Post #564
19/9 Social sustenance.
A little like a class reunion, long lost faces appeared from covid confinement at the car park for Saturday's spin, most having fostered fitness during the restrictions in pairs or slogged it out solo, though some had put their fitness faith in a minor miracle. It's been many months since seeing Team Tat, Nev had returned to town (on a flat bar, flying in the face of conformity) Lance, GiantAndy, Lenny and TrackStan had been long-term absentees but BeerMat's arrival was the big surprise. The fit and familiar Wozza, Tina, Rocket, Bruce, Shorty, Boof, PistolPete, Grumpy and GreatScottSteve made the most of the mildness (16 degrees) and 2 new faces had fronted to see what all the fuss was about. Two bunches formed in keeping with regulations on gatherings of 10, the first pack (Rocket, Wozza, Bruce, Boof, PistolPete, Shorty, TatMat, DeterminedDan, Tina, TatPaul and GiantAndy) set-off south while I joined the left-overs (Lance, Lenny, Grumpy, Nev, BeerMat, TrackStan, GreatScottSteve and the two unknowns) half a minute behind bunch one.
Driving a bigger gear than the usual spin, TrackStan kept the line long beyond Adams Rd, Nev the brave one first to form the advance line beside him. I'd almost become the seconder to join but BeerMat volunteered a moment earlier to follow the whine of Nev's fat tyres. A keen east northeaster (15-24 km/h) wasn't an issue for the southbound legs but tactics told me travel on Mitchell and River Rd's would have tempo taxed. BeerMat shortened his shift beyond the truck route, probably predicting the pain if he fronted the head-wind. He'd kindly left that for me. I wondered who'd followed me in the advance to partner in punishment for the eastward effort, the spotless wheel of Lenny drew alongside to answer my question....and promptly edged a hand-span ahead. (a kind soul in person but a force to be reckoned with on two wheels)
I treated his pace as a challenge to labor on the limit to Central Kialla, and it was a chance to dish up a bit of hurt for the hibernating BeerMat into the bargain. I survived the 3 and a half minutes with head lowered, legs at 94 rpm and the cardiac in crescendo but I won't repeat BeerMat's comments (insert gasps between each profanity) Shift done, I caught Lenny's wheel for respite as he and GreatScottSteve towed us to River Rd ; I wondered how others would enjoy the work east? There's comfort in familiar surroundings, particularly with wheels just centimetres apart, so doubts arise when a 'foreigner' comes into close quarters. One of the unknowns had drawn alongside (black Avanti) but his path was straight and the stroke was smooth so I excused his failure to comply with Rule #19 (introduce yourself) He was probably feeling his way among this weird mob. At least he answered a comment about the weather (the safe subject to start with). Turns rolled a little more often, pace calming as Lance and the other foreigner fronted, so my rest at the rear was really relaxed by River Rd's end. Another short shift by BeerMat put me at the front in Coach Rd, and when he retreated to 4th wheel, Nev became my partner in pain to the Broken bridges. I'd been clever enough to save a little in the tank for the pairing with Lenny to the highway.
Recovery took it's time while Lenny and GreatScottSteve towed us to Old Dookie Rd, fingers pointing the way for our foreigners (but BeerMat turned escapee with a short-cut via Boundary Rd to Lemnos-Cosgrove), the first 'foreigner' was identified as Craig, the other named when he punctured near the bacon barn. Aaron was surprised we all stopped to assist. Nev commanded the tube change (injected by bindii) on Aaron's early edition Pinarello (me thinks it was last cleaned in 2004), the advantage of CO2 over a hand pump demonstrated when Craig's "partially used" one was swapped for a new one. Pace needed pegging till the Pine Lodge church for the congregation to re assemble, the thought of a tail wind home something to rejoice. Between TrackStan and Nev on the post-puncture re-shuffle had me in the hot seat, thank heaven that breeze behind turned my turn into reasonable. Surprisingly, TrackStan's shift lacked it's usual sting. Maybe he has a case of Zwift-itis? (too much animation, not enough reality) Aaron's reach for the bidon (a rather Scottish "Pump" water bottle) dislodged the frame mounted pump (Rule #30 violation), bouncing off GreatScottSteve's wheel to quiver a sphincter or two. Could it be a sneaky ploy to force a halt for a short recovery? I think not ; he'd been the Cheshire cat lapping up the 40's within the bunch. Not bad for a maiden effort.
The brief slow into Ford Rd bonded the bunch together again. The social stuff made a difference to the past weeks of single filed quiet, a chuckle shared with Lance and Nev before the business end and effort silenced us again. Placed perfectly in the pack (5th wheel) as Mt.Wanganui came into view, I resisted the urge to sprint 'cause nobody else looked keen, besides, there was work into the wind on the Boulevard ahead anyway. Two rows thinned to Indian file as Grumpy then Nev took driving duty, the majority Lemontree bound so I followed suit to be social. There were laughs aplenty joining most of group 1 already berthed at the table, Tour topics and the woes of Karen the cackle over coffee. A chance catch up with RetiredTrev and Goose an excuse for a second coffee.
