Post #573
21/11 The flat earth society.
What was tons of time to tap 10 k's to Sanctuary turned out to have barely a minute spare ; I'd already lost touch with the lefts, rights, traffic lights and intersections on the commute to Saturday's long lusted bunch ride. Familiar faces of Bo, PistolPete, Kreeky, Tina, Molly and The Godfather made a welcome change from two weeks in solitary, sun-up signalling the standard PistolPete lead south. The first couple of k's were a wake-up on pace (I'd clearly softened slightly doing two weeks solo) so the head went into harden-up mode fairly fast.
Molly stayed seated in the caboose though I'd suggest she's well ready for a turn in the drivers seat (however long or short); maybe that 'performing under pressure' thing has her resisting? The muscles will manage, it's convincing the cranium you're capable that's the hard bit. I didn't want to cross that line of getting greedy with the wind behind me, so set my shift to reach the pub for handover, cresting the Broken bridges would count as the toil for this turn. Two weeks away and Tina has turned into a tiger, a big shift to Old Dookie Rd well worth the kudos. The wind now south southeast, had no effect on PistolPete's drive to the Toaster, tailwind specialist Bo then in charge to the Church and soaking up the breeze to Lemnos-Cosgrove Rd (but rapidly retreating to the rear for The Godfather to deal with the drive west). A massed collection of Cats seemed to be pushing the Covid conformity.
Kreeky got into the long distance drivers role again at Boundary Rd, the long shift to Lemnos North Rd wasn't enough, it went longer to Grahamvale before handing me the helm. Long turns seem to be the new black, so in the interest of following fashion, I fronted the crew to Numurkah Rd. Tina took on the full length of Wanganui Rd where PistolPete continued the tradition towing us into town. The Butter Factory's temporary closure saw us seat at Stellar for breakfast.
23/11 Half a dozen steamed dim sims.
Steam rose from the warm tarmac at 5, Monday's muggy path steered to collect Didak for the commute to the Sanctuary start line. 3mm of overnight damp had all but evaporated with 18 degrees already on the gauge, not complaining mind, those 12 weeks of Winter still chilled my memory. A bike light u-turned to join us southbound on Archer and I thought was seeing a hologram.....surely that wasn't BeerMat from the depths of hibernation along for the ride? A mirage maybe? Will wonders never cease!
I'd only just recovered from the shock at Sanctuary Drive when Gazza also appeared out of the blue; there'd certainly be a different mix to today's ride. Regulars Kreeky & PistolPete had fronted but where Bo, The Godfather, Tina and Kel were, nobody knows. Pistol had wheels turning right on the third stroke of 5:40, to the truck route and on toward Boundary Rd as the prospect of me doing second turn sank in, where was the wind coming from and could I live up to Pistol's opening salvo? The worry wasn't worth it, the old engine did ok for the 2k turn to Central Kialla though it was well overdue for a tow as Gazza opened the throttle toward River Rd. Youthful exuberance! Those 2 k's wasn't enough for Gazza, chosing to donate an extra k before handing the reigns to Kreeky who tamed the tempo a tad. The long shift specialist drove on to Coach Rd, extending the respite for those at the rear, the cavalry (Bruce, Wozza and Rocket) arriving as we slowed for the turn into Coach Rd. (Seems few fronted at the shop for 5:40). Didak did his debut in the drivers seat toward the Broken bridges, I could almost smell the determination to get there but reality and oxygen deprivation shortened the shift by 500 metres. BeerMat's turn was a carbon copy, the will was there but the wattage wasn't at the second bridge.
PistolPete had the helm again and sped to the highway, there'd be more to his drive over the highway but it'd be a guess where his shift would end. A fine focus was fixed on his elbow and for a moment I was wondering if he'd go to Old Dookie but the bridge at the pork palace was quits. That subtle downhill from the channel was just what I needed to kick start a shift, a bit of a breeze at the backside got 40 on the Garmin but then the battle to maintain it began. Things were going blurry at the fig farm, I'd set a standard too high (or too young!), odds of catching the tail (if I peeled off the front) were lengthening by the metre. 400 shy of Old Dookie I'd mistakenly spied the heart rate, that caused an involuntary twitch of the elbow in an instant for Gazza to take the lead, the crew could drag my spent carcass to town. Gazz served his duty to School Rd where Bruce did the driving to Central Ave, my mental preparation was for Rocket's afterburners alight into town.
24/11 Heady's Hiroshima.
A half hours spin before Goats gathered got me accustomed to 12 degrees and the SSW'er, but nothing gets you accustomed to the car that passed within 10 centimetres at 80 km/h. It must take a lot of effort to move a steering wheel 2 degrees right on an empty road. Belly, Sandy, Dippa, Hommie, Snow, Phil, Coggo and Heady had Friars footpath filled with facts and figures, Sandy starting wheels rolling at 6 to get the party started.
JB blended in to the team at SPC, Ranso, AvantiLeigh and Macca entering from Mitchell St to head the line out of town, the remainder in disarray till the tail caught the team. Heady looked taxed as tempo almost touched 40 to catch Ranso's draft, by Dobson's bridge the gaps had closed, the formation firmly fixed in Indian file. A ton of intention and all the muscle he could muster couldn't help Heady hang on, his Hiroshima nearing the rumble strips trimming the team down to a dozen. (More than an unlucky 13th, there's just no substitute for consistent k's to foster fitness). Macca drove the shift beyond Central Ave, AvantiLeigh taking over when his wattage waned a little early, Leigh's bit betwixt teeth to Boundary Rd to catch a tail-light flashing ahead "come get me".
