A late night and early morning took the edge off Saturday morning, a slow roll to the start in attempt to lose lethargy. 13 punters at the start line was a positive, a slow roll out for a tardy BigMat to jump on the back of the bunch. Nath joined in at the fig farm, FeltMat in great form matching Pistols' calibre at the front, everyone had get-out-of-jail-free with Avanti Trev's pace policing absent. A big orange sunrise in Old Dookie Rd was 15 degrees starboard to the head-on dawn we had six weeks ago in the pre daylight savings era. Speed limits were well and truely thrown out the window in Lemnos-Cosgrove Rd, matching Rocket's pace on the front threw some hesitation around my skull till persistance found a rhythm that maintained momentum (despite the nuisance of a south westerly in the face) Eagerness split the bunch entering Wangnui Rd, many keen to flex some muscle while tailenders were still getting up to speed from the halt for traffic. The now de riguer squirt up Wanganui hill silenced the socialising, but a settled spin to the Lemontree via the Boulevard (avoiding roadworks) scored a few Strava titles.
Monday's rainfall kept the bike at bay, winter layers were needed for Tuesdays temperature down to 6. A heavily populated Goat squad assembled at Friars for their 30k lap, the smooth roll out on Old Dookie Rd for 3k's was most kind on creaking limbs. Rotations began beyond Doyles to view the contenders, heard Brendan coming with his unmistakeable 98db cassette but JB was a suprise addition (looks foreign on a Pinarello now that the trusty Cannondale has gone to God) It's a long drag up to the front with 22 riders, a few turns had before Boundary came up. Cobbles and Newto oncoming from the Toaster climbed aboard as we swung into Boundary, the bunch numbering two dozen now inheriting a little rubber band syndrome at the rear. The heart rate calmed (120) with many to share the load, concentration elevated but the scenery blurred by, Newto was handing out advice to all but his new La Pierre had me distracted from the verbals. Soon enough, Conrod came into view, being jammed in the left line after a turn at Arcadia Downs had me resigned from sprintention but happily spectated the usual thrash for line honours.
Rolling out ahead of the Hospital hit squad and holding them off till the finish line has become a challenge for Wozz and I, Tuesday night posed an extra challenge of fighting a strong westerly home so we gave ourselves an extra 10 minutes as compensation. 30km/h of challenge rolling out to the Boulevard, gusts of 43km/h to really test us. The slight incline to the cemetery almost assasinated, a tailwind shove to the Emu was all that inspired continuation. We found Robbo aboard the trusty Opera nearing the golf course, the motorist attempting a four point u-turn with no regard for others was as annoying as a tyre full of bindii. Wanganui Rd was warmly welcomed with the wind whipping us east, a wait at Numurkah Rd for peak hour to clear, then east to the Toaster full steam ahead. The 40+km/h honeymoon soon ended at the Emu, pointing south invoking internal profanities to the wind, throwing wheels about that would rival WobblyTrev. A big test headed west in Old Dookie Rd, maintaining mid thirties was going to whittle down my determination, even though we were swapping turns to share the load. We saw Axel northbound in Boundary Rd (on his way for Hospital bunch punishment), we were lucky to get a little reprieve with the shelter of trees at the roadside. Wozz had an extra 2km/h I could just hold on to as we strove to River Rd, he powered into the turn, unhooking me from the draft. Wozz had found a rythym he'd be silly to break and, unaware I was slowly slipping from his wheel, zoned in on driving into the now westsouthwester, stretching an opening gap till he glanced back a k later. Grateful he dropped back to regroup, I took a couple of k's to rebuild the energy to take the front again, a dip from Laws Drive to Central Kialla Rd about all the legs would give. Wozz took the drivers seat to Mitchell Rd, enough for me to find form again. Got into the groove to push up to the highway, Raftery's steady change of direction had the wind to our side by the horse stud, back into the fourties to flog to the finish. Like last week, we crossed the finish line spent but satisfied, a decent average with no sign of the pursuing peleton.
An 80 rpm rev south to the Kialla start on Wednesday (more spin than a Labor Party bi-election) to shake the aches from Tuesday nights' dip. The long 4.5k haul on the front for Archer Rd wasn't too taxing with a hint of breeze behind, enough for me to maintain Wozza's and Pistol's velocity anyway. Trav's now the Cheshire Cat on a demo Avanti Corsa, about to divorce the old faithful of 9 years good service. (yet another young fella to match on a quick bike) A HurtLocker sextet speared south in Central Kialla, a profusely populated pussycat peleton purring positively plied presto west in River Rd, Breakaways blissfully bunched behind. Snuck a few words in with WhisperingJack (amazingly still riding in his 3rd week back) and Choppy (chosing wheels well, missed the Pistol pairing for a change), our visitor Hamish doing micro-turns on the front (last minute training for the Tat 200). AvantiChris & Cougar put in a good shift at the front, AvantiTrev at the back shaking the fickle flu off the lungs. An easy roll along River Rd and a favourable run up Boundary Rd, suprisingly Channel Rd wasn't the battle I expected. Rocket, Shane, Shorty and Nick drove well west, with the obligatory squirt to Orrvale Rd to clear the cobwebs.
Toured south with Wozza to Thursday's thrash with the Couldabeens, Shane, Rocket, Pistol, Trav, Kenworth, Jase, Temple, AvantiTrev and Nick ready, BigMat and HBK dragging the punctuality chain. I overcame the urge to shirk the first turn with Shane, was well and truely warmed up on the 2.2k leg, another 1.3k matching Wozza to Orrvale Rd toasted the edges. PrinceMark had made a comeback at Kensington , Trish left to jump aboard at Doyles. Rocket then Pistol added to the tempo to the kinder, Big Mat had payback on HBK (a little off song). My thoughts begged retreat after a long slog at the front but a few minutes recovery turned the tide to try a repeat. PrinceMark cut across to the up line for an additional shift in River Rd (unacustomed as he is to bunch etiquette), quite the surger on the front. The needle went low on my energy tank finally getting round him, an elephant stamp to Wozza for an early roll over to bask in his draft. AvantiTrev and Temple were unsighted, hanging onto the rear as the pace continued unabaited, Rocket and Pistol seemed to be just warming up at Central Kialla. Turns rolled sooner beyond the highway, the bunch morphed single file after the horsestud in Raftery Rd, even BigMat bowed out of venturing forward. Rocket took to the front at Arcadia Downs, nobody game to roll up. Compassion for Rocket being hung out to dry drove me to the front to loan him a brief tow, which only made the natives Trav and Wozz restless for a sprint. 50 metres of draft only flung the gate open for the thoroughbred to bolt, Rocket lighting up the Avanti to trounce all. Three Strava trophies made my huff and puff worthwhile, second the best I could hope for.
A roll out past SPC at 6 on Friday found Fee, Princess and Meags u-turning from an early 30k, so joined in a single file lap of Old Dookie-Boundary-River-Mitchell and Raftery. As they'd done the early hard yards, I was happy to take the pointy end, wheels rolling nicely without wind. No objections to my lead from behind as we steered into Boundary, we tapped away south finding Ian at Channel Rd who tacked on to make a quintet. I'd really found a groove in River Rd, slowly adding a k or two to the tempo (without busting the rubber band). Feeling a little greedy turning at Central Kialla, I retired to the back to share the driving, the smooth steady lap finishing off the week well, coffee with Meags and the Locker Lads at Friars socially substantially substituting for a weekend off the bike.
Week 44 280km YTD 12,188km
Word of the Week
"Blunch" (noun) a peleton halted for a midday meal.
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