Post 510
20/7 The Saturday sacrament.
Whether it's to blow off the steam of a working week or soak up the social stuff (denied when you're not on executive hours), Saturday's lap is a treasured sacrament, regardless of winters' testing temperatures. Tina, Bruce, Kreeky, The Godfather, Boof, Rocket, Giant Andy, Determined Dan, MyRideTrev, Kel, TatMat, Shorty, TatPaul and Lance thought likewise arriving at the grid, Bruce leading the charge into Archer Rd as six bells tolled. A touch of east northeaster urged me to take an early shift with Bruce at the front less I suffer the headwind later, Giant Andy keeping me silent for part two to the truck route. Beside Rocket and into the headwind, Determined Dan was the day's inspiration to Central Kialla, TatMat tells me he's been the Couldabeen on a hot tin roof all week. Dan backed up a strong turn with another to River Rd, I'd been gradually demoted rearward hearing the voices of The Godfather, Tina, MyRideTrev, Shorty and Lance content in the caboose, calling me back into the up-line.
The body language of those at the front spoke of toil into River Rd, so I was let off lightly when my turn didn't come due until northbound on Boundary Rd (though matching Bruce from the Broken bridges to the pub nearly emptied the tank). Concerns of backing up that turn with Giant Andy dissolved when Rocket called a pause for a puncture, chat on the insulating layers we ward off winter with passing the few minutes till repairs were done. Suitably rested, my pairing with Giant Andy went well to the bacon barn, Rocket spinning swiftly to Old Dookie Rd (regardless of an under inflated rear tube) with Determined Dan (relishing the thrash) in the suffering seat beside him.
Luck had me missing the headwind again as others faced the breeze to the Toaster, the Pussycats plying south with a reasonable population as we reached the church. Daylight's becoming measurably earlier heading west toward breakfast, that east northeaster easing the effort till the speed spiced because of it. To the business end with Bruce for the k to Lemnos North Rd, I was surprised to have Determined Dan beside for a stretch of Ford Rd, hoping that would be my swansong at the front seeing plenty behind preparing for pain. Shorty and MyRideTrev escaped via Verney Rd for a relaxed roll to breakfast as Bo and Rocket turned up the pain preparing for the Wanganui workout. Wheels howled into the high forties as two lines thinned to one passing DECA, speed sorting the swift from sufferers approaching Mt. Wanagnui. Giant Andy took the chocolates I'm told (I was midfield with blurred vision by this stage) but the bunch reformed by the Boulevard for a steady spin to the Lemontree , tales tattled on hub bearings, ever increasing building standards and the rise and rise of Alaphilippe.
22/7 Fresh & foggy.
Monday's zero degrees was a frigid reminder that winter is still with us, fog reinforcing the picture just in case I thought otherwise. Pistol Pete, Bruce, Kreeky, Grumpy and The Godfather found their way to the carpark for the intro to the week, the 5:45 launch captained by Bruce and Pistol Pete for a swift shift to the truck route. My lungs seemed to be a half capacity gripped by "feels like minus 2.5", well that was my excuse for labouring the shift to Orrvale Rd beside Bruce. Kreeky was my part two partner to the Kinder while I fought to supress sounding like an asthmatic at a flower festival. The Godfather slowed the speed beside Kreeky at the cypress trees which helped my recovery, though turns at the front would come around quickly with just six sharing the workload. Pistol Pete was riding like Alaphilippe despite two weeks holiday from two wheels (and I'm struggling after one day off)
Grumpy's focus was fuzzy from the fog as we crossed Old Dookie Rd, so a k's slow while he cleared specs was a welcome respite from my second shift at the front. Underway again, The Godfather was strangely silent (the cold containing his cackle?) and in the reshuffle, I'd found myself on Pistol Pete's wheel (here's that the Lada behind the Lamborghini feeling again!) I couldn't keep up the wattage for a k so called a slightly abbreviated roll, Kreeky collaborating with my slightly sagged speed to Lemnos North Rd. I put respite into fast forward with another turn due soon, Grumpy's vision was vexed so was sitting this one out, Pistol Pete and Bruce driving a double shift to drag us to the highway. I fronted Wanganui Rd with Pistol kindly levelling beside me, that chill choking the lungs to call it quits at the transfer station, from there I was treated to a tow to the hill (handy when there was little labour left) There was brief belt along the Boulevard before I departed to a working week while five cruised to coffee.
23/7 A five am breakfast and almost ready to kit-up on Tuesday morning when the showers began, so the path back to bed was an easy one. Seems the showers were scattered as some ventured out (onto damp tarmac) but I'll take sleep over soaked anytime.
24/7 Suffering the season.
Winter throws up all the excuses to soften and stay in bed (feels like one degree, fog, a chilly breeze and a damp road to share with quick compatriots) but forces deep within (namely Rule #5) dragged me muttering seasonal sufferings to the carpark. Tina had the hassle of just one heated sock working, and Joe shied from facing the front, so I took grid position one as Bruce, Kreeky, Boof, Rocket, Wozza and PistolPete assembled behind. 3 k's of cold as captain was a cruel introduction, Kel and Bo joined the line and Boof kindly ran at third throttle alongside to make my effort look good to Sanctuary's roundabout. Wozza, Pistol and Bruce followed up with a pace percolating to Mitchell Rd by which time I was feeling human again.
