Planned a daily double for Saturdays ride, first with the Couldabeens, then join the Goats for a reverse circuit till time turned me home. Winter's still trying to hang on despite the warmer days, just 1.3 degrees to commence the Couldabeens grid at 6. A good roll-up in spite of the cold, 14 was well up on the usual winter attendance. HBK on a comeback (typically the last to arrive), Chris A and Vince back in action too. All (but three) looking the goods in the new attire took to Channel Rd, the pre-dawn sky looked the goods too. A charging canine caused a cadence chaos, curt cautions called curtailing calamity at Prentice Rd. Incident free, but a spike in heart rate data, it was carry on to Boundary Rd, squeezing in a yarn here and there. BigMat clocking up the k's with a tour de Toolamba prior to the start, HBK feeling the pinch of reaquaintance with the Ridley (but it doesn't show in speed). A distant bike was reeled in as we reached the toaster, BigBrett tapping away a few early k's. A sizeable congregation of Cats spun toward the Emu, twas Kelvin a k in arears, not the expected tardy LeighMac. I scored a pairing with PistolPete again, drawn into the long haul of Wanganui certainly warmed the legs. Back to town and the Lemontree, banter on football and Strava challenges over bacon, eggs and coffee. Bid my adieu's as the Goats rolled out of Friars, climbing aboard a big train headed clockwise on a Toaster lap. The sun was well up for psychological warmth, some faces not quite familiar in the daylight. It was a suprise to find Specialised Tony, Juzza, Sooty and Comet amogst the two dozen and Coggo back aboard a new hi-viz Corsa SR, testing lungs against the sore ribs. Roscoe on comeback ride #2 was searching for a short-cut home, a chance for conversation with others with longer turns taken on the front. Speed ramped up a little from the Emu and more from the Toaster, a little benefit from the north easter. Drawn along into the high 30's on Boundary Rd, the clock beckoned a Channel Rd diversion home unforunately. Sun on the back and on top of the 14 tooth cog made a pacy return, inspiring to crank out a good pace with nearly 80k's under the belt (life in the old engine still.......or was a hint of a tailwind inflating the ego and the speed?) Rounded the Kinder bend and put the head down for the Cha Cha, only to come across the cranky canine from earlier in the morning. Not out to munch on ankles, just charge at the bike then prop. Soon back to town with 90k chalked up, feeling a bit better prepared for the forthcoming Fruitloop and others.
With a damp arvo forecast, opportunity knocked to knock over a few k's early Monday. Testing a new Vivofit syncronised to the Garmin Edge, a NNE tested me on a clockwise tour of the Toaster lap. Not looking forward to the 18k's to the Emu, the thought of an assisting breeze home was the only thing driving the legs along. Shelter from the wind was scarce in the wide open spaces of Lemnos-Cosgrove Rd, hunting between the 17 and 15 tooth cog to maintain the motion. A small sense of achievement to reach the Emu and turn south, a brief ease of the throttle to the rail line the small reward. Back on the gas to the Toaster, there was better speed headed west for some reason, the NNE should favour a southbound. Two riders northbound at the fig farm seemed to be on the prowl, maybe to catch the 51/Cat train due soon? A crimson Mt. Major skyline signalled a damp day ahead, the grey ceiling over River Rd dulled the view and mood. Lights were in pursuit a distance behind, fleeing was futile with the big calibre express due soon. To the end of River Rd, through Kialla Central and on to Mitchell, it was at Archer Rd that 10 times 51 had overpowered my small equation, Ronny, Mo, Brett and company steaming along in the 40's with AvantiCraig (originally intending to join the Cats) hanging on for dear life. I hitched a ride for a 3k tow but abandoned ship as their train departed Roubaix, preventing my spontaneous combustion as they wound up for Conrod. Made it my mission to keep the cadence and Garmin ticking over till home (inheriting a wrung out AvantiCraig to be towed through town), 55 k's covered before 7am worthy of a raisin toast trophy.
Wide awake when sparrows flatulate on Tuesday, so out the door at 5.15 to carve up some k's rather than succumb to early morning television. A warm-up on the Old Dookie-Boundary-Channel course, the plan to intercept the Couldabeens oncoming, even if my timing was out. A WSW helped for the 10k's to Boundary Rd, not so easy (breezy) down to Channel Rd. Effort was needed cranking west toward town, a fox, puddles, ducks and an owl to dodge, and a few detatched branches at the cypress trees made Channel Rd a slalom course. Almost back to Kensington when a string of Couldabeens lights appeared, WhisperingJack, Shane, Nick, PistolPete, Cougar, AvantiTrev, FeltMat, Trav, Chris A and AvantiCraig on the roll out, so hooked a uey to join in their 30k lap. An unusual calm over todays bunch, maybe the lack of Rocket rotisserie had relaxed them? Gave the word up on broken branches to avoid calamity, paired with AvantiCraig, coping well compared with yesterdays bout with the heavyweights. With a slight swing to a southwesterly, the breeze was easier to cope with in Mitchell Rd, my next go at the front was a bike and a half behind AvantiCraig, study is long overdue on bunch etiquette me thinks (or do we have an HBK prodigy?) A pot hole jettisoned his bidon at Central Kialla, tradition saw that a wait was in order to regroup for the grind home. Chat ceased, heads down, tails up....turns, heart rates and speed quickened as the bunch stretched toward Conrod, Shane and AvantiCraig thrashing out the pecking order to the finish line. Only Nick & I prepared to wait 20 seconds at the bridge to regroup the tail-enders, a collective roll through town fares well for unity, courtesy and safety in numbers.
