It was war on a wicked wind on Saturday, a southerly (15 to 41 km/h) to test Wozz and I reaching the carpark (and beginning to question my intention to tap out a daily double). Attendance was trimmed with many on holiday, Lynda, Jase, Ange, Lenny, Lucy, SuperMario, Eammon, Temple, Jen, AvantiTrev, AvantiMat and AvantiAndy, all happy to get started to warm up limbs in 10 degrees. Alongside Wozz leading leg one and AvantiMat on leg two, I completed my contributions early. AvantiAndy undeterred by digit dramas and Eammon emerging out of mothballs, all were tempo'd by the tailwind in Boundary Rd, SpinDoctor appearing at the Ham Hilton in Old Dookie as we angled across the tarmac dealing with the southerly. Rounded the Toaster and then the Emu, an ease at the kennels to keep the (stretched) bunch as one, with Rocket joining us from the rear rows of the Cats. I had little interest in the sprint on Wanganui (preserving something for a sequel circuit with the Goats) but sitting third wheel with 200 metres left to the hill favoured Foss's fortune. Reaching the pointy end I let launch, Wozz whipping by easily with SpinDoctor glued to his wheel (pouncing to victory in the dying metres). Lemontree coffee consumed and conversation curtailed, camp was swiftly shifted to Friars to join exiting Goats & Muppets. Belly's belated breakfast was bolted (a KOM for the coffee-banana toast-w.c. stage) as all saddled up for a windswept way to Mitchell, Muppets filtering rearward. Geoffrey was the square peg in the bunch of Jen, Belly, Baz, Heady, Tina, AvantiAndy, SpecialisedTony and I, stacked across the road as we sliced the southerly on Mitchell Rd. Echeloned too in River Rd, knots were gradually added, then silence (but for the hum of wheels) in Boundary Rd's tailwind utopia, h.r. almost dropping to double figures. The Toaster-Emu leg was outvoted by the Boundary-straight-to-Lemnos-Cosgrove manoeuvre, Belly and I left to front the 3k flog to Ford Rd. Galahs suddenly launched from the roadside scattering the formation, headbutts and chaos commotion for a moment. Belly, serenely smug at the (half-biked) front, seemed unconcerned when Geoffrey contracted the noddies in Wanganui Rd, by the golf course he'd vanished o.t.a. Pit stopped back in town, climbs and descents were the Welsford St cafe conversation, happening upon Cate, Deb and Weapon was the breakfast bonus to 90 k's.
Holidays took me far from the flatlands and into the bumpy stuff on Monday, forcing Fossil to flog far uphill! A circuit was plotted on the old Calder highway out of Harcourt, heart rate put into hurry on a few early short climbs south to Faraday, the old highway snaking below the new M79 to Elphinstone. The sun peeked over the rolling hills, a pair of skippy's mocking my speed on the ascent to Taradale, cobwebs cleared from all cassette cogs up hills and down dales (little chainring preserved pristine, untainted by chain wear). Memories of Malmsbury nestled in a dip came back on the 60 km/h descent, but barely 16 on the ascent put pain post pleasure. A Kyneton carrot lay just 15k beyond, tarmac levelled to settle the gear changes, bluestone bridges and old mills to view as a rhythm was restored in the historic hinterland. Soon into Kyneton and over the bridge, I took the Burton Ave exit, but it now funnels back onto the freeway, 18 k of hotmix and the draft of Bendigo bound traffic made 40+ possible and pleasurable. All that glittered soon turned dull, recent resurfacing had left a 30mm ridge mid-shoulder to whittle the wits, dodging wheelnuts, metal pack strap, u-bolts and broken glass kept the occipital occupied. With the Elphinstone exit taken, a short climb pointed me toward Chewton, over the hump was a dreamy downhill 10k to Castlemaine, caffeine cravings to be cured. Just one cafe open curtailed the compulsion, then an 8 k climb back to base station Harcourt against a nuisance northeaster (10-17km/h) capped off 80k's. (758 metres of climbing in a couple of hours is about 4 weeks worth at home!)
