Week 51 : The heart rate Hiroshima

Post # 478
15/12  Riders on the storm.

Sinister skies, threatening thunder and flashes of horizontal lightning was far from the forecast, but Saturday's spin is sacred so I set south with fingers crossed for a dry ride.  TatMat, TatPaul, Kel, Temple, Nev, Cate, Tum, Tina, PistolPete and TrackStan had braved the elements, many withdrawals blamed on the 'weather' from last nights pizza party, and with ye olde Saturday circuit chosen as the safer circuit (thunderstorms steering southward), TrackStan and PistolPete led the charge into Channel Rd. While I pondered Rule #5 on the pace at second wheel there was a dazzling display of lightning on the horizon to view, I'd reached the business end of the bunch at the ChaCha after PistolPete's and TrackStan's double shift to Orrvale Rd, finding the drive doable with a little shelter from the north northeaster.

To Central Ave and across to the cypress trees was enough of a heart starter for me, back into the wake of wheels ahead to calm a cardiac crescendo. That almost perfect bunch size of a dozen made for super smooth sailing (a skilled and familiar crew a vital ingredient), synchronised turns and a steady speed consumed the k's without a hint of the dreaded rubber-band syndrome at the back.  Senses felt shifting winds in Boundary Rd (would a cruel karma have us into a head wind home?), ratified on the turn into Old Dookie Rd and sealed with the pong from the piggery as we cranked toward the Toaster.

A packed peloton of Pussycats approached the BigRing (the annual sock awards [congrats Jodie!] motivating the membership to attend) as we worked west to town, sure as eggs we copped a west northwester to make us battle for breakfast.  Reaching Boundary Rd was what pride wanted but my legs refused to do, rolling across PistolPete a little shy of the mark to then match Tum's turn would need some trawling of tenacity.  Maybe the fear of failure kept my speed simmering, so it was a delight to hear Tum's request to roll well before I was going to beg for mercy.

Kel had already mused the menu for breakfast and Temple was just chuffed he'd chosen to ride, Nev soaked up the serenity of smoothness and Tina the comfort of comradery.  A last moment indicator from a car at Verney Rd's roundabout ripened our reaction to brake (always expect the unexpected!), the rhythm restored quickly as the work in Wanganui drew near.  TrackStan and Pistol stoked up the tempo to the water treatment plant, PistolPete rolling across into the 40's as wind whacked my will to comply.  Struggling just to reach his back wheel, TrackStan kindly let me into what was now an Indian file of survivors, Pistol's power still solid to the test track.  Elbows flapped and TrackStan sprang to a sprint, a trail of hopefuls clinging to his wake as I battled to hold Pistol's draft.  All the flurry had faded as gasps subsided in Rudd Rd, with the pack now compact from it's prior stretched state the Boulevard bolt to breakfast seemed easy.  The pedestrian pack of Boof, Sim and Mrs.Pistol joined the small crew at the long Lemontree table for the babble on iq, the need for breeding licences (for humans) and solar energy.

17/12  The muscle motivator,

Tis a rare ride that starts at a tolerable 14 degrees in wind-less conditions, that perfect panacea drawing Kel, Col, Cate, Kreeky, The Godfather, Wozza, PistolPete, Rocket Bo, Nev, Nicholas and Pelly to the Monday grid.  I was happy to start near the back and let the legs limber from a weak weekend, PistolPete and Wozza driving the first leg to the truck route.  The speed steadily built to way beyond a relaxed roll, but one doesn't get stronger going slower!  That alluring atmosphere and The Godfather's gabble made for a spirited spin to Boundary Rd, young Nicholas coming to terms with the bunch rotation while many were dazzled by his mixmaster cadence.

I debuted at the driving end with The Godfather to the Pub then paired with Rocket to the channel bridge, not such a chore till I made the mistake of looking at the speed (then the head made it hurt!) Turn done and into the tow, all the prior pain was filed under 'softness', thoughts now into the drive to Lemnos-Cosgrove Rd. The extra layer and arm-warmers (judged to be prudent at 5:30) were now creating a self sauna as speed continued west, dressing for the occasion is hit and miss at this time of year (at least the multiple layers of winter are almost a forgotten memory).   Nicholas and The Godfather drove the length of Wanganui Rd, my turn at the front in Rudd Rd with legs burning reaching Canterbury's roundabout at Rocket's rate. Hope all this early effort makes the rest of the week easy!


18/12  The pain/gain train game.
Numbers had thinned for the Tuesday train of pain (and gain), Temple, Col, Kel, Cate, Bo, Ralphy, BamBam and Pelly the only ones to play the game at 5:45.  Have some succumbed to slowness or the safety of a supersized squad on Wednesday?  Col's class towed us to the truck route, I was on second shift to reach Orrvale Rd and the old engine ran ok if I don't say so myself.

  BamBam enlisted for leg three with a turbo turn to the Kinder, I was impressed with his effort but would the follow up be as fast?   Ralphy's shift wasn't shy either, into Central Ave's SSW'er (11-19 km/h) with a Determined Dan demeaner, and so the game of pain /gain continued to Boundary Rd where the headwind lay in wait for Bo and Pelly, ten out of ten for tempo for these tuned two. Col was back on the front to cut the first air on River Rd, the considerate Couldabeen delivering me to the smooth tarmac at the angora farm for my second shift.  BamBam had blown a head gasket as I was called in to cover the caboose at the dip, Pelly was pickled finishing his turn at Laws Drive (a few rolled past to offer a draft), Kel, Temple and Bo finishing off River Rd for Col to face the cruelty in Central Kialla.

