Post #628
8/1 Back to bunch business.
Dear old Archer Rd hadn't forgotten me. Almost a week out of town and I got it's usual welcome back. A southerly fair in the face to Sanctuary Drive's starting grid! Bruce, Lenny, Rocket, the 5ft Ninja, Emil, Wozza, The Godfather, Kreeky, PistolPete, Lance, Molly, Grumpy and a vaguely familiar silhouette congregated at the roundabout readying for the 6am launch, so I tactfully positioned rearward for a gentle re-introduction to bunch business. It was a slow start for a tardy Trav to get aboard, then a full throttle attempt to catch the front runners. So much for that gentle re-introduction!
The pecking order soon got sorted, horsepower to the front and those with a want for wattage carefully selecting a kind co-pilot to follow in the advance line. The holler from the front raised heads in a hurry, a stationary dog in the middle of Archer Rd got brakes and heart-rates warmed up quickly. No horizontal malfunctions though, luck, skill or bunch familiarity saved us from the dreaded touch of wheels that usually ends in hurt. I'd drawn Grumpy's wheel as the order sorted and had Kreeky as partner for part two (not too heavy on horsepower and high in moral fibre.....just right). Getting closer to that vaguely familiar silhouette, I gave it a prod. It wasn't a hologram after all, it was BeerMat....and he's back on a bike! Wonders will never cease! Bruce and Wozza silenced the chat with speed to Central Kialla, from there it gradually got easier as I grew accustomed to the speed and soaked up the little south southwesterly push at the posterior. Fingers crossed, I might get a tail-wind for duty at the driving end too. Tina had arrived from the east and about faced to join in. Wasn't it good to be back in a draft again - The Godfather's untranslatable garble, Wozza's (literally) breathtaking wattage, Grumpy doing that shoulder thing, Bruce spinning like a mix-master and all the familiarity of the "family" that's been missed after just a week away. This certainly beats riding listening to oneself!
I did get lucky scoring that tail-wind shift with Grumpy to Boundary Rd's bridge then alongside Kreeky till the east turn onto Old Dookie Rd. That was plenty of energy expended for now, I'd take some respite and let others make an appearance, predicting another turn may come. A carefully coordinated line of division 2's had formed to take their dip in the deep end, Tina, the 5ft Ninja, BeerMat, Lance and Molly line astern for their contribution to the cause, however great or small. (A great confidence booster - far better than being the defeatists confined in the caboose) Division 1's waited patiently for their part in pace. The Godfather, Wozza and Bruce were eventually promoted forward and by Boundary Rd the tempo had transitioned nearer the 40's, steadily mind you, to prevent bits busting off the back. Into town and some had ducked for cover out of the advance line but the days of full blown sprints to Mt.Wanganui seem to be ancient history, the speed set at a simmer instead.
Grumpy gallantly faced the wind in Rudd Rd so my turn came again at Canterbury's roundabout, houses had shielded some of the wind but a k later, I was cooked. Kreeky could tow me to breakfast.....if we knew where! (The Butter Factory was on a break) The bee line was to the new Bel Cibo (and hadn't I forgotten how rough Mason St was!) The coffee and breakfast scored well on the taste buds, tongues tattling on a good berth in a bike event, engineers vs architects and the evils of insurance. Wouldabeens Shorty, AlmostRetiredTrev, SuperMario, Wendy and GreatScottMatt (no, not a hologram either!) joined in too.
10/1 The ride ritual.
The cars' approach on the side street was fairly quick. Yeah, surely he's seen more than 3700 lumens worth of headlights approaching? Or was I being too optimistic? Almost on top of the give way sign, he panics and suddenly stabs the brakes. (Cue heart-rate through the roof!) Oh, so now he's seen us! Then, in a FFS moment, he puts his spectacles on!! And that only reinforces my theory that many driving about at stupid o'clock are still asleep at the wheel! Or maybe this guy was on his way to Specsavers? (I could almost understand missing a single bike headlight coming, but Emil, Kim and I together with lights ablaze?) It brings back dear old Dad's advice "Imagine they're all idiots son!" The Godfather, Bruce, Lenny, Wozza, Kreeky, Kim, PistolPete, Kel, Emil, Bo and Rocket had avoided the idiots to reach Sanctuary Drive, PistolPete and The Godfather guiding us into the southerly to Mitchell Rd.
