Week 39 : A head in need of hardening.

Post #519
21/9  Saturday; sanctity and suffering.

It took a step outside to believe Saturday's twenty degrees, three icy months of winter had me weather wary so a base layer went on as insurance.  Feeling near naked with arms and legs exposed, a gusty northerly (24-41 km/h) blew Batman and I to the carpark, temperature would bring some out to play but the wind would cower others in their cots.  There'd be certain suffering on the east, north and west journey to breakfast.  Shorty, GiantAndy, Wozza, Tina, Kreeky, Rocket, TatMat, Boof, TatPaul, TrekTrev, Lenny, TrackStan, PistolPete and daughter Molly assembled in the shop's carpark, the wind whipping us full steam south at six bells.   A few struggled to catch the tail of tempo so a slow attempted to keep a congregation, a northbound Vince u-turning to jump aboard at Sanctuary's roundabout.  Forty plus was back on the agenda to Mitchell Rd, the orange sunrise a distraction for eyes bored by the wheel ahead or questioning the speedo's accuracy.

Molly had been dislodged as the bunch battled Mitchell Rd's crosswind (PistolPete to the rescue), the bunch getting bravado boosted, teeth clenched and bars gripped for the head-on hurt through Central Kialla.  The toil was testing enough way back at fifth wheel, so the effort of GiantAndy and Batman at the front didn't bear thinking about.  It was my time to face the torture at the front with TrekTrev in River Rd, half turns seemed to be the standard against the wind (and that's about all my legs would give) so reaching the dip started part two alongside TatPaul.

Legs were liquorice half a k later, but satisfied I'd done my bit, recovery in the draft was the treat after toil.  There was a punishing pace set by the swift (need I say who?) into Boundary Rd's headwind, high thirties had heads down and tongues out to the highway (but isn't that why we ride?), setting speed expectations for TrackStan, Batman and GiantAndy lined up for duty behind.   Good luck and good position had me hidden from the wind on Old Dookie and Pine Lodge Rd, the task in Lemnos-Cosgrove Rd a tough one, with the wind working me over from the right.  That hurt at the front was soothed (psychologically) by kudos from TatMat and Kreeky as they advanced to participate in pain, the temptation to overlap wheels for a better draft resisted as we all struggled to hold a line.  The caboose was the place of choice as Ford Rd drew to an end, I joined Kreeky, Shorty, TatPaul and TrekTrev looking for a safe seat with Tina and Vince already in residence as the work in Wanganui loomed large and lethal.

I hadn't seen the two lines begin thin with speed, TrekTrev's hunger for shelter from the wind forcing me into the gravel for a few manic moments.  Holding the line, avoiding the rough edge of tarmac and faith in 25mm tyres got me back on terra firma but Batman's sudden launch had broken the bunch in two before we'd reached DECA.  Looking for allies spent from the sprint found TrekTrev, Tina and Vince, so we set to work together to catch the pack.  Just back aboard when Tina's specs did a dismount at Canterbury roundabout was a perfect excuse to rest legs, retrieve lost property and roll with three back to breakfast.   Holidays, Saturday's sanctity and perfect pictures made the talk on the long table with the warm morning feeling foreign .

23/9  A fraction of hope that the forecast was wrong quickly vanished during my five a.m. breakfast, the heavens opened for a Monday minute but then stopped, maybe there was a chance to ride after all?  Two minutes later a decent downpour made the difficult decision to relinquish the ride too easy.  Back to bed felt sloth-like, but the slumber was sweet.  Of course, there's a sneak peek at Strava later to see who did the Rule #9 thing or if others had succumbed to that supplementary snooze.

24/9  Endangered species.

A sparrow's fart spin (it's that craving k's thing) south looped back to town in time to collect Ballarat buddy Stu (on a brief cricket stop-over) to roll to the revised grid and check out some endangered Goat species.  The usuals Heady, Coggo, Snow, Belly, Manny, Hommie, Sandy and Tina had dragged the rare riders Carl, Baz, HG and Phil out of their hibernation, so we were set for a lazy lap while the lax laboured.  Belly didn't need to read me the riot act.  Four degrees made a cool comeback, few words spoken from the caboose as seven rolled the turns on Ford and Lemnos-Cosgrove Rd (a revised route with roadworks on Old Dookie Rd).   Sandy felt the freshness from the recent weeks in sunny Spain, Baz starting over from six months of slackness and HG was almost unrecognised on a clean Colnago.

I can't tire of these super sunrises, a morning motivator that many never see, and it was quite the change to tap a lap in the lower regions of zone three instead of wrung out on the rivet.  HG and Baz had abandoned ship to shortcut home via Channel Rd (theirs will be a long and painful road to return to form.....if they haven't given up already), the remaining toughing out the temperature (a wintery feels like two) down to River Rd.   Heady was happy he'd be counted among the finishers and Sandy sat contented in the caboose as Coggo kept a cap on the pace without a hint of cooked brake pads. The sun's psychological warmth counted for some comfort but the clock was against me by River Rd's end (Tina on time constraints too), so we paired to pace the shortcut back to town, finding mid thirties a revelation.


