Finding a flat rear (tyre that is) ran Saturday's ride behind schedule, a revised warm-up lap of Old Dookie-Boundary and Channel with WNW assistance to start on a positive step. Came close to arriving at the Couldabeens start at 6, just short of Kensington roundabout (thanks to Channel Rd's headwind) when a thinned bunch arrived. (Bo, MasiMario,Trav, Ange, Temple, Cougar, FeltMat and Hollywood....his attendance compulsory to answer the Friday critics....but the critics were missing in action!) Bo and MasiMario had hogged the tailwind from the kinder to the S bend, I rolled to the front (out of sequence) to get the wheel of sharing turning. (rotations then commenced, but now battling the side wind on Boundary). Hollywood and AvantiChris pushed the pace toward the toaster, a little ray of imminent light on the horizon giving some hope that Spring may just be forthcoming. Each perceiving the others wheel was half ahead drove Bo & I to charge the leg to the Emu (spiking the heart rate), inturn inspiring MasiMario to power his westward turn in Lemnos-Cosgrove Rd. Commonsense soon settled the troops till Ford Road's end, puddles kept the wheels water fountains active spotting ensembles, dampening posteriors and turning beloved bikes to muddied machines. Wanganui Road's hyperactivity wound up behind me as I resolved to obstain from the sprint (more k's to come), the guns loading their speed artillery for the hill. Motion had motivated MasiMario, undertaking Trav on the ascent, the unwritten rule that's not often spoken was on this occassion. I plugged away midfield finding followers aplenty behind, kind words from Temple as the bunch reformed in Rudd Rd for their damp cruise to coffee.
I advanced to Friars base camp for quick caffine infusion, Belly, Joe, Principal Skinner, Coggo, Hommy, AvantiAndy, Sandy, Heady, Matt and Snow filtering in for a Tour de Goat. Eventually inspired to start, steeds were mounted, but my flat rear had returned. A bindii syringe was found and fixed (hands blackened by road grime), then away on a clockwise Toaster lap. The dozen got organised to roll rotations eastward, calmer than Couldabeens by 10%, AvantiAndy's rust restricting his contribution to front of house duty, others happy to do their bit in varying lengths. Coggo and I drew the short straw of Old Dookie Rd's headwind, time (or lack of it) dictated I continue city bound as the others legged it south on Boundary. The haul home was heavy, the northwester weakening will, but a couple of bumps hinted all was not well with tyre pressure. Grumbles, stubborness and curses maintained the speed as the rolling resistance built, anything to avoid a damp roadside repair. The rim was just off the road reaching town, the remnants of the CO2 cartridge inflating the tube enough to limp home (another bindii, a shard of glass AND a piece of wire extracted later).
A wintery westerly whipped the wheels Monday morning, massaging the ego on the New Dookie Disco (36.3 average), relief to end the push at Boundary Rd then calm concerns for the headwind hurt and one degree of temperature on Old Dookie Rd back to town. An 80 rpm spin limited leg losses back to Friars, Coggo, Belly, Phil, Sandy and Hommy the endangered species of Goat all that remains of winters cull. A late getaway after Belly wrestled with Phils Garmin gremlins, soon single filed to make use of the breeze behind. The boys battled Boundary's breeze while Sandy supervised from the rear, Coggo's engine in fine tune but Hommy's was misfiring from the weekend's rich fuel. River Rd forced heads down and heart rates up, Coggo took part one, Phil part two, my usual urge to surge gave a 3200 metre turn to the bridge as a swansong (clock cursed a follow through), peeling off at Rivers end to plug away on the alternative route and Archer home.
A spoilt sleep in Tuesday, out of the cot at 5.20 to kit up. Found birthday boy Wozza to make our way to the Couldabeens cardiac club, Pistol, Rocket, Trav, AvantiTrev, Nev, Bo, Kel, Kenworth, and Hollywood in attendance. A restrained start with Bo capitalising the front (again!) for three legs (much to AvantiTrev's pleasure) but tempo rose as the wattage of Pistol, Nev and Rocket made it to the front, me numbing the neural negatives o navigate Jameson Rd to the S bends with Wozz at warp speed, then Kenworths' killer kilowatts to Boundary Rd. Trav and Hollywood started the southerly trek with compassion, Pistol and Nev shouldering (sorry, bad pun) the headwind of River Rd, Rocket and Bo a strong follow up to the bridge. The last k of River Rd with Wozz alongside beseeched the biscuit barrels' bottom, Trav retired to the rear with AvantiTrev, Kel had no such option, bossily berated by Bo. Against my own better judgement, I advanced to the front again, my turn from Roubaix to the horse stud as short as a parliamentary speakers helicopter ride. There were more retirements than Whispering Jack leading to Conrod as the bunch went single, Wozza had a bid for a birthday win but regrettably, Rocket's rapid rate ruled.
