28/1
Weapon, Nev and Cate had divorced the Saturday lap for an affair with the hills, just TatPaul, Wozz, Rocket, Popgun, Cougar and Boof had formed an excuse for a bunch when finally the masses (Bruce, Bo, Trav, Pistol, Jen, Kel, Shorty, AvantiAndy, The Godfather, Temple, HBK, Chops and SuperMario) arrived in the dying minutes. 7 had inflated to 21 in 14 degrees to exit at 6, out of 40 wheels I'd drawn the short straw sandwiched between Rocket and Pistol to kickstart a cardiac cadenza in legs 2 and 3. Fear not Foss, 20 others, make that 18 (rule #67 violation) were yet to donate a drive to the cause. An eerie mist arose from the channels in the pre dawn (water warmer than the air?), 38 clicks was set on the cruise control chilling the skin, although I was warmed by Kel's comeback after a 12 week absence. Bo's joined team Godfather sporting an Italia kit, Popgun suffering kit confusion (spruiking Cannondale on an Avanti?), at least PistolPete's panache presented perfectly.
I'd calmed concerns being between the twins of tempo (Rocket and Pistol), they are most co-operative and compliant with my limits of distance and pace. The sun finally got out of bed just as Bo punctured at the main eastern channel, Kel was appointed pit crew, the opportunity for oxygen taken by all before the Wanganui workout. The sprint scenario at DECA was Chops, Wozz and I arriving early at the business end (it's Chops' speciality) each of us toasting ourselves to Kittles Rd only to benefit the sprint Stasi (Bruce, Boof, Rocket et al) perfectly placed yet again. The entire bunch had passed by as I crested the hill, one last lunge caught the bunch tail for the chatty cruise to the Lemontree. Riot tactics, roadside wildlife and the strange SAM priority kept conversation cooking over breakfast.
30/1
Wozz hammering the hills, Weapon's tenacious triathlon time and even BigMat tapping a lap was almost intimidation (performance anxiety?) yet inspiration to climb aboard the Baum and crank out the k's Monday. Out to the Emu with a hint of horizon light, convinced I was hammering into a headwind but it was only weekend woebegones.
A glance back spied a distant bike light, there's nothing like being stalked to spur on the speed! Down to the Toaster and turning to town, the search for Pussycats was on in Old Dookie Rd. Found finally at Central Ave, I turned to jump aboard the Cat pack of MeridaJohn, Tina, Eddy, Car+Mel, Shane, Dalts and half a dozen unidentifiable dudes in the dark, all quite cruisy in the mid 30's till several departed into Channel Rd. The stakes raised into the fourties at the Broken bridges, a momentary slow for a roadside kangaroo to bound the fence at One Tree Dam, then back on the gas to River Rd. Taking turns with the 8 pacemakers, I attempted to smooth out my rusty rotations, full focus on rolling turns eliminates the chat and sightseeing! By River Rd's end I resigned (with others) from active duty in an attempt to bring the heart rate down from overload, there were sprints out of the corners to catch the draft but appreciation for the four sharing the tempo at the front towing us home. Wheels howled to Arcadia Downs and swung into Conrod, nobody attempted a sprint finish (tanks empty?), a solid 38 average was the reward to town.
31/1
A nasty SSW'er (17-30 km/h) was at the front door to greet me Tuesday morning, fuelling an angry crank on the 17 cog to get me to the Turtle grid (at least it got the old engine up to operating temperature). Nick, Cougar, AvantiMat, HBK and Lucy arrived, the flagfall at 5:40 had a few crawling from the carpark (picking position?). Keen to keep the Hares at a distance, I kept the pace percolating, the stragglers catching half way into leg 1. Lucy was lightless, understandably shying from the front, so I drove a triple turn to the cypress trees as an agenda aide memoire. AvantiMat put in a good turn to Channel Rd's end (holidays haven't hampered), my turn again to be belted by the breeze in Boundary Rd and scoring a few squeaks on speed. HBK and Nick stepped up to serve a turn in River Rd, the southwester whittling away the intentions till a little tree cover resparked some enthusiasm. The verbal handbrake was applied again in Central Kialla, I gave a few metres of reprieve until shelter from the trees accidentally (on purpose) bumped up the pace again. (if there's chat in the bunch you ain't going fast enough!) The day turned light enough in Mitchell Rd for Lucy to see in the drivers seat, Nick, AvantiMat and HBK having another crack till the caboose cracked at Dave's dip. (a huff & puff at the highway helped recovery). Position had me lucky to be towed to Conrod straight, Nick handed me the reigns so turned up the wick out of the dip but Lucy let loose at the 600 mark (she's like drafting a match with the wood scraped off!) HBK and AvantiMat stoked the boiler to the last dip, I just couldn't resist full steam ahead to pinch the podium place.1/2
I was thinking of a quieter Couldabeens commute (avoiding yet another early turn at the front) just as Wozz suggested it......karma rules Wednesday! Cate, Car+Mel concurred with tactics and our 5:57 arrival found 6 others ahead to hopefully shoulder the early loads. A massed crowd of Lucy, Trav, BigMat, Shorty, Kenworth, Rocket, Pistol, Boof, Weapon, Bruce, Ralphy, Pelly, Troy, Chops, Temple, Manny & Carl (on a cross clan cultural exchange), SuperMario, Jen, AvantiMat, Nick, Bo, Paul VanP and Nev assembled (see Lucy, the Foss recall was tested but not defeated!). Boof and Bruce formed the front of house for the long train to slip out of suburbia, the same old shortage of volunteers for the up line plucked at the heartstrings of Wozz & I to donate our early services on leg 3, 20 km/h worth of headwind a right old slap in the face to Mitchell Rd. Kenworth and Lucy showed the fortitude of an early appearance, it would be a rare thing to get a second turn at the pointy end with a cast of Ben Hur proportions today. Yet another stunner sunrise cherished, recalling the months of gloomy grey from last winter.
