A 4:20 breakfast, saddled and southbound at 4:45, a young skippy bounding through the town centre was a Saturday surprise. The highway patrol had already found business for the weekend's SpringNats, I was only breaking the regular routine of 30 & 40 k rides, Temple joining in a 30 k precursor (a reverse Tuesday-Thursday lap) to the Saturday social loop. A southerly had barely begun to blow, a dark sky slow to turn orange then pink, satisfyingly scenic to start at a steady speed too. Convivial conversation to crank the circuit, we'd almost reached the start line as a long peleton swung into Channel Rd, signalling our u-turn. A progressive greeting to Jase, Boof, Rocket, Whispering Jack, Cougar, SuperMario, Wozza, Shorty, Nick, Kel, Car+Mel, Bo, Shazza, AvantiTrev, AvantiMat, Jen, Fisky and special guests Dalts & Scott-not-BassoDave (on a pre-feline prologue) as I advanced my way through the ranks. After 37k without a draft, the go on the front beside Rocket highlighted what little effort is needed in a bunch. Bo hogged the length of the Boundary Rd tailwind, I had a brief catch-up with Scott-not-BassoDave and Dalts (flash and fashionably flouro new steed) as we advanced to the Emu. You bewdy N-i-c-o-l-a-c-i was spied yet again bearing East as we worked west, the vibrancy of the voluptuous and vigorous vociferator violated our eardrums as Cats crossed our path at the main eastern channel (subtle is our Ange). ChrisA joined the bunch, AvantiTrev was suffering the noddies in Ford Rd, Jen's rock solid stature alongside in stark contrast. Onward to the edge of town we found Matho (with Big Ben and another) had been cursed by Cat compassion (nil) with a halt for puncture repairs, our way west looked as if I may escape the jinx of the Wanganui lead-out, but I had the short and swift stature of Rocket to hang onto. At last Bo put in some effort beside Rocket, the Portside breeze battering SuperMario and finishing Fisky, Boof put the Cosmics into overdrive, I'd run out of Jellybeans but inspired to see Car well up in the sprint ranks, Mel Kel and Jen also humbling the lads. Into the tranquility and shelter of the Boulevard, insightful deliberations with Car+Mel on zoning and sit set-up as we cruised to caffeine, analysis of Christmas marketing and Couldabeens on-the-up occupied a long Lemontree table.
A Monday mono to tune up took me on a golf course loop, easy up to cruising speed to rid the rust of a sloth Sunday. Sailed smoothly south on Verney Rd but was squeezed into the roundabout by a passing car (which instantly and insanely indicated left) caused all my Christmases to flash by in an instant. A squeeze of brakes and a selection of adjectives avoided a horizontal hiccup.....to be repeated again at the very next roundabout! (Is it international day of the idiot?) I arrived at the Friars station to catch the 6am tranquility train, passengers Baz, Belly, Coggo, Deb, Sandy, Phil, Bickers and Heady aboard. Tina made ten on the outskirts of town, a relaxed roll on the regular route with the heart rate just ticking over at 110. Restorative and rehabilitating to join a stress free ride, too many on the limit pines the passion. Albeit against my wishes, I peeled off at the end of River Rd to reach the salt mines in time, via the truck route and Archer Rd home.
Insomnia invited Old Dookie Rd déjà vu at 5 on Tuesday, another westerly helped the outbound but hurt the inbound (like sweets before sprouts) 'Twas bliss to Boundary, the spin south survivable but Channel's challenge was niggling at the neurosis, a 17-24 km/h headwind forced a gear change, 74 rpm back to town in time to join the Couldabeens team turtle. Chops, Kenworth, Trav, Shorty, Cougar, Nick, AvantiTrev, AvantiMat, WhisperingJack and Temple formed the 5:50 grid, Jase early for the 6:00 express. WhisperingJack and Trav legged leg one, a wee wait for a Western Star then it was my dip for leg two with Trav and three with Chops. The westerly tickled up the tempo, a quintessential quetch blowing in the wind too. Reality pegged back the pace on our southbound slog to River Rd, Trav and Chops keeping me on tempo toes as speed built again west, Eammon tagging on the tail at the bridge. My Mavic sung an octave lower at Central Kialla, by Archer Rd a mushy Michelin meant motion stopped for repairs. Our 3.5 minute stop meant the 6:00 bullet train caught and passed, flurried felines furtively flogging west behind them. Repaired and remounted, our group ripped into Raftery, WhisperingJack put all his eggs into the Conrod basket but cracked the lot with 400 metres left, Chops and Trav galloping away in the distance as I dragged five line astern on my wheel, a contented finish to 60k.
