Post #580
2/1 The Saturday sacrament.
It's a ritual and almost religious, this Saturday ride thing is almost a holy habit that can't be missed. Maybe it's the weekend's freedom and the social stuff combined with a dose of punishment by pedals? Sanctuary's grid can be a bit of a surprise package on a Saturday, a couple of guest appearances today injecting a mix into the regular rabble. GreatScottSteve had talked Tan into trying a lap and Kel had convinced Andy (Knights of Suburbia) to co-habitate with the Couldabeens, and that put variety into the line-up of Col, Tina, Bo. Kreeky, Emil, Didak and Lenny (right day, wrong grid Lenny?)
Bo took the PistolPete shift at 6am but hadn't allowed for the tsunami effect at the rear, Kreeky delivering the news to the front of the disconnection of the Tan carriage. (Pistol would have paced it perfectly) Calm was called and the line of 13 soon got together again, a softer squeeze of the accelerator keeping the line as one to Mitchell Rd. Kel's smoothness and consideration of a slowly strengthening northeaster set a better scenario till legs limbered up, Emil doing his thing north to River Rd while I convinced the pre-frontal cortex that the sluggishness felt on the earlier commute was all in my head.
Deliberately easy on the gas into River Rd might win friends and influence people (and donating a bit of kindness to self) so making a decent fist of the shift to the bridge put those snail-like thoughts in the bin. Tina took over while I retreated rearward a dozen places, taking in the sunrise and more oxygen with it. Andy (captaining a Cube) did his turn to Coach Rd just as the shop squad (Grumpy, Rocket, Wozza, Liam, Joe (not Tony) and TatMat) arrived from the north in search of company (or was it prey?) Here's me thinking that squad enjoyed the chase? Could the separate teams now be considering a more regular merger? Well, our bakers' dozen now had a new standard of speed.
Focus shifted closer to the wheel ahead as Wozza got down to 40's business to the highway, the blur of the tarmac below was now the view till Tina's call of "Kangaroo!" raised the eyeballs from the road rapidly. (Skippy made haste to the river) Rocket took on the north leg to Old Dookie Rd as Wozza returned from duty to the rear, with barely a feather ruffled from the experience. It's a whole different world up there in the fast faction. Here's most of us wrung out like a wet sock after a few k's in the drivers seat and these guys are barely breaking a sweat! At least they show sympathy to the slow. Liam was next to tow us toward the Toaster (there's that formation of the fit again in packs of 3 or 4) and realising the league of labor he was caught in, Joe (not Tony) retired to the caboose without a contribution. TatMat took over the northern assault to Lemnos-Cosgrove Rd as Liam said his hoo-roo's to do a drive to Dookie and clock a ton. Instead of fighting it, we could all enjoy the northeaster at last for the way west to town, Grumpy now in charge for the charge to Lemnos North Rd with the bait of BamBam, AlmostRetiredTrev and Shorty (the remains of the Wannabee's?) ahead.
Ford Rd finally had Didak at the business end and his enthusiasm with it, adding a few extra k's to the pace was probably just the excitement of being captain but that only pulled the pin of that heart-rate hand grenade. His legs had expired and the shoulders took over pushing the pedals, speed sinking like a stone. Col took over the role of pace setter to get the rhythm back in order. Didak had retreated defeated to the caboose. My hope to take aboard more oxygen on a pause at the highway was dashed when "All Clear!" was called, Lenny now the man on a mission to work us for Wanganui's length. That wasn't enough labor for Lenny it seemed as he headed the hurry along Rudd Rd, GreatScottSteve finally at the front to set the velocity on the Boulevard toward breakfast. With the suffering now done, it was time to take the sacrament (coffee) and the social stuff. The clan all berthed at the Butter Factory (for a change) to babble the murder of mountains, annual distances and long days in the saddle.
4/1 Matt's motion.
There's no doubting PistolPete's performance, a few days away and he came back stronger than ever. The south southwester (20 km/h) couldn't slow him from the high 30's to Mitchell Rd with Col, The Godfather, Tina, TatMat, Emil and Kreeky in tow. Maybe Pete had holidayed with a Spanish doctor? Col sped the second shift to Central Kialla with the line in echelon behind, The Godfather drawing the longest straw with the wind at our backs to head us to River Rd. Tina's a great wheel to be on, smooth, steady and predictable, and without any of those variable velocities but a bit more of her would make a great draft! Her somewhat subtle elbow showed me the drivers seat at the bridge, the fraction of west in that south southwester making my drive to the dip a little less taxing, so I added another half k just for the hell (or the hurt) of it. That must have set TatMat on a mission, he muscled a 3 k drive to rooster corner while Emil (in his draft) readied to face the front. Hold your horses Emil, TatMat's shift had more to it!
