A rusty retun to riding (after three days off two wheels) on Tuesday, the hopes of sitting at the back of a large Goat brigade suddenly vanished at Friars.....just Belly, Coggo, Snowman and AvantiLeigh on the starting grid. Great to have Tina join in Old Dookie Rd to lessen the burden, AvantiLeigh suggested an Indian file then immediately put me up to bat first! It was a brutal baptism to face the westerly homeward after the tailwind out had painted it's false sense on fitness on me. Despite the negative neurons, the lap passed by without much torment, helped along by great teamwork. We passed Ron in Raftery having mechanical melee's, to finish a solid circuit as a befitting baptism for my excessive bike break.
Wednesday witnessed winters worst, a minus two to toughen the heart rate and numb the senses. Way behind agenda, I had all stops out to reach the Couldabeens grid on time, a PB of 8:34 to cover the 5.6km to the start line, Rocket, AvantiChris, Hollywood (Prince Pretzel), Cougar, Jase and Pistol (balaclava'd like a bank buster) were toughed to the temperature to tackle the track, windless thankfully. Maybe it was the deep breaths of iced air or muscles protesting against the cold, I had a big struggle to get the heart rate below 170 in an attempt to match Pistols pace in River Rd, so relented calling an early rollover (then took a k to utter a sentence). I was snookered by the Channel Rd Cha Cha, way out of my depth between Pistol and Rocket, the legs refused to provide pace for the sprint, so fumbled along in the fourties whilst the guns fired into the fifties. The bunch re-congregated at the school to roll back to town, nobody keen on coffee so solo'd a sojourn at Friars with raisin toast to thaw.
A Goat lap Thursday, Coggo, Speissy and Snowman with the return of Hommy (larger than life) , Sandy and Principal Skinner from Italian holiday. Tina was collected in Old Dookie Rd, retirements from duty starting early in Boundary Rd. (weighed down by excess pasta baggage?) My suggestion of indian file was accepted unanimously with just 5 working the windbreak duty, all had done a shift by the time we'd swung into River Rd so assumed the front again. The mental target to reach the dip before handover was adjusted reaching Trevaskis Rd, the engine felt ok to drive further. The new limit of Laws Dr came and went, to hell with limits, it's go till River Road's end to set a personal challenge. I handed the controls back to Coggo when we rolled into Central Kialla Rd (tank a little empty), Hommy, Sandy and Speissy abandoning ship to short cut via Archer direct to caffine infusion. The remaining six continued on course, shifts shortening with a NNE hampering the Raftery progress. All were pleased to see the finish, a week of holidays for me allowed a rare post ride socialise over coffee, viewing the full extent of Hommy's handbrake (12 kg of imported Italian calories)
The creak and groan (from the body, not the bike) on Friday played havoc with the motivation, almost veered off on a solo lap till the negatives were negated and resolution returned. Couldabeens don't bite! (well, most don't!) Rocket, Pistol, Nick, Shorty, Cougar, a Broome bronzed AvantiTrev, Kenworth, Jen and newcomer MasiMario had gathered for Friday frivolities, a calmer karma than had previously predicted. The identical circuit to Wednesday seemed so different with positive degrees, but it's "hello darkness my old friend" with no hint of daylight now till the lap is tapped out. Rocket, Pistol,Kenworth and MasiMario were the only sprint punters at the Cha Cha (no prizes for guessing the winner), all keen on the Scottish restaurant epilogue as reward for finishing.
Week 23 171 km YTD 6,748
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