Week 37 : Learning the legs some limber.

Post #464
8/9  The Saturday smoothie.

The Godfather, Shorty, Boof, Wozza, DeterminedDan, Cate, Rocket, TatMat, PistolPete, MyRideTrev, Trish, not-so-newAvantiJohn, Mark, Kreeky, TatPaul and Ralphy converged on the carpark for the Saturday sociable, hard to believe it's a year since changing to the longer lap (54km) from the old course starting in Channel Rd (38km).  There was a slow uptake for the up-line on the exit of town, maybe many were biding their time to get the westerly's assistance from Mitchell Rd onward?  The harmonious hum of wheels and the whir of chains took over as contemplation of peloton position took precedence (who's wheel offers the best draft yet is the kindest pairing when you reach the front?

And is a half-wheeler sitting behind me?)  With the pecking order finally sorted, peace was soon shattered by The Godfather and the social sentences started, DeterminedDan's back from 7 weeks on shift, Ralphy's breaking records with 4 rides in a week (how long will that continue?) and amazingly, another sentence was extracted from Mark! Along River Rd's 6k length and steering north
Tum and Amy plied south on Boundary Rd, a thin fog sitting on the fields as the sun peeked over the horizon.  Kit kudos from Pistol meant my new jersey was class, but nobody can pair with Pistol's panache.  Speed wasn't as scintillating as last week, pleasing me to preserve power for a 115k ride tomorrow.  A turn at the pointy end in Old Dookie Rd satisfied some obligations, noting the Cat population had pumped to a dozen as we crossed paths in Lemnos-Cosgrove Rd.  Trish and MyRideTrev broke the caboose convention and cranked to the front for a turn, a tad tame on tempo (but at least they had a go). I was hoping to get another turn done before the workout on Wanganui, a few escaped via Verney Rd on other weekend missions so avoided the advance (it'd be odds-on I'd get the lead role at the masochism moment) and set a spot in the rear seats (with others I might add) before the boys went boom!  Two lines turned single on cue at DECA, holding TatPaul's wheel as the bunch stretched with speed to the hill.  The calm in Rudd Rd returned breaths and the bolt on the Boulevard was a little more restrained.   A warming sun bolstered breakfast chat on the price of organic,  preparing for peaks and maintaining mind over matter.      


9/9  Fruitloopy.

I fronted for a Fruitloop (number 13 for me) on Sunday and the numbers were down despite the promised sunshine (too many hibernating over the cold winter and thoughts of 100+km frightens 'em away?), just 60 signing up for the 115km course to Dookie and back.  There was much sorting of wheat from the chaff as a big bunch exited town (minus the usual police assistance we once enjoyed), a few Goats and some of the Adams family dispersed among a variety of tall short, thin and 'woops-I've-swallowed-a-wombat' types (some better suited to the 50k event?)   A Couldabeens contingent of Wozza, Boof, Nath, not-so-newAvantiJohn, Cate, Nev and Kristy (on a tandem) and MyRideTrev set the tempo east on Old Dookie Rd to get the party started, several others advancing to the pointy end to contribute.

Some ducked for cover sensing the work to be done, the strengthening westerly blowing out the cobwebs as we swung north toward Five Ways.  A rhythm had been set by the time we'd pointed toward Yabba, some in the caboose breaking off to group for a more sedate spin. Fields of canola had sprung on cue to paint our way east, the breeze behind building to massage ego's (ah, just wait for the turn south!)  The thin strip of Dookie-Yabba Rd meant few could get cover, Nath, Wozza, not-so-newAvantiJohn, Boof and Jason became the driving force as most fought for the thin slipstream behind.  The bunch fragmented as the first uphill appeared, the short rise to the Church convincing a few to take the 100k option.      

