A long lap set for Saturday, climatising for next weeks Grand Fondo. Wozz and I set sail south at 5, finding Rocket at Raftery for the prologue to Saturdays ritual. Pace was up with three to share the load, driving into a little southerly keeping the cadence up. River Rd resembled the black hole of Calcutta, moon and stars curtained by cloud, there's still that long drag till the relief of rumble strips spells it's end. Easy going north and Channel Rd's orchards veiled the breeze, but Darth Vaders' stormtrooper (the dog next door) woofed a heart-stopper at my ankles in the darkness, if only to spike my heart rate. The long line of Couldabeens headlights were found approaching Doyles Rd, Ange obviously audible from a k away. We attached to the back of the bunch, gradually rolling through, greetings to Jase, Ange, Linda, Bo, Kel, Ron, Shorty, AvantiChris, ChrisA, AvantiTrev, Fisky, Jen, FeltMat, Temple, Nick (on a flu fightback) and super-suprise, DiscoSteve, a reappearance from reclusiveness! JamisShane, Dalts and exArgon-not-Basso-but-ScottDave were amongst the clan (on a distance mission to join the Cat feline fraternity in Lemnos-Cosgrove). Our travels north were piloted by a tail-light ahead, figured to be Nath at the usual intercept. Inspired by the tangerine light breaking on yonder horizon, I drove the Old Dookie Rd leg with Wozz then to the church with Rocket, enough to harry the heart rate. Out of obscurity and obsolescence to complete a comeback hat-trick, HBK was the light ahead finally caught. Done with front of house duty and comfortably cocooned in the convivial crew, it was time to trial tongue training in intervals, with Jen on girl-flu (ten times man flu), DiscoSteve on mining motivation, Ange on salami structure, Dalts on hills and AvantiTrev on defeatism, rediscovering the taste of HBK's 2013 Chateau Sarcasm (matured in natural hyperbole with strong acid overtones) There was speed infringements as Bo and Ron raised the rapidity in Ford road, then approaching Numurkah Rd, Wozz and I realised we'd drawn the short (lead-out) straw for the Wanagnui waltz. The order had rolled quickly by DECA, ten in the pecking order for hill honours. I left the gate open for Rocket's launch, managing to pick up the pursuit pieces as they fell by realities wayside, fourth behind the Rocket, ChrisA and Wozz podium a rich enough reward for me. Bo, Ange and Ron bolted for the Special Seat Sprint Stage (first to Lemontrees' warmest chair), chat on Flyby's, myotherapy and GrandFondo tactics musing the minutes. A post caffine cruise of 30k with Wozz (to round up to 100 clicks) as GrandFondo prep, went on New Dookie-Boundary and Channel against a brewing SSE, legs lamenting 8976 revolutions (132 minutes @ 68 rpm) and crossing paths with the Goats. Nice to enjoy riding in daylight for an illuminating change.
With a chance to sneak in a few solo k's Monday, I slipped between Cats and Goats (does that make me a Coat?) on Old Dookie Rd and idled away the leg east at 120 bpm, a distant spec of red l.e.d. figured to be feline. 75 rpm seemed to suit south, closing in on a solitary bike in River Rd ramped up the enthusiasm. Craig Lotsalumens was rounded up at Trevaskis Rd, tap tap till Rivers end then the alternate route and Archer topped off a gentle intro to the working week.
A frigid frost, few figured forgotten for 2015, froze fingers and frosted Fords, flattened faith and freshened faces, biting at toes and ears on Tuesday, but minus 1 didn't deter a Goat gathering of Coggo, Speissy, Belly, Phil, Heady, Hommy, Sandy and CerveloJohn. Rolling away from Friars at 6, I sat my bachelor in Belly bunch by-laws, receiving rotational rules and regulations from the giant on a Giant. The anti-clockwise ritual of sharing the slicing of chilled air got underway, Sandy sensibly supervising, sitting sweet in the rear seat. Chat was rare (limiting lung exposure to the frost?) as we cranked east past the orchards en-route to Boundary, parfum du piggery pickiling the nostrils as the pub came into view. CerveloJohn stretched the pack as we crossed the highway, sooon recongregating to reunite the rigour to River. It took a few k's to fix the fluctuations, but I was happily ensconced in Belly's draft to smooth the transition from dragged to driving. Heady's pace pooped half way along River Rd, Phil's fast philanthropy fading to join Speissy in reartirement at the back. Belly bolted the Mt.Nicolaci descent, rubber banding the bunch, then traffic split the pack at the highway, a pregnant pause to re-unite at Roubaix. Drivers were as rare as politicians honesty reaching Arcadia Downs, only Coggo and I left to swap turns as we crested Conrod's dip. I put in a tenuous turn till 100 to go and left Coggo to take the chilled chocolates at Steptoe's finish line.
