It was a solid solitary slog to A Mart just to join Temple and Jase, nightclubbers still staggering the streets wrecked. Raftery Rd was vexed with the effort of a 28 km/h SSW to the point of pain, what drives this voluntary self harm? Feeling better when it stops? Goal kicking? Performance anxiety? A pair well ahead remained uncaught, some ease with the breeze behind as we plied our course through Central Kialla, collecting Nick (with a click). The pacy tap around kept us on perfect agenda, Nick, ticked off with the click, out of the saddle several times in the hope of isolating the annoyance (to no avail). Back to the carpark at 5:57 finding a formation from the grid's halfway point, compressing contenders (ChrisA, Boof, WhisperingJack, Wozz, Shorty, SuperMario, Pistol, Rocket, Lynda, Ange, Fisky, Ross, RossT, Gazza, KillkennyPaul, Pat, AvantiTrev, GTCraig and Ric) back to the dumpmaster. A slingshot start as 22 reactions responded, kindergarten corner chaos with a car suddenly appearing stage left to split us into sprinters or stoppers. Each corner became a special stage as the rearmost (still braking) struggled to stay in touch with the front runners off their seats accelerating. Nath joined us early at the S bend as I discussed the finer points of bunch rhythm (or lack of it!) with KillkennyPaul. There was a surge fest bearing west from the Emu, was it coincidence that two's and three's of similar abilities arrived at the front to stagger speeds as the grades changed? (It feels like the bunch ethos has skewed slightly, some regulars missing and an altered mindset with the influx of of new students) Predictions of an ugly finish, tangled up with haves, almost haves and have no ideas' being blown about by the SSW and speed, kept me (and others) conservative, happy to sit back and watch the Wanganui campaign from a distance. Pat kaboomed soon after Verney Rd, the lesson not learned from repeated turns of mass destruction. A battalion of heavy artillery (conveniently bunched) upped the ante passing DECA, the cross wind snapping the resolve of many newbies to be shunted OTA. Comfortable midfield and out of harms way, I slowed to join Temple, Nick and Jase for the four second ascent of Mt.Wanganui, then a coast on Rudd to collect the previously expelled. Bunch character, turn types, bureaucracy and carbon wheels on the conversation list as wanks in yank tanks hammered the streets.
Timed a roll-out on Old Dookie Monday, ahead of the Cats with the intention of jumping aboard their train home, the fast femmes in the distance, blinking their red course clockwise. Random riders cruised the course in wait, a solitary BigBen drawing alongside me in Boundary Rd. Chatting on frames, wheels and Melbourne oddeseys, we'd made some ground on the quick chicks to River Rd but abandoned plans to catch as their leds drew away on a track turn mission. Mo, MeridaAndy, Scott-not-BassoDave, Sly, MeridaJohn and a handful of others caught us crossing the highway, 4k's of track turns took us home pronto, only in town did we catch Cate, Mel, Jen, Sue and Eggy.
Untroubled on timing, it was a tranquil tap to the south of town, Tuesday's steamy 23 degrees a backflip to Monday's 12, a northeaster assisting transit to the turtles carpark. Punctual students KillkennyPaul, Ric and Lucy were gradually backed by Jase, Trav, Nick, Shorty, Temple, WhisperingJack, Vince, PistolPete, Lynda, Kenworth, AvantiMat, AvantiTrev and SuperMario, a turtle attendance testament. Lucy took the first turn with me, Jase then alongside turning up the heat to Orrvale Rd. There was (unsignalled) pinecone panic at the cypress trees, AvantiTrev had a minor airborne moment and was then cooked with the Vince vs SuperMario 40+ war on whose wheel belonged first. It's been a while since a northeaster has helped us along Boundary and River Rd, hence there was no sparing the wattage working westward (but wished the front runners would move up the road to lend a little shelter to the spent souls) Ric rapidly retreated to the left line as the reality of the right lane reeked rigour, Killkenny Paul moved up to the pointy end for a dip at the last k of River, an admirable apprenticeship served. Another of Vince's hit was delivered in Mitchell, the bunch stretching under the strain, SuperMario stoically surviving. A brief traffic break at the highway eased the heartrate 15 bpm, then rapidly round Roubaix to build for the finale. Vince was at the business end as we swept into Conrod, two lines suddenly blending to one behind him. The torture of the northeaster soon wrecked Vince, Kenworth, Temple, then Trav, Jase thought briefly about facing the music till the wind changed his mind, me blessed with the perfect real estate to sink all the jellybeans into the lead. On top of the 13 at 191 bpm at the 300 metre mark was enough to gap contestants, a win for old age ninja turtle power!
