Post #483
12/1 Saturday salubrity.
Defiant to the head's want, legs labored to Lemnos in Saturday's early hours, all the will in the world wouldn't work up the wattage I wanted for a respectable speed. To Central Ave and southbound found an east northeaster to blame for my prior plodding, the speed now a little more satisfying (though below par for the early edition) Navigating the eastern orchards soaked up the time till the 6am launch, back to town finding Temple touring the block (like others) to berth in the best position. SuperMario, TrekTrev, The Godfather, Boof, Lance, Axel, Tina, Determined Dan, BigBill, TatMat, BamBam, Shorty, Jase, Grumpy, Liam, TatPaul, MyRideTrev and Travis congregated in the carpark, 6 bells struck and a long line tore south onto Archer Rd, collecting Vince as Sanctuary's roundabout came into view.
The early edition (Kel, Rocket, PistolPete, Bo, Col, Kreeky and Wozza) made it a team of 27, I'd made an early entry to the up-line in the hope of catching the favourable breeze but didn't get to the front till Mitchell Rd, so faced a breeze at the left brow. Grumpy grumped of a sore knee and called an early roll, Temple's was the tempo to match as he co-piloted to Central Kialla. Mid thirties found favour but there was much mumbling about a split in the squad, a separation between the sedate and the supersonic seemed likely. I'd copped the windward side in River Rd but the pace wasn't pickling me, BamBam was somewhat silent (with speed?) but many were seriously into the Saturday sociology. That sticky stretch in Boundary Rd turned up Temple's concern, but like a week ago, all had that riding over duct tape sound (theory 2 ; honeydew / sap falling from some trees in hot weather?)
I'd reached the rear at Old Dookie Rd's bacon barn, Tina happy to roll the legs in the caboose after an epic 200k yesterday (topping off her quiet 694k for the week!) but the rubber band effect at the back was boosted by two dozen different reactions. The rarity of a northeaster to help us home didn't bring the hurry I'd expected, a steady spin in the high thirties let the chat flow. Grumpy's discomfort gave me another short shift at the front, but again Temple turned up the hurt as compensation.
Real pace came in Wanganui Rd (of course!), Travis calling reverse rolls at DECA caused a little consternation but Rocket set the sprint alight toward the hill if only to lead-out Liam to steam into the 70's. The Rudd Rd re-group was followed by a surprisingly sedate spin on the Boulevard (BigBill, Lance and BamBam eventually tacking on to the tail) for a reasonably relaxed roll to breakfast and the babble the bunch feeds upon ; shift work, yawning and Mt.Hotham covered whilst coffee and calories were consumed.
14/1 The cool before the cooker.
A breeze behind helped a reluctant and rusty old engine get up to speed to Monday's starting grid, the physical handbrake annoyingly eroding the mindset. I'd pinned hopes on Vince, Manny, Wozza, SuperMario, The Godfather, Cate, Col, Kel, Pistol Pete and Bo to drag me out of the doldrums and, with Nicholas and Rene lurking at the back, the 5:45 flag fell for Wozza and Bo to drag us to the truck route, the cool of 21 committed to the cranium as we faced a forecast of 42. The mental negatives had me working at the front for leg 2, Bo not helping by sitting a wheel ahead to Orrvale Rd.
I'd hoped Cate would be considerate but a weekend of mountains has her tuned for tempo so I was claiming all the oxygen I could get by the Kinder. I'd composed by the cypress trees but the erratic wheel of Rene had joined the up-line (and a set of carbon wheels wasn't helping) putting a few in caution control, not the least Kel, who'd inherited his tow. (A quiet word needs to be spoken to avoid any horizontal consequence, the Couldabeens kindness of inclusion without question is most welcoming but there comes a time when standards and safety reigns supreme. It's that f.i.f.o. principal)
The sun was still shy as we steered into Boundary Rd (remember being blinded by it on the first leg at Kensington Gardens just a few weeks back?) and reality had relegated Rene to the rear before he'd neared the front (so why advance?), Pistol and The Godfather setting the smoothness to the Fig Farm with no sticky situations encountered (there goes theory number two). The light northeaster was just enough to put work into the up-line though I reckoned it would favour my next appearance at the rushin' front, predicted in Ford Rd. Wozza and Bo made it look easy driving a long turn in Lemnos-Cosgrove Rd, whereas I had just enough for a k with Bo and a k with Cate to Grahamvale Rd. The pace stayed capped into Wanganui Rd till Col arrival at the front motivated his motion, more a casual stretch of legs into the high forties than a sprint (well, that was his version of events) Thoughts of the Lemontree's liquids set a steady spin into town, my turn-off to appease an employer setting a different mindset.
