Vindaloo in the velocity.

 Post #591

20/3  Velocity variables.

Predicting the pace of the ride by the horsepower lining up at the starting grid was probably over-thinking a Saturday social spin, but when Bo urged a quick get-away (to make The Godfather chase) the speed was set in stone.  Emil and brother Anth would most likely have something to prove too!  Some sort of fair play rested with Kreeky, Tina and TrekTrev being in the bunch.  Bo's bolt to the truck route had no players, Kreeky assumed the (sensible) start speed by being captain to the majority who preferred a considerate start.  The Godfather had joined the line and speed was steadily turned up to Mitchell Rd.  Bo's plans were scrapped by the time we'd turned east toward Central Kialla; he retreated rearward along with Kreeky to the caboose.   Jumping the Wouldabeens ship, TrekTrev piloted the pace to Euroa Rd (well above the Woulda's wattage), Anth adding a little more spice on the north shift through Central Kialla.  Emil uncorked the bottle into River Rd into the forties (in a gesture of brotherly love?) as my regrets rose having his wheel in the procession.  

I could almost smell the determination he'd drive a long shift and held slim hopes on seeing his elbow at the bridge. I was now that slice of bread left un-attended under the griller.  (smell something burning?  Yep....me!)  With still no sign of slowing at the dip I was willing an end to it at Trevaskis Rd ; luckily Emil must have felt my scorching glare at the back of his skull and finally elbowed his finish.  I showed my palm rearward and turned down the tempo a tad (hoping I'd guessed the majority's wishes), my toasted thighs couldn't manage more than 38 anyway!   Managing a turn half a k beyond the quarter horse gates I handed Tina the reigns, there was enough kudos tt confirm most agreed with the speed.  Here's hoping that high thirties was now the norm.  

The Godfather did his drive to the highway, the slight increase in speed making use of the favorable south southeaster.  Of course, Bo had to do better!  (a pre-school teacher would have separated these two!)   Kreeky eased the stress in Old Dookie Rd to the Toaster (the aroma of the pork palace wasn't something I'd missed) and TrekTrev kept the peace to the Pine Lodge church but there was energy brewing behind.  Anth had forties back on the speedo to Lemnos-Cosgrove Rd, waving a red flag to Emil.  (sucker me still on his wheel!)  Forty was bearable to Woolshed Rd but was setting fire to the legs by the bridge over Pine Lodge Creek with no sign of finishing there.  Maybe a k later at Boundary Rd?  (I wish!) There's a sense of duty to hold that wheel ahead for the sake of those in the draft, and that's about all that was keeping me there.  All the cussing between clenched teeth about Emil's effort did nil.  Hanging by my fingertips at the Main Eastern Channel Emil's elbow finally showed me the driver's set.....if cooked legs would get me there!  Again, I showed the slowing palm to prevent being shunted and turned down the tempo three clicks.  I might make more than 100 meters now.   Lemnos North Rd seemed a world away.  1500 metres should have been a push-over but it took a big serve of stubborn to get me there.  Tina fronted Ford Rd while I went into rehab at the rear, let's hope recovery was quick before the next demonstration of superior wattage struck.  

The Godfather towed us toward Verney Rd, Tina doubting survival of the Wanganui workout before we'd even arrived.  (Felt a bit the same to be honest)  All faith was in Kreeky's kindness.  Bo turned up the need for more effort to the highway and it became obvious why into Wanganui.  The shop squad had caught us (did I see them licking their lips?) and relished the overtake (and the sledges I'd suggest) at the Water Treatment Plant.   And that was enough bait for Emil and Anth to abandon us and give chase.  (how do you spell teamwork?)    Kreeky did save the day preserving the pace to Mt. Wanganui and TrekTrev kept things compliant to Canterbury's roundabout, so some sense of camaraderie was saved.  It was almost a pleasure to take a turn to Tarcoola on murdered muscles.  Breakfast begged so there was enough distraction from the signals legs were giving me.  Gout, the tax office and wolf spiders stimulated sentences over the Butter Factory's fruit bowl.

22/3  Combined clans.