Pedalled a prologue Wednesday, out the Boulevard for a golf course loop warm up (ha ha.....second day of summer and just 8 degrees!), back in town in time to commute to the Couldabeens with Wozz, well early to the carpark. Jen, Car+Mel, Boof, Rocket, Nick, Pistol, WhisperingJack, Shorty, AvantiTrev, Rene, Nicholas, Chops, Hollywood and Trav had gathered if only to rejoice in (or sledge) the wonder of the second coming.....BigMat magically manifesting to astonish the pilgrims! Wozz captained the single filed crew south on Archer, I unearthed the fortitude to pair up to the roundabout, almost having my elbow trimmed by a passing Hi-Lux. Boof kept the cadence cooking to the truck route, recovery possible with Rocket then Pistol driving to Mitchell and Central Kialla. BigMat bravely ventured forward for a brief bash at the breezy end, Rene too rose through the ranks but his effort erred to erratic (Hollywood hyperventilating behind) reaching the rushin' front. Poppa's piercing pronunciations perforated the eardrums as the Cats worked west, a long narrow 51 squadron homing in on their pussycat prey just metres behind. Jen, Car+Mel drove the train well to Boundary Rd, beside Wozz then Boof to Channel Rd finished my second shift. Almost on the rear as the bunch flew into Kinder corner, my spot looked sweet, but the turns shortened sharply as Prentice Rd drew near, I was back up to second wheel in an instant. Wozz was the sacrificial lamb lead-out, shadows of Rocket, Boof and Pistol spooling up their turbos behind, my momentary effort at the front humbled in a nanosecond with the three launching to easy glory (happy to be first of the rest).
The curse of craved kilometres pried the eyes open at 4:30 Thursday, is more best and less lazy? Maybe I'm just Strava-struck? Still short changed on summer degrees (9 and a stiff southerly more in tune with June), I hit New Dookie west, Boundary south and Old Dookie east to purge the urge, fronting to Friars as CerveloJohn, Speissy, Sandy, Tim, Bickers, Belly, Coggo, Snow, Heady and Phil arrived for active service. Slipping out of the suburbs, Speissy nearly nagged needing notoriety, Tum and Tina climbing on the caboose as we got down to business. Longer turns seem to be de rigeur of late, the odd rolled turn flagging the flogged and flabbergasted. Geoffrey joined at Central Ave, Tim and I drew the headwind short straw in Boundary Rd, turning up the wick to see who squeaked. An h.r. comparison biased Belly (148) to my 162. Bickers swansong to River Rd culled the drivers to 9, turns shortening for others as Central Kialla's wind eroded determination. Fortunately fit, I continued turns with Heady, Tum, Coggo, Tim and CerveloJohn beyond Arcadia Downs, it was a test to crest the first dip of Conrod on the front, nobody keen to pair me at the pointy end. I buried finish line hopes squeezing 48 km/h out of the old engine for 350 metres, feeling Coggo and Tim needed to sing for their one/two supper (before breakfast), my nutrition was in tasting the bronze.
The luxury of a 5:10 sleep-in mellowed the mindset Friday morning, casually kitted up and cruised to the pain train station pondering the likely locomotives that would turn up. AvantiLeigh and Dipper (courteously curtailed the Cat kit), Tum (frisky on the fast Felt), Carl (freshly flogged from the Thursday night hit squad), Coggo (co-ordinated flouro) and Heady (wearing white....most aggressive young rider?) formed the seven. Coggo hauled the carriages out of town, I'd slotted into 5th spot with plenty of preparation for perspiration, the last k of Old Dookie Rd at 172 bpm. A hint of a southeasterly gave Dipper and Heady a workout in Boundary Rd, Coggo, AvantiLeigh, Carl then Tum dragging us to River Rd for my second attempt (a cast of Couldabeens dodging the ripple strips). Exertion led to exhaustion after 1600 metres, salvation sought in the draft of Dippers turn, just a whisker off the pace let me cram the craved oxygen. Coggo and AvantiLeigh ramped up the rate to finish River Rd, Carl and Tum cranked Central Kialla. Tum handed me the reigns near Pistols place, 41 km/h to Mt Nicolaci was finished with guttural gasps to grab the the back berth as Dip wound up the volume on the ascent. The pause for traffic was Dippers chance to adjust the wheel sensor (giving the AvantiAndy method a miss!) but too much adjustment caused another pause. Back on the Raftery boil, my stars were aligning for a plum position in Conrod, Coggo drove to Galbraith's gate, AvantiLeigh to Arcadia Downs, Carl got us to Conrod's dip for Tum to dig deep. Suffering the noddies and hunting for cogs overtook his velocity with 200 to go, my turn to liberate the lead and leg it. A breathless end to the week, a 38.6 average rewarding the teamwork.
Week 49 341km. YTD 14,755 km
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