15/1 All together now.
Combatants combined on Tuesday, many Hares had departed for the TDU so a mixed menage of Boof, Liam, Ralphy, Kel, Lenny, Cate, TrekTrev, Jase, Nicholas, Temple, ChrisA, Nick , Col, MyRideTrev, not-so-newAvantiJohn, Bo and Rene assembled for the 5:45 foray. By virtue of being first to grid, Jase and I had the first driving duty to the truck route (with the ripper roll-up two rows were rolling today), TrackStan arriving from the east to make the numbers odd (Rene relegated solitary in the caboose). Boof politely paired with me to Orrvale Rd, supressing his yawns as I concealed a cardiac arrest.
The Hares were chatty and the Hopefuls mostly silent as 19 worked toward Boundary Rd, not-so-newAvantiJohn and Liam cruising the southern leg seemingly at an idle.
It felt a little easier west bound in River Rd (or was that just the deception of a draft?), being promoted ever forward for another turn had me hoping I'd be out of the SSW'er. Just my luck then to cop the breeze head on, but grateful Boof was only using half throttle to disguise my worn down wattage.
Retirees had multiplied in the caboose as we swung north at Galbraith's gate, so I was back into the up-line and back to work as the velocity brewed for Conrod straight. Lenny hit the hurry up button and Cate had a will-I-won't-I moment about ducking for cover, but held station to deliver a short shift. I'd reached the front with little to donate, the hopes of Hares hurrying answered quickly as half a dozen bolted to the finish line while I went beep, beep, beep, beep, backwards.
16/1 The fast and the flabbergasted.
A forlorn foreigner (Tom) sat at the start grid with the weight of the unknown on his shoulders, at least he'd asked to sit on the back rather than just gate-crash the group. Nick, Superman, TrekTrev, MyRideTrev, Tina, Cate, The Godfather, Nicholas, Rene, Lenny and Liam rolled in for the Wednesday ride routine, Lenny setting a spicy standard south toward Sanctuary's roundabout. Interesting how the bunch dynamics have altered since several have holidayed to South Aust, now with just a few of the quick and a lot of the queasy, there was a reluctance to form the up-line. The Godfather, Cate, Nicholas and Liam had no hesitation to hurry forward, me left to lead the less likely to the front as we steered into leg 3. It was odd to find the road devoid of an early edition, only a dozen on duty would give us an extra shift and a shifting breeze would give us an extra effort at no extra cost.
Nicholas and Liam spun the youthful k's of Mitchell Rd (was that Ayto we passed?) where I faced the front with Liam to River Rd, my distinct disadvantage with wattage and age draining the tank to make me putty for the drive east. Thankfully Superman was on a short shift so I began the gradual slide down the order to regain composure. I reached the rear as we neared Boundary Rd, Tom still hanging on and not putting many words into a sentence. A Coggo-less pain train swept west with BigBen in the fold, our trail toward Channel Rd annoyed by a strengthening northeaster. The young guns had the helm again as the bunch barrelled toward the S bend, riding rarities KillkennyPaul and Softa (on a comeback cruise?) were passed but not collected en-route to the cypress trees. I trawled the depths of desperation to drive alongside Liam to Central Ave (the 40+ year deficit didn't help) while trying to hide the hell going on inside, Superman siding with me for barely 100 meters before he rolled. Lenny lit up the tempo further down to Hopeful corner, a caboose half the size of the bunch beckoning me across and back into the up-line as TrekTrev tore off toward the finish line, Nicholas nipping at his heels in his wake.
17/1 Half a dozen steamed dim sims.