My focus on his elbow sharpened (it'd be unfair expecting him to tow us all to Mitchell Rd) for a k and was ushered to suffer the front for the remaining 1000 meters.  The jump to catch Cate's wheel was a workout with three now confined to the caboose, through Dave's dip and up to the highway (without hinderance) I was on the front again, the heroics of reaching Roubaix heralded my heart-rate Hiroshima. Recovery would be as likely as BeerMat bolting by, so I tucked into Col's draft toward Galbraith's gate with feint hope for respiratory respite.  The Hares flew past with Liam as pilot on full throttle, Bo and Kel had a second wind to chase but I battled to prevent explosion at Arcadia Downs.  Catching the tail of Travis (split from the Hares) and Pelly, I'd survived (minus a few of the original starters) to finish with a 39 average.

19/12 The spirited sprint sprite.

Maybe it's the feeling of safety in numbers that brings the rarities out to ride 'cause Shorty, Nick, Tommygun, Nicholas, Lance, TrekTrev, Kel, Bo, Cate, Boof, The Godfather, Kenworth, Tina and Nev packed the carpark for Wednesday's mid week fling.  Weapon slipped into the squad as Boof led the lads and lasses south, Kreeky, Wozza, PistolPete, Rocket, BamBam, not-so-newAvantiJohn, Bruce and Col arriving from the early edition in leg 3 as I was elevated to the effort end rather rapidly in Mitchell Rd when turns rolled quickly.  I'd allowed a gap to Tommygun's staccato rhythm, Bo's pace more predictable when he rolled across entering Central Kialla Rd.  The effort eased on the northbound leg to River Rd, a long up-line advancing for their contribution to the cause as a dozen of Doc's cruisers cranked calmly to a Christmas breakfast.

The usual parade of packs worked west as our social jaw flapping centred on Tuesday's thrash.  Wind direction was the mystery as two dozen drove into Channel Rd, a stone flicked up at Sellman's ricocheted through the ranks, the sun dried mud left at Beckham's bend adding a Roubaix-like roughness.  Lance was labouring on the drive to the Kinder, the bunch unusually shunted as we swung toward Hopeful corner, Nicholas now champing at the bit to bolt as TrekTrev wound up the velocity toward Prentice Rd.  With many cautiously in the caboose, Nev turned up the wick for the finish, a spirited Nicholas sprinted to the left in a risky undertaking manoeuvre but found the gap shut, plenty now pickled from the pace making a squeezy sprint scenario.  I'd made an outside dash from near the back into the 50's (thanks to the tow), Nev the Wednesday winner, Pistol a swift second as I fought furiously for third against Cate.

20/12  Hare conditioner.

A thorough thrash down Archer St got the head and heart prepared for Thursday's thrash, the dedicated 5:45'ers, Shorty, Bo, Col, Cate, TrekTrev, Kel, Temple (and a surprise showing by Troy) lining up for duty (FDC's choosing an earlier anti-social spin).   I took the first shift to the truck route (7 months since I was that silly!), going well to the big pear where breakfast hinted at an escape.  TrekTrev captained to Orrvale Rd while I wrestled for recovery near the back, Troy happy to command the caboose considering his long lay-off.  Cate Shorty and Bo polished off Channel Rd to leave Kel and Col the task of reaching River Rd, a suitably sized train making recuperation a rare privilege. The heart rate was manageable up until reaching second wheel, the prospect of pace at the front skyrocketing the numbers when you're faced with cutting the air in the drivers seat.  I'm impressed with Shorty and Temple's tempo for those whose bike time is tested with work, TrekTrev's running on all cylinders even after a few weeks holiday under a long white cloud, Col's strength comes in bucket loads, I get the feeling Bo's only in third gear despite doing long turns and Cate and Kel's tenacious turns certainly make the males measure up.   Temple towed me to the smoothness of River Rd's second k, counting the white posts as the cardiac count kept climbing into the red zone.  I elbowed TrekTrev to the front a bit shy of the dip but I needed something left to catch the tail.  Speed was blinkering my view to just the cassette of Temple's Ridley, so I forced myself to take a wider view if I was to avoid 'horizontalitis'.  Luck allowed us a clean cross of the highway and I was back to the front out of Roubaix, reaching Galbraith's Gate calling on both mental and physical limits.  Bo put in another long shift at the front into Conrod straight, Col turning up the turbo to take the chocolates while I tried (and failed) to steal second from Kel.

21/12.  A festive fling.

The Goat's Christmas breakfast beckoned on Friday, and with a quiet ride planned I put in some toil before the tap and set off early via the golf course to the Pine Lodge church. The SSW'er (15-30 km/h) put struggle into the steering while trying to regulate the speed to the aerobic threshold, 210 minus age plus 10% makes a low number these days!  The turn south to the church sensed a little more westerly than I wanted, making my turn back to town a love of labour. Concerns I'd miss the train to breakfast kept the wheels humming but the want for a 16 cog had me between grind and spin. Back into town with psoas pinging, I'd reached Fryers St in time to find the Goats on a festive fling eastward, some making a Summer debut or Spring for that matter!

Sandy, Heady, Dippa, AvantiAndy, Jen, AvantiLeigh, Phil, Belly, Snow, Joey, Brendy, Speissy, Amy, Tum, Manny, Coggo, Bazza and Tina filled a big field, some in silent suffering while others relished a train free of Friday pain.  Turns swapped swiftly on the southerly leg of Boundary Rd, the abbreviated lap via Channel Rd reminiscent of Cats 10 years back.  Belly provided the pit stop entertainment with a puncture just beyond Sellmans, the Couldabeens crew threading their way past on the thin tarmac remaining.  Tim arrived from an alarm malfunction and Tommygun hitched a ride from his late start to steer our way back to town, festive fellowship aplenty to Mandy's for a bountiful breakfast.

Week 51    265km              YTD 13,665 km