I felt spoilt having 8 degrees and a dry road to commute to Saturdays spin of sociology, great to have Wozza back aboard after a labouring lung layoff, Mel and Cate joining in the roll to assemble with the regulars and rarities, the Saturday soloists and distance demons, amongst the committed Couldabeens. AvantiAndy, Boof, SuperMario, TatMat, TatPaul, Jen, BassoDan, Temple, The Godfather, PistolPete, HBK, Popgun, Trav, Cougar, Shorty, Nev, KillkennyPaul, Jase, Tina, BigLen, MeridaAndy, MeridaJohn, Bruce and AvantiTrev making up the motley mass.
28 toured into Channel Rd, the body language fascinating, from the perfectly poised and predictable to those ramshackled and wrecked....and it was only the first kilometre! MeridaJohns puncture pitstopped the peloton just beyond the cypress trees, AvantiTrev in prime position to crew the repair, the team halt-and -help ethic appreciated. It takes some time to get the train rolling smoothly again, with 28 seperate reactions just centimetres apart, the rear rubberband syndrome was obvious. (Seems some don't realise the slightest ripple causes tsunami's at the rear). There was a diversion from the Old Dookie Rd course, previously advised bridgeworks and a less than subtle electronic roadworks sign still caught some turning ones out! (another try at train tempo all over again!) The rumble strips on our Boundary Rd shortcut were enough to rank as roads of Roubaix, a light northeaster of nil nuisance to Nev and Cate driving us to Lemnos-Cosgrove Rd. I finally faced the front for work at the main eastern channel, partnered with BassoDan, swift and strong from the Rule #5 ritual of suffering solo slogs (what a difference from his pickled performance just 3 weeks ago).
Turns short and long followed in Ford Rd as the sprint finish drew closer, a few veering via Verney for an early breakfast berth. I was almost back to the caboose as we worked into Wanganui Rd, delivered the delicious duty of having Mel, Tina and Cate in tow as the warriors of wattage wound up the tempo at the front passing the transfer station. Mid fourties at the test track was popping a few OTA, our up-line still in the tow as we neared Wanganui hill to drag us into a top ten position, but breathless. Chillies, weight loss and kangaroos kept the noise levels up at the Lemontree long table for the social stimuli that's almost as important as the ride.
29/5 Faarctic
You'd have to ask a therapist why you'd dress in just 4mm of clothing and propel yourself into 1 degree at 35 km/h. Do we do it for the brag factor or a frosty flagellation fantasy? Maybe because others do it?
I'll go for Rule #5 to justify my actions (and use the "never took me to the circus when I was a kid" argument) It's reassuring to find like minded masochists arriving at Verney Rd's peace train station on Monday morning, Hommy, Tina, Belly, Sandy, Coggo, Phil, Heady, Cate, Jen and AvantiAndy were enough to justify the habit. Heady and I found ourselves captaining the crew to Grahamvale Rd, adrenalin driving cold legs to go faster and warm up, counterproductive to the wind chill factor. It felt psychologically warmer being off the front and gradually demoted down to the caboose, or was the hot air of weekend chat acting as a heater? Hommy and Sandy were somewhat silent, adjusting to tropical Bali one day and frosty Grahamvale the next. One of motorings' brains trust bolted by in Boundary Rd then immediately braked to turn right, so glad he'd saved 2.7 nanoseconds of his journey to get around us! I had a bit of mental preparation to face the OMG factor at the front in River Rd though Cate and Coggo were kind with their wattage. Are we down to the hardcore at 1 degree or is there some still to drop off and succumb to their doona ? (or soften to Zwift?!) Belly seems to think we've reached critical minimum. A day off allowed a rare ride of the full circuit and and be socially inclusive, 2 k's south to Mitchell Rd then 4 k's to Raftery for the Conrod crescendo. It was peak hour at Roubaix corner with a car up and one back, position predictions placing me near the pointy end in the last k again. I'd just rolled across Heady to take the lead out of Conrod's dip, squeezing the accelerator gently so I didn't break the bunch, my long lead-out favoring Coggo and Belly to pounce for the honours with 200 left. There was a relaxed roll back to town with the rare treat of a weekday post ride coffee and chat.
29/5 Faarctic
You'd have to ask a therapist why you'd dress in just 4mm of clothing and propel yourself into 1 degree at 35 km/h. Do we do it for the brag factor or a frosty flagellation fantasy? Maybe because others do it?
