Saturday 27th August
Motivation and obsession combined to saddle up in 2 degrees at 4:45, Strava's August Gran Fondo and distance challenges drove a prologue solo (Archer-Mitchell-Central Kialla-River-Boundary and Channel), minus the performance pressure where I could slowly drag the old engine up to pace, carving through a patchy fog like the Doctor Who intro. After 34k of listening to my cognitive content, social sustinance was well overdue, arriving at the Archer St shop to join the back of the bunch. Tis now the peloton of popularity with Temple, Pistol, Cougar, KillkennyPaul, Wozz, Jase, Trav, AvantiTrev, Car+Mel, Cate, HBK, Ange, Kel, ChrisA, Bruce, Boof, TatPaul, SuperMario and Popgun (contravening Velominati rule #17.... BMC jersey doesn't go aboard an Avanti). There was rubber-banding at the back on take-off, the bunch gradually settling into a rhythm in the first k's, I started to memorise heads on my promotion forward out Channel Rd. 2 to 3 extra minutes daylight each day is adding up, moods lifting, but not the temperature. Startled by Boof's bike dramatically spitting a stone sideways at the S bend, I eventually braved the front with the doyen of dapper, PistolPete, the reality of slicing the atmosphere always harder than guessed when at second wheel. HBK's sarcasm saturated the air, half biking Ange who, like most, tolerates the insult. Car's tongue-tied corona?cantata?corolla?.....canola! yellowed the eastern drive to the Toaster, the day's first light from Mt Major well worth crawling out from under the doona for (eh Softa? Oops! He's still under it!) Just two Cats were on the old 6:30 lap as we worked west on the last of Lemnos-Cosgrove Rd, Pistol's bidon jumped ship over the railway line at Grahamvale Rd, causing a little calm to reform before the storm of the Wanganui hill. Barely half my Gran Fondo distance covered kept me away from the sprint, quite the bag of mixed lollies midfield as some faded and others flourished, Boof and ChrisA thrashing out the battle for the Hill's chocolates. It was quite difficult to exit the Saturday social stimuli and skip Lemontree's breakfast, but with Cate and Mel's impish grins and charming encouragement, I peeled off with TatPaul to labour a further loop. West along the Midland highway, TatPaul and I swapped single filed turns against the light headwind (11km/h), a few passing cars donating a few seconds draft. Too soon, Dhurringile Rd appeared drawing TatPaul to Tat, and leaving me solo for the slog to Byrneside. A muesli bar chewed put psychological fuel in the tank, a push northwest onto Kyabram Rd to then relish the billiard table tarmac to Merrigum (3 people flooded the footpaths). A symphony of secateurs sounded through the orchards pruning, 100k clicking over at "The Munsters"-like 1893 "Karlsruhe" mansion for the turn east at Lancaster. Campaspie Shire's roads are streets ahead (pardon the pun), the COGS sign near Undera signalled the instant return of pot-holes aplenty. 13 long k's of coarse tarmac back to the Echuca-Mooroopna Rd seemed interminable (must remember the butt butter next long distance tackled!), at least the breeze behind was in my favour. The mental taste of Mandy's banana & walnut toast kept the mind off the distance and the pace on to Mooroopna, back into town satisfied with 137 k's clicked and Strava challenges ticked. A bit of table swapping from Adams Family (Col, Pat, IrishTony, Hoffy and TurboTongue) to Goats (Coggo, Dipper, Jen, AvantiAndy, Joe, Spartacus, Phil and Brendan) fuelled the social tank as the fuel tank filled.
Monday 29th August
A piece of peace train was best suited Monday, Brendan, Joe, Dipper, Coggo and Phil the only Goats fronting Friars. It was some effort to drive beside Coggo toward Boundary Rd, surely an easterly was to blame for my legs lament? (a figment of the forecast apparently). Most made abbreviated appearances at the front, Coggo the only one doing full length episodes, and I was silly enough to do likewise! Far easier headed west on River Rd (yet the bureau said calm) but my usual time constraints called an early exit as Rooster appeared in the fading metres of River Rd. The rising sun lit the tops of Archer Rd's canola to put value in the morning, a misting of fog making it the stuff of postcards. The draft from 7am commuters got me home with time to quaff caffeine before duty at the coal face.
