Post #518
14/9 Rarities return.
Left to your own devices, it'd be a quiet roll to the start line but quick company (Rocket and Batman) pushed me a little beyond the comfort zone, perfect preparation as it happens for the swift Saturday spin ahead. Legs and lungs were well limbered arriving at the shop, finding ride rarities BeerMat and Temple on the comeback trail, welcome additions to the field of ChrisA, Shorty, Wozza, Lenny, TrekTrev, TatMat, PistolPete, TatPaul, Lance, Manny, MyRideTrev, Dalts and CatKel. Six bells set us south, Superman and Vince the late additions to total the team to twenty. Several had already secured seats in the caboose but the ritual of rotations got underway out of town in the now acceptable high thirties (ahh, the days of the thirty five limit seem eons ago) Movement in the distant River Rd roadside waved a flag of caution for me, Vince and I slowing the train early for a large grey kangaroo bounding along the fence line.
Must be the Manny magnet attracting wildlife.
After fifty metres of eyeing one another off, Skippy nonchalantly leapt the fence with no effort for greener pastures. Getting back up to speed was a test, legs had liked the luxury of a moment at a casual thirty km/h, Kreeky kindly keeping level with me while restoring the rapid rhythm to River Rd's end. A big bunch meant many minutes before I'd face the front again, Saturday's sun arriving at the horizon as we arrived at the highway. By that strange coincidence, the tempo trio of Rocket, Wozza and PistolPete were line astern to stoke up the speed to Old Dookie Rd and into the sunrise toward the Toaster, more taking up permanent residence at the rear.
Of course, I got the southwester in the face as I faced the front in Lemnos-Cosgrove Rd, TrekTrev for part one to Woolshed Rd and with Rocket for part two to the bridge. I'll admit to doubts about joining the advance again but that Rule #67 about doing your time into the wind nagged at the conscience, just as TatPaul sought refuge in the draft of the down line to TatMat's castigation. The caboose uncoupled at Verney Rd for their casual cruise to the café, the eight remaining steeling selves for the work in Wanganui.
Scraping the bottom of the energy barrel was helped by the fact that others were in deeper drama than I, grandma said you shouldn't take pleasure from the plight of others but the dog-eat-dog world of the sprint (and the shame of going o.t.a.) would be foreign to her. Clutching at TatPaul's draft as Rocket slammed the speed into supersonic at DECA, the sound of Superman's gasps behind me slowly slipped away. Those precious yet paltry few seconds of relief (post sprint) in Rudd Rd were almost in sight to drive me up the hill, though the frontrunners thoughts of caffeine had stirred the speed to the Boulevard. I'd slowed seeing PistolPete retreating to TrekTrev's rescue (wrecked and off the rear), the chore of catching the bunch best shared. Three k's nudging forty couldn't catch the crew, though we'd collected Superman from his Kittles Rd shortcut to berth at base camp for breakfast orders. It was days of old with Temple and BeerMat at the long Lemontree table, the hot topic of super schools declaring open season on teacher sledging.
17/9 Turn up the temperature!
The reason to ride at five in "feels like minus three" was being ignored (self punishment for believing in yesterday's forecast and sleeping in), the icy southerly was assisting my speed to Congupna and there wasn't a car to compete with for tarmac space. Three k's on Congupna East Rd then I really questioned my sanity, steering south into that southerly for a seven k slog to New Dookie Rd was suited to the stupid. The balancing act of a slowing speed and a hurrying heart rate was precarious, leaving something in the tank for a lap with what Goats fronted Friars in the back of my silly head. The turn west onto New Dookie Rd was a treat, driving back into town to front Friars at 5:55. With slim pickings of Pussycats at Notre Dame (one even turned tail for home seeing a slim squad!), Sly and CatKev joined Heady, Coggo and Batman for the six a.m. spin.
It was high time Heady towed us out of town but on handover at the truck route, Sly stepped up the suffering to Dobson's bridge (No more Christmas cards from Heady). I had the helm to Central Ave where CatKev took control, so I slipped back to the rear for recovery but Heady had taken possession of the caboose. Momentum faded for CatKev short of School Rd (it's the Narooma holiday syndrome), Batman restoring the rapidity to get us to Boundary Rd. Coggo faced the breeze in Boundary Rd at a sensible speed though Sly stepped it up again to reach the highway. I'd hoped to put in a reasonable turn to the bridges but the wind shear from an oncoming truck blew me backward, Batman taking the lead (Heady heading homeward via Channel Rd) to reach River Rd. CatKev was now commandant of the caboose while Coggo set the standard west, I sat in Sly's draft checking cogs for the correct cadence. Second wheel at the quarter horse stud, I prepared for my next appearance, Sly's shift swift and strong to the dip before his elbow beckoned me. Thoughts of nine k's solo home limited my turn to reach the bridge, back into the draft for a k's respite before dispensing farewells to drive the shortcut via the truck route and Archer Rd home.
18/9 An ice cold smoothie.
The first couple of k's climatizing to the cold (and the tempo) was cruel, but a decent dose of smoothness soon stopped me sooking. Wozza and Boof had set the standard south, Weapon (seeking 'wouldabeens') collected into the clan as we approached Sanctuary's roundabout. TrekTrev, Superman, Shorty, Kreeky, PistolPete, Batman, The Godfather and Grumpy had lined up for labour at the front, the prior pace preserved till River Rd where The Godfather pulled it back into wouldabeens gear. That suited Superman who's been toasted by tempo since joining the comeback trail several weeks ago (me thinks the shoulders are expending the energy pushing a big gear, a cadence above eighty might be the answer?)
