Always look forward to the Saturday spin, the rare chance to enjoy the social icing on the cake. Pistol, AvantiChris, AvantiTrev, Cougar, Nick, Trav, Shorty, Cate, Jase, Temple and (Adams Family) Jim made up a dozen, a positive spring start with the sun almost at head height to start the lap. AvantiTrev was making a statement with flouro TWE wheels, Cate a statement with exposed blue legs in 4 degrees. A calm karma descended with the absence of Rocket/Wozz/Hollywood pace, but it was a push to the toaster beside AvantiChris (almost reassuring to see he'd worked up a lather by the turn). Comeback kids SuperMario, WhisperingJack and BigMat were in hibernation again, I was in a performance pickle, sandwiched between AvantiChris and Pistol. My Garmin froze on 36 km/h rounding Emu corner, a wheel magnet tweak later defrosting the data. Promoted to the front at the DECA track, a big lunge at the hill was my only option, only serving to tow up Jase, Pistol and AvantiChris where the real action started (Kittles Rd). A collective cruise to the Lemontree and chat on political musical chairs (5 prime ministers in four years), staffing and instant vs barista coffee got the weekend started.
A steady solo Toaster lap suited Monday, double digit temperatures drawing short knicks out of hibernation. The turn East into Wanganui Rd turned up the toil (NE @ 11-24), at last the Garmin gremlins had gone (new GSC01 battery) but the heart rate truth (158 bpm) was a little hard to bear. 13 k's to the Emu was a real drag, thinking a tree planting program to gain shelter from the wind would be worth it. Relief reaching Pine Lodge Rd, the h.r. dropped 25 bpm to the toaster, an orange horizon pierced the grey cloud over Mt Major as I snuck in a gear change in Old Dookie Rd and bumped up the tempo, oncoming lights as I approached Boundary Rd assured an imminent intercept with the Cat/Genesis entourage. Ron, Bo, Vince, Sly, Kel, Wizz and others cranked past me at the fig farm, I jumped aboard considering a few turns at the pointy end, but opted to share the rear stalls with Wizz when Eggman joined in at Boundary Rd's channel bridge. Speed got serious in River Rd, into the roaring 40's stacked across the road, I was but the hitch-hiker hanging on, as outclassed as moccasins at a Prada party. The train bore down on a solo Sosso at the dip, finished River Rd (averaging 43), and passing Cate, Cougar and Mel at 'wait for David'. A little calm (before the storm?) in the high 30's cooled calves in Mitchell Rd, traffic homing in left and right at Melbourne Rd promised a halt but a few took the brave / breakneck move to bolt, splitting the pack. Kel, Egg, Sly, Wizz and I were left to work the four k's to the finish, four turns in the fourties (into the wind) cooked my goose.
Tuesday's Goat roll call included Coggo, Dipper, Heady, Sandy, Belly, Hommy, Speissy (the red-legged earth mite) Kate, CerveloJohn, Deb and Baz. A stiff south southwesterly (20-39 km/h) prompted Belly to call a reverse roll, much to the displeasure of Deb sitting second wheel (in the hope of draft from the regular roll). Not a lot of practice on clockwise technique turned the rotations rather ragged, Sandy sidelined with a mechanical malady scored Hommy and Deb as pit crew as we steered into the breeze on Boundary. The reverse roll continued to River, a couple of close calls to Dipper's wheel as the wind slung steering sideways. Retirements were well underway westward, just Coggo, CerveloJohn, Dipper, me, Heady, Belly and Tina were left to wrestle the wind, Belly's 156 bpm to my 148, a fair gauge of effort. By Raftery Rd CerveloJohn, Coggo and I were the only engines left, scoring the drivers seat out of Conrod's dip left me a do-or-die lead-out option. In meltdown by the last dip, I showed Coggo the elbow, but CerveloJohn had the box seat to take the chocolates. A rare day off allowed the post ride coffee indulgence (toasted banana & walnut bread added for essential dietary requirements) but opportunity to add a few extra k's begged, a Wednesday reverse circuit added (to wear off the essential dietary requirements?). Self flagellation came to mind driving into the southerly on Archer (45km/h gusts), recompense headed east for the length of Mitchell (for change sake) attracted a mean magpie beaking the Bell. North along Boundary brought bliss, high 30's needed nil wattage, then home via Channel Rd was enough.