Tuesday 30th August
An attempt to birth the bunnies (several seeking solace betwixt turtles and hares) had a few labour pains Tuesday, a 5:45 start drawing a few turtles keen for a teamwork tap. Rare sightings of Nick and Jen (emerging from hibernation?) were welcomed as diplomacy ruled to bunch together, the east northeasterly was to wear down any who fronted the business end. Temple, Kenworth, HBK, AvantiTrev and I were handed the helm, Jen, Nick and Cougar sharing the caboose. HBK whole biked Kenworth on the Boundary Rd bridge leg, AvantiTrev tried to level to one tree dam, my effort was spent on levelling with Trev when he rolled across (not that HBK would take that hint). The helmsmen all fronted for a second shift in River, my drive with Temple for Central Kialla turned an ear to our breathing differences (zoning in on slowing my own helped). The lights of Hares closing in behind kept the pace up, Rocket, Huddo, PistolPete, Wozz, Bruce, Robbo, Kel, BigRon and Bo passing as we crossed Archer Rd. The hares drew into the distance on Raftery Rd, HBK again pulled a length clear at Galbraiths gate, but I held station with an eye on keeping the lengthening tailend together. To the front at Arcadia Downs, I tried to cool the tempo (and avoid acerbic aspersions) so all stayed in touch, the final 300 too tempting for Kenworth and HBK, a thrash to the line for the honours.
Wednesday 31st August
A 4:45 Tour de Toilette confirmed the bureau's prediction of damp, only amphibians would be out in Wednesday's weather (BamBam and PistolPete). With the months' challenges ticked, a return to the cot seemed indulgent, thoughts reclining on the forthcoming Fruitloop.
Thursday 1st September
A tiny cleat adjustment made a huge comfort difference as the new month (and season) prompted prologues beginning again, double digit temperatures meant one less layer, minimising the Bibendum (the Michelin man) feeling. 10k of Rudd, Wanganui and Verney put optimism on the map for the Thursday thrash. Went with Wozz south to the shop to find Hoges, Kel, Bruce, Pistol, BigRon, Robbo, Bo, Shorty, Rocket, Trav and Huddo, but Cougar, Nick and BigMat departed early on a more manageable mission. The 5:50 flag fell for Wozz and I to lead leg one, Wozz graciously halving the first shift, making my survival to Doyle's Rd, then adjusting to Hoges' tricky trajectory in his tow. Kel captained the caboose but Shorty, Trav and BigRon stepped forward amongst the big artillery. I'd almost calmed the heart rate below 160 when another turn came up at the business end, with Wozz at One Tree Dam to River Rd, then Rivers' first k with Hoges. Huddo and Bo started half wheel wars which sorted the hares from the bunnies, the rear ranks taking on permanent residents (BigRon, Shorty, Kel and me) as velocity quickly altered previous decisions. Passing the three led's ahead at the bridge had a Janet Leigh sensation, Robbo, Rocket, Wozz and Boof driving a hard bargain through Central Kialla. Raftery Rd witnessed the rare sight of Pistol, Hoges and Bruce retire from active duty, Huddo murdering the big gears toward Arcadia Downs. Kudos to my old legs that kept on giving when the head kept asking for more, just enough to hang onto midfield and deliver me to the 60 sign at Steptoe's.
Friday 2nd September
A 10k block of Numurkah, Ford, Grahamvale and New Dookie Rd's limbered limbs for Friday's frivolities. I joined Wozz and Cate for a social sojourn to the Couldabeens grid, Huddo, Boof, Robbo, PistolPete, Bruce, Chops, Shorty, AvantiTrev, Kel, BigRon and Bo rolled in, the comeback kids SuperMario, Hollywood and Nick highlighting a Spring revival. Different to have Huddo and Robbo at the helm to start Archers' southern leg, the early delights of daylight enlightening the lap, FDC's Troy, BamBam and Pelly blending in on leg three to Mitchell. Hollywood and SuperMario braved the front despite recent hibernation, in just a week or three they'll find former form (unless the deadly doona disease strikes again!) The Cat train lengthens as the days do, I'd drawn the swift straw between Wozz and Pistol (I'll learn to pick position one day!) Almost to River Rd's end when the Goat pain train rounded the bend, Belly already a k OTA, thanks to holidays and Guinness. I was nearing the bunch front beyond Channel Rd's S bend (with a Robbo and Huddo standard to uphold), pairing with Wozz at the cypress tree bend the bpm bumped from 145 to 178 for the 700 metre turn, another 600 beside Pistol pickling me at 40. With little left to keep in touch beyond Kinder corner I was shuffled down the ranks, BigRon did a rapid roll triggering a single file flog to Prentice Rd. By ChaCha's end I was second last with BigRon behind (Boof victorious), no matter, the bunch gathering at the school for the social roll home.
Week 35 312 km. YTD 10,745km.
Best wishes to Nev, Kev, Trudy, Trent, Tina and MachineSteve for the weekends' World Masters in Perth.
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