A seemingly younger and more aerodynamic BigMat (no longer hampered by hirsuitness) had made a rare appearance, FDC's Troy, Pelly, Ralphy and inductee Bruce were minus BamBam but have they eaten Grumpy? Good to have Temple emerge from the flu bed and Paul is trying to lose the MTB lust by riding the (rusty?) road bike, but Cate, Car+Mel and Jen had dissapeared (snapped off the back of an oversized, accelerating pack, but teamed to tap out the lap in comfort). It didn't take long to be promoted from the bunch back at the cypress trees, rotations rapid as we neared the Kinder, a succession of oncoming cars kept the tempo tied till Prentice Rd. It's another world to be 6th wheel as the sprinters wind up the wattage, climbing up the cogs in their draft (56 km/h) was prime real estate but no hope of coming close as Boof, Rocket and Nev hit the boost button to the line.
2/2
It's refreshing to break the routine of an early Thursday circuit and savour a standard six am start. Goats gathered (Sandy, AvantiAndy, Principal Skinner, Jen, Joe, HG, Hommy, Temple, Brendy, Heady, Phil, Tina, Belly, Coggo, JB and DeepFry) to egress east from Friars, helped by a hint of a WSW'er but cooled by 12 degrees. Hommy behaved when I reached the front in Old Dookie Rd, keeping wheels level a rarity almost worth a photograph! Orange and pink streaked the sky putting purpose into this early addiction, Belly, Coggo and Temple tapping a temperate tempo south on Boundary Rd but Principal Skinner had already coveted the caboose.
Heads lowered a little into River Rd's southwester, HG knuckled down to duty at the front, but Coggo was keen to dish up the distress. I plugged the abyss at HG's plea, his habit of leaving a yawning gap hindering a chance of catching my draft. The bunch eventually condensed, a steady crank through Central Kialla and onto Mitchell Rd westward before my turn beckoned beside Phil (and his philharmonic wheels) out of Dave's dip. The wait at the highway was welcomed by many followed by a chorus of groans getting wheels rolling again with chains still wrapped in the big gears (my cog of choice). Beside Coggo to Roubaix I studied the sequence in a forecast of who may be lumbered the lead-out for Conrod straight, predictions not possible as the drivers dwindled and shifts shortened to Arcadia Downs. As sure as eggs, it was going to be me at the business end at Conrod's first dip.....roll the turn and risk being boxed in or stretch the pack to sort the sprinters and snoozers? A momentary "yeah, nah, but" then option two was chosen, full boost for 400 metres till breakfast almost reappeared, Coggo, Belly, Temple, Jo and Phil in tow given my elbow to thrash the last 300 (nice work Coggo)
3/2
Nick, Bo, AvantiTrev, BigMat, Bruce, Troy, Kenworth, Pelly, Ralphy, Jen, Pistol, Wozz, Grumpy, Car+Mel, SuperMario, Rocket, Boof, Chops and Paul VanP lined up for Friday's frolic, Paul piloting the peloton peacefully to the bridge but front phobia had struck again, Rocket arriving from a 15th wheel pilgrimage to the front to aid Boof, the upline instigator. Is it the tyranny of distance? (leg #1 = 3km), avoiding feeling like a donkey in the Melbourne Cup? (the fast fellas don't bite folks!) or just the blatant disregard for rule #5? (I'll bet the same drivers will be there next week) Wozz, Pistol and Troy filled the other vacancies to propel the bunch to Mitchell Rd, pack chat centring on the comfort level of a bunch of 20 vs Wednesday's masses (reaction time multiplied by overpopulation equals hanging onto a bungee rope if you're at the rear). AvantiTrev was a permanent part of the caboose furniture (recovering from the almost compulsory MTB crash), Troy had tickled the FDC's with tempo on the early loop (welcome back Grumpy!), BigMat was setting attendance records (WTF! 3 rides in a week!) as yet another picturesque daybreak threatened to ho-hum the experience. My once new Baum has now clocked a 20,000 kilometrestone without a hiccup, comfort in bucketloads a bonus. After 20k's in the tow I finally got to slice the atmosphere at the front at Channel Rd's cypress trees in Car's cute company, Kenworth rolled a turn a k before the Kinder (love that tow big fella!) as a sprint conspiracy unfolded. Boof, Rocket and Wozz were due for a very early arrival at the business end so swiftly single filed, Boof toasting himself to Prentice Rd towing Rocket to hit the boost till burnt, where Wozz launched to snare the chocolates, a co-ordinated crush of any hopefuls. Soaking up the social cruise home fuelled the endorphins to face another day at the salt mines.
Week 5. 261km. YTD 1,229
Dziekuje ci Polska, pageview patrons aplenty!
PS: Multumesc Romania & obrigado Portugal too.
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