Winters warriors wheeled in to the cold carpark Saturday, whittled down to the hardcore heroes (or is that the deliriously desensitised?) to face the task of propelling oneself into the darkness at minus one. Temple, AvantiAndy, Rocket, Wozza, Jen, The Godfather, TatPaul, Jase, TatMat, KillkennyPaul, Boof, Bruce, Popgun, Softa, PistolPete and MeridaJohn were the tough to tap a lap, though the peloton personality had altered with a few regulars missing. My careful berth at the grid escaped the early effort at the front, a chance to warm up (ha ha!) before a push at the pointy end. Unseen at the start, Trav and Weapon were surprise appearances in the rotation, a chasing headlight at the cypress trees appeared as Nev, somewhat speechless from the pursuit. Bridgeworks have shaved 6k off the Saturday course, at least all were on the same navigational page today. Slotting in between the sultan of smooth (Nev) and the Raj of reliability (Temple) was peloton position perfect, how rattled is the mindset when placed behind the ramshackled rider with the willy wagtail wheel! Captivated in its comfort, the new helmet (a 319 gram Giro Savant) has some auditory aerodynamics, wind whistles when the skull is skewed (or is that the hum from an empty vessel?) Frost has fickled felines to a few, our fat pack crossing paths with just 3 Cats eastbound on Lemnos-Cosgrove Rd. Well into the forties at DECA, our bunch thinned to single file, Nev (my saviour) rolling across to donate a draft just as I readied an elbow. Team Tat (TatMat and TatPaul) launched an early effort that was hard to hold, I was just on top of the 14 cog and surviving when Rocket's Zipps sang "catch me if you can" as he powered past, a symphony of carbon under duress (Wozza, Boof, The Godfather etc) following to hammer the hill. Spread and fragmented 300 metres behind, the bunch eventually reformed for the Rudd Rd rehab, a chat along the Boulevard but a special stage in Mason St to sprint for the warmest seats at the Lemontree. Recycling, Greyhounds and sporting meltdowns captured the confab over breakfast huddled under the heaters, ScottMatt (previously punctured) and Tina (about to jet off to ride the Dolomites) joining the noise. Turtle time revisions went on the agenda as we mustered the motivation to ride homeward, thoughts were with just two Goats (Coggo and Principal Skinner) departing into the frost from Friars.
5/6. Fog stomp
Umpteen layers of kit as insulation takes some time to ready for a ride, all hopes were pinned on others being tough enough to turn up Monday, minus Celsius was hardly the feature attraction! Most inspiring to find AvantiAndy, Jen, Coggo, Cate, Hommy and Sandy front in the fog to Verney's misty roundabout. Turns rolled a bit sooner with just six facing the frosty front, Sandy suffering from Queensland one day, caboose the next. Most landmarks were camouflaged in fog, another navigational challenge to find Boundary Rd in the soup. Back on the front again picked up the heartrate, specs needing a wipe every 500 metres and oncoming cars blowing a bitter breeze through the layers. I was delighted to relinquish the lead for the cosy confines of second and third wheel, at least 0.0002 degrees warmer away from the -0.6 front. There was little chat (preservation of bodily warmth?) en route to Central Kialla, the repetitious roll from the frozen front to a brief recovery in the bunch continued to the highway. Hommy hid in the rear ranks as speed built from Galbraiths gate, hopes of a steady roll home evaporating. Coggo drove the lions share of Conrod straight as six thinned down to Indian file behind, I took over the drivers seat in sympathy when volunteers vanished.
My wattage waned at the icy end so Coggo captured the chocolates, fingers ached numb at Mandy's for a post ride coffee thaw. A week off work allowed another 40k solo (to satisfy Rule #5), preparation for a glacier get-away if one appears on my to-do list. South on Archer and east on Mitchell, the sun was but a 40 watt globe in the fog, so why do black cars plough through it minus lights?
Gloves iced over but the scenic surrounds spurred on the speed, tapping out a pleasing tempo in view of the conditions. Ears out at the intersections 'cause the view went no further than 100 metres, across the Midland and New Dookie before a cautious steer west on Lemnos-Cosgrove for home, mentally consumed with sensations that hot toast and coffee bring.