It was steamier than Gisele Bundchen in a hot tub Wednesday, 25 degrees before 6 didn't stop Cate, Jen, Car+Mel, Cougar, Lynda, Chops, Rocket, Nick, Pistol, AvantiTrev, AvantiMat, Jase, Boof, WhisperingJack and Gazzagrasshopper turning up. Only Pistol had formed the right line south of Kialla Lakes, so I made the pilgrimage to Pistol's punishment, AvantiMat much kinder to Mitchell, FDC's Ralphy and Troy joining in to make 18. Sticks and pot holes went unsignalled in River Rd, Rocket handed a strike by stick, struck by wheels ahead. Chops coached Cougar to a turn in Boundary Rd, two long lines then working west on Channel Rd home. AvantiMat and Rocket led the group to Hopeful corner, AvantiTrev running low on steam got the bunch well packed at Prentice for a late charge at the Cha Cha. Emerging from a 30k tow, Gazzagrasshopper suddenly arrived (unlit) at the front to summon a sprint, Rockets response rapidly dispatching all comers to goners.
A compulsive k craving eased the eyelids open at 4:30 Thursday, wheels working along the Boulevard at 5 on an Emu-Toaster-town trajectory with a Goat lap planned for part two. A whiff of west wind wafted me to the Emu, trying to distract thoughts of the torment turning toward town and into a headwind. The negative neurosis was soon nullified holding a good speed west, just ignored the legs complaints at staying on top of the 15 at 72 rpm back to Friars. There was two minutes chat time to spare with AvantiAndy, Heady, Deb, Sandy, Phil, Snow, Hommy, Coggo, Speissy, Kate, Tum, HG Phillo and Belly, grouped for the 6am starters gun. A beige Camry (with the optional impatient pack) narrowly squeezed by at the roundabout, honking the cautious car ahead (an accident looking for a place to happen), but 15 Goats (Tina added) wound up the smooth knots east (except for Belly, on broom duty he tells me). Phil drove a strong turn with me in Boundary Rd despite the strengthening WSW'er, Hommy a smooth and considerate follow up beside me to the pub. Damp spots on the specs turned out to be precipitation, not perspiration in River Rd, by Central Kialla the tarmac's gloss and wheel rooster tails put caution to the forefront. Phil drove another hard bargain ascending Mt.Nicolaci, calculating who would be at Conrod's business end impossible to gauge with 12 drivers reducing to 6 by Galbraith's gate. Belly finally fronted for duty, but struggled to pace Coggo and Tum brewing a strong expresso. Just catching Tums slipstream as he jumped past Coggo set up my scene to take the candy from the baby of the bunch (well, he's twenty something)
Craved crispy concrete cornflakes Friday morning, something to feed the fortitude in preparation for the pain train. A southerly en-route pickled the perseverance, only Coggo, Dipper, Belly and Tum turning up meant hard yakka. Five set forth with senior Cats in the distance a target, Coggo and Tum setting a flying fourties standard. The Cats turned into Boundary with '51 almost on their tail from the east, Coggo winding up an epic pussy pursuit as '51 hurtled to the horizon. We passed Matho and the meiow menagerie at the bridge, Coggo finally elbowing Tum to the front. I found it hard to summon the speed from Channel Rd to one tree dam, willing myself to the next white post before handing over to Belly. The Couldabeens had an eastbound train of many carriages in River Rd, our rolling stock of five puffed west with the Tum and Coggo engines delivering me to the dip. Facing the front for the fourth time felt futile, fourty fading from the Garmin despite all efforts to keep pace. Self was spent cresting the bridge, Belly and Dipper took up the tow to Rivers end, on the turn south my rear tyre felt as soft as Hollywood (an explanation of prior poor performance), the puncture halting all. Cats soon passed us despite the quick change with Coggo collaberation, chase #2 then got underway to Mitchell. Rounding the bend, the Cats had capitalised the width of the tarmac, but we eventually squeezed through, back on the gas for a rapid roll to Raftery. Dipper's turbocharged finish in Conrod was hard to hold onto (85 psi from the C02 in the Michelin, a distinct disadvantage), the roll through town with congenial chat on the signs of reaching the limit, was rudely interrupted by puncture two.
Week 8. 316 km YTD 2,561 km
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