Post #509
13/7 Somewhat soggy Saturday.
The lure of the social Saturday spin soon forgets Friday's fussing over a clean bike, out into the cold 5:40am and onto a still damp road soaked by yesterday's never ending showers. Conditions had culled the starting grid to Rocket, Bruce, Tina, Wozza, Boof, GiantAndy and MyRideTrev, a keen west northwester would blow us out of town but breakfast would be well earned on the return. I'd shirked the early work tucking into Wozza's wheel as he led the little train south, maximising the tow till my chore at the front was due. The blinking red led ahead was guessed (correctly) to be Grumpy, joining the rotating ritual as we crossed the truck route, Tina and MyRideTrev's voices were heard from behind but were sadly shut off socially sitting on, seven left circling to share the task of slicing through the four degrees (feels like minus one). My turn at the front came due in River Rd with willing legs but an unco-operative head, Grumpy and Wozza were of course compliant, the heart rate was happy but my mindset was making this shift hard labour. Putting in a proper turn over rode the mental doldrums for a while but how I'd handle the next turn was already hammering at the head. Soaking up the social side put the ride into perspective, Wozza and Rocket weren't so chatty but I believe a big turn at the brewery Friday night might be to blame. Boof was still adjusting from Bali's 28 degrees to our winter reality and GiantAndy was doing a thesis on ride style (plenty sign their name by a certain sit on the saddle). Work at the front called again in Boundary Rd and my head was up to the same old tricks, 37km/h at 160 bpm but still the thoughts made a mountain of it. Part two needed to dig up determination while Wozza seemingly cruised alongside, recovery came quickly though as others shared the load to the Toaster.
Just two Cats tapped along Lemnos-Cosgrove Rd as we put noses to the headwind home, chin to the headstem as Grumpy and I cut the atmosphere toward the kennels (spirits lifting managing a better than expected speed). Wozza hit the front at Woolshed Rd and wisely called an Indian file attack on the elements, finding myself at fourth wheel in the thin westward line, he put in a long drive to Boundary and Boof did a carbon copy. Bruce forged into Ford Rd and performance anxiety was raising it's head as I clung to his wheel, they'd have to put up with a short shift 'cause I wasn't going to ruin the rhythm. Surprisingly I wasn't blown backwards as Bruce peeled off, head down and cadence up, I reckoned on reaching Grahamvale Rd without cardiac arrest. That didn't add up with my first two turns so I guess the cranium was finally co-operating. Rocket took to the rushin' front as I near burst a boiler catching Bruce's wheel, Tina and MyRideTrev still locked in as rear gunners as we sped into town. Perhaps the hurry helped a hangover 'cause Rocket still headed the line when we worked into Wanganui Rd, the wind had worn away any sprint intention but Wozza and Boof turned up the gasps to the hill so there'd be an appetite back at the café. Huddled around the heaters at the Lemontree, tour tactics, killer dogs and BinTang subjects swapped sides at the short table over breakfast.
15/7 Wind woes.
There's no fear of the front when the wind's blowing at the backside, so I had no issue taking the first shift east on Monday morning. A west northwester propelled Bo, Col, Kel, not-so-newAvantiJohn, Bruce and Kreeky out of town, it's the return that would tax us with gusts of 30 km/h. Col and Bo were quite chatty to the Kinder but six went silent feeling that wind at the starboard side on the southerly spin along Central Ave. Kreeky, not-so-newAvantiJohn and Bruce finished off Channel Rd and I had Kel as co-pilot from the highway to the bridge, but I needed an appointment with a Spanish doctor to keep up. Bo levelled with me as I set the fig farm as the roll over point, but with a bit in reserve, pressed on to Old Dookie Rd to make a reasonable contribution.