Yet another 3 k's to the highway put him in the PistolPete league. (clearly his 25 k commuted to the grid from Tat gave him too much thinking time) Emil was finally cleared to captain beyond the pub, maybe a little labored from TatMat's turn but he kept the pace keen to Old Dookie Rd. Kreeky's test west was next. The wind worked him over to School Rd but the stage was already set for long turns to drive him on toward Central Ave, speed slowly succumbing to distance at the rumble strips. We didn't have the shop squad along to test our tempo into town, Pistol could take that task on easily. He'd glanced back to check all were aboard before turning up the velocity, all tucked into the tow to the truck route till Col took charge toward SPC opening up the gaps and gasps. He's happy handing out the hurt last!
6/1 Bit breezy!
Maybe it's the appeal of a tail-wind that drives a determined effort into a head-wind? It had better be a good one for all the punishment of 10 k's to commute to the Wednesday start-line trying to keep pace into 28 km/h worth. Enthusiasm was rather worn reaching Sanctuary's roundabout, Emil and I reckoning we'd earned a midfield position instead of facing the front early. The Godfather, Didak, Kel, Kreeky, Tina, PistolPete, Col and Bo must like pain too, turning up for the 5:40 torture to Mitchell Rd. You know who would have no contenders for first shift! Driving at 37 into 40 k gusts can only be described as freakish, right? Each searched for their slice of the draft as Kreeky set the course to Central Kialla, that wind shoving the wheels to make 'distancing' vital to staying upright. Like a line of WobblyTrev's we were! Appropriately, Bo had the tail-wind (his speciality!) to River Rd, Kel serving the smoothness to the bridge. Tina, Col and The Godfather were still to serve their shifts so all looked sweet that I might score a tailwind before the task of doing Old Dookie Rd. That's if nobody got greedy! Tina signed off at the dip where Col became captain, that steadfast sit on the Willier spelled speed to Coach Rd by my reckoning. (I'd reckoned right) The rooster crowed The Godfather to lead us north (those two red leds of Vince and the Rabbit well ahead), not sure why we were riding the crown of the road with the wind coming at us from 7 o'clock but The Godfather probably had a reason. I just followed in his wake. Shown the drivers seat crossing the Midland, I made the best of that (rare) wind assistance to set my goal at reaching Old Dookie Rd, 3200 metres away (my legs and lungs wouldn't like it, but it would be good for the head) I thought I was doing it tough till seeing a couple of small bunches struggling south. There's always somebody doing it hard! The sight of that only primed the pace.....and the pain.
I felt a sense of selfishness handing Emil the west work into the wind but he's young and tough enough to get over it. Who wins the wind and who works into it is the luck of the draw really. Emil's tempo was rather rapid to School Rd, slow roasting Didak with it. Half a k from Central Ave and Didak's fuse blew, retreating from 2nd wheel to the rear. Emil kept the fire stoked and I tried an encouraging word for Didak to catch the tail, but his will and the wattage weren't working together. And that equals o.t.a. Central Ave was clear of traffic so hopes of Didak rejoining were dashed, Pistol setting us swiftly on the last leg, so Col courteously retreated to keep the young fella company back to town. The rest hung tight to Pistol's pace for a fast finale.
7/1 Mustering motivation.
Finding the incentive to ride at stupid o'clock isn't so hard, it's become an almost automatic response somedays even before the alarm goes off. I've got it bad haven't I? I just wondered if any Goats could unearth enthusiasm? The lack of numbers in recent days didn't auger well. (Coggo goes on the sick list and the attendance goes to pot!) I'll knock a few k's over before 6 and see what the Friars grid offers. (relying on others to turn up for motivation can be a very risky move) A bit of prologue variety put incentive into the speed, east on New Dookie Rd and back via Ford and Wanganui would throw doubt on my timing to reach the start line by 6 so speed went straight on the agenda.
