Post #629
A question of conformity.
A blend of hopefuls and horsepower assembled for Saturday's spin, not too heavily weighted one way or the other so the speed should settle somewhere between snoring and suffering. Naturally, PistolPete pointed us south and, just for a change, Bo was his partner in pace to Mitchell Rd. Boof, Molly, Greg, The Godfather, JJ, BeerMat, the 5ft Ninja, Lance and TatMat trailed behind. Emil seemed set on speed to Central Kialla or was those pair of red led's ahead his bait? Out of the easterly and bearing north toward River Rd , curls gave Tina's identity away, 3ft wide handlebars meant Nev was back on that mtb. (Everyone else can turn up on a road bike, but not Nev. Here we go again, avoiding being impaled!)
On the front and bound for River Rd, energy was evaporating half way, so granted a short shift beside Emil, I rolled to pair with Greg for the second k. River Rd couldn't arrive soon enough! The will wanted to get there but there wasn't the wattage to match. Greg's careful use of the throttle kept everyone aboard for the eastern effort toward Coach Rd, the 5ft Ninja hopeful that TatMat and The Godfather would endure the east northeaster and stay at the front till rooster corner. The sense of being skewered became overwhelming as Nev drew close alongside (he's a space invader at the best of times so scoring a steel pole between the ribs felt possible. Mtb bars tangled within road bars doesn't bear thinking about. Oh, for the want of conformity!) JJ had the pleasure of pairing with Nev on Coach Rd, Lance, BeerMat, Tina and Molly conveniently classed together, line astern, ready to make their contribution.
PistolPete and TatMat provided the horsepower to push through the wind toward the Toaster while Bo and Emil crept the pace up to the Pine Lodge church in a "mine's better than yours" pairing of pace. I wasn't playing that game when my turn came due (despite Emil's eagerness to stay half a bike ahead), 36-37 was my limit if I were to reach Lemnos-Cosgrove in a conscious state then provide some sort of pace west. How fortunate to have that east northeaster helping the way west, Greg showed respect for senior citizens to level with me toward Woolshed Rd, the shattered remains of a tree branch had formed a chicane there so it seemed fitting to ease the speed and call my shift done.
Boof had kindly kept the handbrake on his horsepower so it wasn't a peloton of pain for others; I can bang on about riding on the limit but for a few it's a battle to supress speed. Velocity had simmered nicely past DECA on Wanganui Rd but Emil had itchy feet 300 metres from the Mount and launched a bid for line honors (the absence of Wozza and Rocket from the bunch may have had something to do with it?) but there was little interest shown by others for the winners trophy (not that there is one!) Emil was still well ahead in Rudd Rd and the urge to chase became irresistible for some by then, the line soon stretched long and Indian filed on the Boulevard while the rearmost regretted the chase (but hung on for the sake of finishing in formation?) Petulant tennis players, Dakar trucks and the unraveling of Covid restrictions made the breakfast conversation back at the Butter Factory base station.
17/1 Injun' file.
Monday's seem like starting from scratch. Take a day off the bike, muscles and joints seize up and there' a struggle to deliver anything resembling speed a day later. (Or is that just me?) Maybe rigor mortis setting in already? Swinging a leg over the bike two minutes earlier and going gentle on the rusty old engine was a sensible introduction, a couple of k's later almost able to match Emil's enthusiasm to get to the Sanctuary start-line. (Kim was the wise one sitting in the draft) The National Road Championship and many on route to visit Adelaide (for the Tour Down Under that isn't) had thinned the grid to Bo, Lenny, Kim, Greg, Kel, the 5ft Ninja, Tina and Emil. Wasn't it weird to have Lenny lead us south to Mitchell Rd (almost as kind as PistolPete in priming the pace) Emil was keen to play co-pilot, but with limited numbers, most had stayed Indian file behind Lenny. (It's nothing personal Emil!) So a single line it was behind Emil as he assumed the lead to Central Kialla (and Lenny graciously took another turn to tow us to River Rd). There's a big shift in mindset when pace-line becomes the protocol, with no need to match the horsepower alongside and a shift can be as long or short as you like (if you can block out the expectation of conforming to the standard length shifts) Greg headed the first effort east on River Rd so I prepared to face the music at the bridge (if he conformed to those shift standards!) Without the pressure of a co-pilot alongside I had a chance to ease or raise the speed, so sneaky me backed off the throttle a tad to benefit Kim (or was it Tina?) when duty called them to drive.
I had the benefit of a few breaths left at the shift's end too. (just a k or two off the cruise control can mean the difference between surviving or suffering) A bit beyond the dip (waiting for the car that was called to come) It was Kim I handed the reigns to and she kept the speed at a simmer, the northeaster of little trouble to her tempo. Tina had surprised us being at the Sanctuary grid before flagfall and still managed a decent drive at the front (or was she being nagged by Bo behind?) He finished off River Rd for Kel to drive us north. At this rate of turns there'd be another donation to deliver at the front. The 5ft Ninja did her bit to the highway, that northeaster wearing away the wattage by the time the pub came into view. Emil was careful winding up the tempo on Boundary Rd and let Lenny loose in Old Dookie Rd, the wind now behind us lowering stress and raising speed. Nudging the 40's, Lenny dragged us to Central Ave where i calmed the velocity a fraction so I could reach the truck route without heart failure (and to favor a few that were nearing their limit) Kim took on the shift to SPC but Emil stole the drivers seat just 100 metres on. I reckon he'd be taxed heavily later on. Hell hath no fury........
18/1 Being bait.