Thin gloves were a poor choice (should have read the 'feels like' temperature) and there was difficulty dodging the puddles as they quickly appeared from the darkness (bike cleaning would be the prologue to the Tour's highlights tonight) Joe had joined the advance line and looked to be preparing for the pointy end but took shelter in the down-line when he found suffering at second wheel. Sometime soon he'll mount that mental mountain and put in a turn in the drivers seat, that'll get the monkey off his back, even if it's a brief blast. Now all we need is to talk Tina into tapping a turn. I was advancing on Rocket's wheel to the front, sudden finger pointing was too late (and dangerous) to swerve the road kill, but a bunny bump was of little consequence. There was comfort in the knowledge that Rocket would play fair and wasn't going to tear my legs off (well not intentionally!), making it to the quarter horse stud before calling the roll. It's not often there's a fog with a breeze, Boundary Rd beset with a mist rolling east that pocketed plenty of specs, speed comfortably quick to Channel Rd where calculations had me facing another turn near the ChaCha. The breeze was head-on for most of the west way back to town, sure enough I was second wheel at the cypress trees then in the blink of an eye, at the business end in Central Ave. Rocket kindly levelled with me to the Kinder and it was pleasing to have PistolPete and Wozza take the helm as we swung out of Hopeful corner as the ChaCha opened up ahead, but a sprintless finish appealed to most in the conditions so we finished still capable of a chat back to town.
25/7 The Thursday thrashing.
Riding behind schedule had the head down and the cadence up on Thursday morning and of course I caught three sets of red lights on the way to the starting grid. That helped the hurry. I arrived just as PistolPete, Kreeky, Tina, Bo, Kel and MyRideTrev were departing, slotting in to sixth wheel (MyRideTrev was going to sit this one out) as Pistol slowly stoked the boiler up to speed, setting the long turn standard with a six k drive to Mitchell Rd. Kreeky drove ditto with a big shift to Central Kialla, up to River Rd and that bit more to the bridge to make a five and a half k contribution, Tina (next in line) having the sense to tap a standard shift to the dip.
Bo was next up and another big turn was a certainty (for a moment I wondered if I'd even get a moment at the front!), to the end of River Rd and still he stubbornly stayed in the drivers seat, up to the Broken Bridges and beyond, to clock seven k's donation to the drive. Kel slipped into her standard smooth shift from the highway to the bridge, an oncoming car delaying the peel off the front till reaching the bacon barn. After seventeen k's in the draft, I finally got my moment at the front, wheels humming a happy carbon chorus on the super smooth tarmac to Old Dookie Rd. With long sits at the front the fashion, I continued at the helm westward, that decision questionable with legs protesting by School Rd. Three and half k's was all I was worth, so handed over to PistolPete, fresh as a daisy after eleven k's in the tow. I had just enough watts left to catch the tail as Pistol drove on to Central Ave, but wait, he had more, driving the train to the truck route ('cause he can). Finally at SPC, calm descended for the roll into town, wishing time allowed me a post-ride casual conversation and coffee, but work and wages kept me anti-social.
26/7 Possum pie and a puncture pantomime.
I'd gone around the block but still rolled into the carpark early, position one was the price to pay but I didn't want the running-late-rush of yesterday. Rocket, Tina, Bruce, Pistol Pete, Boof, Wozza, MyRideTrev, Joe, Shorty and Kreeky formed behind and at six I got the train steaming slowly south as The Godfather, Bo & Kel then Nev joined on our exit from town.
Wozza advised a few were dragging the chain so an easy start suited me, even with a light breeze behind mid thirties felt a thrash. Down to Mitchell Rd and slipping into the social sentences with Rocket, a sudden slow compacted the crew, Tina (with nowhere to go) shunted my cassette and shredded some Continental from her front tyre, skill applied to keep herself vertical. A critter bolting from the roadside had become an instant speed bump (a small possum or big rat seemed to be the consensus), thankfully all remained upright but it had rattled the nerves to slow the speed for a while. Previous encounters with wildlife (with worse outcomes) replayed in the heads of many through Central Kialla, not till River Rd's dip did the pace pick up again to the steady standards. Just into Boundary Rd and The Godfather called a pause for a puncture, the air now thick with sledges and repair critiques as our early morning entertainment. Despite the pressure to perform, the fix was swift and the bunch was underway and up to pace by One Tree Dam. Joe had joined the advance but soon slipped back into the comfort of the down-line, MyRideTrev the surprise player for promotion as Kreeky and Bruce steered the ship through Channel Rd's twists and turns. To Kinder corner and Wozza was getting itchy, his blast to the ChaCha leaving MyRideTrev left to lead the crew. A few set off in the hope of a podium position, I had nothing but an offer to tow MyRideTrev (and a few others) back to the now slowing sprinters, a collected crew rolling to feed a caffeine addiction and savour social sustenance.
Week 30 216km YTD 7,651km
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