A metropolitan meander through the streets Wednesday morning, trying to warm to 3 degrees and the chilled southwester, killing time till the Couldabeens commenced. Pistol, Nick, Shorty, SpinDoctor, Rocket, Cougar, BigMat, Chops, AvantiChris, AvantiTrev, Cate, Mel, newcomer Chrissy, Coggo and Trav had occupied the rear half of the car park. AvantiChris set a swift speed on Archer I had trouble matching, the sleety southwester cutting into us like a Volkswagen scandal (Chrissy's bunch baptism, blown OTA), my roundabout-to-the-alternative route with Rocket an anaerobic ascent. Speech was finally possible with our direction East, long-time-no-see Choppy still defying the GFC and holding his personal worth (a million dollars). The bunch went almost full circle in River Rd, my next performance beside AvantiChris under far more pleasant circumstances (tail wind) but keeping pace with Rocket is always a challenge (and never matched). Shorty was up for a long turn in Channel as the sprint punters proceeded to the pointy end, odds were stacked on BigMat and Chops as Cha Cha lead-outs. An oncoming car stalled the sprint launch, no handicap for Rocket though, lighting the afterburners to toast SpinDoctor, Pistol and any other contenders. Rest and respiration put the icing on the cake to roll back to town.
Yet another chilly start (1.6 degrees) to the (Thurs) day, a shortened 20k prologue (thanks to a couple of taps on the snooze button). Set forth east on Balaclava Rd, 26 manhole covers in 1100 metres is just brilliant bike lane design. New Dookie Rd sailing was plain, the southwester pushing on the right shoulder a bonus. South on Boundary and back to town on Old Dookie Rd, arriving at Friars to a Goat caucus of Tum, Kate, Coggo, Belly, AvantiLeigh and CerveloJohn, deep and meaningfuls on roll protocols, the pro's and pitfalls on long vs rolling turns. Long turns had the ayes as we pointed East on Old Dookie, Tina attached to the rear but was recalcitrant to roll, a chat session with Kate a better workout? There's a shift in mindset needed to crank the longer turns, adjusting the speed and heart rate to go the distance. From Dobson's bridge to Central (1000 metres) beside CerveloJohn, then to School Rd (1600m) with AvantiLeigh, a 4k draft while Tum, Belly and Coggo did their bit, then back to business; the Pub to the bridges (1800m) with John, then to River Rd with Leigh (1700m).....a week in Queensland has only made him stronger! A 6k smoko for River Rd but back to work in Central Kialla, 1700 metres to Mitchell then 1400m to get within sniffing distance of Archer. The tow to Roubaix wasn't quite enough recovery time, it was an up tempo 900m to the horse stud then 1000m to Arcadia Downs reducing the reserves. Tum applied the heater in Conrod straight as Belly buckled, I kept nipping at Tum's heels in the closing 100m to keep his young legs toasted.
Wozza's return from respiratory unrest on Friday prescribed a slow roll to the Couldabeens car park, arriving early anyway. Pistol, AvantiChris, Nick, BigMat, Shorty, AvantiTrev, Cate, Choppy, Kenworth, Cougar, Temple and SpinDoctor had. Chocks away at 6, I found myself on the front for the 1k warm up out of town, slow and steady up to speed (no squeals from behind meant I got it right) then to the roundabout with Wozz had me red-lining. BigMat soldiered up to the front (two rides in a week must be a record!) but his turn was as short as a politicians promise. AvantiTrev and Temple had both contracted 'sit-on-the-back-itis' (requires a concoction of k's and concrete to cure), a solo Ange (dropped by the Cats for infringements to the noise abaitment act?) hollered his hello, back at the rushin' front wit Wozz for the last k of River peaked my pulminories, pairing with Pistol to the Broken bridges emptied the energy. Barely a k into Channel Rd had SpinDoctor supposing the sprint, up to the kindergarten at 40 then matching Pistol to Hopeful corner had my account in deficit. SpinDoctors' cadenza of cadence cranked to Prentice Rd, Kenworths' tons of torque triumphed but out of his dream draft, Wozz whipped 'em all. The usual roll to the school failed to collect the sprint crumbs, Pistol and I pausing to tow up Temple, Cougar and Cate, ending the week with charity.
Week 39. 343km. YTD 11,852
Anticipating X742.......
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