Brad begged to brave a prologue Saturday morning, most of the usual early tappers today tied up at the TDU, so it was just a duo to do Old Dookie, Boundary and Channel Rd, a Toaster extension added with time up our sleeves to click 32 k's. An extended weekend for a lucky few may have dulled the attendance, only Lucy, Lynda, Cougar, Lenny, Nick, AvantiTrev, Boof, Ange and Pat had gridded on the Couldabeens carpark (the rear half again) to roll away at 6. There was no signal for the smashed something strewn on the tarmac beyond the S bend, a thump and bump over something for me, thankfully without damage (Lenny too, pounded an unpointed pinecone prior). Pace picked up in Boundary Rd with a friendly southwester, the Baum now not so new as 4,000 k's clicked up. That nervous nuance of the newcomer niggled the nerves again, it's weird how we all integrate, climatise and soften to our regulars and their foibles, till an unknown quantity arrives to set off the caution alarm. A porky palace perfume, a later but scenic sunrise at the Toaster, Ange's arid humour, Lucy's tidy and true turns of tempo, a stick for Boof to extract from front forks, avoiding Pat's errant wheel ahead (sudden bursts off the saddle).......all part of the rich Saturday tapestry. The wind was wearing Brad down at the Lemnos-Cosgrove Rd kennels, a classic case of "headaling" at the front beside Boof. Pat's enthusiasm on the next change of shift bolted him to the front, gapping the pack till the reality of slicing the southwester drew him quickly back into the fold. A knowing smirk from Boof, a ridestyle recognition from Trav.....ones experience isn't so evident until it's seen lacking in another's (this weeks fix of Fossilosophy). Ange's spirits had lifted from Friday's feline flogging, many of the usual irrepressible Couldabeens characters were missing from today's bunch, casting an odd aura over the ride. Over exuberance at the front was testing the wattage at the rear when accelerating from intersections, I became the joining link a couple of times to bring the backmarkers back in touch with the bunch. Lenny and Brad were the first to front into Wanganui Rd, Boof and I left to bring the jug to the boil as we passed DECA, 42 km/h into a 24km/h southwester cooked my calves but served up the ideal lead-out for Ange to take the honours. A concerted calm in Rudd Rd picked up the pieces left scattered by the sprint, a collective roll to the Lemontree to chat stupid Strava segments, selfies and a rearranged Australia Day ride.
Not questioning the rationale of rising at 4:30 to ride (the answer may have me certified), a 20k tap satisfied the prologue urge, a stiff southerly was reality's slap in the face on Boundary Rd. Returning to town and fronting Friars found Brendan, Belly, Hommy, Coggo, Joe, Heady, Manny, Sandy, Bickers and Carl, prepared for peace train participation. Tina tallied twelve on the exit from town, a calm circuit to socially spend (Bickers' Tassie tour, Manny's Buffalo bash, Coggo & Heady's hit of Harry's Creek Rd, Tina's tap of the Dookie-Violet Town loop, and Belly's effort......a sublime Saturday-Sunday of sloth) With my heart rate at an idle of 132, Lucy at the fig farm and Dalts at the Broken bridges were the northern soloists. By River Rd's end my social time had expired, exit stage right to head home via the truck route and Archer, the stiff southerly (19-30 km/h) the assisting icing.
A What's App call for Goat "sicko's" (wishing to add early k's to the Australia Day ride) inspired my foray to Friars at 6, but Belly's and Coggo's alarm malfunction left only Carl, CerveloJohn (the new Merida in the pits), Bickers and Leon to grind the Goat lap. Bickers was hesitant till the assurance of a steady tap was given, an automatic Indian file was triggered with Carl's charge on Old Dookie Rd, but soon settled into a collaborative effort of long track turns (hr @ 150), shorter and cooler turns from Bickers still shaking off his holiday hiatus. CerveloJohn took a long 4k haul on River Rd at the front, (readying race legs he said for the fast bunch of the Aust Day ride......really?). Leon getting back into the bike habit managed well, Carl always in fine form but pacing himself for the distance ahead. Back into town, our compass was set to the Aussie, an invite to ride an Australia Day Toaster lap with entry dollars going to the Children's hospital.