Legs and lungs had no complaints as I crossed the intersection and the decision to push on to New Dookie Rd felt right, but just as I thought the target was possible the lungs laboured with 500 metres to go. Encouragement from Bo helped and stubbornness got me to the goal speechless but satisfied, considering the distance. I hoped others were going through the same toil (or at least a percentage of it) on their push at the pointy end, but there's not many clues to the effort given as each spends their time on a turn. The real work began working west into the wind, Bruce wisely calling a single filed strategy to minimise the pain. He set the standard with a long drive to the bridge, Bo next in line figured to push on to Lemnos North Rd but his elbow gave me the lead for a 600 metre drive to Ford Rd. Kel and Col weren't venturing from the rear seats so Kreeky took on the task of towing us in Ford Rd, not-so-newAvantiJohn putting some sting in the speed to Grahamvale Rd. My calculations forecast another term of torment before we'd turn away from the headwind and sure enough, the first 700 of Wanganui Rd was mine to suffer. Relief came slotting into fifth wheel at the transfer station, knowing that was the last of the headwind for me, though holding onto Bruce and Bo's blast to the hill didn't spell cruisy. Back home via the Boulevard was blessed with the wind behind, six steered to coffee while I whinged my way to work.
16/7 Fourtitude.
A wind blew again on Tuesday and I thought September was the windy month. 12k's around the golf course climatized the legs and head to the 20 km/h west northwester, arriving at Friars to find Snow, Coggo and Sly the only winter warriors to face the day. Like yesterday, there was no hesitation to head the crew out of town with an assisting wind, mindful to go easy on Snow (labouring from limited laps) and save something for the headwind home. I put Coggo in charge at Dobson's bridge and tucked in for a tow as he cranked to Central Ave, Sly's shift was a little shy of School Rd and Snow kept the pace till handing over with 500 metres of Old Dookie Rd left. Half a k felt like a discounted drive so took on a k of Boundary Rd as recompense, that WNW'er turning my trajectory a little drunk as the gusts blew between the orchards. Coggo took over to the highway as I slipped to the rear, now reckoning it was easier at the front than fighting for the draft at the back. Sly then Snow delivered me to One Tree Dam, thoughts of another long shift evaporating quickly on the push to River Rd. Coggo carved through the headwind just a whisker off the previous pace, only now the caboose was the dream draft (till Coggo peeled off at the Angora farm to move me one place closer to the front. Sly put in a big turn till a bit beyond the dip, the workload ever increasing with just Snow to shield me. Over the bridge and Snow had had enough, I'd have the last k of River Rd as a parting gift to the lap. The odd passing car gave a moments relief from the breeze but in all I was pleased with the pace to Central Kialla Rd (even more pleased to ease up for the solo tap home)
17/7 Windsday.
The bureau decides the layers (temperature), the tactics (wind direction) and the suffering (wind speed) well before a wheel turns in anger, so there was no surprise facing the elements as the door opened Wednesday morning. How the legs and head would cope with it I couldn't forecast. A few threatening spits from the sky didn't deter Bruce, Rocket, Boof, Wozza, Coggo, Tina, Joe, Kel, Superman, Kenworth, Kreeky, MyRideTrev and Bo from fronting the carpark. Boof and Wozza got the party started, plenty not so regulars diving for the safety of a tow as fourteen flew south into the darkness. I joined the advance line with Kreeky ahead as a few looked likely to cement their position at the back, our special guest Coggo was my follow up as we all enjoyed the treat of a tailwind in Mitchell Rd. The push to River Rd with Kreeky nearly emptied the tank, luck gave me the breeze behind to keep up with Coggo as I took aim to reach the bridge. I'd run out of urge two hundred metres shy of the target so the draft from Coggo and Kenworth was almost Christmas when they took over the driving seats.
Those few minutes of toil were soon forgotten and there'd probably be fifteen minutes before doing it again, spare a thought for some at the back on the limit for the whole lap. Rocket, Wozza and Boof dragged us rapidly up Boundary Rd, the real work about to begin as we faced the breeze bearing west into Channel. No chance of avoiding the work when I was this far up the advance line, I gritted teeth for that headwind hurt beside Kreeky from the S bend, hoping there'd still be something left for part two of the turn with Coggo at Jameson Rd. Almost inside out reaching Central Ave, the last gasp was to call Coggo over, then hope for a moment of recovery before the big horsepower got to the front. Boof, Rocket, Wozza and Bruce pulled out all stops at Kinder corner and drew into the distance, leaving a trail of survivors scattered along the ChaCha, all seeking something or somebody to draft to make it to the finish, the calm after the sprint soon drawing the crew back together for a solid spin back into town.