6/6 Hare splitting
Umpteen layers of kit as insulation takes some time to ready for a ride, all hopes were pinned on others being tough enough to turn up Monday, minus Celsius was hardly the feature attraction! Most inspiring to find AvantiAndy, Jen, Coggo, Cate, Hommy and Sandy front in the fog to Verney's misty roundabout. Turns rolled a bit sooner with just six facing the frosty front, Sandy suffering from Queensland one day, caboose the next. Most landmarks were camouflaged in fog, another navigational challenge to find Boundary Rd in the soup. Back on the front again picked up the heartrate, specs needing a wipe every 500 metres and oncoming cars blowing a bitter breeze through the layers. I was delighted to relinquish the lead for the cosy confines of second and third wheel, at least 0.0002 degrees warmer away from the -0.6 front. There was little chat (preservation of bodily warmth?) en route to Central Kialla, the repetitious roll from the frozen front to a brief recovery in the bunch continued to the highway. Hommy hid in the rear ranks as speed built from Galbraiths gate, hopes of a steady roll home evaporating. Coggo drove the lions share of Conrod straight as six thinned down to Indian file behind, I took over the drivers seat in sympathy when volunteers vanished.
Gloves iced over but the scenic surrounds spurred on the speed, tapping out a pleasing tempo in view of the conditions. Ears out at the intersections 'cause the view went no further than 100 metres, across the Midland and New Dookie before a cautious steer west on Lemnos-Cosgrove for home, mentally consumed with sensations that hot toast and coffee bring.6/6 Hare splitting
5:40 Tuesday Turtles were extinct, but Temple, HBK, KillkennyPaul and Softa had assembled for a 5:45 flog (hunted by Hares starting 5 minutes behind). Weapon was a welcome addition as we steered into Channel Rd, HBK taking the lead role to Doyle's Rd. 7 degrees felt almost tropical compared to the week just past, a WSW'er (13-20 km/h) making east easy and west a workout.
KillkennyPaul labored leg 2 (a sleep in, then a sprint to the grid pickled his preparation), Temple taking the turn to the Kinder. It was my drive donation to the cypress trees, but then Softa led all the way to Boundary, a tax to torture him later. Weapon crescendo'ed the TT Avanti's disc wheel on Boundary's damp for a big 2k turn of tenacity, HBK a k of River Rd for Temple to take over to the kennels. Primed, per se in the drivers seat, I put the head down and urged up the tempo 2km/h, the almost head wind inciting effort to the dip and beyond, but Softa popped at the pace (a brief slow kept the crew connected) Hares were homing in behind as HBK took the train south to Mitchell, 8 reverently passing at Kialla Central. Weapon jumped ship to leave Temple, HBK and I to tow KillkennyPaul and Softa to town, a relief to round Roubaix and get the breeze up the bum from Galbraiths gate. Temple towed us to Conrod straight leaving me my compulsory crank to the finish, wheel sucker HBK pouncing at the 150 mark for the honors. Post ride latte's and dialog on bicognition and tenuous Turtle times was the bi-partisan banter at Kiala lakes cafe with Weapon and the Hares.
7/6. Wednesday whiparound
Volunteers for the first shift would be as rare as a BeerMat, WhisperingJack AND Hollywood arrival, a head-on south southwester would set a stiff standard for the first leg of Wednesday's lap. Wozz, Mel, Cate and I cruised into the carpark, Boof, Rocket, Jase, Pelly, AvantiTrev and Weapon arrived as Pistol berthed with news of a puncture at Kialla Lakes.
A slow roll south had Grumpy join the fold, finding Trav south of the bridge finishing repairs to Cougar's Continental. In two shakes of a new tube we were all aboard the southern express as Pistol and Wozz towed the train to the roundabout, but the bunch was split in disarray on speed or slow, Cougar u-turning for a recovery roll. An overtaking Toyota Impatient charged by as we approached the truck route, braking hard for the forgotten traffic island that blocked his manoeuvre (all that instead of a 2 second wait?). Frazzled and fractured, the bunch finally reconvened for leg 3 to Mitchell Rd, Rocket and Trav unperturbed with 17 k's worth of breeze on the brow, but wait! a car on Mitchell suddenly stopped (despite having right of way). Welcome to wacky Wednesday! The bunch tail grew long and thin as some hung on to a simmering speed, though there was a chance for many to draw breath with the tail wind to River Rd. Boof turned up the heater as I paired with him to the channel bridge wearing at Weapons wattage behind me (relinquished for rear recovery), Mel stepped up for a turn at the dip but it was Trav , Pistol and Rocket who took the train all the way to Boundary, just as the Goat express turned west.
