Personal challenges spring to mind then the OCD takes over to make it a mission. Something different (silly?) like a backwards-forwards idea for Saturday drove me out of bed and onto the Baum at 4:45, clockwise on the Saturday circuit to meet Couldabeens at 6.......then unwind back again. Guessing the timing, I hit the Verney Rd roundabout at 5:02, the light puff of the northeaster (6-15 km/h) welded the chain on the 17 (78 rpm) but built enthusiasm for the tailwind from the Toaster. A glow from the towns street lamps on the horizon bounced off the low rolling clouds, a somewhat surreal 'cloud-tanked' skyscape like 'Close Encounters' or 'Raiders of the Lost Ark'. Turning at the Toaster (5:32) a zephyr in the back got the chain friendly with the 15 cog, prompting a push of pace to reach the 6am grid, guesswork suggesting there was just a few minutes spare. The lights of early birds (Trav, Kel, Ange and Bo) lit north from the Broken Bridges as I snap crackled and popped through the gravel of Wozza's corner, it was now a driven drive 8k back to town keeping the early birds behind. Landing at the launch pad at 5:56 allowed a social preamble with Cate, the crew of Car+Mel, Cougar, Nev, TatPaul, Rocket, KillkennyPaul, Jase, Nick, Shorty, PistolPete, Temple, Wozz, Hollywood, Boof, Gazzagrasshopper, Ric and newbieRob roughly formed the two rows for the 6am off, Trav, Ange, Kel & Bo arriving with a minute to spare. NewbieRob, a 5 week old apprentice baulked to the back (2nd bunch ride ever), Jase and Wozz opening the account with consideration. I'd found myself between the brawn of Boof and the care of Cate to complete the Cha Cha and on to Jameson Rd, a sublime Saturday start. Ange and Bo hijacked the helm halting the rotation till the Boundary Rd bacon barn, Gazzagrasshopper and Bo then driving away on their own mission while Ange captained to the status quo. NewbieRob bailed out as rotation drew him toward the business end of the bunch nearing the Toaster, an observers role in the back seat more suited as pace picked up for the west way home. The collaborative driving effort got the cruise control into the fourties (with a squeak or two of protest from the rear), my turn at the front crossing Grahamvale Rd, Boof softening me up to Verney Rd for Kel to tenderise me with tempo to Numurkah Rd. (thanks to traffic, a breather possible before the final fling to Mt.Wanganui). Gazzagrasshopper did an early bolt at the tip, no reaction for a while (let the fuse burn till the kaboom?) but then Nev, Rocket and Wozz sequentially launched in chase, Hollywood's effort lasting 50 metres till reality ruined him. Sticking with team sensible (carefully captained by PistolPete) picked up the pieces for a group two bunch finish, Rocket in the distance collecting the chocolates. A seat under the Lemontree's heater was prime real estate with 20 at the table, windtrainers, cancer and Hollwood's breakaway filled the air as breakfast filled the stomach.
A solitary 26k start to Monday, New Dookie bound found a foggy vignette on the specs (I'm ready for my close up Mr De Mille!), the white line at the roads edge rather reassuring. 6 degrees was hardly inspiring, don't you just love that cold air attacking ears, fingers and toes, constricting lungs with every breath? (just one base layer was borderline insulation, the warmer kit awaiting the real cold in the coming months). Swerved a big branch occupying three quarters of Pine Lodge Rd approaching the Toaster, the turn to town on schedule to intercept the Goat train of tranquility. The 5:57 landing at Friars found Brendan, Coggo, Sandy, Tina, Tum, Hommy, MeridaJohn, Spiessy, Phil, Belly and Bazza gathering, a quiet roll out of town with the h.r. at a 117 idle. Into Boundary Rd it was Hommy's turn alongside.....more like a bike ahead in his usual defiant style. The horizons glow at one tree dam a picturesque start to the day (this one snapped whilst stationary), only on a peace train is there a moment to take in the view.
A steady plug along River Rd found RoosterRoscoe at its end, time for me to peel off on a truck route and Archer exit to make it to the coal face on time.
A 10k solo warm-up prepared the legs, a few speed spurts primed the heartrate, lungs had climatised to the cool but readying the head for the speed of Tuesday's Couldabeens is the toughest bit. Stop sooking Foss, treat it as a tempo tonic! I climbed a mental mountain with just Rocket and Wozz on the starting grid, but was saved from the gallows in the last three minutes with Jase, Choppy, Pistol, Kel & Bo, KillkennyPaul and Ric arriving to fill the positions. Launching at 5:50, I'd tucked into the draft behind the muscular metronome that is Rocket, Ric surprisingly fronted the fast end at the cypress trees but didn't factor part two of the drive in the left line, his subsequent kaboom was collected by Bo to tow. Battling beside Bo to the S bends and Rocket to Boundary Rd was my intense intro, pack fractures appearing at One Tree Dam had KillkennyPaul and Ric losing grip. The brief calm to collect cast-offs at the start of River Rd was fruitless, seven were summoned on and then there were six as Chops chaperoned those OTA. Trying to relax everything but the legs beside Rocket is like whistling eating a biscuit, but I lasted the distance (then quietly gasped a long recovery while Wozz drove to the dip). Jase, wearied from Sundays MTB 3 hour rearetired with Kel, so it was five to drive for the laps' remainder. My haul at the front in Central Kialla then a short try in Mitchell drained the tank, taking leave of duty was timed to perfection as Rocket called a single file attack on the last 4 k's. Bo, Wozz, Pistol and Rocket swapped turns for Raftery Rd as I struggled to play Gatekeeper, almost losing the tow while leaving the gap for the one rolling off the front to rejoin, 14k's in Zone 5 giving me a chronic case of rubber legs.
