A moment for martyrdom.

Post #549
30/5  Saturday separations.

Rides restricted to tens in Covid conformity separated a generous gathering of Saturday's starters, my hopes hanging on a steady spin with like-minded lads and lasses.  I had no dramas leading the first team south (the northeaster would amplify my ability), maybe the crew of Shorty, Grumpy, Tina, Bo, Steve, Molly, The Godfather and GiantAndy would spin sedately?  Reaching Sanctuary's roundabout with breath to spare was a bonus, Tina and Molly were content in the caboose so I tacked onto GiantAndy's wheel (bonus #2) as Bo took the drive to the truck route.  Mid 30's received no complaints.  Would we suffer with speed into the wind or tame the tempo a tad?  Who had the helm and who would holler with hurt would tell.  Grumpy headed the hurry to Central Kialla with no criticisms called.

The Godfather took the team north, the line of leds of group 2 (Bruce, Rocket, Trav, Wozza, Col, Liam, Lance, Kreeky and MyRideTrev) a quarter k behind.  Our pack had stretched long into River Rd, acceleration at the front the enemy of those at the rear just rounding the rear.  Steve scored the shift from the dip, a new pair of Zipp's helping spice the speed toward Coach Rd.  A holler from the back soon handbraked the hurry.  Our slow to regroup soon had group 2 overtake (with several sledges swapped) our come-uppance coming at River Rd's end when Bruce punctured to halt their progress.

Tina, Bo, Molly and The Godfather jumped ship but we gained MyRideTrev to command the caboose in exchange, GiantAndy setting the pace north demonstrating his wattage with a long drive to the fig farm. (Can't help but spare a thought for PistolPete as we pass this point.  I'd guess I'm not alone)  My turn to Old Dookie Rd was a shortcoming in comparison.   Grumpy did the tow truck duty toward the Toaster as I tucked into second last spot, keeping watch on MyRideTrev staying aboard.  I reckon we'd all had enough of the relentless northeaster so reaching Lemnos-Cosgrove Rd for the west way home was a relief all round, GiantAndy taking a short shift at the front so we'd all get to enjoy the drive with the breeze behind. Exempting MyRideTrev.  I set a speed at 37 when facing the front, don't hurt the guy at the back that services your bike was the theory.  I peeled off the front nearing Boundary Rd, Boof raising the speed stakes into the 40's, silence as five had heads down to stay in touch.

Most weekday rides end before the sun gets up these days so sunrise was savoured on the somewhat longer Saturday lap, the team still united steaming into town.  MyRideTrev had his own puncture to repair just as we'd wound up wattage into Wanganui Rd.   I'd almost thawed from the 3 degrees in the 4 minute halt when Bo, Molly, Tina and The Godfather passed, 10 now teaming for the tap into town.  Boulevard bound for breakfast, we were passed again (somewhat squeezed) by group 2, so it was all for one with sights on the ButterFactory (let's see where allegiances lie next week as restaurant restrictions lift).  Long days in the saddle, PistolPete's progress and newcomer's habits kept conversations coming in the cool of the car park.  Hopefully it'll be a seated social breakfast next week?

2/6  Winter's welcome.
Winter's arrival only amplified the apathy, mustering motivation to ride as a westerly (feels like 1.5 degrees) chilled the bones was hardly a spirited start to the season.  My prologue habit was driven purely by the westerly down Wanganui Rd (after I'd hauled myself into the headwind to the golf course) but I still questioned why I was out in this testing temperature. Driving away the doona demons at least.

 A spin to Verney Rd then into town found the endangered remains of the Goats (Sandy, Hommie and Coggo), the party faithful to work through winter as the majority weaken and wilt.  Won't they pay the price of fitness lost on their emergence sometime in October / November!  Hommie was keen to head the tiny train out of town (peloton population growing 25% as Belly joined in Old Dookie Rd) but bits were busting off the back in his hurry east.  Eventually congregated at Dobson's estate, a rhythm to the ride was set, Hommie soldiering on to Central Ave.  I kept a soft foot on the accelerator when elected to the drivers seat (there's a need to keep all aboard at this time of year or there'll be nobody turning up to ride!) so a holler to halt half a k onward got instant attention.  Coggo's binding brake had him stop to investigate (possible broken spoke?) and withdraw from duty to head home, so 4 forged on to Boundary Rd.  Sandy then Belly took a short spin at the business end but soon returned to the comfort combined in the caboose, the labour now left for Hommie and I to share.  Time was ticking away for me as we neared Channel Rd, so I elected to head homeward there for schedule's sake, finding all now following.  Hommie hit the hurry button from the S bend but I slowed sensing the headlights behind me becoming smaller, getting the caboose connected again and easing up the effort to haul back Hommie.  We shared the shifts back to the suburbs without grievous bodily harm (that might see them return to ride again), a calm tap through town an almost forgotten treat babbling with Belly.

3/6  Rear vision?