Buoyed by the breeze behind, the pack powered toward Channel Rd, sentences being swapped for silence as oxygen intake took precedence. The first k of Channel was carpeted with grass mounds, someone keen mowing the roadside didn't have a catcher (a job for Wozza's broom?) It seemed I'd be challenged with Boof at the Cha Cha till a few ducked for cover in the down-line, beside Boof to the Kinder was kinder but it forced my early roll. Hanging onto the draft as the big engines fired got me on Trav's wheel, but his fuse fizzled at Prentice Rd (so it was dig deep to grab Pistol's tow). It was a peloton in pieces as we rolled recovering to the school, Pistol and I pausing to gather the remains for the roll back to town.
8/6 Goatless wonder
"What's App" pinged a few early withdrawals from Goat Thursday, temperature testing the resolve of even the hardcore now. The wait at the roundabout was in vein, only Cate & I tough enough to take on minus 2. And so it was a 40k tap for two, if only to honor Rule #9 and earn bunch brag points. Funny how progress seems slow slogging through the soup (count the telephone poles to put a value on distance covered....or fence posts if that's not enough progress!) Again, the landmarks are easily missed in the mist, there's a sense of being lost in the wilderness till 'ol mate Boundary Rd sign appears. Spec swiping saved the sight south, ice formed on the fingers and (without thought) a casual nose rub drew blood. Low 30's was plenty 'o pace sucking in iced air, without the benefit of a bunch draft spelled proportional effort to me. The odd passing car gave a few seconds reprieve in their wake, it's the bone chiller gusts from the oncoming ones that you grit teeth over. Along Boundary and River Rd's length predawn light showed the fog thickening, a chuckle or six about what crazy urge drives us to do this kept spirits up. Fingertip sensations were lost to make gear changes a challenge, Raftery Rd soon appearing to trigger the auto impulse of pace. Legs, head and heart said more but the lungs held the handbrake in Conrod straight to the finish, it took several minutes to unclip the helmet and untie the shoes when home while fingers unfroze, the complete thaw happened about 10am I reckon.
9/6 The Friday friendly (and an Adams addition)
A damp road put bike cleaning on the agenda (yet again!), but it was the Friday friendly that overpowered that chore. BamBam, Trav, AvantiTrev, Jen, Boof, Troy, Cate, Avanti-not-MeridaJohn, Car+Mel, Rocket, Bruce, Pistol, Pelly, Nev and Jase formed two rows in the carpark, almost tropical at 5 degrees with no fog! Troy and Avanti-not-MeridaJohn were the rare few to form the up-line as we speared south, a string of pace ponderers behind when we were half way to the roundabout encouraging me to join the queue for a shift at the breezy end. We were working east on Mitchell by the time I'd got to the front, wind at the starboard stern making life a little easier to pair with Avanti-not-MeridaJohn then stay somewhere near Rocket. The workload was shared north and east, puddles making a mess of kit and bike (though some bikes looked like some love was well overdue!), all relishing the gift of celcius in positive figures as the customary trains of Cats and Goats pounding the clockwise course. A sandpaper orchestra played as 34 calipers gripped gritty wheels to slow for the turn onto Boundary Rd, a scenic moonset to the west on our course north.
The breeze had cleared the grassy knolls on Channel Rd so it was full steam to the cypress trees, passing a pussycat punctured. Four Cats backtracked as Avanti-not-MeridaJohn and I swung into Central Ave, a short burst to the Kinder then with Nev to Hopeful corner, the spray from puddles splattering the view as Boof, Bruce, Jase, Cate and Mel cranked to the front. Ranks thinned into the roaring forties for me to rejoin the up line, a finish fifth not so bad for a old bloke in young company. Time off from the salt mines allowed coffee with the ladies of the peloton, a smooth brew at the new Brother Pablo enjoyed with Jen, Cate, Car+Mel to top off part one.
