Friday's nightclubbers were still staggering the streets as I solo'd south to A Mart at 4:45 Saturday morning, Trav, Temple and Jase keen to put 30k's under their wheels before the regular social spin. Barely a zephyr blew up Raftery Rd (7-15 km/h) but this softie sooked at the front, rolling across Temple at Galbraith's gate to pair with Jase to the highway. Back into cruise mode thanks to the Trav and Jase tow to River Rd, Temple's rebellious streak rubbed off on all (except Trav) short cutting the corner. To the dip with Temple, then to Boundary with Jase, the sun's rise from bed is noticeably later, just an orange glow on our turn into Boundary at 5:35. Temple's tempo in Channel Rd exercised some effort, but got us to the starting grid with three minutes to socially spare. Regulars AvantiTrev, Shorty, Car+Mel, Fisky, Cougar, Lucy, ChrisA and Brad had newbies Ric and ScottRoss, Mick & son along for the ride, rolling away at 6. A shadow of unease had cast over the crew, ScottRoss taking a super short turn, Mick shepherding his son to the front despite navigational uncertainty (relief when he wisely sought direction), Ric riding a random line as conversation created concentrational chaos. At least Lucy has rapidly mastered the smooth straight and strong turn, regulars now driving the front restored some semblance of order to the Toaster and Emu. Rocket then Boof arrived from the west conserving Criterium crankability, SuperMario soon after, but he was on an alarm malfunction. Ric conceded the simple art of riding is a complex one as he came to grips with peleton protocols, the bunch working its way west toward Wanganui. Unusually in gatekeeper role, Rocket gave me the rear roll call at DECA, SuperMario and Shorty up front had unwittingly towed Fisky to the business end of Wanganui hill. Sensing an opportunity almost lost, I bolted from fourth wheel in pursuit (with Pistol nipping at my heels), surprisingly passing ChrisA, the Fisky target now close in my sights. Rounding the big black Giant half way up (Garmin glancing 191 bpm, 53km/h, 92rpm) I crested the hill in front, focus narrowing on the little white post 160 metres away. Blurring at the edges and Pistols whirring wheels still nibbling behind, exertion neared explosion as the legs gave up passing the post, time to brake for Rudd Rd anyway. An answer to Pistols congrats mustered just two words, oxygen was the main priority as normal transmission of sentences wasn't resumed till the cemetery. Breakfast banter on the TDU, MTB's and Australia Day ride plans was the social conclusion to 80k's.
A 5:10 driveway exit, plotting a Raftery-Mitchell-Archer course (to co-ordinate a Couldabeens carpark arrival at 6) started the working week, the trusty Cygolite slicing into the Raftery darkness for bunnies, mules and roos (thankfully wildlife free.....today) The early arrival at Archer prompted a plan to extend to central Kialla and back via the truck route, avoiding the airbornes on the bitumen bubbles, back to Archer still with a few minutes to burn, so a casual crank to town was in order. The Couldabeens carpark was as empty as WhisperingJack's Strava posts, hopes of a bunch tow around were abandoned, PistolPete the only one to front put a certain workout on the agenda. It was hard to tell if I was matching him or was he matching me, but the legs quickly smouldered and the heart rate climbed on the escalator of effort, 162 and rising in the first k. A skyline scribbled with orange and grey for the suns arrival was a decent distraction, my hopes were set on the feint northeaster handing help in Boundary and River Rd's. It was relief to one tree dam till the pace lifted in response. Still side by side in River Rd, a little conversation surprisingly didn't tax the lungs so much (ignoring the 171 bpm), comfort in convivial company and being economical with words helped. But legs had reached the Jens moment over the River Rd bridge, hard for the mind to get over the matter of masochism and plug on. I reckoned Pistol was sympathetically adjusting his speed to level with my struggle (gasps and groans were becoming hard to silence after 12k's in zone 5), the sight of Conrod's 1000 metres laid ahead was heaven (the end is nigh) but hell for legs and lungs to labour. Wrung out like an old sock over the line, but pleased with an average that couldn't have been motivated solo.
A new pair of Pro4's and a KMC chain ramped up ride reassurance on Tuesday, the thinning old Michelins had faithfully served 5,900 k's (how very Scottish at 1.6 cents/km). A 25k warm up on the New Dookie-Church-Toaster-Old Dookie circuit was a push into the breeze east, the Garmin beeping a lost satellite (your circuit's dead, there's something wrong Major Tom) at the Church, but the old I.T. cure of "try turning it off, then on again" fixed the function. A tail wind back from the Toaster nearly got me to the Friars church on time, u-turning at Corio St to join Goats, Hommy, Belly, Coggo, Principal Skinner, Phil, AvantiAndy, CerveloJohn (sorry, Cervelo sacked, now it's MeridaJohn), Sandy, Heady, Deb, Snow, HG Phillo and Spartacus. Tina and Miles (puncture punted from Pussycats) jumped aboard at Doyles, Geoffrey and another joining at Central Ave. Carl arrived from the east as we finished Old Dookie, Belly's alter ego WBK (whole bike king) was the days persona as I attempted a turn beside him to the highway (I did allow him to lead, showing compassion for his compulsive performance insecurities). Deb has totally transformed from Caboose captain to possessed performer, hammering out 40km/h turns at the pointy end, Spartacus is back on the Trek after a Nippon trek, and Heady was relishing the ride without the brakes on. Hommy's chain was a cacophony of clatter, how sweet the whirr of my new KMC. The speed got serious in River and Mitchell Rd (Titans in a tailwind) but punters had thinned by Arcadia Downs, an 'in-your-face' northeaster on Conrod trimmed the contenders down to Coggo, Carl and I for the last 500. Coggo was in the box seat for my, then Carl's lead, a well earned win on legs murdered my mountains in the last week. MeridaJohn, possibly "pipped at the post" perplexed, pounded up the main drag, towing many home.