Sleep was as rare as a BigMat appearance on Wednesday, horizontal at 4:20 with legs going at 74rpm could only be cured by boarding the Baum for a suburban spin prior to the Couldabeens social. Car+Mel, Lucy, Cate, Cougar, Chops, Wozz, Boof, Hollywood, Nick, Shorty, PistolPete, Temple and.....surprise, surprise, the sultan of sarcasm, HBK made a return. (not seen for at least a year, the Half Bike King now has work hours that allows a lap or two on weekdays) Away at six, the front few were squeezed by Navara at the Kialla Lakes traffic island, 'car back' missing from the phrase book of some? I took the early drivers seat (yet again) beside Wozz to Sanctuary Park, believing a tail wind would assist but calm was the bureau verdict. Recovery was lengthy in Pistols draft, Chops and Boof next up making it a quick quadrella. HBK put in a couple of tame turns (but half wheeling Mel), the bunch of 14 smoothing the speed East. Tenderised by Pistol in Boundary Rd, Hollywood bailed out of duty on Wozza's corner to the sound of several sledges. The order rotated rapidly from the Channel Rd cypress trees, my ideal spot seven wheels back suddenly became second wheel at Kinder corner with Wozz to match, PistolPete and Chops the fast followers. Arriving at the front with 600 metres of the Cha Cha left made the lead-out my job description, winding up the Cosmics for all I was worth till the focus went fuzzy, then elbowing the real movers by. (Pistol by half a wheel to Wozz). Vision sharpened and normal bodily function eventually resumed in convivial company cruising home.
Thursday's grid was thin, cold culling Couldabeens down to the desperately devoted. Nick nervous with just Wozz, Rocket and I lined up, a sigh when Shorty, Trav and Pistol arrived. Nev's last minute appearance cancelled all plans of a quiet tap, down to business at 5:50 with the almost habitual first turn with Wozz for the long leg one. Rocket had signalled a sit-on, so seven swapped turns with a NNW to help or hinder. Shorty, Trav and Nick supplied the speed, Wozz, Pistol and Nev stepped up to supersonic, second thoughts for some on making another contribution to the front. Scoring shelter from the roadside trees on River Rd helped in keeping pace with Wozz, but the recovery takes longer with each turn. Ripping into Raftery Rd Trav, Shorty and Nick all abandoned their turns, my suffering swansong beside Nev was short (as usual passing Galbraith's gate) then tucked in the draft for the fast finale. My prediction (back in Mitchell Rd) of Nev heading an Indian file assault on Conrod straight came true, Wozz and Pistol the only ones left with wattage to swap turns as the remainder held on in hope of the torment terminating as soon as possible. The cruise of calm into town turned eventful; a passing truck with bobcat in tow had a Dunlop of destruction on it's trailer. In a cloud of smoke and sparks, there was flying chunks of hot rubber and steel belts to avoid as the tyre departed company from its rim (now carving into the tarmac) and bounded across two lanes in front of us. A halt to clear the lanes then a calm and collected crank home.
World championship thumb wrestling fitting a new pair of (directional) Grip Pro4's, with winter fast approaching something with a touch of tread may be good insurance.
A misty start to Friday didn't deter pain train passengers to Friars, AvantiLeigh, Dipper, Heady, Belly, Coggo and Phil formed, Tum (on a last minute bike swap) joined at SPC. I took the first shift on the glossy first leg of Old Dookie, a SSW'er to fight but it was the driest position in the pack. Best to avert the focus on the roll-over point (Dobson's bridge) a long 1200 metres away while the heartrate climbed into the red zone, over the bridge and into Belly's tow (with complimentary wheel spray up the nose) to calm my cardiac catastrophe while Coggo took the helm. Heady and Phil had edited efforts, Belly on a bike length hold-back (mimicking Head Goat?), but it was AvantiLeigh and Tum hitting the N0s on the front. A SSE'er swung ESE in River Rd, speed proportional to the fitness on the front varied the velocity with a puddle or six to spot the specs (or was that sweat?) AvantiLeigh demonically driving out of Dave's dip in the mid fourties herniated Heady, a gasping intermission for traffic at the highway most welcome. Shaking the curse of Galbraith's gate I wound up the speed to Arcadia Downs then tucked in for a rapid recovery. Sixth wheel at the 300 metre marker was the perfect pozzy, a launch out of Belly's draft, caught Tum napping, straight past AvantiLeigh at 52 (just as he rose from the saddle) was the sweet sprint scenario to end another week.
Week 20. 314km. YTD 6,297 km
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