Justifying a latte later.

 Post #613

2/10  A ride retired.

Another sudden lock-down ditched ideas of a lap with Saturday's Sanctuary squad - we'd been plunged back into the restrictions of riding in pairs and on a leash just 15 km from home. So much for the liberation of the first day of retirement!  A deafening silence on What's App hinted my Saturday spin may be solo, so a few hooks dangled for company caught Wendy keen to clock some k's.  Bunch protocols could be ignored, a 6:30 start would be most civilised.  The default Covid circuit around Kialla lakes kept things kosher on leash limits, and a social g'day to others likely to be lapping would have a hint of being in a bunch wouldn't it?  

Social speed would suit me well today, I've been feeling the effects of extended effort lately or is softness sneaking up on me? (high time to add more concrete to the diet I reckon!)   Random routes 'round the lakes for the sake of changing scenery soon found BamBam and RetiredTrev working Waranga Drive in a different direction, a lap of the south lake then a lap of the north one soon became monotonous, so a diversion via Seven Creeks Drive changed the view.  The important stuff was chewed over ; position on the bike, how a headwind harasses the head and the bane of bland architecture got the critical issues of life resolved. Bruce and Lenny, Laura then PistolPete were discovered doing their Covid circuitry while the urge for variety took us to loop the Marlboro and Kerang Ave, though the streets were all starting to look like each other now.  50km loomed on the odometer and the desire for coffee had overpowered the senses to steer our path direct to the Butter Factory.  Covid constrains us to car-park conversation (something that's become second nature with so many lock-downs) but a good brew and chat on bikes changing lives made a satisfying Saturday under the circumstances.

4/10 Work? What work? 

With an hour of daylight shifted to the evening, darkness was Monday's welcome.  Though without a time clock to obey, the freedom of starting a little later than stupid o'clock felt positively opulent!  Joe (not Tony) was craving k's so a 6 am rendevous at the bus stop it was.  A circuit out to Pine Lodge church and back via Channel reached consensus so I volunteered to take the first shift to Ford Rd.  A west northwester had all but dried last night's 3mm of rain but I was silly enough to have spent an hour cleaning the bike as Sunday therapy, so each puddle was treated as a mortal enemy.  At Grahamvale Rd, Ford Rd stretched east into the darkness, the tailwind urging a long drive to Lemnos North Rd before swapping shifts.  Contagious stuff this breeze behind; Joe did a long haul to Boundary Rd before he handed over so I felt duty bound to reach Pine Lodge North Rd as a favor returned.  

The horizon's light was at least now guiding the way.  The tax of facing the wind was now due, a little of it headed south to the Toaster and a lot of it bound for Boundary Rd.  Joe (not Tony) paid the most working west so I applied a small discount to the speed south to the highway - rest and recovery at the rear might make him useful for another turn later - I hope!  Channel Rd can be sheltered from a northwester but today the wind funneled down it to make the homestretch hurt (count your blessings Foss, we were treated to a tail-wind out...and we gotta earn a coffee somehow!)  A casual chat over caffeine at the Milk Bar felt weird on a weekday and with no time clock to rule a rush home, this life of leisure will be a battle to bear......not! 

5/10  The wait......and the wind. 

6am came and went but Rule #87 seems to be foreign to BamBam. His digs are just a few hundred metres from the start-line so I gave him a minute.  The west northwester blowing at 30 k's per hour made it a wintery wait (feels like 3.7) so as minute two arrived it was stretching the friendship a little.  Minute three contemplated the solo circuits that were looking likely while a peek at What's App showed no message (someone had tripped over the extension cord to Facebook, Instagram and What's App anyway)  Minute four struck......so a cleat was engaged and I readied to turn the wheels.....just as BamBam fronted (apparently a serious search had been mounted  for a helmet)   With circuit options discussed, a Raftery, Mitchell and Archer loop got underway as an appetiser, the main course of lake laps would be decided later.  No dozing in the draft today, BamBam chose to ride alongside.  Darkness on Raftery prompted the CatEye being switched to 1700 lumens, all the better to spot Skippy on the roadside you see (none found)  The wind behind on Mitchell Rd was a brief blessing before facing the task north on Archer.  Back to the lakes, a little this way then that consumed the k's with a lap or two of Seven's Creek Drive thrown in for variety's sake (it's about all you can do under the constraints) , at least riding random paths kept senses sharp rather than that hamster on a running wheel syndrome of route repetition.    