A civilised coffee and toast start chatting with long-time-no-see Clive, MeridaAndy, DocPaul, Kelvin, Jamie, Dion, Pete, BigBen and others, bunches of Goats, Cats, Adams family and the unaffiliated congregated as Couldabeens (Rocket, Wozza, Jase, Pistol, Kenworth, SuperMario, AvantiTrev, Boof, Jen, Cate, Cougar, Car+Mel, Temple, Brad, special Goat guest AvantiAndy and new-to-town Dazza) grouped for the flag drop. It was a tenuous tap through town, timing traffic lights, the concerted effort to coagulate Couldabeens into a pack, taking till Raftery Rd to achieve. Wozz, Rocket, Boof and Temple set smooth standards to Mitchell Rd but catching and collecting others was inevitable, 'foreigners' soon infiltrating the rotation broke up the regular rhythm. A propagated and populated pregnant peleton echeloned correctly up the road against the southerly, benefitting the first dozen, but the fourty plus behind were nearly in the gutter seeking a draft. With a fat Cat 'undertaking', strugglers diving for cover, the "on the brakes then off the saddle" rubberbanding , made it rather ugly on the back. Discussions with the drivers in Boundary Rd discovered pumping up the pace (to knock off the barnacles) was on the cards, my preference to drop back for a steady slog home amongst 'wheeliable' friends won favour with Cate, Car+Mel. Letting the lads and larrikins loose at the Emu, we geared up a quadrella for the 20k grind home, the SSE'er (13-17km/h) as niggling as Mr.Magnet. I donated the towing service for the westward slog, the snap crackle and pop of the several spat out of the bunch ahead were gathered up by our clan to sit in the survival seats home. NathaliaPaul drew alongside for a shift beside me in Ford Rd, Brad took a not-so-kosher breakaway and sprint up Wanganui hill (after being towed for 8 clicks). Back into the suburbs, we'd caught the tail end of the A grade Couldabeens, the lure of beer and barbecue back at the Aussie an ideal post ride celebration of federation. Hats off to Troy, YipYooPhil and the Aussie staff for a great event (that wasn't an "event"), $1300 raised.
Every traffic light hindered the Couldabeens commute Thursday, making the 5:45 deadline was slipping away quickly. A train of red l.e.d.'s arched into Channel Rd in the 600metre distance, a serious chase was needed to join. A passing Territory gave a few seconds of draft to motivate me into the 40's, digging deep and pounding the pedals for 1800 metres was a mental mountain to peak, legs and lungs screaming abandonment, but salvation shone a slim shadow of hope at the Channel Rd kink with BigRon and Nev returning to donate a rescue tow back, luck that traffic at the truck route had halted Boof, SuperMario, Rocket, Pistol, Shorty, Trav, Temple, Vince, AvnatiMat, AvantiTrev and new passenger Hoges. Sitting in the survival seat for a k to recover, I surveyed Hoges fashion faux pas (MTB boots, baggy racks and work shirt tucked into undies), but he can tap a tidy tempo! Almost composed by the kinder, I joined the up line to earn my keep, sandwiched between Pistol and Trav I managed an average effort (cypress trees to the S bend) but the post traumatic pursuit disorder shortened my shift. Boof and Rocket ramped the pace up in River Rd, a few now doubting duty at the driving end. My head said harden up (the legs reply unprintable), taking a turn with Pistol in Central Kialla but softened a k later, the turn with Trav, torment to Mitchell. Resolving to tackle one more turn over the highway, AvantiMat rolled ahead of position and turned gatekeeper, blocking my swansong, thanks Mat, wouldn't have lasted long anyway! BigRon spiced up Conrod as we crested the first dip, but Rocket pounced on the prey in the closing 300 as we trounced Troy cruising a solo finish.
A window of hope in the forecast begged a thrash on Friday's PainTrain, Coggo, Heady, CatCol, AvantiLeigh, PHIL, Dipper, Carl and Belly fronted Friars for cafe critique till 6. The waft of a wanton westerly (15-30 km/h) promised we'd be tailwind heroes in Old Dookie Rd but hurting hobos homeward. Tina tacked on as we left town, 40+ all the way to Boundary swelled a few heads. AvantiLeigh, Coggo and co drove a hard bargain south toward the pub, Belly's contribution as short as Queensland Nickel dividends (spent all his speed on sarcasm prior) Tina towed me to the bridges, I set a target of reaching River but optimism was buckling under the weight of realism, pedalling possessed, exertion (and emotion) edging eerily to either explosion or euphoria. (Should I worry that one eye shut sharpened the view beyond one tree dam?). Unbeknown, Heady's gasket had blown and gone OTA, we swung into River Rd with luck having me in the draft for the western leg. Belly gave some effort in Central Kialla Rd, then left me the lions share to Mitchell. CatCol, AvantiLeigh, Carl and Coggo put in the hard yards to the highway, traffic giving us a moments calm to compose and ready for Raftery. Roubaix to Galbraith's spent my pennies, just 1000 metres to recover for Conrod's final fling. Belly suddenly put in a real turn at the front (clearly tanking prior) giving Carl the tow for youth to conquer all, Col bolted for second spot but I can't contain cracking Cat kitted contenders.
Week 4 312 km. YTD 1,274 km
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