Week 36 : Picking off the pickled

Post 411
2/9 Saturday smoothies.

The carpark was crammed Saturday as fair weather (8 degrees and a northeaster) inspired The Godfather, Rocket, Wozza, Mel, Cate, Ralphy, AvantiAndy, AvantiTrev, KillkennyPaul, Kel, Softa, PistolPete, Boof, Trav, Bruce, Troy, Tina, TatMat, Popgun, Lucy, Bo, Jen, ChrisA, Temple, Jase, Tum, Merida-not-AvantiJohn, Shorty, Nev and TatPaul to come out to play.   The 6am away saw some scurry to the rear, leaving me the engine drivers job to exit town.  Partnered with Wozza, that long 3 k slog to the Sanctuary roundabout was spent focused intently on line, rhythm, smoothness, poise (anything but that distance till roll-over!) and staying in the zone, the fire fueled by a strange desire to make certain hibernators suffer.  The acceleration crossing the truck route popped several OTA,  Temple compassionately captaining a bunch split to gather the suffering and team together.  The front bunch (The Godfather, Rocket, Wozza, Mel, PistolPete, Boof, Cate, Trav, Bruce, Troy, Tina, TatMat, Lucy, ChrisA, Tum and Merida-not-AvantiJohn) initially slowed to regroup, but Temple arrived to advise the divisional benefits for two packs to continue separately.  Troy was on a heart-rate study, ChrisA re-aquainting with riding, Tum adjusting from running to riding, The Godfather on a new Reacto Merida, Pistol dressed dapper (of course), Tina and Cate back from menacing Macedon and Trav musing his magpie magnetism.

A pictorial pur-pinkle sun-up in River Rd had an east northeast niggle, if it's not the wind it's the cold to grizzle about, soon there'll be grumps about the heat!  Boundary Rd was preoccupied with pointing at pot-holes, some now threatening to swallow wheels of the unwary.  I sat smug on the sheltered side as the ENE'er hassled the up-line, there was no drama for Wozz, Troy and Rocket still smoothly driving in the high 30's at the front.  Heading for home pumped up the psyche, a breeze up the backside, Garmins at 40+ and heart rates down in the 120's was Christmas on a stick.   My driving duty was done after facing the front from Matilda Drive to Numurkah Rd, hoping to sit in the tow now for the finale.  Pace percolated past DECA, shorter and faster turns promoting me quickly forward as many retired spent from the front.  Boof and TatMat had perfected position to let loose at Mt.Wanganui's base, blurring into the distance as I picked off the pickled (egged on by the quick chicks in my draft) then the delight of the Rudd Rd respite riding back to breakfast.

Tongues tattled on rules of a bunch split, finding that consistent wheel, the ever softening Softa and Fruitloop team tactics on an ever lengthening Lemontree table.  To Fruitloop the legs, an extra 35 k's were added after breakfast, Bruce, Temple, Cate and Rocket (with Tina in tow for a lift home) Indian filed in New Dookie Rd (traffic) to face the northeaster.  All swapped the torment of the breeze at the brow, knowing a tailwind home was worth fighting for. It's been a long time away from Pine Lodge North Rd (off limits by bridge works),  a carpet of canola the warm welcome as we reached the church to spin south to the Toaster.  The tail wind tempted tempo and enlivened the ego's nudging the 40's, the original idea of a tap in the low 30's thrown out in favor of fast fortuity.  Old Dookie Rd's new bridge (an upgrade of the '58 model over the East Goulburn Main channel) is as smooth as Boof's dome, the fresh layer of hot mix heaven on the gluteus maximus.  South on Boundary and west on Channel, the usual 2k turns soaked up the distance back to town, finishing a little legarthic but a distance education in readiness for next Sunday.

4/9  Out with the cold and in with the wind.