25/9  WTF?! Wednesday.
As welcome as a tax audit or a fat fart on a first date, Wednesday's winter weather chilled the bones of the hopeful that Spring may one day warm us.  The Godfather got the grid giggling (everybody loves a clown!) but it was down to business at six for Rocket, Batman, PistolPete, Kreeky, Boof, Stu, Liam, Superman, Trav and TrekTrev, setting sail into Archer Rd's arctic atmosphere.  The pecking order of pace soon sorted the fast from the fazed, the bunch settling into a rapid routine down to Mitchell Rd.  It took a moment to notice Superman was on a new bike, the KTM shelved for another of the bargain basement Corsa's.

Stu was at his Ballarat best in short knicks, wattage that fitted the fitness of Boof, Rocket, Liam and Wozz working the front.  We were well into River Rd before my debut at the front, the sunrise lighting up Tina in the distance as I paired Superman at Laws Drive then The Godfather at the dip.  Movement in a distant driveway set my internal alarm ringing, lucky I hollered a slow as a truck appeared then slowly pulled out in front of us (and here's me thinking thirteen headlights ablaze would be noticeable).  Just because a vehicle is moving doesn't mean the driver's awake.

Thankfully all remained vertical, the speed back up to spec to finish off River Rd, but Boundary Rd became interesting as we approached One Tree Dam.  A startled skippy bounded left, right and back again, looking for an escape from our northbound bunch as the Goat train slowed from the south.  Wildlife soon cleared for bike business to get back on track, the 'wouldabeens' (setting sail ten minutes prior) now the bait for our determined drive into Channel Rd.   
I'd been promoted worryingly close to the pointy end approaching the Kinder, but by good fortune the bunch thinned to single file headed to Hopeful corner.   PistolPete peeled off the front after a swift shift to Prentice Rd and with just TrekTrev and Superman ahead a podium position looked possible.  Oh no it didn't!  The real horsepower of Liam and Rocket let loose from behind to humble us hopefuls.  Half a minute gasping to the school was enough, tempo was back on the agenda again to town, catching the 'wouldabeens' (and startling some) at Archer Rd.

26/9  Just a sucker for a sunrise.
What the head wants and what the legs would deliver were two separate things on Thursday, and with the impetus evaporated from the 5:40 fling (come back Kel, Bo and Col!), I settled for a solo appetiser then Goats for main course.

The scenic salvation for the soul was a slow and steady sunrise to match my slow and steady solo fifteen k's, a cruisy contemplation getting head and engine motivated.    Tina, HG, Coggo, Heady and AvantiAndy were at Verney Rd's roundabout, HG hoping a head start would help him.  Chocks away at six, we'd caught HG within a half a k, but crossing Grahamvale Rd he was instant o.t.a. (yup, his was going to be a long and laborious return to form)  Yet another super sun-up made amends for all those cold, damp, dark and dreary winter starts (though I was having trouble feeling my toes in three degrees), Tina tapping a super smooth shift into Lemnos-Cosgrove Rd. (we get spoilt in a well disciplined bunch, only appreciating the ease of  being on the wheel of a smooth operator till we're following a fickle foreigner).

AvantiAndy put in a good effort in the drivers seat considering time off the bike and the handicapper assigning him top weight, even Heady played a cameo role at the front as the sun got above the horizon in Boundary Rd.  Speed had climbed gradually to the highway but AvantiAndy had suffered enough reality and withdrew for the comfort of Channel Rd homeward, the remaining four sharing shifts (relative to fitness) to River Rd.  Tina set that smooth shift happening again to the quarter horse stud and I attempted the same to Laws Drive, figuring (correctly) that Coggo would tow us to River Rd's end.  Suitably refreshed from the draft took the edge off my nine k's solo home, hopefully legs would match the will's wants tomorrow.

27/9  Fido Friday.

Trav, Shorty, Wozza, Batman, Kreeky, Tina, Rocket, Superman, PistolPete, TrekTrev, Boof, Lenny and DeterminedDan rolled up for Friday's public holiday spin, a whole two degrees warmer than yesterday feeling almost tropical. How will we handle the heat?  The copybook start south was headed by horsepower as usual, and I'd succumbed to the easy option of taking the slowest promotion forward.  This head is in need of hardening.  Pace had settled to cruisy by Mitchell Rd (to the joy of some spent by a week of speed), then a sudden slow for a red dog standing sentry by the roadside woke a few from the slumber.  Mid thirties were in vogue from Central Kialla, new Corsa's in vogue too with Shorty, Kreeky, DeterminedDan and Superman all aboard these new steeds.  Tina joined the advance for a short turn at the front, calling me across at the Angora farm to work with Wozza to Boundary Rd.

A northeast breeze was my battle and Wozza kindly complied with my sub standard speed, though what I though was a paltry pace had broken Tina to slip back to the comfort of the caboose.   Oblivious to the wind, PistolPete and Wozza paired in Boundary Rd and stoked up the speed, the holy grail of a steady tap swapped for a slice of suffering.  A day off (for most) extended the route up to Lemnos-Cosgrove Rd, my fixed focus on the wheel ahead  missing the sudden slow for more canine caution, causing a split-second wheel lock then back on the gas when Tina's ankles were looking delicious to dogs.  The new course had Batman befuddled, over New Dookie Rd, avoiding the rumble strips for the un-used railway and up to Lemnos-Cosgrove Rd to steer west and relish the breeze behind.  Verney Rd was our course to caffeine,  the super smooth tarmac single filed south far removed from the usual rough and rapid work in Wanganui Rd.  A brief black brew at the Butter Factory satisfied a social starvation, but time quickly turned me regrettably to work. Saturday will be sacred.


Week 39      252km              YTD 9,881 km