellowed muscles, many more months managing miserable minus mornings may make motivation microscopic. Swung a leg over the bike and pointed south for the Saturday social, plenty of punters at the carpark at 6. I seem to be the 'go to guy' for Garmin gremlins, Shane's frozen 500 getting similar stories out of the bunch. A NNE breeze at 12 clicks was a drag for my first two turns (beside Shane then Rocket), delighted to tuck in for a tow thereafter for the rest of Channel with lungs still restricted by the outgoing lurgy. The weeks toil discussed with Temple, SuperMario, Trav, Cougar, AvantiTrev, PistolPete, Nick, HBK, FeltMat and Jase as the bunch rotated, a chance for this sooks' recovery till the next shift at the front beckoned. Like the air in the tubes, we take our health for granted, it's a hard slog when its down. Nath joined in as we neared the fig farm, I had the second shift at the front with Shane to the Toaster, almost asthmatic with the strengthening NNE (Nath quite kind in maintaining manageable motion to the Church). We were forced to take on the Pine Lodge railway rumble strips (a Roubaix rattle) with an oncoming car but smooth was the westward tail wind return in Lemnos-Cosgrove Rd. HBK and Pistol drove the way to Ford Rd, a large collection of Cats (Walshy's plaything?) plied their clockwise way. Cougar spun her way to a QOM on Wanganui hill (preparing for Mont Blanc?) but 4 had vanished at Boulevard's end, SuperMario's puncture delaying the Lemontree intake of breakfast, cake too for Cougar's birthday / bon voyage for the Tour de Europe.
Took Sunday off to kill the cold, trawling yr.no to see what the week would let us and prevent us doing. A quiet little roll of the legs Monday morning, lungs still lax but enthusiasm peaking. 20k was enough. Showers on the radar Monday evening kept the BM parked, lightning reflexes to kill the alarm Tuesday morning, a 4.50 downpour made the sleep in decision easy, not about to go skating on 23mm Michelins in the wet.
A little hesitation Tuesday arvo taking on the hospital bunch running at 70%, but good numbers meant survival was possible. Robbo drew alongside as I rolled away first at 6 (I drew the short straw again), glad he was just cruising. Specialised Tony, Big Ben, Coggo, GT Craig, Paul, Dalton, Nath, Harpo, Luke, Hamish, Dion and Kev took to the course, MachineSteve, Trent, Trudy, Deano and more expanding the pack to two dozen en route to the Emu. Felt I'd overdressed for 17 degrees, but cooked was better than chilled in my current state. A nasal assault from stubble burning, fertiliser and the piggery to endure to the Toaster, Boundary Rd and beyond, just a few taking Channel Rd home, Harpo boxed in to force him on the full course. I took a short go at the front in River Rd (should have left the Garmin backlight off, showing 174bpm), good foresight with Deano unleashing the fury a few turns later for a mid 40's blast to Central Kialla Rd. The peleton thinned at the rear, single filed survivors (including me) bowing out of active duty. Paul drove hard into Mitchell Rd exciting the troops to start track turns, one more go for me before the jar emptied. A few more joined the ranks at the rear, Dalton (minus the magic bananas) was a great gatekeeper for the survivors. Traffic split the bunch at the highway, the kind lads waited to pick up the three that didn't want to play chicken with trucks. Machine Steve threw petrol on the fire on the turn out of the little bridge, only the tough lads going with him. Nine were unhooked by the horse stud but worked together to minimise the pain for the last two k's, three minutes of 170+ bpm dulled my legs to roll through the finish well spent.
Suprised to find damp roads at the south end of town on Wednesday morning, more suprised to see a lifelike holographic projection of WhisperingJack at the Kialla roundabout though! Shorty, Nick, Pistol, Shane, AvantiTrev, WobblyTrev, Temple, Rocket, SuperMario and Trav set southward at six into the fog of the Archer Rd moors, no sunrises to view, just dark horizons to pursue. Shane, Rocket and PistolPete teamed together to be the days drivers, into the long, dark, foggy lengths of River Rd, silence from the oncoming Hurt Locker, cackles from the Cats a k behind. Lungs are almost at full function now, coping well between the considerate cadence of AvantiTrev and Trav. The three drivers shot a take two Boundary Rd blast, silence in the ranks behind told the story. The taillights of a big bunch of Breakaways (girls group growing gumption) was the lure for boys to chase, Avanti & WobblyTrev, Temple and WhisperingJack had thrown in the towel, applying for early (rearmost) retirement. Passed the lasses, dodged the puddles then a pacy tap along the Cha Cha and Mexican Bonanza to finish us in good time.