21/9 And may pace be with you.
Fuelled, kitted and ready to roll, and there the bike sat on a flat rear tyre! I was about to pull the pin but the chance to squeeze a lap in before the rain kick started the enthusiasm to change a tube swiftly....and quietly. Don't wake the better half at stupid o'clock! Then there was the charge through the streets to make up 4 minutes on the commute to the car park, scoring a few Strava PB's but arriving breathless with 10 seconds spare. At least I was prepared for pace, Wozza, Rocket, Bruce, Lenny and Grumpy lay in wait. I was pleased to join Joe (not Tony) to represent division 2.
The hurry to get my breath back didn't match the hurry Wozza set for leg 1, single file meant business but the up-side was being the tail-ender (on Lenny's wheel) to give me maximum time before facing the front. Rocket took over to drive leg 2, the momentary turbo lag allowed all to "latch on" before his boost bolted us to Orrvale Rd. The smooth hot-mix of the ChaCha had wheels humming under Bruce's captaincy, that fraction less resistance was almost measurable on the muscles. Joe (not Tony) made good progress to the cypress trees, maybe that northwester eased his effort? The business end drew near for me as Grumpy put in a swift shift to the S bend and I was feeling up to the task till Lenny opened the throttle to Channel Rd's end....then drove harder into the wind to the highway. Toasted before my turn! The pressure was on to preserve the pace and I set focus on reaching the bridge as a (sub-standard) shift but the view was rather fuzzy just to get across Hosie Rd. My elbow spasm was involuntary, the caboose was calling me! Wozza made up the deficit by driving to Old Dookie Rd while the defeatist inside my head reckoned the pond was way too big for this little fish. A thin slice of orange peeked under the horizon's cloud to make a mark on Monday, Rocket driving the train (and it's cooked caboose) to New Dookie Rd, then beyond.
Bruce did that 'ease-before-the-effort' thing so he didn't break things off the back, then set about his spin to Lemnos North Rd in a blur of cadence. I wondered how Joe (not Tony) was coping at 2nd wheel. His tempo started tame when given the lead role into Ford Rd but never really raised above it, those signs of hard labor hinting he was cooked before he'd started. 10 out of 10 for trying Joe! Grumpy took the hint of his hurt and dragged us back into the 40's, Bruce ever watchful that Joe stayed aboard. I was back in the advance but by the look of the horsepower ahead I wasn't likely to get to the front anytime soon. Midfield was somewhat smoother, those small variations from the front tend to ripple to the rear and amplify along the way. We're only talking fractions though, not the light and shade of others who shall remain nameless! Lenny and Wozz did double shifts of speed to polish off Ford and Wanganui Rd's, Rocket had rest scheduled for later, the Boulevard fully booked for work till the circuit's end. Coffee was waiting for most but a time clock was waiting for me.
22/9 Assisting an obsession.
That routine repeats. Alarm. Coffee. Breakfast. Kit. Helmet. Shoes. Ride. And the practice of a prologue Tuesday continued too, though the radical move of rolling a different course at least put the spice of variety into the morning. Nosed north on Numurkah Rd to Radio Australia (a head wind wasn't part of the plan) then steering south on Verney Rd back to town had a sense of urgency. I took a guess at the distance, so making it to the 6am grid at Friars was a stab in the dark. Back and berthed with 4 minutes spare, Phil, Hommie, Snowman, Sandy, Belly, Dippa, Coggo and AvantiAndy arrived with a craving for k's, Sandy supplementing Heady's habit of heading us out of town. Two rows formed but nobody seems to call the configuration, it just happens by chance (although the chance of a headwind would have kept it Indian file). A hint of a north northwester played no part in the pace. I'd joined the advance line on Coggo's wheel crossing the truck route, waiting for the rotational routine to promote to forward. It didn't take long, shift were short. Coggo hit the front with vindaloo in his velocity, maybe to hurry Hommie along but it caught me napping. And it continued over Central Ave as I tried to match his wheel ; looking to the distant bridge at School Rd didn't help, I'd be in ruin before reaching it at this rate. Relief came when Coggo called the roll-over 200 metres shy.
I happily eased the hurry to pair with Snowman's speed, just a couple off the prior pace seemed sweet with others. There's an air of hope seeing Phil, Dippa and Snowman back in action populating the otherwise barren bunch that soldiered through winter, though the days of 20+ starters are unlikely, many will struggle just to throw a leg over a bike again. I'll take a stab at a regular dozen when summer comes. Two rows spun south and just as I'd settled into the rotation when the enemy of time called me to exit. Channel Rd had plenty of daylight to show the way home but daylight savings in just two weeks may drag us back into darkness. It'll take more than that to over-ride the obsession.
23/9 Smooth operators.
Southerners soon converged on Sanctuary's roundabout ; not wanting to miss the train, I'd rolled in a little early so there was oxygen to spare for the chat with PistolPete, Tina, Col, Bo, The Godfather and Kel before chocks were away. Maybe I'd manage this mob's pace better than Monday's machines?