A k craving put me on a solo southern roll to Raftery, a loop down to Mitchell Rd for an Adams family addition, finding Norm, Jimbo, Hoffy, Barnsey, 'ol Col, The Trotter and Wobbly Trev, pensively plugging south on Archer. There was a juggle with pace as Norm, Barnsey, Wobbly Trev and I drove the eastern leg of Mitchell, four just hanging on in the rear ranks. A new Cervelo steers straighter than WobblyTrev's old Felt, Norm still the standard for smooth and Barnsey still with the trademark knee knock on the downstroke. (How many moons ago did I ride with the Saturday OC's?) The southerly's (15-24 km/h) salvation came in Boundary Rd as Jimbo, Hoffy and The Trotter (going great for 82) came to the fore, 'ol Col off song, opting for a casual cruise home. With 80 k's clocked, I bid my adieu's to exit stage left (Old Dookie Rd), the portside wind playing havoc with the trajectory back to town (or was that a WobblyTrev infection?).
Week 23 327km YTD 5,753
Post number 400 is a bit scary, bike and blog obsessions getting too much? Let's know. Leave a comment.
8/6 Goatless wonder
"What's App" pinged a few early withdrawals from Goat Thursday, temperature testing the resolve of even the hardcore now. The wait at the roundabout was in vein, only Cate & I tough enough to take on minus 2. And so it was a 40k tap for two, if only to honor Rule #9 and earn bunch brag points. Funny how progress seems slow slogging through the soup (count the telephone poles to put a value on distance covered....or fence posts if that's not enough progress!) Again, the landmarks are easily missed in the mist, there's a sense of being lost in the wilderness till 'ol mate Boundary Rd sign appears. Spec swiping saved the sight south, ice formed on the fingers and (without thought) a casual nose rub drew blood. Low 30's was plenty 'o pace sucking in iced air, without the benefit of a bunch draft spelled proportional effort to me. The odd passing car gave a few seconds reprieve in their wake, it's the bone chiller gusts from the oncoming ones that you grit teeth over. Along Boundary and River Rd's length predawn light showed the fog thickening, a chuckle or six about what crazy urge drives us to do this kept spirits up. Fingertip sensations were lost to make gear changes a challenge, Raftery Rd soon appearing to trigger the auto impulse of pace. Legs, head and heart said more but the lungs held the handbrake in Conrod straight to the finish, it took several minutes to unclip the helmet and untie the shoes when home while fingers unfroze, the complete thaw happened about 10am I reckon.
9/6 The Friday friendly (and an Adams addition)
A damp road put bike cleaning on the agenda (yet again!), but it was the Friday friendly that overpowered that chore. BamBam, Trav, AvantiTrev, Jen, Boof, Troy, Cate, Avanti-not-MeridaJohn, Car+Mel, Rocket, Bruce, Pistol, Pelly, Nev and Jase formed two rows in the carpark, almost tropical at 5 degrees with no fog! Troy and Avanti-not-MeridaJohn were the rare few to form the up-line as we speared south, a string of pace ponderers behind when we were half way to the roundabout encouraging me to join the queue for a shift at the breezy end. We were working east on Mitchell by the time I'd got to the front, wind at the starboard stern making life a little easier to pair with Avanti-not-MeridaJohn then stay somewhere near Rocket. The workload was shared north and east, puddles making a mess of kit and bike (though some bikes looked like some love was well overdue!), all relishing the gift of celcius in positive figures as the customary trains of Cats and Goats pounding the clockwise course. A sandpaper orchestra played as 34 calipers gripped gritty wheels to slow for the turn onto Boundary Rd, a scenic moonset to the west on our course north.
A k craving put me on a solo southern roll to Raftery, a loop down to Mitchell Rd for an Adams family addition, finding Norm, Jimbo, Hoffy, Barnsey, 'ol Col, The Trotter and Wobbly Trev, pensively plugging south on Archer. There was a juggle with pace as Norm, Barnsey, Wobbly Trev and I drove the eastern leg of Mitchell, four just hanging on in the rear ranks. A new Cervelo steers straighter than WobblyTrev's old Felt, Norm still the standard for smooth and Barnsey still with the trademark knee knock on the downstroke. (How many moons ago did I ride with the Saturday OC's?) The southerly's (15-24 km/h) salvation came in Boundary Rd as Jimbo, Hoffy and The Trotter (going great for 82) came to the fore, 'ol Col off song, opting for a casual cruise home. With 80 k's clocked, I bid my adieu's to exit stage left (Old Dookie Rd), the portside wind playing havoc with the trajectory back to town (or was that a WobblyTrev infection?).
Week 23 327km YTD 5,753
Post number 400 is a bit scary, bike and blog obsessions getting too much? Let's know. Leave a comment.
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