23/10
Craving k's after just one day off the bike, but sloth almost overpowered me in the early hours of Sunday morning, 5 degrees and a swift southwester dialled up the doona desire, needing cranial concrete to cast off the covers at 5:15. Porridge poured in the tank, I boarded the Baum to tap out a Saturday circuit (sans speed and social stimuli), quite a twang in the rectus femorus trying to maintain low 30's, so sat the chain on the 15 to grind out some progress (71 rpm). Nice to be tucked into my own little solitary headspace, surfing random thoughts in the tranquility, but a pooch parked in the centre of Channel Rd (near the Kinder) seemed to be savouring my ankle, so served it an H2O aperitif to hinder his hunger. The muscular niggle slowly subsided on the assisted passage along Boundary and Old Dookie Rd, recovering just in time to labour the leg west back to town. It wasn't so snail-like on the 17 cog pushing into a (now) WSW'er, the mood lifted but I needed something to lift the temperature. A bunch crossed Grahamvale Rd (a g'day from Mel) as I ramped up the resolve to face the Wanganui Rd breeze, another eastbound bunch (averse to a greeting) at DECA. Fingers and toes weren't too pleased with the temperature but the head happy to have overpowered the earlier lethargy.
Steps 29,889
24/10
Monday found Cate keen for k's again, a little interval training on New Dookie Rd going single for the passing traffic till Lemnos North Rd, then the serenity of watching the orange of the suns' slow arrival to the horizon as we cranked to the Church. The parfum du piggery pronounced a southwester all the way back at the Toaster, into the breeze of Old Dookie Rd wasn't as tough as I'd imagined, though Cate's pace dialled up the heartrate. We'd beaten the Cats to Boundary Rd, a push down to Channel Rd and back to town with a few chuckles, the now customary squirt at the Cha Cha clearing out the cobwebs.
Steps 35,910
25/10
Peloton position played a part, performance, perspiration, politics and pleasantries personified to particular pairing and placement with the Tuesday Turtles. I'd lined up with AvantiTrev who applied the handbrake of unity to leg one, Chops pressing the throttle of achievement on leg two, HBK pulling out all stops (of course) when he got the drivers seat for leg three. Hollywood, Temple, Kenworth, Car+Mel and AvantiMat played ball, Cougar rotating to all but the front-of-house as eleven carved through the easterly to Boundary Rd. Kenworth had a bidon malfunction on the turn, slowing to a crawl revived some and shuffled the deck till the velocity resumed soon after southbound. My new berth had Mel to match and Hollywood as follow-up, his almost consistent comeback now paying dividends. (which turns me to the long list of lost and lax: BigMat, KillkennyPaul, Gazzagrasshopper, Softa, HashBrown, WhisperingJack, SuperMario, Fisky, Nath, et al. All taken up basket weaving?). A now ideal northeaster helped our journey west in River Rd, shame the crimson daybreak was screening behind us. Turns varied in velocity through to Central Kialla, there was a cautious approach to Melbourne Rd as we weren't tall enough to see over the roadside weeds. Chops lit the Conrod fire out of the first dip, HBK driving forward moments later, a hungry Hollywood timing his burst to the last 250, but I kept a close wheel on him to make him earn the chocolates, Mel clocking a fine third.
Steps 42,681
Word up BassoDave, back on two wheels after a horror crash just 7 months ago. Can't keep a good man down!
26/10
The season's swung! 15 degrees at 5:45, the atmosphere thick with airborne protein to chew on the crank to the Couldabeens carpark, my commute heavensent with a harem of Mel, Weapon and Cate as company. "Get your turn done early with the tailwind Foss, then repose in the tow" head said to self. (well, that was the theory!) Equaling Boof then staying level with Chops emptied my biscuit barrel, insert Wozz, Grumpy, Pelly, Troy, Ralphy and BamBam from the 5am FDC frolic and fast forward to Mitchell Rd. Pistol and Nev bore the workload of the NE'er to River Rd, Shorty's back from holidays, Nick on comeback #2, a chat with the legluscious Weapon and glowing gratuity from Grumpy as Bruce, Rocket, Jase, Hollywood, AvantiMat (and all aforementioned) rolled through for a go at the pointy end. 22 km/h gusts shortened shifts, my best laid plans of respite till Channel Rd went OTA, Rocket and Boof weren't going to shoulder the load for the length of Boundary. The pot-hole plague continues as recent rains ruin roads, a small crevasse near one tree dam was indicated early but doesn't reach everyone in time; Mel's manoeuvre, missing mayhem, masterful. A blast with Boof to the Broken bridges then a long 700 metre drive to Channel coached by Chops (where does he get the oxygen to talk?) had me seeing stars well shy of the turn. Reserves previously unknown were summoned to catch the draft in Channel, speechless till the S bend. Ralphy sought asylum (too much toil with Nev, Pistol and Bruce ahead) so I let him into the luxury of the left line. Full steam into Kinder corner (a Garmin glance told story of stress), legs were being asked for more at 50 clicks when Boof and Rocket rose from their seats to start a real sprint, a wheel to wheel battle to the end from my blurred perspective half a dozen back.
Steps 38,457
27/10
Back to the habitual early solo lap Thursday, not leaving the month's distance target to the dying days this month! A rare chance to absorb tranquility and focus the inner thoughts (scary!) on Ford and Lemnos-Cosgrove Rd, progress average despite the assisting SSW'er. A second wind was ironically
found into the headwind back to town, into the rhythm at 77rpm, three then one then the Cat pack exiting suburbia as I aimed for Friars. Coggo, Belly, Spiessy, PrincipalSkinner, Bickers, Sandy, Phil, Tina, Hommy, Heady and HG had just launched, a smooth crank to Boundary Rd with the mandatory hole in the bunch left by HG. I'd drawn the short straw of Boundary Rd's headwind beside Hommy, staying level with me was way out of character (like Trump having diplomacy and empathy). It was good to swap sentences with Goats on my part-time shift, but one must appease the pedantic time-clock police at the salt mines. The caboose found favour with Sandy, Bickers and HG while 8 shared the workload of River Rd, all too soon the clock summoned me via the truck route to Archer Rd and back to base, catching the Cats tail (long time no see Matho, Keeno and co) in town.
Steps 55,724
28/10
Wozz, Cate, Mel, Kenworth, Chops, Trav, Cougar, AvantiTrev, Boof, Rocket, Pistol and Hollywood filled Friday's fraternity, positioned at second wheel in the Indian filed first leg to Kialla Lakes (mesmerised by the metronomic drive of Wozz), I'd resolved to recline in the tow instead of repeating Wednesday's desperate dive in at the deep end. Bruce had joined the perspicacious Pelly, bodacious BamBam, gratulatory Grumpy, transcendental Troy and rapscallious Ralphy (palms greased and prides pampered FDC's, payola to the Foss retirement foundation asap), the six pack added to our dozen for the leg to Mitchell. Into the 5 degree chill of River Rd and the mandatory scenic sunrise, chat of weekend plans was shared with those who could spare the oxygen. My sole donation to the days drive came beside Cate to finish off River Rd, then with Wozz to the Broken bridges, a cautious point to the pot holes near one tree dam after Wednesday's pandemonium. From the privileged position of 4th last into the Channel Rd ChaCha, I got to witness the Rocket launch at Prentice Rd, frame flexing and Zipp's howling for mercy, he hunted down a pseudo sprint ahead to humble all within 200 metres. The roll of recovery homeward probably had many reassessing performance (and consider doping?), I ranked finishing within eyesight of the front runners a success.
Steps 38,200
Week 43. 249 km. YTD 13,127
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