There were a couple of short-cuts available if time ticked away too fast. A tall figure was westbound as I exited town east (GiantAndy the silhouette, shop squad bound) and that was the only traffic to contend with. The "hate to be late" syndrome had legs well warmed by Lemnos so focus swung to keeping a cap on the heart rate numbers. The ticking clock didn't help the focus and ignoring the legs' signals of stress wasn't working either, bound to be better than a casual cruise though! The minutes became valued in Wanganui Rd ; I could have taken the highway into town but where's the challenge in that? By DECA I had relented to take Kittles Rd to save a minute or so. Cutting it fine to Friars at 5:58 I found regulars Hommie, Sandy and Dippa (Brendy the wildcard from Team Hibernation). Enthusiasm wasn't exactly at fever pitch. Hommie took instructions to lead the tiny train from town, his navigation 'interesting' to say the least. I don't think spacial awareness is his forte. Hommie seemed to labor to Dobsons estate even though the southerly wasn't a hinderance, Sandy taking a punt it was her turn when Hommie's speed suddenly sunk. (I thought it was just me having trouble with his signals....or the lack of 'em!)
Sandy's smoothness to Central Ave took me to serve a turn to School Rd, I'll admit turning up the pace a touch but no complaints were filed. Dippa drove to Boundary Rd with Brendy on his wheel, doubting he'd be facing the front with the southerly there to greet him. Got that right! Hommie was sent to driving duty as Brendy back-pedaled to the caboose, Hommie finding a second wind to make good progress to the old bacon barn. Sandy pushed on to the highway, offering the draft of a toothpick, my second (and last) turn a short shift for the 1000 metres to Channel Rd before an exit beckoned. Somewhat sheltered from the southerly the 10 k to town wasn't such a struggle, the real challenge is reading what the traffic is doing when many seem to be asleep behind the wheel.
8/1 Simmered slowly at 2nd wheel.
5:40 had struck but the grid had stalled, many eyes searching for the sacrificial lamb to go to slaughter south, and despite barely a breeze blowing nobody wanted that first 3 k turn......except PistolPete. His trademark steady build of pace was quickly hijacked by The Godfather to front the dozen. Kreeky, Tina, Temple, Bo, Kel, GreatScottSteve, Emil, Shorty, Didak and Col shuffled into an order behind. Once over the initial acceleration, I surveyed the driving order to come ; Col would get the east shift to Central Kialla and Emil most likely the drive to River Rd. That's all good, I'd get a swift but steady intro to the work at the business end of the bunch.....but I had GreatScottSteve's wheel and he doesn't know the meaning of a short shift. He does know what smooth is though. He'd probably go to the dip before retiring. I reckon we all fix focus on something about the bike ahead to hold a rhythm; a brake caliper, that spinning cassette, maybe a bit of road grime stuck on a seat post?
Glueing my eyes to GreatScottSteve's giant gastrochnemius (go on, Google it!) was a daunting view though! He's got legs like Colbrelli! Take 2 ; eyes on the rear rotor instead. The dip blurred by and soon the white fence of the quarter horse stud neared, this shift was certainly simmering me at 2nd wheel. Get over it Foss, Coach Rd was looming larger and Steve would have that as his target. (I hope!) The up-side was I'd have that south southeaster behind me, whether I'd have any wattage left was in the lap of the legs! You really only appreciate that 15% advantage of a draft when it disappears, getting up to prior pace out of rooster corner took a lot more than I'd hoped. My highway target was already up for review. By One Tree Dam the bridges had now been set as my limit, the slight incline of tarmac to the river feeling more like an 8% climb.
I'd guessed Didak was on my wheel so a short shift might suit him? The kudos was welcomed (but not expected) as I rolled rearward, I'd done far better Wednesday although that had some tail-wind assistance. It's a long way back to the caboose in a baker's dozen bunch and with the amount of contributors left, I'd done my one and only shift! Time to sit back and enjoy the tow. Didak paced himself well, taking the highway as his limit, enough energy left in the reserve tank to catch the tail for Bo's drive to Old Dookie Rd. Kreeky and Temple kept hurry on the agenda for the westward leg, the sun noticeably a little slower rising to warm our backs, but the tempo toward coffee kept heat in the legs.
This week 256 km
YTD 315 km
This bike 72,091
Last bike 193,000km
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