Enthusiasm was at a trickle Monday, such is the excitement of going to work after two days off!  A northeaster blew to make the Sanctuary lap hard labor for much of the circuit but the opportunity to get a few k's clocked was begging....Tuesday's forecast looked like a wash-out.   Bo seized the chance to captain the first shift to Mitchell Rd, PistolPete was away and besides, a tail-wind made it his speciality.  Damn it!, I was on Emil's wheel again!  (I'd hoped he was serious saying he'd be taking it easy this week, the Giro Della Donna begged his attendance this coming Sunday)   Perhaps Lenny predicted a poor attendance at the shop 'cause he'd graced us with his performance eastward to Central Kialla.  Emil had again driven a double shift in River Rd though not at the taxing tempo of Saturday, so there was a little wattage left in this old engine when given the front seat a bit beyond the quarter horse gates.  A little of the northeaster blew between the trees just to make the drive difficult.  Why should I get it easy? Those rumble strips to say Coach Rd is near seemed further away than usual so the sight of three of the shop squad turning at rooster corner was relief ; the shift's end was near and I'd get three more towing my recovery when I withdrew to the caboose.  The Godfather made an impressionable drive to the highway, though we'd better keep that quiet, I don't think they make XXXXL helmets.   Sitting in the draft of nine was a bonus while that northeaster blew, Kel now on duty to take us toward Old Dookie Rd.  Tina took over nearing the fig farm, Bo playing his cards right to score yet another wind assisted leg headed to Central Ave.  The shop squad had positioned well too, still in the draft as Lenny towed us to town.  

24/3  Repeat dose as necessary.

Speed was sinking just commuting to Sanctuary, was I softening yet again?   I should have been primed after a day off yesterday (rain).   Nope, the rear tyre was the one softenimg!  (a shard of glass was the culprit, straight through a tyre less than a week old)  At least an early arrival at the grid allowed time for a tube change before 5:40's flag fell.   Kel, Col, PistolPete, Tina, Emil, Bo, Kreeky and The Godfather had gathered, Col minus some skin from a horizontal episode en-route ; a fair excuse to sit on the back.  It was great to have PistolPete back commanding the first shift, though his week off the bike hasn't slowed him one bit.  Kel survived the second wheel syndrome to take us quickly to Central Kialla.  

With that wind at the left flank The Godfather had us spread across the tarmac captaining at the road's centre and that extracted an exclamation from Bo.  (ignored of course)    I'd hoped Emil's "tapering" week was still in play as he took the first shift on River Rd, his usual double length effort was thankfully a little less than supersonic.  Bo go the hint too, keeping the equilibrium to rooster corner.   There's some comfort sitting at Kreeky's wheel knowing the tempo will be considerate but there's usually a distance to endure.  Well under the stress levels reaching the Broken bridges but by the highway it'd been a decent workout.  Now to do one of my own!  This circuit has been ridden so many times and with almost the same protagonists it could be Groundhog day again, yet each lap manages to be different.  

Not my usual duty to drive the north leg from the highway, the westerly whipping at the left flank calling on a bit more grunt, though the saving grace was avoiding the head-on hurt if I'd taken on Old Dookie Rd.  It's a long 2700 metres if I was to do the expected turn but I did myself (and Tina) a favor of handing over just shy of the fig farm.  (She'd avoid the Old Dookie drama too)  Col had surprisingly advanced for duty when he'd earned a rest in the caboose to nurse those injuries, but duty he did to School Rd before the retreat to the rear.  (Did I smell a martyr on fire?)  PistolPete's power was retrieved from the memory banks with his swift shift to Central Ave, Kel copping a second turn to suffer the westerly.  The Godfather kept legs busy to the truck route but many were saving their best for Emil's last. Heads down and tails up for the sprint to SPC had an interesting diversion, a commuting rider of questionable i.q. without lights (and in black jacket) in the bike lane was a mobile chicane in the finishing straight.  

25/3 Three's a (Wouldabeen's) crowd.