Timing the Couldabeens arrival to avoid the first shift has it's drawbacks, scored the grid position behind HBK and Rocket with Jase & Pistol behind me (a double crunchy coating with a soft centre) Joined by Shorty, Trav, Kenworth, Nick, WhisperingJack, AvantiTrev, WobblyTrev, ChrisA, SuperMario, Temple, Shane & FeltMat, we launched into Channel Rd, Mark &Trish arriving at Kensington. Mental calculations of the when & where pairing with HBK occupied my grey cells (Kinder to the cypress trees was manageable, half a bike in arrears of course). SuperMario buried himself beside Pistol's calibre for the last leg of Channel, recovering with the considerate Chris in Boundary's tail breeze (HBK's protests at the respite received a single digit response). Rocket's rotation resumed the rush, Nick, Mark, Shane and Trav the grinners winning the tail wind lucky dip. AvantiTrev and Temple finally put in an appearance at the front in Mitchell, I put in a quiet word to Mark on old knicks and their translucence (we don't need to see the foliage in the fissure). Whispering Jack had a crack (excuse the pun, a turn at the front), my next turn had all the anticipation of an enema, into the mid 40's with HBK (yipee for the descent and yikes for the ascent of Mt. Nicolaci). All effort was put into hanging onto Jase's wheel at the rotation, lightheaded and close to despatching breakfast, it was Christmas on a stick to slow for Melbourne Rd traffic. Skipping four places in the order at Roubaix as a brief respite, it was back to face the music at Arcadia Downs with Pistol. 100 metre turns were more than acceptable at this rate of knots, Rocket and Chris were left the lions share with 400 to go though. A midfield finish was inked into my agenda, Chris and Rocket stomping on the pedals (and everyone elses hopes) to thrash out the finish in that order. Finished blurry, gasping but chuffed to cross the line in 45.23, just 5 seconds off the fastest time.
A solo ride Friday, a little variety in the course heading out New Dookie Rd, only 5 cars in the 6am peak hour. A bunny to dodge near Lemnos, avoided the Area 51 express steaming south at Boundary Rd too, indian filed on a mission. Plans of a steady solo lap were abandoned crossing Old Dookie Rd, a dozen Cats entering Boundary were soon in pursuit. Can't beat 'em so joined 'em. Slotted into their track turns with Googs, BassoDave, MexicanAnthony and the others (not quite identified in the dark), Trudi as taillight I think. A big blast from an overtaking cattle truck nearing the Broken bridges was fairly fractious, plenty of room given. I was deliberately ignoring the pace and focussing on the wheel ahead, a sneaky peek at the escalating h.r. my only ball & chain. Landmarks passed quickly with a super smooth and swift shift along River Rd, concentrating on the now clockwise rotation into the north wester (of little concern with short turns) Feeling a touch sluggish by Kialla Hall, a rear tyre worry surfaced, remembering 25psi shy on the pre-ride pump. Swung into Mitchell, out of the seat flogging the pedals to stay in touch when a loud twang sent a Mavic message that all was not well with wheel woetation, a waskally wobble from a broke spoke. Bugger! Bid my adieu's to the dissapearing pack and pulled up to open the dragging brake caliper, a soft tyre into the bargain from a slow puncture. (pennance for defecting to the feline side?) A few stops on the limp home to pump the rim off the road, cheers to (commuting) Cat Phil for offering a lift, big hoorays to the AvantiPlus pit crew for a rapid repair, respoke, realign and readiness to ride the same day.
Week 21 : 258km YTD 5,972km
Word of the Week
"Fortitube" (noun) The strength of a puncture resistant tube
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