My mission was northbound Tuesday morning, a slow climb to Harcourt North with sunrise orange painting highlights on Mt.Alexander's surrounding hills, a scenic contrast to undulating rows of green vines (did someone mention wine?) I missed the Maldon exit (the intended course) and was drawn to the M79 again, so onward and upward in search of an alternate exit. Steering around murdered Michelins, destroyed Dunlops and buggered Bridgestones, the highway hardware (bolts, nuts, ockie straps and tin) lay as a slalom course, passing pan techs a positive providing perfect pull for the up hill toil. My target was reset at Ravenswood, just 17k's to Bendigo tempted a test. BigHill loomed large ahead, a steady tap till the last half k got me off the Fizik and the heart rate soaring (182bpm....BigHill meant the Big Ring of course!) A smelly squashed skippy to swerve and a skinny 400mm gutter as a bike lane punctuated the peak, but a smooth and wide hotmix descent brought comfort as the heart rate climbed out of the clouds. Tap tap to Kangaroo Flat (ironically having just passed a flat kangaroo) in search of Foss fuel, again not a cafe open till Golden Square (avoiding the golden arches). A filled tank (flat white and apple/blueberry strudel) caloried the return trip, the southbound climb of BigHill an easier gradient than the sharp northbound one (but still the skinny gutter). Plenty of pace off the top but wind shear from passing trucks put caution on the agenda, back to Ravenswood an uphill at 30 seemed to be a crawl. A steady slog south enjoying the Baum's lively feel climbing (shame the engine is sluggish) soon returned me to Harcourt, 60k and 513 metres ticked.
Back to home soil Wednesday, craving a courting with Couldabeens after two days solo. I found Wozz and Jase (licking Tuesday's wounds) southbound, a mild and windless 13 degrees a perfect accompaniment to a smooth elevation. Boof, Shazz, Rocket, Cougar, Tucks, Jen, WhisperingJack (yes, he's back......for the 12,473rd time) Trav, Cate, Mel, AvantiTrev and AvantiMat assembled, bearing South singly on Archer as Rene and Nicholas u-turned to hitch a ride. The usual hesitations at forming a second row were over by the roundabout, my appearance at the front not till River Rd with Trav then with young Nicholas alongside. His first introduction to the drivers end had enthusiasm overpower ability, the kaboom and sudden search for a draft causing chaos (replaced by Rene riding rusty and ramshackled in a short lived shift). Paul & Ash were caught at River Rd's ripple strips, a nip north on Boundary Rd (lone Goat Phil southward) for Channels' Cha Cha to challenge. Good to be socially soaked back in a bunch instead of listening to internal voices, the draft easing the effort and enthusing the ego. Beside Jase to the kindergarten then in tow to Hopeful corner, I noticed the right row had vanished, Jase left drying on the front. I took sympathy passing to lend a draft, Trav soon doing me the same favour, but we were soon swamped by Boof, Wozz and birthday boy Rocket in the real fight for the finish. Sentences were gradually being spoken by the reformation at the school, a tractable tap to town with a caffeine chaser at Kialla Lakes. (Damn!, I'll miss this post ride relaxation and social intercourse when holidays are exhausted)
Needed a pith helmet Thursday, a tropical 24 degrees at 5:30am I was expecting toucans on the telephone lines. Friars was minus the usual Coggo limber-up, an enlarged entourage of Belly, Heady, Phillo, Phil, Tim, Tum, Kate, Speissy, Hommy, Carl, Sandy, Snow, Deb, PinarelloMat and Baz cranked casually out of town, JB, Tina and AvantiAndy joining on the outskirts. A relaxed roll till School Rd with the h.r. idling at 110, Belly opened up the throttle stretching the bunch. My first go at the front wasn't till the Broken bridges for a short shift with PinarelloMat then a long leg with Tim (pristine Saeco Cannondale) to River Rd. It took 6k's for the turns to go full circle, the fire in Belly's belly igniting again at Laws Drive. A push at 38 clicks to Mitchell Rd beside Tim, Phillo whistling "wait-up Dixie" on the westward. Loose gravel from Archer to the top of Mt.Nicolaci slowed the speed, a strange resurface of a previously decent length of tarmac, best spent on the proliferation of pot holes elsewhere that torture the toosh and mangle Mavic's. Only 6 drivers left by the time we cornered Conrod, Carl got the jump just as I hesitated for Tim's gear change jumping a tooth, not enough wattage in my 53 km/h pursuit to catch the young fella but second satisfactorily substituted. Deb's dash for caffeine kept the h.r. going, saturation by perspiration with conversation at Welsford St cafe finished my bike week early, a couple of holidays off the Baum due.
Week 47 : 329 km. YTD 14,141 km
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