JB stepped up to suffer the SSW'er into Boundary Rd, catching that tail-light attached to the rarest of Goat species, the hibernating HG. Funny, he didn't appear to be enjoying the headwind (and didn't catch the tail end either) JB carried on in fine form to the bridge, Sandy using all her aerodynamic advantage to charge toward the highway but handed the role to me when legs refused to do what the head wanted. I'd taken on light duties with my exit due at Channel Rd, a short shift for me then Dippa doing the drive as I headed west toward work.
25/11 Suffering succotash.
A sedate spin to the start line wasn't going to happen, 3 minutes behind agenda (Didak failed to front) had me head down and speed up for 10k. Well, I'd be prepared for the pace (or pickled for it!) Just reaching the roundabout as the train (Gazza, GreatScottSteve, Kel, Bo, Kreeky, Col, Tina, PistolPete, Joe (not Tony) and The Godfather) rolled out, Gazza had the helm for the long leg to Mitchell Rd but his thoughts on tempo were fixed on Mt. Panorama when the red lights went out. (Pistol's perfected it Gazza, download his launch software!) My feeling of flogging a dead horse slowly subsided, by the time GreatScottSteve had the reigns in Mitchel Rd I was seeing things in focus and preparing to face the front. Kel's silky smooth turn to River Rd was the perfect precursor. All the bravado and confidence evaporated in the opening 500 metres, the reality of holding high 30's soon elevating the efforts to the red-line. That passing car with the sweetest of slipstreams making my task a lot easier to reach the bridge. I gave Bo the elbow to take over to the dip, how kind he was to spike the speed into the low 40's!
I guess my bonus was 9 more had yet to serve their sentence, I'd most likely get towed back to town. Kreeky considerately tamed the tempo back to high 30's where I could calm cardiac convulsions, his trademark long shift dragging us all to River Rd's end. I was almost human again! Col started calm into Coach Rd, taking his time to turn up tempo to the bridges, maybe that one odd wheel was the handbrake? Tina's turn hauled us to the highway, GreatScottSteve having half a dozen tries to click in a cleat shuffled the order as PistolPete was finally set free to drive Boundary Rd. We were against the convention of countless bunches southbound, all suddenly inspired by mild weather and sunshine to emerge from hibernation. Let's see how many survive into July! Joe (not Tony) was a little toasted as Pistol peeled off the front on the turn into Old Dookie Rd, his effort still keen to reach School Rd for The Godfather to debut. Against Bo's prediction, he stormed on to Central Ave. Gazza headed the last leg, considerately easy on the throttle till all had crossed the intersection, but building the speed to silence any chat to the truck route.
27/11 Friday phrenology.
Col had the throttle wide open toward Mitchell Rd, PistolPete, GreatScottSteve, Kel, Bo, The Godfather, Tina, Joe (not Tony) Kreeky, me, Didak and JJ in his slipstream for Friday's spin. A record to break? People to put o.t.a.? Maybe he'd just got out of the angry side of bed? Whatever was inside his head, it set a swift standard for the 30k thrash around the standard circuit. Who'd match the effort and who'd set their own pace was anyone's guess, I'd just hang on at 10th wheel till duty called and see what wattage was left. PistolPete eased the stress with a gentle squeeze of the accelerator toward Central Kialla, back up to Col's standard but at least all had caught his draft.
GreatScottSteve spun the first half k toward River Rd sedately (waiting for the "all on" or just waiting for the afterburners to ignite?), soon winding up the pace to prior punishment. He added a little extra distance into River Rd as compensation for the prior calm. Kel kept the kettle boiling to the dip where Bo stepped into the drivers seat, no display of supersonic speed today but he did the distance to finish off River Rd. At this rate my chance of getting to the front may be for the last shift into town! The variable velocity along Coach Rd told me The Godfather had the lead role, not complaining about the tow, I just needed to fix a keener eye on the wheel ahead for those subtle surges of speed. Tina took over at the highway, my duty drawing near as I was promoted up the order. Joe (not Tony) took over the drive to Old Dookie Rd, Kreeky now in charge for the west leg toward Central Ave.
After a week of talking up his long shifts I felt sure he'd do the distance but his elbow cut the shift short at School Rd. Fast forward facing the front Foss! A finer focus on finer food of late has shed a bit of ballast, so the speed came with a little less suffering to get to Central Ave. Time for the junior ranks to take on the tempo, Didak (nearly 5 decades my junior) making the speed spicy toward Dobson's bridge (relenting to oxygen intake a little shy of the mark) and young JJ (matchstick aerodynamics) doing the business to the truck route. Col had his pace pants on again for a flat chat shift to SPC, no letting up with the velocity for the lefts and rights to the Butter Factory to infuse some caffeine. A day off work allowed the social stuff in recovery, the temptation to make up some miles from Thurday's absenteeism too great ; and extra 30 k tapped if only to break the pattern of weekday 40's. Aint' riding in daylight a wonderful thing?
This week 265 km YTD 10,263 km
No comments:
Post a Comment