In a little oxygen deficit after the assault on Mt Saddleback, Cate, Axel and I settled on a steady tap of the schoolboys circuit east of Dookie township, CatKev was dropped from the bolting bunch of 5 ahead to make us a foursome to face the forces to the food stop back in Dookie.  Uphill and down dale to Duggan's Rd was ok with the wind behind but muscle power was a must on the Major Plains road for the 25 km/h+ wind.  The climb to Tallis was toil enough to use the little ring (first use since March), a little calming of the cardiac crescendo down to the cemetery before sharing the suffering of being blasted by the wind back to Dookie.   We'd treated ourselves to a brief break at the feed station but, keen to keep company for the 30k slog back to base, joined Wozza, Boof, Nath and not-so-newAvantiJohn for the return, rather than suffering solo.
I hesitated to join the drivers till the rhythm was set but 2k out of town the speed seemed sensible, so made myself the fifth wheel to swap the sweating into the 20-30 k west southwester.  Half a dozen sat silently in the slipstream for a free tow home, my first shift rostered from the camel farm.  All went well for the first 1500 meters but reality readjusted my reasoning I'd reach New Dookie Rd, so gave Wozza the last k of Kellow's Rd.   Back to fifth wheel and attempting a recovery, rhythm wrecker Nath boosted 5 km/h to the quickness up to the quarry but thankfully speed settled to the previous pace as we pointed into the long 14k drive of Lemnos-Cosgrove Rd.  We'd begun to reel in some of those on the 100k option, my turn up again to reach the Big Ring, happy I was making some contribution to sharing the load rather than just wheelsucking home.  The closer to town the more like Brown's cows the battling bunches became, I'd managed a fourth flogging on the front for Ford Rd's first k but Nath hit the boost button again as I was gasping to grab the fourth wheel. That cemented my place as gatekeeper as we reached the city limits, briefly slowing as some oblivious bunches three and four wide blocked hopes of the lead car passing. Tempo had trimmed the tail down to just Cate and CatKev as Boof, Wozza, Nath and not-so-newAvantiJohn swapped turns into Wanganui Rd, the turn into Rudd Rd bringing relief from the breeze at last with the end just 4k in sight.  High fives all round as we crossed the finishing arch, a welcome feed (although the ale hydration was delayed) but the bonus of winning the team entry prize.

10/9  A post pain panacea.

A little leg loosener lap was the self prescribed antidote for the post traumatic stress disorder of yesterday's wind, gently on the accelerator out New Dookie Rd didn't awake any cranial nightmares, legs in fact feeling remarkably compliant considering.  Delighted the wind was missing from the morning's menu, a little fog fuzzied the view east, my plan of pointing south on Boundary Rd changed to aim at the Pine Lodge church.  The cranium's call was for calm but it's hard to tame that tempo temptation when the Garmin shows a sluggish speed, so I set my concentration on handbraking the heart rate to an aerobic 137.  The church appeared sooner than expected, steering south toward the Toaster and soaking up the serenity and space stolen in yesterday's mob, rays of Monday's first light putting pink icing on the fog.   A cadence class (85 rpm) was learning the legs some limber and pelvic pain from the last 10 days seemed to be passing (possibly?), proving the proverb ; the only cure for pain is more pain!  Westward toward Boundary Rd positives on pace added a few more k's back to town, with time to spare a detour to Channel Rd was in order.  Only The Rabbit and Bilbo were tapping Boundary Rd, the darkness disappearing as I turned into Channel Rd for the 9k way home.  Crossing paths with a large Couldabeens contingent (the pair of '51ers within may be sent to the naughty corner?) at Beckham's bend, an urge for coffee and banana bread became unbearable, drawing me to the Lemontree for a perfect post pain panacea.

11/9  Goin' Goat'n.

Jen and AvantiAndy had emerged from the depths of obscurity for Tuesday's Goat gathering, and it looked to be a slim squad at 5:58 till AvantiLeigh, Dipper, Phil and Cate bolstered the bunch in the dying minutes.  Jen jumped into the deep end for the turn out of town, AvantiAndy sticking to the safety of a slipstream in 5th wheel.  I kept a cap on the pace when Jen handed me the helm at Dobson's, not wishing to blow our 'newcomers' ota on their maiden voyage.   BigBen and Sherls had remounted from a puncture repair at School Rd (abandoned by callous Cats?  Rule #84? ), a bait for Phil to bite at en-route to Boundary Rd. 
They appeared to be waiting as we swung south, so 7 became 9 to collaborate the course.  AvantiAndy's turn was as short as a Prime Minister's innings  , Dipper, (only recently regular) driving remarkably well to the bridge, Phil's form is fast and Cate knows no other pace.

 Jen went to the front for more toil to Channel Rd and I scored the scenic shift to One Tree Dam as an orange sun peeked above the horizon.  Dipper and Phil split the first 3k of River Rd then BigBen poured his wattage into the remainder, the superior speed turning any gabble into gasps and sending AvantiAndy ota.  Cate and I peeled off for the shortcut home, the truck route - Archer Rd deviation becoming a special sprint stage with no sympathy for laboured legs, Cate raising the rhythm for reasons more than satisfying a schedule (and the dividends are paying off).

12/9  Gone with the wind.