Windchimes signaled Spring's return, now the battle of the breeze begins! (as if to punish the hibernators even more) The peace train station had Tina, Cate, Sandy, Hommy, AvantiAndy and Sly (no show from Coggo a blow) ready to roll with a WNW'er to whip us out eastward then wreck us on the return to town.  Sandy and Hommy were reposed at the rear, Havana holidays hampering their fitness from the front.  There was convivial conversation with Tina, AvantiAndy and Cate as we tapped turns toward Boundary Rd but it was solely spec speak with Sly on cadence, crank length and cross winds.  A pursuing headlight caught our caboose as we swung south, Coggo had arrived from a stalled start (assembling the Willier from a weekend of metropolitan meandering).

The slog southward got a call for calm from the rear as the holiday Hommy's hurt, peace train ethics ruled to keep the clan combined.  Echelon is September's special subject, a little education needed at times 'cause the breeze is never co-operative.  Tina and I were speed stymied in River Rd (a Hommy headwind handbrake), greatful really 'cause I was being tested by Tina's tempo.  I called it quits at River's end for a solo slog home, a change in temporal tack to tackle the wind without shelter (though there's nobody to measure but myself)

5/9  The headwind & the hardcore.
Motivation was miserable Monday night, a forlorn forecast and a wind to weaken willpower ebbed enthusiasm, thankfully a motivating mate injected concrete into the cranium (cheers Cate!). The grid felt like -0.3 but became inspirational as Pelly, BamBam, Ralphy, Cate, Trav, Tina, AvantiTrev, KillkennyPaul, and TatPaul turned up for duty.  I had no problem taking the first shift propelled by the WNW'er (@19-30 km/h), 9 others providing plenty of recovery time was a reason to pedal possessed to the truck route. There were a few velocity variations on the way east, AvantiTrev bowing out of promotion to the pointy end as ten turned south into Boundary Rd.  Ralphy's grinding out strong turns, KillkennyPaul as smooth as the new Old Dookie Rd bridge and I think this was perspiration education for TatPaul, but kudos to him for having a go. Into River Rd's headwind, I piloted the first shift to an outcrop of trees (and a second or two of shelter) but I'd uncoupled a couple in my enthusiasm. (back off and hand the helm to Tina)   Caboose population grew but there were plenty of keen drivers left, I got back to the front for Central Kialla with the breeze stiff at the starboard side.  Wind whittled away the wattage in Mitchell Rd, though the everpresent thought of Hares behind kept the wheels humming toward Raftery Rd.  Ralphy and KillkennyPaul captained the crew to Roubaix corner to give me the grind to Galbraiths gate, a glutton for oxygen back in the draft, I was happy Pelly, Cate, Trav, Ralphy and KillkennyPaul steamed on to Conrod straight, leaving me perfectly positioned for the pounce at the 250 marker.  Up and away, all looked sweet till a 100 to go, Pelly was glued to my wheel with the youth and the horsepower to take the chocolates by a wheel, great teamwork by all to head home the hares by 200 meters.