We're lucky to belong to a group of many divisions ; there's a few factions to find a tempo to suit and we're socially as one when the speed stops and coffee takes over. A chance to be promoted up in pace or slip down the slide of slower. Col opened the account of acceleration to Mitchell Rd, a west northwester inflating a few ego's on the way east. I wish 40+ km/h could be this easy in any direction! Kel smoothed the way through Central Kialla, my head full of reservations for River Rd scoring PistolPete's wheel to follow. I was coping with his pace, it's the distance that destroyed! Beyond the bridge and up out of the dip his elbow finally flicked, facing the front wasn't so bad (two red led's ahead as bait) but my tank was 7/8ths empty. Trying to convince the cranium it was an 1/8th full had no effect. That white timber fence of the quarter horse stud marks the ordinary change-over point so that was my 'ordinary' turn done, I'd need as much recovery as possible while Bo had the driver's seat to River Rd's end. The holiday was over turning north into Coach Rd, we'd swallowed up the fluorescent friends Vince and The Rabbit who climbed aboard as the train set an echelon into that wind, now blowing northwest. Col's head was down for the drive to the Broken bridges, Tina turning herself inside out to Channel Rd. West into Old Dookie Rd wasn't going to be fun. I'd at least had time to prepare for the pain.
Kel drove a hard bargain into Old Dookie, smooth as always but the wind shortened her shift just shy of School Rd. PistolPete served a similar smoothness to Central Ave while I hung on diverting thoughts of the torment to come. Off the Fizik to stoke some speed, progress seemed sluggish fighting the wind but a Garmin glance showed high 30's. Not so bad. Trouble was, I'd now set a precedent.....now to find the muscle to maintain it! The will wanted to reach the bridge but reality gave up 100 metres before it, speechless to answer the kudos passing me by retiring to catch the 2nd last wheel. The Rabbit remained at the rear. It wasn't just me worn by the wind, Vince had emptied his tank a minute or so later, Bo left with the duty to drive us into town. I'd survived, satisfied, delivering more than just one shift.
24/9 A six-pack before breakfast.
Friday's forecast looked fairly fickle, so a chance to clock a few k's Thursday was seized with both hands. An early 10k tap loosened up creaky joints, reaching the Friars start-line to find Dippa, Phil, Snowman, Coggo and Belly ready to roll. It was my turn to play Heady today (in his absence) and with just six to spin, it was a chance to have brief control on the single filed pace (somewhere between easy enough for those just out of hibernation and fast enough to prevent others falling asleep). I took a guess at mid 30's to Dobson's bridge. (no knives in the back, so it must have met approval) Dippa took on leg 2 to Central Ave, my happy place was now in the draft of Belly (much like being on the back bumper of a B double!) Well, look at that! KillkennyPaul and Softa out again on that ever-so-long road back to fitness, spinning west as our eastward path crossed theirs. (At least they're trying!)
Phil and Snow did their duty to Boundary Rd, Coggo raising the bar with a little more pace toward the highway. Belly's turn was brief, from the bridge to the pub. Every little bit helps eh Belly? I felt compelled to tap a longer turn when given the role south of the highway, time was kind to me today to allow a complete circuit so I would make the most of it. I'd decided it was "be kind to Dippa day" peeling off at the Broken bridges to give him a downhill start to his turn, the slowly strengthening southwester however challenged his chances of reaching River Rd at the helm. Snow opened the River Rd's first kilometre, Coggo (the real HG) driving long to Trevaskis Rd where Belly took charge, shaving a little off the speed but doing the long haul to Central Kialla Rd (maybe to erase the guilt of his short shift earlier?). There was enough shelter at the roadside through Central Kialla to make my turn manageable, Mitchell Rd waiting empty for Dippa to drive. It's been a long time since riding this path. Ah, the memories of tactical positioning for the sprint (or the desperate gasps just trying to hang on!) readying for that crescendo in Conrod straight. To be honest, sprint theories were already underway for today.
Snow struggled for speed up and out of Dave's dip, Coggo smooth and swift over the highway, 'round Roubaix and up to Galbraith's gate. Maybe I'd get my turn done before the sprint started? But would there be wattage recovered and ready for it? Belly's turn was shorter than Sandy, so I had the front well before Arcadia Downs (a k to the kink would do and trust I'd have time to recover). I delivered Dippa to the first dip of Conrod instead, then hurried to calm the heart-rate at the rear, focus then fixed on Coggo most likely to launch the attack. But Belly's butt blocked my view of Phil's early fling at the finish line. Both Coggo and I couldn't catch Phil's draft, though a 2nd spot for me crossing Steptoe's finish-line was a fair finish to the week.
Wet did foil Friday's hopes to ride.
This week 247km YTD 7,895km
Shout out to Laura recovering from a case of using your head as a brake pad on the tarmac. Can't keep an Irongirl down eh Laura?
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