31/5. The hypothermic hardcore
It's down to the hardcore now with a bureau "feels like -0.8 degrees", Kenworth, Jase, Wozza, AvantiTrev, Boof, Rocket, Cate, Shorty, Car+Mel, MeridaJohn, and ScottMatt turning up at the carpark for Wednesday's workout. Trav joined the frosty force at Kialla Lakes, Wozz and Rocket diligently driving to Sanctuary's roundabout then Boof and Pistol equally energetic to Mitchell Rd. Double white lines meant nothing to the inpatient passing prat as we slowed to bear east into River Rd, the tempo tamed to tranquil at the channel bridge, AvantiTrev (muscles murdered by MTB) putting a damper on the drive till Car+Mel and Cate wound up the wick again. It was a treat to have Kenworth tow me to my first shift at the kennels, pace now in the high 30's (a K.P.I. for the next turn with Wozza). The icy WSW'er helped me to Boundary Rd, then to dig a bit deeper to hold onto Wozz, Rocket, Boof and Pistols' pace as they set sail to Channel Rd. (I'm sure they're working hard, it's just that they make it look so easy!) A bit of a headwind and lungs protest at consuming iced atmosphere trimmed the tempo headed west in Channel Rd, I'd lucked the turn from McFadyens Rd to the Kinder with Wozz, giving me a few seconds to ready lungs and legs for the ChaCha. The turns shortened, four were sitting this one out, so I found myself quickly back in the up-line at Prentice Rd with just 7 ahead. Wozz and Boof had stitched this one up a treat, I'd managed promotion to 3rd as several popped off the front, tested by tempo & temperature.
1/6 Winters' wistful welcome
1/6 Winters' wistful welcome
Here we go again on a frosty flagellation, maybe because we'll feel better when we stop?! Winter welcomed us with 1 degree, gutsy Goats Heady, Coggo, Jen, Phil, AvantiAndy Belly, Cate and Tina turned up, MeridaJohn and Burlsy (the only Cats to brave the bbrrrrrrrr) joining the herd as they were feline free. Deja vu, Heady and I headed the crew to Grahamvale Rd, MeridaJohn pairing with me to Lemnos North Rd at a more spiced speed. It's inspiring to see AvantiAndy and Jen on a diet of concrete cranking in the cold conditions, gives credence to the diehards Coggo, Belly, Tina and Cate to continue . I'd sniffed all the way back to the caboose before an olfactory offload, surprising just how soon we'd reached Boundary Rd to frigidly face the southwester. The patient motorist (as rare as rocking horse poo) was given the thumbs up hanging back till oncoming cars cleared at Boundary's bacon barn, down to the pub, a momentary wait for peak hour traffic (2 trucks and a car) to clear before cranking back up to cruising speed toward River Rd. Nice to turn out of the breeze (albeit a meagre 4-7 km/h) but the chill factor was high, onto the smooth-as-TatMat tarmac of River Rd, forcing myself to ease beside Heady (respecting Rule #86) who's just under the staying-in-tune radar. (More of the bike in your work/bike balance Heady!) Today was another opportunity to lap up a full lap, a thin carpet of fog under the willows making scenic the sun-up swing into Central Kialla. And around the turns rolled to Mitchell and beyond, Heady now cosy in the caboose as the speed built for Raftery Rd. The urge became urgent pointed into Conrod's long 1200 metre strip of bitumen, mid forties my limit at the front as lungs restricted from iced air. Coggo and Phil had the prime real estate to hit the front fresh, Cate with the cadence for 3rd. A roll back through town somewhat chuffed as conquerors of the cold, a draft from a passing truck inspiring a lake sprint.
2/6. F...f....f....frigid Friday
-0.8 degrees gripped the lungs and legs to half capacity Friday, and we've only got about twelve more weeks of this to endure! (and the joy of a windy spring afterward!) Boof, Pistol, Bruce, Cate, Kenworth, Shorty and Nev were the silly/stubborn/super (strike out that which doesn't apply) souls to assemble at the carpark, time for me to harden up and take the first shift to Sanctuary's roundabout, a 3k turn of torture particularly with a PistolPete pairing for the 2nd half. It was a test of temperature, eventually into the tow I was speechless till the truck route, real recovery taking till Mitchell Rd before a sentence could be properly produced. And so we scythed our way through the soup of a foggy, frosty morning, passing the bustling metropolis of Kialla Central (a dozen dwellings) then east on 6 k's of River Rd, the slightest suggestion of an orange horizon all we could aim at (other than trying to keep pace with Pistol) Kudos to the well attended Goat train slogging south on their quick quest, my thoughts of turning lobster-like under a post ride shower and quaffing caffiene was the hope homeward, wondering if the sprint would be cancelled due to lack of interest (and inspiration) till Pistol fired the sprint shot at Channel Rd's kinder. Temperature tied the tempo to mid forties for the ChaCha, the sense of overcoming winters worst (?) carrying us homeward.
Week 22 196 km YTD 5,426 km
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