Spring's already serving up the winds that sting, a WNW'er blowing on Wednesday to teach those who chose the bliss of bed through the winter months a lesson.  Goose, Kenworth and WhisperingJack could pay a painful penance for their winter weakness turning up at the start, but Shorty, Kel, The Godfather, Bo, Wozza, Boof, TrekTrev, Nev, Superman, Cate, PistolPete, MyRideTrev, CatCol, Kreeky, Bruce, not-so-newAvantiJohn and Rocket have hardened to the hurt. Almost at the rear of the bunch, the rubber band effect stung at the start as 20 separate reactions set sail south on Archer Rd,  I got a few words in with Whispering Jack and Goose before I advanced, but they were never to be seen again (confined to the caboose quickly as a 20 km/h tailwind turned up the tempo).   The breeze behind and a tow from Kenworth in River Rd was Christmas on a stick for me but fear of a forthcoming flogging at the front saw him duck for cover to the down-line.  Buoyed by the breeze behind, Bo's boisterousness beside Boof shoved speedo's into the 40's, Nev and CatCol chatting in the captains seats collared the last k of River Rd, giving me the side wind to battle in Boundary Rd. 

The pain train's popular again with five flying south, crossing our path as I struggled to tend to TrekTrev up to One Tree Dam but Superman clawing his way to the front when I rolled across eased the pace, so got a few breaths back.   I took the gamble of joining the up line as we neared Channel Rd's cypress trees, 8 wheels ahead was a safe bet I'd be behind a sprint instead of instigating it.  Nev and Pistol had the drivers seats as Prentice Rd drew near, Heady (on a comeback cruise) got swamped as the sprint escalated, CatCol launched his attack at the 200 mark while I strained to stay in touch with TrekTrev, a close second as the finish line blurred under us.  Strava was generous with trophies and PB's, plenty of participants and the wind assistance meant only 2 turns for most.

13/9  Winterference.

Winter woollies were back in vogue on Thursday, 2 degrees designating doona duty for all but Carl, Manny, Cate, Phil, Dipper, Amy and Tum facing Friars fresh for a 6am spin.  Carl took us out of town in (unusually) two social lines which soon slipped to single as we got down to business. Manny set a svelte speed toward Boundary as we absorbed Heady (escaping early) into the fold.

Cate steered us south and strung us along Boundary Rd to the fig farm for me to make a contribution (with nine in line it was likely to be the only turn) so I took the train to the highway as my fair share.  

Dipper drove to Channel Rd, Phil's turn was a little shorter than normal and Amy had a decent dip (though her poise looks to be a little flat footed?)  An unknown was caught at the bridges and invited himself in as the 10th carriage, another inspiring sun rising as Carl took us down to River Rd.  Heady worked us west, sinking ten tenths into the turn but finishing in deficit, leaves said it was wind-less though it felt like a tailwind on the smooth tarmac at the quarter horse stud.  Tum and Manny drove long and smooth to the bridge, Cate digging the depths to finish off River Rd's last 1500 meters.  We peeled off at Central Kialla Rd to bolt the truck route and Archer homeward, rubberising the legs which has become strangely satisfying.

14/9  Team Titanium.

Bruce's beaut' new Bossi graced the grid for Friday's ride, E-Tap, disc brakes and Cadence carbon wheels gracing the glamourous titanium frame. 

Grumpy, Pelly, Kenworth, Kreeky, The Godfather, MyRideTrev, Boof, Travis, Cate, PistolPete, not-so-newAvantiJohn, BamBam, Liam, Superman, Col (no longer catagorised a Cat) and TrekTrev filled the carpark by 6, me leading a long line slowly to start off (Nev traditionally turning up at 6:00:15 tore off ahead).  Bruce paired with me at the city limits, team titanium tapping tempo to Sanctuary's roundabout where Nev finally decided to be sociable and blend back into the bunch.

We intercepted Bo and Kel (on an early secret training mission?) in Mitchell Rd as the sentence swapping started, Kreeky suggesting bunch names of 'orchid' or 'canola' for the fairweather riders (only appear in warm daylight), I concurred on the compulsory co-ordination of socks and kit with Kel (as we cackled on Nev's  kit confusion) and had a brief word with the bigger BamBam on the back 'cause I probably wouldn't see him for another week.

The sun set a super scene in River Rd as the canola Cats went west (leaving six abandoned to ponder a puncture), these dawns a delight after months of winter misery.  It's great to have Grumpy back in the bunch, pleased he's been cured of the gym jaundice and out into the real world (he's lucky it wasn't that fatal Zwift disease pedalus playstationus)  Pace turned partly pedestrian in Channel Rd, MyRideTrev leaping at the chance to get a drive at the front.
The temperature (4 degrees) turned almost toasty passing the cypress trees as I moved up for turn two, Nev keeping a cap on the excitement beside me to Central Ave and stayed composed to the Kinder with The Godfather, PistolPete, Bruce and Grumpy lined up for labour to Hopeful Corner.  The spice was added toward Prentice Rd, Liam in the box seat as the up line accelerated and the down line stalled with many spent from speed at the rushin' front.  There was no point cutting into the advance line and create calamity, sitting out the sprint in safety made survival sense.  Happy days to end the week with a social chuckle on the crank back to town, the sun on our backs bringing some psychological warmth. 

Week 37         348km           YTD 9,872km