The advance line was slow to form as that game of 'Choose your fellow to follow' was played in the rear seats. Kreeky had tucked into The Godfather's draft but I was waiting to see if that little fluff ball dog was sitting in the middle of Archer Rd again. The coast was clear, I slotted in to third wheel. Pistol retired from driving duty turning east toward Kialla Central, The Godfather set off at full throttle (maybe on a mission to stretch the bunch to breaking point) but Kreeky calmly restored the prior pace. Tina arrived even earlier to take her seat on the train; one day she'll surprise us being at the start-line! A southerly behind was a bonus for my turn with Kreeky but 2 k's worth of work at the business end is about my cardiac capacity, so I rolled the turn about half way to River Rd. (The Godfather grizzled about a short shift but I was satisfied just to keep tempo and not implode at the front) Lenny obliged to pair with me for the last k.
Bruce set the course to River Rd's bridge and a minute later I could spare the oxygen to be social to Wozza's sentences (three word replies for now, a proper sentence by the time we'd reached the dip) A collaboration of division 2's had lined up behind Emil for their advance, though probably regretted their position when Rocket and Wozza paired just two wheels ahead to drive River Rd's last 3 k's. (I reckon there were a few personal pep talks going on at 3rd and 4th place!) Emil earned an elephant stamp with a carefully considered build of speed into Coach Rd, leading Tina, Kim and the 5ft Ninja to their inevitable effort at the business end. Bo had very conveniently positioned himself as back stop, and looked likely to inherit the breeze behind in Old Dookie Rd. (Well, he is the Prince of perfect peloton placement!) The sun had finally got out of bed crossing School Rd, Kel, Pistol and The Godfather leading us to town where Kreeky slipped us into single file for the swift shift to SPC, Bruce bolting the last leg. Stella sufficed as the pit stop till the Butter Factory reopens.
12/1 Group growth.
Many circle the streets around Sanctuary Drive in the lead up to 5:40, the argument about keeping warm isn't quite valid mid summer so I guess it's all about avoiding that first place on the grid. PistolPete has usually got his reservation on it anyway! (Or maybe there's a want to go around in circles?) So it's not till 5:39 or even closer to 5:40 that the bunch size is known, and today it was XXXL ! PistolPete, Rocket, Lenny, Bruce, Emil, Boof, Wozza, JJ, Kim, Kreeky, BamBam, Greg, the 5ft Ninja, Molly, Bo, Kel and The Godfather packed into the grid positions. (Maybe the craving for kilometres was greater after rain, thunder and lightning denied us our fix yesterday?) With this amount in the bunch there'd be just one turn at the front.
Tina's arrival at the bottom of Archer Rd took the tally to 19. It's the same old circuit of Archer, Mitchell, River, Coach, Boundary and Old Dookie roads and mostly the same young faces doing it, yet each ride manages to throw up some sort of variety. Today, it was Boof's puncture just beyond River Rd's dip. A new bike with new wheels and new tyres doesn't exempt it from deflation and you can argue the case for tubeless all you like but they're not exempt either. At least Boof hadn't covered himself, the Focus (or others) in sealant! Kel's keen eye had the focus to find the offending spec of glass, the refit of the rear wheel turned out to be the real issue though. More like a wrestle. (them new fangled disc thingies!)
Of course the order shuffled on the restart and I'd found myself on Kreeky's wheel with Kim on mine. Considerate company, and at Wednesday's social speed too! (Bonus!) Time at the business end came when JJ rolled his turn crossing School Rd, Kreeky and I in charge to pilot the crew. The pressure of pace was eased with the tempo just a k or two slower than Monday and Friday's fling, so my turn today was most manageable, surprisingly still able to speak arriving at Central Ave. Kim set the speed for part two toward Dobson's and shared the shift with Tina to the bridge, the 5ft Ninja making a bee line to the truck route where Kel put 40's on the agenda to bring SPC close and quick.