The old Cat lap (Old Dookie-Boundary-Channel) fed the prologue obsession on Wednesday, cloud cover blackening any scenery beyond the Cygolite's reach, 39% humidity delivering a dry roast at 25 degrees. Stuck on the 17 spin was kind on the legs as the breeze swung SSE to ESE, taking a Poplar Ave diversion to soak up a few minutes ahead of schedule. The cruise to the carpark found Boof, Jen, Nick, Cougar, AvantiMat, AvantiTrev, Chops, Jase, BigRon, Cate, Car+Mel, GazzaGrasshopper and Ross. Ensconced between Cate and Jen delivered me a decent workout on the journey south to Mitchell, the wind still wandering as central Kialla was covered. There was work for us to do eastward as westbound Cats were about to be swallowed by 51 at the River Rd dip, another workout for me in Boundary as the bunch stacked up the road, Cate and Jen delivering a good turn of speed. I lucked a rear position as the pack flew into the kinder corner preparing for the Cha Cha, GazzaGrasshopper had tucked in for a tow, and at Prentice Rd let (wobbly) loose for the sprint, Choppy beside, baiting him with conversation. I set off from 4th wheel to pursue, slowly making up ground when Chops delivered the killer kick to crush all contenders, satisfied I scored a second (56clicks a surprise), 9th overall for the Cha Cha a nice reward.
A 5am launch to tap the Toaster solo on Thursday, a loop of the quarry leg was added for the spice that is variety (the plan to rejoin the traditional circuit to chase, or be chased, in a lucky dip of clockwise clans). It was a happy tap out Rudd and Wanganui on the aerobic threshold (139bpm) till the final metres of Ford Rd dangled the chase bait of a blinking red l.e.d. ahead, curse the competitive cravings! Slowly gaining ground by the Emu, I was surprised to see the lure continue east, so it was head down and cadence up (80rpm) in pursuit to the quarry. The taillight turned headlight atop the Col de Cosgrove, me as fervent follower became a fossil followed on my turn into Quarry Rd. Cicadas chorused my renewed effort, this shifty shadow behind would have to work to stay in touch! Onto New Dookie Rd and onto the 15 tooth cog, I bumped into zone 5 to open a gap, a glance back on reaching the church confirmed the job done. West at the Toaster and Mt.Major's crimson halo unfortunately behind, I crested the bridge (main eastern channel) to see Cats cranking their carriages south in Boundary, the void between felines and Goats was mine to meditate. The horizons crimson had faded to orange then dulled to pink by River Rd, new lights behind stirred my speed west, feline taillights drawing steadily away ahead. 160bpm was the new ceiling, Central Kialla and Mitchell covered at a cursory clip. Those trailing lights had drawn closer by Galbraith's gate, not enough in my legs to propel against the pair by Conrod, Ange and GazzaGrasshopper slipping by in the final 400.
A quiet little tap of the golf course loop mentally prepared me for the Friday PainTrain, Coggo, Belly, Dipper, AvantiLeigh, Heady, Carl and Deb arriving at Friars, with some admitting the trepidation of the trains' tempo (there's some comfort in the shared emotion, be it verbal or just a knowing glance). With Heady's brakes released and Deb installed as caller from the caboose (determined to test her tenacity), my hand went up for first turn to Dobson's bridge, then tucked into a drafting bliss behind big Belly (bordering on B-double) to aid my recovery. Coggo, AvantiLeigh, Heady, Dipper, Carl then Belly towed us to the Pine Lodge pub, the time chimed for my second dip to the Broken bridges. The bait of closing in on a solo Nicolaci at one tree dam drove Coggo and AvantiLeigh to reach River Rd rapidly. There was plenty of supportive calls as each finished their shift at the front, all mindful of Deb's tenuous caboose coupling on accelerations. River Rd blurred quickly by, Belly apologetically handing me the last k to drive to Central Kialla Rd. We'd pursued and passed a pooped Poppa (strangely speechless) approaching Archer, was he cast off from fast felines as excess baggage? Traffic at the highway caused a pause, visits to the puffing end were shortening in Raftery as Conrod drew near, AvantiLeigh digging deep to catch Snow and Jan in the dying metres. Hats off to the determined Deb, a gritty grandprix granny with the drive to survive a 39.2 average. (when she shied from the train till today)
Week 3 384km. YTD 962.
No comments:
Post a Comment