The funny feeling riders would be rare was confirmed at Thursday's starting grid, just Trek Trev, Ralphy*, BamBam*, Cate and MyRideTrev arriving at the carpark for the Thursday thrash (* five star commitment from the FDC faction). Trek Trev's torque towed us to the truck route, the sequence getting sorted to single file (albeit in the gutter searching for a draft), I'd found fourth wheel in the ample tow of BamBam to assist my passage, though I was already pondering my turn at the front and where the wind would get me. Horses for courses, BamBam drove well to Kinder corner and left me the head breeze in Central Ave, though I was pleased with the second wind that the ol' faithful Cosmics were giving at 40.
Cate then MyRideTrev served their terms of speed to the S bend, Trek Trev well tuned to perk up the pace to Boundary Rd. Ralphy's fitness faired well to One Tree Dam where BamBam reluctantly drove on to River Rd. The first 1600 went well with help from a light easter, I handed the reigns to Cate at the Angora Farm and rolled to the back for a breather, a little caution thrown in for BamBam's rare but sudden freewheeling. MyRideTrev was still serving turns albeit a whisker off the pace, but hang on when Trek Trev got into the drivers seat. A truck provided a tow as we crested the bridge but stretched the six with speed, all together again for Central Kialla though with Ralphy in fine form to reach Mitchell Rd. BamBam's tank appeared to be emptying near PistolPete's and put me into the lead, running reasonably well to get through Dave's dip before my elbow said enough. MyRideTrev had skipped a turn as we crossed the highway, the bunch sweeping through the left hander and rode the rough of Roubaix corner. It looked like I'd be the sacrificial sucker for Conrod straight as TrekTrev towed us to Galbraith's gate, Ralphy to Arcadia Downs, Cate to Conrod's corner and MyRideTrev out of the first dip. An ENE'er made the forties a flogging, the will wanted to reach the finish line but reality pulled the pin 150 meters shy, no matter 'cause the half dozen finished with a 38.5 average.
18/1 A mixed bag of lollies.
An old style boiled one, an all day sucker, two fizzy things, a couple of sweeties, an unknown flavour and a hard centred one lined up for the week's end fling, with the core of the Couldabeens away on TDU duty it was a mixed bag to tap the Friday lap. Tina, Kenworth, MyRideTrev, Nicholas, Rene, Cate, TrekTrev, Manny and Tom rolled out of the carpark at six, straight into a stormy southerly, young Nicholas with the wattage to reach Hooper Rd, TrekTrev and I to the roundabout (though I called an early roll to reach the truck route so I didn't blow a gasket). There was that eeriness again without an early edition as Manny and Cate drove on to Mitchell Rd, but the wind had steered to an ENE'er so everyone got to work into the wind. On the front again in River Rd with TrekTrev, I avoided looking to the distant roll over point and kept focus on a few meters ahead, that 1200 meter turn seemed endless gazing at a bridge too far.
I'd been suitably softened by speed at the channel for Cate to kill me driving to the dip, pussycats passing westbound with The Godfather passing sledges at us for a change. Newcomer Tom had joined the up-line and with Rene advancing many were on wheel watch, the pace a touch pedestrian but concerns were calmed as the terms of the turns were short. Manny and Nicholas took to Boundary Rd as the wind shifted WSW, I had another go in the drivers seat from the Broken bridges to Channel Rd, surprised to find so many cars minus headlights approaching in the pre dawn dark (I guess the drivers may still be asleep?) A swing into Channel Rd, a drive to the S bend, then back into the tow feeling the wind now southerly. Tom now sat sensibly in the rear seat, in contrast Nicholas was as keen as Renshaw to lead-out for the sprint (his turn due too early for a hope in the ChaCha). I'd reckoned TrekTrev was odds on favourite but Manny had the muscle when it mattered. Cate was into the mid 50's for a credible second and I clawed my way to third, thuffering. The social spin home satisfied , an effortless roll with the wind up the rear exit.
Week 3 273km YTD 712km
The weeks wisdom; Centre the tyre logo over the valve stem, it's easier to find the valve in the dark. (a fundamental Velominati rule anyway)
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