18/7 A six pack before breakfast.
We don't normally find MyRideTrev at the Thursday grid but he was more than welcome with only Tina, Kreeky, Bo and Kel forming the small bunch we're accustomed to these dark, cold (and of late windy) winter mornings. For fronting first, MyRideTrev had the honour of leading us out of town, setting a most satisfactory standard to the roundabout. Bo showed remarkable restraint oh so slowly turning up the tempo as MyRideTrev tucked in for the tow.
I'd guessed Bo would go for the long shift holding the helm over the truck route, still at the front down to Mitchell Rd and stubbornly staying for the east leg to Central Kialla. The road dampened by overnight rain did a great job of dirtying bikes, perhaps the wet contributed to Kreeky picking up the puncture as we rolled past the school. MyRideTrev's attendance had the advantage of technical assistance when Kreeky dropped the skewer spring and washer, so with repairs done and dusted and the order resumed, we were underway eastward on River with Bo cemented in as captain again. Finally Kel was given the reigns at the bridge, spinning strong and smooth to the dip. The long turns had turned infectious and Kreeky had it bad, driving the remainder of River Rd and adding three k's of Boundary to the highway to prove it.
Tina did well hanging on at second wheel yet still had the horsepower to drive the front to the bacon barn, finally it was Foss's first turn at the front with three quarters of the circuit complete. A smooth tarmac helped to lighten the load to the fig farm and the old engine was running reasonably well reaching Old Dookie Rd, so braved an extra leg westward (this may be my one and only appearance in the front seat) Running rapidly out of steam at the bridge and about to throw an elbow, the call of 'car back' cemented my place a bit longer, legs none to happy being asked to deliver more. MyRideTrev took the helm and saved me by dialling down the tempo a tad, call it preparation time before Bo sniffed the front again. Of course, the pace lifted with Bo leading the lads and lasses from Central Ave, a passing car or three helping to raise the bar to the forties to the city limits, then calming for commuting cars in town where time and work split me from the crew.
19/7 Friday freaks.
The multiplying drops from above was a lesson not to clean the bike the night before, but it seems hope helped the drizzle to clear and make a Friday fling feasible. Tina, Kreeky, MyRideTrev, The Godfather, Rocket, Boof, Joe, Wozza, Bruce and Grumpy had eyes on the heavens and on the bureau's radar at the carpark as six bells struck and I was happy to head the masses south (nothing to do with a helpful northerly breeze). Kel and Bo were rolling south at the Broken bridge and assumed the lead role saving me the work to Sanctuary's roundabout (though I joined the advance line early to make the best of that tailwind). To the truck route beside Kreeky then to Mitchell with Wozza shouldn't have eroded the energy but I had as much enthusiasm as BeerMat headed to Central Kialla (even in the draft!) The Godfathers garble and guffaws shifted the forlorn focus, the soiled state of other bikes made mine a little cleaner and thoughts of that excruciatingly long comeback from winter retirement by the many in hibernation made my state somewhat serene.
Bo talked up my performance of late (I'd call it hanging on) but I'd set myself a treat of sitting on for a change, socialising with the caboose crew for a change. Glad I'd made the choice as heads went down into the northerly on Boundary Rd, and the fit freaks of Wozza and Rocket tearing into the breeze in the high thirties (most likely to muzzle The Godfathers jibes) That chorus of carbon is music to the ears and distracts from the distress in the legs labour, positions perfected to make the most of maximum draft from those ahead. Westbound in Channel Rd and The Godfather was silent and gradually dropping the wheel ahead, velocity slowly building as seven worked their wattage toward the Kinder. The caboose was the place to be as the hurry happened, gathering up several spat from the speed at the front. There was a fairly quick cruise into town with most now northbound in search of coffee but a waiting time clock excluded me.
Week 29 264km YTD 7,435km
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