13/1 Fostering a faster faction.
Don't you just love the smell of a burning martyr in the morning? Emil gave me the heads-up he'd be driving the length of Channel Rd as first shift so who was I to argue! I was happy to watch. Mind you, second wheel into an easterly wasn't the best place to be. Thursday was squirrel day and Jen had dragged the cobwebs off the bike to join the 5th Ninja, Kim and Tina for the 38k spin. Emil was probably regretting the decision to drive long by Beckham's bend but nobody behind had any complaints. I was eventually given the reigns on the turn toward the highway and skirted the new coat of tarmac and it's "icing" of loose gravel for as long as the lack of traffic would allow.
The call of "car back" forced us onto the 'snap, crackle and pop' for the last 100 metres (none too comfortable when the steering's squirming on the loose stuff) Beyond Boundary's bridge (but before the fig farm) I'd hogged the front enough, Jen could have her time in the drivers seat after many months starved of it (despite a very long time off two wheels, some have that uncanny knack of driving a turn like they're at peak fitness). Miss Smoothie excelled taking us to New Dookie Rd and that infected others to make their turn count too. Kim made mid 30's look easy to get us to Lemnos-Cosgrove Rd and most had got ready for the 5ft Ninja's attack west when her duty was due. Tina got the dismal draft. And that probably consumed the watts that shortened her shift on Ford Rd. Emil had the lead role again and the aroma of eau du martyr filled the air, one of those "near-enough-to-town-to-drag-you-all-to-coffee" shifts was on his agenda. Again. Just one short shift for me today, a ride off the rivet a welcome change.
14/1 U Knighted.
The forecast 5am rain had kindly diverted west of town and a rare windward assistance to Friday's start line made it my lucky day. It was doom and gloom if you'd believed Thursday nights predictions. Ah, but there's always a catch Foss! A battle with the northeaster for most of the 30 km circuit was to come. PistolPete and The Godfather seemed keen to lead us south toward Mitchell Rd while Bo, Wozza, Lenny, Jen, Greg, Emil, Rocket, the 5ft Ninja, Bruce, Kel and Boof juggled for position behind ; there wasn't going to be much escape from the wind wherever you'd placed. Even Bo looked likely to do some work! Tina had lapped up the south and west lengths of Boundary and River Rd then u-turn to jump aboard at Central Kialla while Rocket and Greg cut through the gusty 20 degree atmosphere to River Rd.
The rearmost got a right old whip-lashing when Greg and Emil set sail to the bridge. I had my mental preparations well underway while Emil and Lenny kept the throttle open to the dip, Boof and Bo were about to face the business end and I was next in line for labor. Both the eastward leg to Coach Rd and the northern assault to the highway weren't very inviting. Those who'd finished their time in the drivers seat weren't saying a lot. Getting their breath back seemed to be the focus. So, did I detect a smug look on Boof's face as Bo turned himself inside out at full throttle to the rumble strips? (he at least be suitably softened for my pace in Coach Rd)
We'd barely built up to the 30's when Kel called "Puncture!" so the stop for repairs was timely, allowing me to do some oxygen stocktaking. Glass was again the culprit, the fix fast and the ride resumed again. The drive to the Broken bridges went ok, Kel kindly staying level as I rode on the red-line to the highway. It felt like a second rate shift till seeing others doing hard labor to Old Dookie Rd. The few spits of rain amounted to nothing, Boundary Rd almost glossy from a shower we'd avoided (missed it by that much!) That sudden silence turning west out of the wind had an energizing effect, so the length of Old Dookie Rd in the 40's was pleasurably pacey. The joy of a tail-wind home was a nice way to end the week.
This week 246km YTD 532km
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