Week 39 : The peloton p.c.p.

Post 413
23/9  The tailwind treat.

To train for two hundred (though it's 5 weeks away), k's are the key. Cate and Car were keen to clock pre-dawn distance on Saturday, so from Tarcoola to the golf course and eastward, three shared the east northeasterly effort to reach Boundary, a clockwise loop to intercept the usual Saturday fanatics and join the bunch to belt back for breakfast. A tap down Boundary to River Rd, then a cruise west put 33 k's on the clock as we waited for the bunch to appear (a puncture had stalled their agenda).  Two dozen led's soon appeared so we climbed aboard, pace aplenty, to Boundary Rd.  A chance now to check the Couldabeens composition as the turns rolled ; Rocket, Liam, Travis, Boof, Pistol, The Godfather, TatMat, ScottMatt, BeerMat, TatPaul, Kel, Softa, Bo, Shorty, Mel, HBK, AvantiTrev, Jen, Tina, Trav, MeridaAndy, Temple, BigLen, Bruce and (newbie) DocWill made up the big bunch as Nath was added at the dip.  The easterly made work of the duty in the drivers seat on Boundary Rd, knowing it may be the only turn at the pointy end lightened the load though.  The whiplash was wicked on corners and intersections way back in the rear seats with 30 individual responses to acceleration, the thought of losing that big draft spurs a special speed when you're in the back stalls.  Velocity stepped up a few rungs in Lemnos-Cosgrove Rd, the breeze up the bum putting 40's on Garmins.   BeerMat was GoPro equipped, Temple on Zipp's, DocWill spinning under stress, Kel with glam gloves and swish socks, Pistol in yet another class kit and TatMat now on a Trek (stylishly subtle in matt black).  Tis the stuff of dreams turning over the big dog in the 40's, chatting away with the heart rate on holiday in the low 130's as the bitumen blurs under the bike (rewind to last week.....wrung out like a wet sock hammering into a headwind, hanging onto the fast four).   Split at the highway, two parts of the pack struggled to amalgamate, the sprint magnet of Wanganui hill strong for Rocket, Wozz, Boof and the other usual swift suspects while the tail end stretched with survivors.  Up and over Mt Wanganui, it was still full steam for the rear dozen on Rudd Rd and the Boulevard to finally regroup in Mason St, breakfast well earned.  The perfect pedal stroke, addicts and carbon wheels tattled tongues and kept the grey matter occupied while appetites were satisfied.

24/9  Fortitude, Dedication, Commitment? Nup, feeble, dismal, cowardly!
My long internal argument of rest vs ride was mediated by Rule #5, so I was southbound Sunday in response to the FDC call for a 6am lap. The sound of crickets was deafening at Kialla Lakes shop, only Pelly having the concrete character to turn up, others judged as feeble, dismal and cowardly (preconceived FDC standards now relegated to the rubbish).  So with fortitude, dedication and commitment, Pelly and I set sail north to the golf course with the aim to tap east to Cosgrove's quarry.  "Just a cruise" soon turned single file and stepped up a zone or two as we fought a niggling northerly on Lemnos-Cosgrove Rd, but were spurred on by the vista of Mt Major ahead.

We'd both survived mid 30's to the Quarry where the tarmac runs out, swinging south to New Dookie Rd where our paths parted (Pelly aiming at 80 k, mine at 8am.)  Progress home was hopeful in the mid 30's @ 72 rpm on 150 bpm, leaving something in the tank for any surprises (no surprise the magpies were on the warpath)   To the church then the Toaster and Old Dookie to town (with the new bridge bliss), the lure of  the Lemontrees' coffee and raisin toast was my breakfast bait.

25/9 Old (Dookie) is new again.
Back to the old Goat track Monday, Old Dookie Rd is new again, so Friars was the starting grid for Spartacus, Tina, Cindy, Hommy, Speissy, Brendy, HG, Belly, Jen, AvantiAndy, Sandy, JB, Bo, Coggo, Kel, Cate and Sly.

There was chat at the church till chocks away, flashback the memories zig-zagging the streets to exit town (has it really been   23 weeks since we last rode this route?).   The new Old Dookie Rd was smooth sailing with new gutters, drains, traffic islands and hot-mix, but its' bike lane meanders from road to footpath and back again (simply stupid town planning COGS!)
Tina and Coggo got down to business and clamped the chat with pace more than peaceful (there was plenty to share the load anyway), Brendy, Speissy, HG and JB had dragged off the doona and joined the comeback trail.  Kel and Bo were soaking up the thrashless therapy, Cindy in a rare bunch appearance, Coggo a little hungover from Hotham but Hommy was just hungover. Sly's tech talk ad nauseam but the weekends comings and goings bounced from side to side as two rows rode the southern leg to River Rd.  I had a second turn at the front with a well behaved Hommy from the dip to the bridge, then the usual departure (to satisfy the timeclock) shortcutting via Archer had a headwind hassle home.

27/9  The magnificent seven.

It's a lucky dip Tuesday for contributors to the 5:45 lap, today, a few surprise inclusions, Grumpy, TatMat, BamBam, TatPaul, Cate and Temple made up the small train for the 28k thrash.  I'd remembered to stifle the speed for leg 1, the 2 degree chill doing a good job of clamping the lungs anyway.  BamBam, Cate and Grumpy (on a spanking new e-tap Propel) took us to the Kinder, TatPaul, Temple and TatMat out to Boundary Rd.
Something silly set my target to reach One Tree Dam, a decision cursed after the all-too-brief downhill off the Broken bridges.  Temple left me a hole to hide in and recover as BamBam drove us to River Rd, 6k's of draft topping up my tempo tank for shift number 3.  1800 meters gasping on the front soon crucified my confidence, great to be back in the draft for Mitchell Rd while others worked.  We nearly timed a clean cross of the highway, just a brief slow before TatMat captained the crank to Roubaix corner. I'd mentally psyched up for the grind to Galbraiths gate when the Hares hurried by to save me the worry and insert their own! The quick kick into the 40's opened the reserve tank rapidly, a long line with heads down and cadence up to hang onto the tow home. Bruce appeared from the back to stir up the sprint in Conrod's last 400, I held on to finish but went back for 'ol mate Temple who'd been dislodged from the caboose.

