The bunch worked west on Lemnos-Cosgrove Rd, sudden Shorty shenanigans with a suprise swerve in Ford Rd (close call to the wheel ahead) invoked a Rocket rebuke (the WobblyTrev comparison a touch harsh Rocket!). Most are now in winter kit to survive the temperature, Fisky almost at the end of his weather tether, cold icing the inclination. SpinDoctors sprint itch needed scratching as we passed DECA, Wanganui hill beckoned a thrash, Rocket, Ange, Temple, even Eammon with the same rash of rush, pretty pleased I managed 4th on the tortuous climb. A conversational cruise back to coffee (Fisky unwittingly put his squeaky clean Giant straight through a roadside chunder) to be blessed with a bespoke alloy bike rack at the Lemontree (thanks to AvantiTrev and Nath engineering)
Thoughts of Mondays circuit were being planned Sunday, mindless mental mapping measuring monthly mileage maybe a moronic mindset, a meandering muse mea culpa, maybe maintaining mojo? I'd reverted to the ubiquitous Toaster loop (minus the golf course leg), at least familiar ground to cover with the lack of daylight. Tap tap east on Ford and Lemnos-Cosgrove Rd , felt like pushing through treacle but put it down to 3 degrees and 99% humidity. The turn south (what are the odds to pause for the only car seen for 20 minutes!) at the Emu felt easier, bureau said calm but senses said an easterly, I wasn't setting any records but targetted to roll along in the low 30's. Vince and a few of the other guns were anti-clockwise in search of the Cats along Boundary Rd, I'd zoned in on a distant tail-light emerging from Channel Rd, arguing with myself not to chase. As it happens, the tail-light ahead was cruising, reflective booties identifying SpinDoctors cadence well before I'd reached him. A chat during the remainder of the lap passed the k's quickly, still hovering around zone 3 & 4 to tear up a 1000 calories, back into town Catless, and extra minutes up the sleeve before work.
Tuesday's forecast showers had skirted south, radar clearance allowing a lap thought imposssible the night before. Coggo, Belly and Heady were the only ones to study the sky and muse the meteorology, so a quartet set sail from Friars on a drying track, but Belly scored a puncture within 300 metres (content to repair and head for home) leaving a "menagerie a trois" to earnestlly exercise east, Tina at the weighbridge to weigh in for a quadrella. Indian filed at third wheel and a few centimetres off Heady's wheel, I pondered the trust we put in each other spearing into the damp and darkness at close quarters. A distant collection of Cats was a measuring stick till Boundary Rd got us out of the (15 km/h) northeaster, my 3.2k turn from Central Ave digging deep into the reserves. We'd narrowed the gap on a solitary tail-light ahead at the Broken bridges, closing in on a solitary Mexican poured some eagerness into the engine. Mmmm....a slow Mexican? Bit like saying a nice bindii, a smooth pot-hole, a straight WobblyTrev.......please explain this occult oxymoron MexicanAngelo? Tina, Coggo and Heady ripped into River Rd, ricochetting a flattened can off a few wheels, whittling down the Cats gap but just not quite within reach (4 against 7). I got the Central Kialla leg, Tina monstered Mitchell, Coggo the Mt Nicolaci climb, Heady headed us to the horse stud, my last dip to Conrod's kink. Chuffed to see the finish line with four united, but I had to skip the ride post mortem at Degani's with emphasis earnestly on the employer.