I did a short 15k climatisation to Wednesdays' minus 1.2 degrees, crusty car tops to motivate motion and muscle movement before meeting Wozz for a Couldabeens commute, intercepting Jase in McIntosh. Cougar and Cate had fronted first in the last spot, Pistol, Rocket, Jen, Temple, Trav, AvantiChris and FeltMat lining up behind, almost into the dumpmaster (no avoiding the business end arriving first). Just 10 metres covered and the bunch shuffled into the wills and won'ts, down south to the roundabout beside Wozz, then the alt route with Rocket well and truely warmed me up. Just into leg two Cate called a halt, a staple spearing her Schwalbe. Captain chivalry Jase performed the pitstop, LateLeigh arriving on an anticlockwise Cat intercept. Underway again and attempting to atune to the arctic, I'd been juggled between Trav and AvantiChris, 10% kinder on the cardiac. I did the first k of River Rd with AvantiChris then tucked into the draft till duty called again in Channel Rd, kindly paced by Trav. Rocket and Pistol fired the shots in the Cha Cha, Wozz and Jase in the running for the bronze, Cate powering on for a fine 6th. A chilled tour back home, feeling fairly fit of late despite the cold, greater comfort on the Fizik too, about time the reward was reaped after many a k contribution. (hope it augers well for the upcoming GrandFondo, Fruitloop, Tat 200 etc)
Relished the sleep-in till 5 on Thursday, a slow paced breakfast and casual kit-up, a cruisy commute to the Goat gathering for a 6am launch seemed the lazy way to start the day . Joe, Coggo, Snow, Belly, Phil, CerveloJohn, Hommy, Kate, Tum, Sandy, Heady and the return of Dipper filled the grid, Joe minus light voltage assisted by Heady's spare. Bike business was called to order in Old Dookie Rd under the lucid leadership of Chairman Belly (this has been a paid political announcement in support of the Belly for HG party) all in favour of a motion steadily up to speed. I'd almost reached aerobic max when we turned south, a northeaster at the right shoulder bringing the heart rate back to a 120 idle. I had CerveloJohn's draft for a bit, a shift in order changed it to Heady's then Snow's for some velo-variety. It turned pacy progress in River and Mitchell Roads, a certain headwind for Conrod straight ruling rigor required to reap rewards. Dipper bailed out in the advance to the front nearing Arcadia Downs, I found myself at the business end as we swung the last kink into Conrod, the virtue of patience sought as the remaining seven developed the sprint itch (but how long do you scratch it?) My number came up again just 500 metres later, twas all or nothing with 300 to go. Crucifying cranks and resisting the urge to look back, there was some satisfaction to see the glow of lights behind slowly fade, reaching Steptoe's first to greedily gasp the oxygen till the punch-up bridge brought about the ability to speak.
Damp tarmac and fog to start Friday, an early solo assault on the Toaster lap to toughen the tenacity after bulk bunch bliss. Eastbound to the Emu evading the puddles, the h.r. flatlined at 150 staying atop the 15 cog, smoko was soon over reaching Pine Lodge Rd, back to work on the 17 south to the Toaster. Old Dookie allowed a return to the 15, a bonus of 10% added to the cruise control, pocketting the specs in the hope of seeing the tarmac. South into Boundary Rd I felt like the soggy biscuit dunked too long, 99% humidity causing a small shower off the front of the helmet. I summoned the watts to get on top of the 15, not till the 2nd k and smooth tar of River Rd did it get easy. Rain drops off the soaked trees but clear out in the open was weird, over the bridge the right psoas major was hollering hello hernia. Off the throttle in Central Kialla to preserve something to finish with, maybe that delivered a second wind in Mitchell Rd? Spotted the Couldabeens collection cranking east, a happy headspace for me knowing the last 9 k's home were tinselled with tailwind. The reward came at Raftery Rd's horse stud, but I can't see the logic in 78% rigor for 22% reward.
Week 31 351km YTD 9,232 km
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