28/9  Springing the sprint
Hiding from the headwind meant an early effort at the front in Archer Rd on Wednesday, the easterly promised rigor in River Rd but Wozza's wattage was a workout instead.  Trav kept up the pace to the truck route but a calm descended over the front on leg 3.

Eastbound and into the wind, CatCol, Boof, Car, Lenny, Cate, PistolPete, Kel, Nev, The Godfather, Bo, Lucy, Kenworth, Troy, AvantiTrev, Ralphy (head hung low for reasons he knows), Grumpy and Weapon took turns to frown on the front, River Rd measurably longer as the cruising speed slowed.  It's inspiring to have the sun up early and lighting our way but we'll be delivered darkness next week when the clocks click back. The Goats train of pain worked west and it's debris scattered back to Boundary, excitement brewed in our pack with the thought of a tailwind home.

 Under the cypress trees and a dozen ahead seemed to be an ideal sit with the ChaCha a k away, but the turns rolled rapidly promoting me to the pointy end faster than I'd hoped. Swinging into Kinder corner, Wozz rolled across as the road drops a meter to Hopeful corner, I'd hit the front and with the mass of muscle bearing down behind (Troy, Boof, Nev et al), the only option was to spring the sprint with an early blast. Shadows of two rows turned to one as the scenery blurred at 53 to Prentice Rd, my legs and lungs would give no more so my elbow showed those behind the way.  The entire bunch (but one) scythed swiftly by as I took a k to compose, Boof and Troy scoring KOM's was my claim to their fame.

28/9  By THAT much!
CatCol had crossed the floor to vote with the Hares Thursday morning but the 5:45's still drew BamBam, Cate, Softa, Temple, Tina, KillkennyPaul and Vince to the grid. (CatCol would pay the price of pace later) The treat of a tailwind out (but the heartache of a headwind home) preoccupied my pace planning, the first turn (no surprise) to the truck route leaving my reserve tank untouched.  All contributed what they could in the drivers seat, the bonds of teamwork and the kudos shared was a peloton p.c.p. most addictive (enough of the Fossilosophy!)   Vince smoothed the speed to Boundary Rd, the delicious drone of carbon wheels under load our motivational music.  A breeze at the right brow sent me to the centre of Boundary Rd to cover the crew behind, my target today shy of One Tree Dam to preserve the reserve for Raftery Rd.  Cate and Tina took us to River Rd where Temple, KillkennyPaul, BamBam and Softa faced the muscular music to the dip. Vince's was the wheel of choice till his elbow said "end of shift" at the bridge (how easy is the speed with a straight and smooth wheel to follow), so much for short turns into the wind when Foss's o.c.d. kicks in to crank to River Rd's end.  A blast through Central Kialla and on to Mitchell, BamBam was showing signs of strain ascending Dave's dip.  A strong spin from Vince dragged me to Roubaix, I'd got to Galbraiths gate but had to pull out all stops when Temple left a gap for me at 4th wheel.  With the Hares still to arrive we were pouring on the pace, the helm handed to me again with 600 left of Conrod.  Wattage was waning at the 200 marker as I urged Temple on, just as Hares homed in for the kill.  Masses crossed the line, oxgen intake intense, it's not often you find Troy speechless, so we'd given the Hares the hurry up (the handicap spot on with just a bike length in it).

29/9  Friday frivolity

An early loop with FDC's (Troy, Bruce, Wozza, Pelly, Ralphy and special guest Car) fostered a laugh, Bruce arriving helmetless and Ralphy Dookieless.  South on Raftery and east on Mitchell made a chase for the late Bo & Kel to catch, Pistol joined at Archer Rd as we headed to the grid, arriving with 22k's clocked as an entree. The Godfather, Boof, Temple, KillkennyPaul, Merida-not-AvantiJohn, ScottMatt, AvantiTrev and CatCol at the carpark bolstered the bunch to set south, Weapon joining on the outskirts. It was a cautious crank to the roundabout on the lookout for the horror holes, not so comfortable on my sit site either (the new Couldabeens kit chamois preferred for the posterior).
The sun up in Mitchell vexed the vision, conversation (and cadence) set on cruisy for the public holiday.  I eventually reached the front in Boundary Rd, feeling the WNW'er through the trees, Sly (courting company) found loitering at Channel Rd. We'd altered the course to town via Old Dookie for an easy entry to the Lemontree, though CatCol, Pelly, Ralphy and Car headed east to add extra k's (or was Ralphy trying to find Dookie?)

Coggo, Carl, Manny, Tum and MeridaAndy flew east on the 6:30 Goat express, dropping carriages AvantiAndy and Heady along Old Dookie Rd, while we worked west for our breakfast into the headwind.   ScottMatt was swift in his shift as I tried to keep up (but Strava gave me 2 trophies for trying).   "What was I thinking?", heart rates, reading the wind and Tuesday/Thursday recruitment delivered the discussion over breakfast, Cats arriving (for brunch?) as we departed.

Week 39:    332 km       YTD 10,076