A chat with Col on the commute to the carpark spoke the virtues of careful grid placement to avoid first shift into a head wind.....and that's exactly where I was when Tina, The Godfather,Bo, Joe (not Tony), Kreeky, Steve and Kel lined up behind for Wednesday's whip around.  They'd just have to suffer my slowness in the slog to Sanctuary's roundabout.....a mere 3k's away!  Pace wasn't too bad at the city's limits but I'd set a standard I should keep (in the interest of riding to a rhythm), so the next 1500 metres was spent turning myself inside out while keeping a lid on the gasps and groans.  The Godfather took over while I retired to the rear wrecked, plenty of kudos easing some pain while I took refuge of Kel's wheel.   Many took the "go" option in the touch and go call of car at the truck route, though Kel's caution was common sense to halt.  The Godfather, Steve and Bo steamed south regardless of rear vision but Kreeky captained considerately to keep the rest of the crew in a congregation.

The hurt subsided headed east, that southwester not so savage coming in from the side.  Tina drove the north leg to River Rd while the 3 oblivious ones continued on 400 metres ahead.  Steve's specs had jumped overboard, so their pause allowed us to bridge the gap (sledges served for their oversight).  Bo made amends by heading the hurry for the rest of River Rd in the 40's, Col the clever one positioned perfectly to be towed along for 15k's then have the wind behind for his first turn to the highway. I should have taken his grid position.  Joe (not Tony) faced the music beyond the pub ; he's learned well to drive straight and smooth then throw the elbow when implosion is imminent.  Kel had wheels humming past the fig farm, murdering my muscles into the bargain, at least the punishment prepared me for the shift into Old Dookie Rd with the SSW'er slicing across the port side bow.  School Rd's bridge was a bit blurry by the time I'd got there, last  gasps used to catch the tail as The Godfather ground the big gear toward Central Ave.  And wasn't he keen to keep the captaincy (befitting Bo) driving all the way into town, stoking the embers of energy with a surge or two to keep the tail-enders busy.

4/6  + Coggo ; a crowd!
There was little warmth gained on a 10k spin to Grahamvale and back but it loosened the legs in preparation for a Goat lap....if any showed up.  Cats had mustered a half dozen exiting town, but let's not get our Goat hopes to high Foss!  A minute or two's chat with Coggo and the answer was clear at 6am, it'd be a crowd of two today.

Focus quickly shifted to working a bit harder with just a single supporter.  I'd well and truly zoned in on Coggo's wheel (a spare standard set today replacing a split in the 80mm Roval on Tuesday) 'cause Dobson's bridge was well behind us when I peeked ahead for a roll-over point.   Central Ave was my cue to be captain, so I aimed at reaching Boundary Rd as a fair share to the cause.  There's a bit more enthusiasm in the effort knowing a tow follows a respectable turn, a lot more energy expended that the conservative cadence you'd give a solo.  Eyes were glued to Coggo's grubby seat post in an effort to concentrate my recovery, the 5:40 train headed north a bit behind schedule as Coggo pressed on to the Pub.  That enemy of time had me steer homeward via Channel Rd but I had Coggo as a partner in pace, turns swapped at the S bend, the Kinder and the truck route to get us to town.  Our ways were parted at Archer Rd, the headlight switched to pulse to get my presence felt through the 8k's of streets to home.  But there's always one driver yet to be fully awake at the wheel, a near miss as a small blue Nissan suddenly slammed on brakes through the give way. Missed me. Choice adjectives were delivered at the next red traffic light, adrenalin driving my last k's home.

5/6  Friday in the fridge.
Wozza faced the Friday freshness first, spearing south into Archer Rd with Boof, The Godfather, me, Tina, Kel, Joe (not Tony), Bo, Bruce, Col and Kreeky line astern, waiting eagerly to experience the feels like  -2.5 at the front (as if!)    Not even near Sanctuary's roundabout and I was already predicting where my turn at the front would be, there wasn't a wind to worry about but I was psyching myself up to the task in that temperature.

Boof paced us to Mitchell Rd and The Godfather went beyond the Central Kialla expectation to drag us to River Rd so my moment for martyrdom was to the bridge, somewhere in the 1600 metre distance.  Each breath gripped the lungs like a vice, the frosty air biting at any exposed skin and the heart rate soared under the effort and expectation (mid to high 30's was the kosher km/h today).   A moment's draft from a passing car helped.  Tina took the lead role at the bridge, Kel and Joe (not Tony) their turns thereafter, Bo unable to resist the long drive to River Rd's end.  I'd recovered rather rapidly from duty in the drivers seat but that temperature would test me (and the others) for the rest of the lap.  H.T.F.U. Foss, there's only 3 months of this to come!  Bruce did his spin into Coach Rd, Col (with newfound mojo) taking his turn to the pub.  Kreeky took a tad off the velocity along Boundary Rd, driving long to Old Dookie Rd, Wozza with the wattage to work west for his second shift.  Crossing Central Ave, The Godfather supplied the sledges to wind-up Wozza's hurry into the 40's, Boof continuing the tempo into town (tempted by the thawing effect of coffee?)

This week  237km    YTD 4,043km