I took a Wednesday wander out the Boulevard to the golf course but was way too early heading to the Couldabeens, altering the course to bear south on Raftery, the plan to intercept the southbound bunch in Archer Rd. A handy northeaster propelled the k's to Mitchell Rd, damp dodgin' and stick swervin' to the highway. Soon northbound on Archer in search of the Couldabeens wasn't the drama i'd imagined into the (now) northerly. The indian filed lights of AvantiChris, Shorty, Nick, Cougar and Temple appeared out of the roundabout, my time to u-turn and climb aboard. It took a little consultation to get track turns organised, nice driving by AvantiChris and Nick to Mitchell Rd, Shorty and Temple taking us to Central Kialla. I'd planned my turn in River Rd to the bridge but oncoming cars and Cats turned it to a double shift, up and out of the dip before I peeled off. Nick drove Boundary Rd taking the headwind on the chin, AvantiChris powered in Channel Rd enjoying breaking in a new pair of Cosmic Carbone's. There were a few groans from puddles smearing specs, chilling calves and blotting bikes, but we had a dip at the Cha Cha (Temple taking the honours), then the calm and chat to finish the last leg, the single filed proceedure appeared to win some votes, the change as good as a holiday? A gremlin in the Garmin denied the data, 3 years maybe beyond it's useful life?
Thursday's southbound slog (stinkin' southwester suggested a circuit of suffering) collected Wozz and Jase on the commute to the earlier Couldabeens start, winters approach had culled the numbers down to the devoted, stalwarts Nick, Cougar, Rocket, AvantiTrev, Shorty, Temple and SuperMario, the thinned ranks to commence the day. AvantiTrev took some convincing to share the front, a gentle intro prevented early expiry, an arriving Mark and Trish u-turning at Kensington to join the rank and file. Vince was oncoming as we reached the school, warning of a loose Darth Vader (dog) at Channel Rd's end, Temple happy in the role of tail-light, Nick, Shorty and SuperMario earning elephant stamps fronting the front. Safely through to Channel Rd's end canine free, Jase and Rocket bore the Boundary brunt, but River Rd was equally tough with a fair angle of westerly to wear us down, Nick copping Marks' malevolent mischief, his heavy hit out in the last k. Riding against the bunch instead of with it, earns Mark the moniker of Mortein (for the effective control of serial pests). SuperMario rued drawing the Mt.Nicolaci straw but won the polka dots, the bunch balance was six towing four by the highway. The last three kays was more enjoyable, blessed with the breeze behind and the cream rising to the top in Conrod, Rocket at the helm and nobody willing (or able) to assume the role (roll). Wozza hung on bravely for second (despite a cold having him operating on one lung) I was on empty in third. Troops regrouped for the roll home but nearly all headed for Kialla caffine infusion.
Out on the Ford-LemnosCosgrove-Emu-Toaster-OldDookie track at five on Friday morning, a mental mindfield, a psychiatric stumping ground to prepare for a pain train fryer from Friars. Only just a double digit temperature with a strong southerly chilling the bones, I made an oath to self to keep below the aerobic red-line to leave some contribution to the Goat grind. Shed 5 km/h off the pace keeping to that oath to the Toaster into the southerly, a relief to bear west back to town and on schedule. Old Dookie Rd was spent pondering if enough was in the tank for the friars fryer, but took motivation from pilgrims in ones and two's rolling east ahead of the Cats freaky Friday. Coggo, Belly, AvantiLeigh, Heady and Sootie were the congregation at Friars, Sooties maiden voyage after three weeks in dry dock was jumping into the deep end. All aboard the train at six, single filing beyond Doyles Rd, I got the reigns crossing Central Ave, up to School Rd was enough for my first shift. All stepped up for a turn at the headwind torture in Boundary Rd, CatPhil climbing aboard after missing the 5.50 express from Notre Dame. From the bridges to River Rd cooked my calves, hard work to jump back on board the lungbuster locomotive for River Rd, GoatPhil well on song, CatPhil none too shabby either. Hats off to Sootie, Belly and Heady pouring on the perspiration, my turn up again in Mitchell Rd (still recovering from GoatPhil's pace). All had another crank at the front which timed my reappearance cresting Conrod's dipper, with all reserves spent I was running on AvantiLeigh's encouragement to "keep at it", crossing the line to score the chocolates (but lost the Garmin data again)
Week 21 : 339 km YTD 6,258 km
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