Week 3 : "Good turn ya old freak!"

Post 380

14/1

 

The five year association with this Saturday society continues, a bit chilled with a twelve degree start but warmed by the commute with the happy harem of Car+Mel & Cate.  Like flies to a barbecue, bikes converged on the carpark for the weekend ritual, Trav, AvantiTrev, SuperMario, Cougar, Shorty, Wozza, BamBam, TrekTrev, BassoDan, TatPaul, Lucy, Boof, PistolPete, Temple, Rocket, The Godfather, BigMat and an unknown filed in as Nev, Weapon, Troy and NevsbroKev departed via four wheels for the hills.  Pleased I'd added an extra layer to insulate, the bunch reached cruising speed on Channel Rd, a social sentence or two before duty called at the rushin' front (with Wozz at the cypress trees and Cate from the S bend)  A fraction of a southwester aided us in Boundary Rd, the sun up in Old Dookie for a serve of piggery pong (to put us off bacon for breakfast?).

I rolled up beside the mystery man, he knew me but I hadn't the foggiest, AvantiTrev filling me in later (BigBill).  Over Grahamvale Rd it was time to tow others again, whilst I considered the cycling conundrum in the drivers seat ; was I trying to match Wozz or was Wozz trying to match me?  Visible personal stress meters would be the answer but (my) audible gasps will do for now! (pending technology).  Passing DECA and boxed in at the back behind a buggered BigBill, I could only witness the sprinters stretching the bunch up the hill, but rejoined in Rudd Rd for the Boulevard blab to the Lemontree, old motorbikes, new comfort levels and society's moral decay was on the chat list over a bacon free breakfast.

16/1

Legs begged a steady tap Monday (old age and corrosion catching up with me?), skipping a Couldabeens suggestion for a circuit with Cate to break in a new week. Wozz, Troy and SuperMario were found clockwise and early in central Kialla as we tackled a Wednesday lap, PistolPete westward in River Rd with BamBam punching out intervals a k behind.  The days are noticeably shortening with sun-up at 6:18, soon we'll be grumping about the cold and the dark!  Hunting between the 17 and 15 in search of the comfort cadence we cranked up to Old Dookie Rd before a westward way home and a ritual sprint to finish.

17/1

I felt fairly fertile for Tuesday's turtle tap, a mild morning (16) and a light northeaster (7km/h) up the quoit motivated the mood toward the carpark, but I paced the progress on Archer to avoid the deafening sound of crickets at the grid.   Nick, Shorty, Temple, HBK, AvantiTrev and Jase joined Cougar at the carpark, and hallelujah! there was Hollywood appearing from a yuletide retirement.  Sledges aside, he at least had a dip at the pointy end to Doyle's Rd, but it was to be his one and only.  HBK was next beside me to escalate the velocity to Orrvale Rd then I could send my heart rate on holiday while Jase, AvantiTrev, Nick, Shorty and Temple did their bit.  I was looking forward to the breeze behind in Boundary but someone turned the wind off, I levelled with Nick to the bridges but turned up the heat on HBK to River Rd (silencing the caboose chat room), just one payback for the years of being half biked.  Another picturesque daybreak broke as we swung west into River, 4k's of recovery before pairing with Nick at the bridges.  An ease of effort let HBK draw level in Central Kialla, retirements to the rear becoming popular as we neared the highway.  Only Shorty, Jase and HBK were rolling through rotations with me to Arcadia Downs, suddenly I'd inherited the drivers seat as 8 slimmed to single file behind me. Handing the helm to HBK at Conrod's first dip, Hollywood's "good turn ya old freak!" was my inspiration to catch the tow of Jase, Hollywood, Shorty and HBK for the final fling, a bolt at the 200 mark scoring me chocolates. 

18/1

An exodus of Couldabeens clan members to the TDU (Bruce, Wozza, PistolPete, Rocket, Shorty, SuperMario, Boof) altered the grid for Wednesday's circuit. BamBam, Troy, Kenworth, Car+Mel, AvantiTrev, Bo, Nev, Cate, Lucy, Temple, WhisperingJack, Nick, Chops and Jase fronted, massed mosquitos on the launch pad had me itching for a start. I took the role of tow truck out of town, Weapon joining in at the city limits.  I was almost within sight of the Sanctuary roundabout before BamBam came from the rear ranks to form the up line, Adelaide having stolen the usual volunteers.  The pace seemed calmer, maybe 'cause the holiday hindered have returned (WhisperingJack, Nick, Choppy and Kenworth) or is it that the furiously fast are currently touring down under?

 Troy's new Avanti looks the goods, feels a lot different from the 'Ol faithful he tells me (heaven help us if it's faster!)  We sliced and diced through the twigs and bark littering River Rd from last nights wind, the 6k's of flat farm land only varied by a single 2 metre dip, the sun piercing the horizons low cloud, Weapon's lusciously long legs and the conversation on a Cannondale colour co-ordinated kit for Lucy occupied the distance.

Mel mashed a branch at the Channel Rd cypress trees, jamming in the rear wheel forced a halt, a chance for breath before the ChaCha was a rare treat.  With stick unstuck, BamBam and I wound up the tempo toward the Kinder, Troy taking the charge toward Hopeful corner.  Lungs were filled and legs were ready as we hurtled past Prentice Rd, but I was boxed in and denied a thrash, the massed finish (minus most sprinters) allowing many to taste the pointy end for a change.  Red alert! Raise the shields and up my life insurance, WobblyTrev was exiting town, but we carved a course clear of chaos to cruise and chat homeward. 

19/1

It felt as cold as a visit from the tax office on Thursday, the thermometer struggling to stay in double figures (funny how skin chill drives a higher speed to warm up).  Contemplating the plight of the northern quoll, Equador's gross national debt and the lifespan of a chainring passed the k's quickly to the Emu, the southerly (13-20 km/h) taxing tempo to the Toaster, at least the preface to daybreak was inspiring.  

13k's back to town I found Goats (Belly, Phil, Heady, Sandy, HG, Dipper, Brendy, Snow, Temple, Coggo, Hommy, Tina, Spartacus, HBK and DeepFry) gathering at Friars.  JB joined as 16 departed the city limits, Spartacus had picked up the pace by the time I'd arrived at the front at Central Ave, a turn of short sentences till the School Rd roll-over.   HG was next in line, charging forward to half wheel me, but the reality of slicing the virgin atmosphere soon cooked him.  In the interest of rule #86 and respect for the Goat head (with a portion of pity thrown in), I stayed level from his initial euphoric 38 km/h down to the harsh hurt of 32 km/h to Boundary Rd.  Sandy's slim slipstream didn't help HG but Temple, Coggo and Belly soon mustered a wake worth hanging onto.

2016's k's were compared with Tina and Spartacus, socially updating with Snow, Brendy and Belly along the way.  HBK, Hommy and Belly topped up the tempo in River Rd's last k before time turned me to the truck route and Archer Rd home, 60k before 7 shaking up the ride routine.

  20/1. 

A nervous twitch and a futile fidget Friday, the addiction was starved as rain ruined riding ; no point agonising over opportunities lost between showers, the circuits soaked meant the Baum sat dormant and a rare sleep in was enjoyed, riding rescheduled for Saturday.

Week 3.   222km.        YTD 712 km.