6/10 .tiucriC yrautcnaS 

The search was on for that Antarctic rated base layer ; I'd relegated it to the back of the cupboard thinking it can be ignored till next June. Wrong!  You'd reckon something near warmth would arrive in October but two degrees turned the clock back a couple of months.  Just as well Joe (not Tony) was keen to clock some k's again, I may have succumbed to slumber otherwise.  Barely a week into lock-down and the want for a different course grows strong - the same old same old syndrome kicks in when a bunch is limited to two.  Covid constraints has caused most roads to be covered with restrictions on distance so spinning the Sanctuary circuit backwards might put a different view on things.  

There was a fraction of light at the end of Old Dookie's tunnel to aim at, a slight suggestion of a westerly helping Joe (not Tony) aim at Central Ave and me to aim at Boundary Rd.  Two westbound packs were at full steam toward town (weren't they lucky to have plenty from two households to ride to regulations) but our steam needed rationing to go the distance.  Joe was in the groove of distance today and I felt the obligation to drive likewise, he'd dug deep to reach the highway form Old Dookie Rd so I took aim at River Rd in reply (regretting the aim when I got to One Tree Dam)   There's plenty of patchwork done near the bridges but the craters at One Tree Dam were left untouched.  (Go figure!   Regional Roads Vic must have a tight grip on the purse strings)   Joe (not Tony) had a good grip of the six k's of River Rd's length and wasn't letting go, so why would I argue against a free tow to Kialla Central?  I quickly lost the obligation to do a similar shift.  South to Mitchell suited me.  Back to the standard drives, Joe towed me to Archer and I dragged him to the truck route, the length of Archer shared equally to go in search for coffee. 

7/10  At war with wind.

If that was a 10 km/h west southwester, it's time to quit and hang up the bike for me!  I'd allowed twenty minutes to ride the fifteen minutes to Kialla Lakes but only just made the time cut to meet Kreeky at the shop. The forecast on wind was rather shy of the 28-48 km/h reality!  In the effort to vary the partnerships in lock-down, Kreeky had taken up my call for a few Thursday k's but I hadn't banked on this much breeze.  Oh well, better to be suffering something rather than the guilt of not riding.  This would hardly be bunch speed but I'm hoping consistency will allow a gentle landing back into bunch speed when it's legal again.  

Kialla Lakes has been the go-to lap while on a Covid leash of 15 k's, even that course has turned into the same old thing. Not many alternatives really (and I'm certainly not being drawn into the Zwift circus!)  We'd settled on lapping the lakes with a Seven's Creek drive as a side serving, the real work felt on the southern and western ways, the longest just 600 metres thankfully   It only takes a lap or two to wear down the wattage so conservation was key on the north and east to ready for the cruelty south and west.  We'd taken turns to head the hard leg of Melbourne Rd (exposed to the elements) and that guaranteed a minutes silence after, otherwise the chat north and east was as therapeutic as the ride itself.  If only to justify a latte later, a third lap was added (or do we just like the pain?) but the chain wasn't wanting to stay on the big ring as I pushed the limits on the 25 sprocket on that Melbourne Rd leg.  A tailwind to the Butter Factory was bliss and so was the caffeine to warm the inside (feels like 2.7).   I scored the joy of a tail-wind back to base while southerner Kreeky sought any sheltered path homeward  I doubt he'd be bragging a PB for the Strava segments to get there! 

8/10  A social spin savoured.  

The wind had finally worn itself out by Friday and I was well worn with it.  In an effort to socially spread myself around, Laura accepted an invite to turn the wheels 'round, apologetic (hours before we'd even rolled a metre) for a slower speed but that was what I hoped for! Three degrees was a well below what I'd wanted for but I guess it was better than being blown to Upotipotpon!  Laura wasn't too fussy about the course (thank heaven it wasn't lapping the lakes yet again!) so the Channel, Boundary, Ford and Verney route made a refreshing alternative.  Neither of us were constrained to the clock so a 6:30 start seemed sinful....but the daylight was delightful.  Out of town and away from commuting traffic gave a sense of freedom,  and with cares about the average speed cast aside, all was at peace with the world.  I hadn't cruised a ride like this for a while and the enjoyment of it all could turn into a weekly habit!  The standard social stuff chewed up the k's north on Boundary Rd, lucky we'd kept clear of a car, minus number plates, bolting by at breakneck speed (stolen?)   A fraction of warmth on the back westbound toward Ford Rd fueled some hope that Spring may just be taking a grip on temperatures, hopes still high that we'd be released from a local lock-down to bring bunch riding back to life.  A brew at the Butter Factory topped off a pleasant 45 km and a more than pleasant week one of retirement.  

This week 289km       YTD 10,332km