Shorty paired with me at the dip for a swifter shift but he rolled shorter than expected. You'd question a ride with the mercury at two till a scenic sun-up gives you the reason, Wednesday's light streaming through the trees as Grumpy and Pistol kept the pace percolating to Boundary Rd.
Hommie led the pain train of five south (Avanti-Leigh finally out of hibernation) as our dozen drove to Channel Rd, Superman and Weapon keeping the caboose occupied.
I was on The Godfather's wheel as the bunch turned for home into Channel Rd, a few flat rabbits (better for the bunch than live ones) to steer around as the sun attempted to warm our backs. I took care to stay level with The Godfather as we fronted in McFadyen Rd, Kreeky partnering for part two in Central Ave for a quick crank to the Kinder. The soul is soothed seeing the speed sitting in the high thirties with an effort that would barely break thirty (damn, I hope my Garmin was telling the truth!), Wozza gently squeezing the throttle to the ChaCha to keep it short of a sprint (but worthy of a workout).
19/9 Hare styled.
TrekTrev had hatched a plan to roll out five minutes ahead of the Hares and jump aboard as they passed, but with just he and I at the 5:45 grid we figured on banking our reserves and starting with the swift. Grumpy, Kreeky, Rocket, TrackStan, Boof, ChrisA, Liam, PistolPete and Trav soon appeared for the 5:50 flogging, TrackStan starting leg one at supersonic. There was some relief when the tempo tamed a tad at the roundabout, an east northeaster capping the pace to a whisker below forty.
Variables in velocity were amplified at the back and I didn't fancy taking Grumpy's role as gatekeeper to this sort of wattage while the little voice of reality called "suck it up old boy, you've got the easy job!" Turning south onto Boundary and out of the headwind, I was pinning hopes the hurry wouldn't amplify, blessed today was tameday so I stood a chance of hanging on. The swift swapped shifts with a pacey precision down to River Rd though the echelon had me in the oncoming lane. I'd readied for the whiplash at the back as Chris A hit the accelerator west, the bitumen blurring beneath me and blurring my vision to catch the tail. About time I hardened up and copped a Hare hiding, riding with the rapid gets you back to reality and flattens any hint of fig jam syndrome. Certainly sorts the chosen from the chaff. That east northeaster had faded but River Rd was still covered in the forties, most of the six k's spent saving the watts to stay in the draft when the dozen turned toward Central Kialla. Playing tail gunner felt like a free ride but I kept glances rearward for traffic to earn my keep. Legs were burning crossing the highway and the defeatist inside was chipping away at the foundations of Rule #5, it looked oh so easy for the likes of Rocket and Liam but I was ten rungs down on the ladder. Conrod straight was covered quickly, my mental rubber band snapping as we crossed the line to drop off the back in the hope of retrieving a happier heart rate.
20/9 Legs out!
Friday's fourteen degrees had liberated the legs, at last Spring had sprung and we didn't need to layer like an onion to do a lap (though some are wearing layers that only time and a lot of k's will remove!) Now, to dig through the wardrobe archives for my fingerless gloves..... TrekTrev, Tina, Kreeky, Shorty, Boof, PistolPete, Wozza, Superman, Rocket, The Godfather and Grumpy lined up for the Friday friendly, a keen northeaster (18-28 km/h) pushing our pace down to Mitchell Rd (but my peloton position had me due for duty into a headwind) Kreeky and TrekTrev bore the brunt through Central Kialla while I psyched up for the suffering in second wheel, the reality of River Rd's battle made tougher seeing the bridge a painful pinpoint in the distance.
I was deeper into the red zone (and fuzzier in the focus) when TrekTrev called an early roll (just as I was thinking it), now to reach the bridge with what wattage was left. A (strangely) silent Godfather soldiered on beside me to the bridge, his part two rather abbreviated rolling at Laws Drive. Shorty drove to the dip but facing the front was Superman's kryptonite, speed sinking like a stone as the headwind hammered his hurry. Surviving at second wheel soon became his big ask, retreating to the rear for respite while Shorty filled the gap. Boof, Rocket and Wozza showed the fettle of their fitness to River Rd's end, surprisingly it was Grumpy now in struggle street, quickly coveting the caboose for comfort. Kreeky and TrekTrev again headed the bunch in Boundary Rd, that wind at the right shoulder extracting cusses as many fought to find a draft.
The speed was spurred though seeing the 'wouldabeens' in the not so distant future, I'd almost emptied the tank to reach the Broken bridges when Shorty saved me with his early roll. West into Channel Rd and we could soak up the serenity, no more wind whistling between the ears but some labour for the legs homing in on the 'wouldabeens' (MyRideTrev, Laura, Nev, Hollywood, Cougar, ScottMatt and BamBam). Cautiously staying behind till the coast was clear, Rocket Wozz Boof and Kreeky bolted, catching many by surprise, a few of us caught off guard and breaking off the back. I couldn't catch Kreeky's draft (I'll blame 60 psi in a slowly deflating front tyre) and TrekTrev was in a similar street, so we grouped with Tina and The Godfather to settle on being survivors and tap back to town.
Week 38 236km YTD 9,627km
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