Quite a push into the wind with Wozz for the 9k of main drag to Wednesdays start, muttering angrily at the southwesterly didn't help the legs. Found Shane, Cougar, AvantiTrev, Trav, Temple, FeltMat, Nick, WhisperingJack and new guy AvantiChris at the start. A little bit of dodge and weave avoiding the front ranks for the push southerly in Archer, left it to Wozza and I. Almost reaching Mitchell, WhisperingJack punctured, AvantiTrev quickly elected pit crew while the rest lined up lights and sledges. Repaired and underway in minutes, we were off to Central Kialla where Jack's flat quickly returned, as popular as a Russian tank in Luhansk. Jack speed dialled the PattyTaxi, ushering us onward. AvantiChris stuck to the rear seat to study for a B A in Bunch Assimilation, doing rather well for just a 3 week apprentice. I got well into the groove of the 13 sprocket beside Shane for the last third of River Rd, tapped out the 3k leg to Channel Rd too with Wozz, keen to keep the rhythm. A delinquent dawg dashed at FeltMat as we reached Sellman's, in the panic his cleat was used as a brake pad. Thankfully all remained upright, FeltMat delivering pertinant advice to the owner. Enough drama for a short lap, the remainder rolled by cool, calm and collected.
Managed a salubrious sleep-in on Thursday, even hit the snooze button till 5.15. Being vigilant with the H20 consumption lately has brought a bit of life back to the legs, an improvement in the digestive department too. Rolled quietly south to attend the Giro d'Goats, 16 braving the cool start. The wheels of progress started rotations out of town, Coggo, Principal Skinner, Tum, Kate, Dipper, Belly, AvantiLeigh, Snowman, Heady, Bickers Snr, Hommy, Sandy and newbie Liam all going round. A WTF moment noticing Liams retro ride was a fixie, with a single brake lever at the headstem. (Concentrated on the scenic sunrise rather than think of the consequences). Principal Skinner was MrSmooth, wanted Hommy's Freightliner draft but got thun Tum instead. Liams retro hopes turned kaboom by Channel Rd, the reality of a fixie not cutting it in the real world. The speed steadily built in River Rd, and with it a few reartired to sit on. Snowman launched an assault on Mt Nicolaci lengthening the bunch twofold, many pleased to be halted for traffic to partake in extra oxygen. Exiting Roubaix, 8 reformed the rotations to pull the train along, tailgaters multiplying, only AvantiLeigh, Tum and I rolling turns as we crested Conrod's dipper. AvantiLeigh offered himself up to the altar of the sprint Gods as a 300 metre sacrifice for Tum and I, my burst in the last 100 too much for thun Tum spunning, I was over the line for the chocolates, gasps aplenty to get the lungs to catch up with the heartrate.
A little hesitant heading off to the Library Thursday night, a right royal thrashing delivered Tuesday night I'm told. Promised self to let the heavy artillery go if the fuse was lit, even if it meant rolling home solo. Plenty of big calibre weapons were assembled at the car park but a good measure of regular shooters kept the hopes up for survival, Ozzie on a suprise comeback after 12 months off. Kev and I rolled away at 6 bells, a tame start (hoping others would take the hint) and a chance to yarn with Dalts, Luke, GiantJames, Deano, SpecialisedTony et al. Nath's enthusiasm added 12% to the pace, just in time to welcome Steevo, Trent, MachineSteve (fresh from the UCI world championships in Austria) and Bomber to the clan. A light measure of westerly breeze added more to the tempo but I got a good sit between SpecialisedTony and Kev who wouldn't assasinate me. Nath, Robbo, Luke and others had our legs warmed up to Boundary Rd and still simmering to River Rd, several now cementing their place at the rear. The rubber band effect was making life difficult at the back but i'd take my chances instead of being fed to the sharks up the front. By Archer Rd a few fractures appeared, Clive, SpecialisedTony, Dalts and I letting a gap open at Mt Nicolaci. I'd hoped this may form a small bunch to tap home, but we'd caught the bunch at the highway wait for traffic. The fuse was lit entering Roubaix corner, Dalts (still shaking the flu) off the back and the bunch splintering. I'd had a large enough serve of speed, so dropped back to lend Dalts a wheel back to town. By Arcadia Downs we'd collected an ejected SpecialisedTony so plugged away to the finish and beyond, steadily hauling back the bunch on the commute home.
Thoughts were thumbing through the book of excuses in the early hours of Friday, but motivation finally threw the doona off at 4.45 (assisted by the drunk in the street calling out his prophecy on life) A few patches of fog heralded a still morning (1.4 degrees), the lungs and heart were keen but the legs protests limited the speed. Headed east out to the Emu dodging bunnies, positioning a partly pummeled posterior precisely (possibly precariously) preventing pain. The effort meter steadily rose, (the draft from an oncoming truck none too handy) but pushed on, hoping i'd hit a second wind. A hint of headwind sprung up on the turn south (not the second wind I'd planned), searching then for a gear I didn't have (a 16), the option of spinning like a dervish on the 17 was ditched to favour a grind on the 15 to the Toaster. My second wind did come a kilometer into Old Dookie Rd, amid the squealing sonata of the piggery (feed time), the distinktive aroma driving up the pace. Saw the SuperCats swing into Boundary, the AristoCats (?) a k behind, then found Fee, Princess and Meags tapping out a 30k clockwise lap, so u-turned to join them in the long solid turns as the sun rose. Fee scored the long task of River Rd engine driver, Meags on a big drive to the highway. The suitably dapper Princess towed us smoothly & swiftly till Conrod, I inherited the reigns for the drive home, 62k chalked up to end the week.
Week 36 : 434 km YTD 9,879
Word of the Week
"Cyclosis" (noun) A mental disorder in which riding and reality is lost or highly distorted.
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