If it's damp, dark, windy, cool, humid or just a bit difficult, I've learned not to expect a crowd at the Wouldabeen's grid, so hopes were set as high as NearlyRetiredTrev's head-stem height at finding many at Kialla Lakes.  Just as well, Trev and Joe (not Tony) were it!  (Such is the dedication of this faction of the not-so-fast. I guess many are already in preparation for hibernation?)   The Channel-Boundary-Old Dookie circuit had no objections in light of the few fronting, there'd be a bigger workload with just three on driving duty.  I'd been elected to take the first shift so started sedately up Archer and turned up the wick in Channel.  A westerly blowing at 20-28 km/h begged me to do it!  Handing the reigns to AlmostRetiredTrev at the truck route, I resigned to the rear, not spent from the shift but another would beg some effort very soon I suspect.  Recently finding his feet with the Wouldabeen's, I wonder if Joe (not Tony) will maintain momentum as the Woulda's wain with Winter nearing?  (There's nothing quite like a bunch to motivate)  That season for softening is soon to strike so many bunches....sadly, some will never return.   

Joe (notTony) gave AlmostRetiredTrev the ChaCha to drive, a k quietly trimmed off the tempo in the process (but who was complaining?)  Soon bumped back into zone 4 taking the lead in Central Ave, my urge to drive long beyond the cypress trees was strong, but a tail-wind like this is worth sharing isn't it? (unless your name's Bo!) Feeling guilty by Beckham's bend I gave Joe (notTony) the lead, but he headed the hurry all the way to Coach Rd.  We'd arrived a little later than peloton peak hour in Boundary Rd sighting just three bikes southbound, and with no cars to compete with, it was like navigating a black hole in a far flung galaxy.  Hurry up Eastern Standard Time!  AlmostRetiredTrev's elbow eagerly showed me the front at the channel bridge, I'd considered finishing the shift at Old Dookie but I've handed Joe (not Tony) the head-wind so many times, suffering the westerly to School Rd was the least I could do as compensation.  (Bit too keen Foss, Joe (not Tony) dropped the pace 10% when he headed line to Central Ave)  Trev tapered it a little more on the leg to the truck route but I'll happily take a steady tap among the quick spins as therapy. Might survive till the end of the week that way!

26/3  The Friday fraternity.

The seven chakras must have aligned, the wind wasn't blowing, my knee wasn't knocking, today was a rostered day off, the head was in D for driven (and not in R for recalcitrant) and mid thirties was easy.  Almost as rare as a silent Godfather!  Kreeky, PistolPete, Jen, Bo, Tina, Col, Kel, Emil and The Godfather filled the Friday grid, most conforming to kit couture (unless that jersey has shrunk eh Col?)   PistolPete performed the standard operational procedure of first shift, a considerate little warm-up to the truck route before throwing vindaloo into the velocity to Mitchell Rd. 

By chance I'd lined up on The Godfather's wheel and he headed the line east to Euroa Rd.  No stress felt with my turn being next, there wasn't a wind to worry about (for a change).     It's reassuring to find the previous pace back on the speedo without a massive effort when your turn comes to be captain, it's just making it to the expected handover point that's sometimes the difficult bit.  It was a bit more than a k down the road when easy to turned to effort.  There was seven behind yet to serve their speed and two due to repeat , so this may be my one and only shift at the business end.  

Col was put in charge turning into River Rd and he did well driving to the dip (when I thought of the bruises he carried from yesterdays horizontal malfunction).  Bo finished off River Rd without delivering distress, Kel with a speed of a similar suit to the bridges.  Traditionally, Tina and Jen follwed, Tina to the highway and Jen to the Boundary Rd channel (In the Godfather gear judging by her cadence...53/11 at least!)  Southbound squads are indistinguishable in the dark, only their retorts to The Godfather's sledges gives their identity away!  Kreeky had the pace perfect to Old Dookie Rd and how handy it was to have Emil out of uniform ; easily identified when he hit the front and committed us to hard labor of the forties.  Most were ready for it.  

PistolPete trimmed a little off the torment for the 2700 metres to the truck route but The Godfather was unable to contain his enthusiasm to charge toward SPC  (there was sledging to deliver to Vince and The Rabbit ahead).  Coffee and convivial conversation made a rare weekday treat to conclude the circuit and with a fine forecast ahead, an extra 26 k solo spin (Channel-Boundary-New Dookie) in the sunshine made an ideal icing on the cake.  

This week 263 km     YTD 3,342 km