Out the doorway with just 12 minutes to lift off set a swift target to reach the launch pad 7k's away on Wednesday, winters grip on temperature (minus 2.5) had struck again, freezing the frisky factor with just Cate, Pistol, AvantiChris, Cougar and SpinDoc at the carpark. (made it with 30 seconds to spare) SpinDoc took the helm to drive out of town, I hesitated to pair-up, but finally went forward, backed by Pistol. FeltMat appeared in central Kialla but stayed in the rear (fractionally warmer?) stalls with Cougar and Cate. There was smaller numbers in the oncoming entourages, daylight almost measurably longer with the earlier dawn. I received the SpinDoc questionaire on frames and sit position before taking a long shift with Pistol to Rivers end, a brief respite till my number was drawn again on the turn into Channel Rd. A second wind helped for the long haul to the cypress trees, feels like minus 5.8 was almost surmountable. A chance to catch some breath as the Cha Cha loomed but there was no sprint interest today, puffing along in the high 30's was enough.
A quiet crank to Friars on Thursday, 3 degrees almost balmy after two days of minuses. Belly, Tum, Kate, Speissy, Phil, PrincipalSkinner, Heady, Sandy, Dipper and Joe congergated, odd and eerie with Coggo a no show. Tina jumped aboard as the formalities got underway beyond Doyles, a little east northeaster to extend the effort (deputy HG enjoying a free tow as tail-light). At the tame turn into Boundary I was annointed by Speissy's nasal expulsion (do I need vaccinations?), much easier going south and blessed to have Tina's svelte wheel in the rotation, Belly finally firmed up to front with the driving. River Rd's effort was ecstatic (eased by the easterly), an h.r. comparison with Belly had him at 150 whilst I idled at 140. A calm at "wait for David" composed a few, 8 tapping the tempo till Belly blew the head gaskets of many blasting up Mt.Nicolaci. Attrition had trimmed the drivers to Dipper, Heady, Tum, Phil, Belly and I working the front till Arcadia Downs, Tum igniting the afterburners in Conrod's dip but burnt up on re-entry with 400 left. Dipper arose from the seat just as I hit the boost button, catching him for a perfect slingshot to pounce the podium.
Met Wozz for the cruise to the Couldabeens Friday, occupying 600 mm of the left lane distressed the drongo driving behind (I guess it takes a lot of effort to turn a steering wheel 50mm into part of a vacant right lane). AvantiChris, Cougar, Jen, Kenworth, Rocket and Temple were pondering the toil of the usual anti-clockwise lap into the northeaster (17-28 km/h), altering course to clockwise was quicker than a Liberal Party policy backflip. A pause to consider Pistols arrival (no show) then chocks away into Channel Rd threw AvantiChris and I into the headwind deep end but double digit temperatures and a spectacular sunrise made the glass half full. Almost speechless by Orrvale Rd, it was Christmas on a stick to draft behind Rocket and Wozz to the kinder. Take two at the pointy end for me from Hanlon Rd to Channel's end, another breath breaker to ensure I was properly awake. Twas sweet to spin south with the breeze up the behind, River Rd inflating the aspirations with no effort to cruise along at 40. A solitary oncoming light slowed, Pistol u-turning to complete his search and rescue mission. Enjoyed the ride to Cenral Kialla and along Mitchell, bracing for the slog north to town, the bunch splitting in search of coffee to the west, the working classes north. Forecasts had finally fined for tomorrows Fondo, a big hill on the big ring to ponder.
Week 34 318 km YTD 10,081 km
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