6/9  Wind whipped Wednesday

I savoured that feeling of comfort rolling out on a new set of tyres and tubes Wednesday, 5600 k's from the last set of Pro 4's was a fair innings in a wet winter.  Wind and an overnight shower had culled the Couldabeens crew to Wozza, Kelly, Boof, Bo, Rocket, Trav, PistolPete, Tina, Troy CatCol and Nev.   Tina had taken a tumble en-route but it didn't dent her determination, thoughts of a cruisy lap forgotten when I found myself driving the first shift to Sanctuary roundabout.......with Wozza's wattage to match of course!  Weapon joined on our exit from town, all working against a bone chilling WNW'er to toughen us up.  Down to Mitchell then up through Central Kialla, the breeze handed out a few PB's for the River Rd grind, but I found the going grueling at the front (maybe the psychological slog stuck between Wozz and Rocket?)  Pace was unabated into the wind on Channel Rd, the big engines of Boof, Troy, Wozza, PistolPete and Rocket seemed to lap up the labor but my mind was made up to caboose the ChaCha.  Approaching the Kinder triggered a mass bail out from driving duties, CatCol, Kel, Trav, Tina and Bo concurred with Weapon to ride in the rear seats as we swung into Hopeful corner.  The front ranks narrowed with 500 left to go, Troy and Wozza hammering out the hurt as I stole a draft from Nev, a single line of survivors behind wishing the wind would wane.    7/9 Therapy Thursday.      In search of therapy from thrashings of late, I accosted Tina, Temple, KillkennyPaul and HBK to Thursday's early lap for a steady spin, a holiday from the hurt of the Hares.  Foss for first shift again, so I set a subtle (36) speed (preserving fruit.......loop performance) to the truck route, but HBK had a faster agenda (let the tailwind tempt for the headwind will hurt) Out to Boundary Rd, HBK erred on the echelon etiquette, I was in the gutter without cover at 5th wheel while the breeze blew across the starboard side.  Rule #67 ruled in River Rd and I pondered the pain locked in to KillkennyPaul's draft just waiting for the elbow, though it wasn't so bad when handed the helm at the dip.  Tina soon spoke of KillkennyPaul's OTA (he'd left nothing in the tank to catch the last wheel) so in the interest of solidarity, it was off the throttle to regroup.  Steadily back up to speed, I polished off River for HBK to drive us to Mitchell, the pursuit of Hare headlights drawing closer.  We'd nearly reached Archer Rd when when the long Hare'd line passed (Pistol, Ralphy, Troy, Trav, CatCol, Rocket, Bo, Boof, Wozza, Kel and Bruce), Tina jumping ship for some anaerobic action, while HBK, KillkennyPaul, Temple and I shared a slightly less Hare raising finish.  At the helm till the highway then again from Roubaix to Galbraiths gate, we'd gained ground on Ralphy (a loose Hare cast off the caboose), my final fling for Conrod's last 600 was capped by HBK claiming the chocolates in the final 50 (of course). 
8/9  Seventeen skidmarks.  So much for a clean bike!  Roads were surprisingly soaked on Friday, a sneaky 3am shower gave everyone a weekend cleaning chore.  Bruce, Trav, Troy, Wozza, Kel, Rocket, Pistol, Bo, Merida-not-AvantiJohn, Cate, Boof, Car+Mel, CatCol, Weapon, TatPaul and BamBam collected in the carpark for the Friday friendly.   Tucked into the tow leaving town was a pleasant change, watching others going into battle now, knowing my turn would have a favourable breeze, made perfect sense.  The damp track of Mitchell Rd and Central Kialla roads were ridden, two rows of skidmarked bums was hardly flattering but at least they're not horizontal turning to marshmallow wrapped in warm blankets!  Pistols' smooth guns had the girls suitably steamed up as we steamed east on the River Rd grind helped by a WSW'er.  Car+Mel and Cate ahead and Weapon and Kel behind put me in a sultry sandwich to Rivers' end, northbound in Boundary we found Carl, Dippa, Tum, Coggo and Manny spearing south on the Goat train of pain and way back at the Broken bridges, Heady was seriously OTA on that long and lonely emotional roll home (but he'll try again next week I'm sure).  We'd charged up to Channel Rd and steered west for the 8 k's home, the headwind in the face of no issue to Troy, Bruce, Rocket, Wozz and Pistol, but it packed the caboose (and the therapists diary?) for many others.  I began to regret rejoining the up line as the Kinder drew near, Boof and CatCol taking long turns to Hopeful corner leaving me the labor of the ChaCha at the front.  Quick rolls saved me, Troy in prime position to podium, Kel and Cate pouncing for the positions.
Week 36                 277 km                        YTD 9,024                                                                
Just two weeks ago Mark Beaumont rode through town on his round the world in 80 days mission. Since then he's ridden New Zealand south to north, flown to Alaska then cranked across to Canada's east coast.  Chapeau chap! Take a peek at www.artemisworldcycle.com