I'd grown tired of fighting northeasters and Tuesday spared me from that.....a stiff southerly was blowing right at me instead! It's that time of year when the weather becomes a lucky dip. Squirrels had ventured south to support the slim Sanctuary numbers and today the squad had thinned to just Lenny with squirrels Jen, Tina, Kim, Emil and the 5ft Ninja. Bo must have broken a fingernail? Or had the sound of the wind kept him in his cot? Only seven meant single file again so there was little fret about placement in the pack.
In fact, I had the dream berth at third wheel, destined to have the 2k shift to River Rd with the southerly as support. Emil made sure heart-rates weren't on holiday with a quick move to Central Kialla so when I was handed the helm, speed could be set to suit me. 36 - 37 seemed to meet approval though guilt of being a tailwind thief got to me, so I stayed put at the front to to do the east leg to River Rd's bridge too (there had to be some toil in a turn). I knew there'd be no rest handing the lead to Jen so had spared a bit of wattage to hang on.
The lights of the shop squad at Tuesday tempo (that means something approaching supersonic!) were in pursuit behind. Tina and Kim emptied their energy into reaching rooster corner. Fate had been fair to the 5ft Ninja gifting her a tailwind to the highway, those shop squad lights now looming large. We'd become the bait in their scheme of speed. Lenny led the Boundary Rd leg toward Old Dookie and built the velocity into the 40's but the shop squad (Boof, Liam, Rocket, Wozza, TrackStan, Gazza and birthday boy Bruce (close to detonation) shot past like we'd pulled the brakes on. Bruce didn't seem to be enjoying his birthday present. Lenny kindly avoided a chase and stayed at our prior pace, even continuing at the front on Old Dookie to School Rd. Emil took on the task to Central Ave where I sensed a deja vu of yesterday's drive through Dobson's, but Emil had that martyr's mood again to continue to the truck route. I got the SPC shift.
19/1 Less is more.
I hadn't done a solo commute in ages but a southerly fair in the face kept me company to Sanctuary Drive, just to make sure most of my wattage was almost drained before the ride. Rocket, Greg, Grumpy, Wozza, the 5ft Ninja, Bruce, Tina and Lenny converged at the roundabout to prove less is more ; less of the usual players but more with the horsepower. Rocket and Bruce assumed the PistolPete position to guide us to Mitchell Rd, the bunch blessed with muscle power but I reckoned Wednesday's social speed standards may stick.
The order of duty got sorted and I found myself on the Ninja's wheel ; I wouldn't call it a draft and the word slipstream is a grossly exaggerated description, though Grumpy and Lenny a couple of wheels ahead did disturb the air a little. Abiding to Rule # 86 is the done thing, particularly in a bunch of mixed divisions, the guys with wattage to burn are kind enough to halve their horsepower on a Wednesday, the least I can do is ease the effort a fraction to stay alongside Tina and the 5ft Ninja as they faced the front. The southerly was a nuisance on River Rd but our best friend on Coach Rd. (you can bet it'll change tomorrow!)
Darkness seems to cloak morning longer or maybe the cloud cover and "feels like 12" had me imagining winter's closing in already? The Hurtlocker were huffing and puffing their way south at the Broken bridges (not that we gloated with the breeze at our behind toward the highway) but just a hint of winter soon will have them vanish for the rest of the year I suppose. Rocket and Bruce took lead role on Boundary Rd, the social speed amplified a little with the tailwind (but no complaints recorded). Greg made a short second shift on Old Dookie Rd to keep to his agenda of a School Rd exit and I'd been rostered for a second drive at Central Ave, keeping considerate with the Ninja and Tina again. Indian file for the final fling to SPC has become habit, the pace through the streets toward coffee as keen as ever.
20/1
Four foot ten worth of Ninja (she gets a bonus 2 inches in cleats and helmet) proposed shorter shifts when just Jen, me and her met up at the squirrels start-line. Rather than the usual 2 k turns at the front, a k or so with a bit more pace would elevate the effort a bit, half the usual field would double the workload anyway! The change would be as good as a holiday and minimal recover time would sharpen the focus too (none of that daydreaming in the caboose waiting for duty!) I was given the opening act in Channel Rd so the aim at Kensington's roundabout was less daunting than the truck route 2.2 km away. Was a build up to 35 km/h too much too soon?
Hell no! Jen added another kilometre to the hour when she faced the front. Speed becomes an infectious thing in a group and the change of format threw a fair amount of incentive into it. The 5ft Ninja got Jen and I out of the saddle to catch her drive toward the Orrvale school, no rest today though 'cause her elbow beckoned me to the front soon after. (this was going to be a busy morning in the office!) And so Channel Rd used up several shifts at the business end without any respite, what felt like an easterly was wearing away at the reserves but Boundary Rd would be better. Given the lead again at Channel Rd's end, the spin to the pub seemed to short, so set Hosie Rd as a target for Jen to take the reigns. Less time in the drivers seat was hard to get used to, but two minutes and I'd be on duty again. I wondered if this shorter shift scenario would get approval when all squirrels were aboard? (I might put it to the research and development committee for review)
Northbound to Lemnos-Cosgrove Rd was marginally easier so hopes got set for less stress for the way home (forget that fantasy Foss, it felt like a headwind there too!) The three of us divided the drive to Lemnos North Rd where I chose the martyr's option of the 2.6 k's to Grahamvale Rd, a reward of respite for the gals for their determination. Not a lot of recovery after though, Jen put her worth of wattage to Verney Rd and the Ninja drove us all the way south to Balaclava. Not so short shifts to finish the lap but maybe it was burning up the excess enthusiasm for the early arrival at the Butter Factory?
21/1 Ready to ride at a bit before stupid o'clock, I sat and finished my coffee, contemplating what the ride would bring. And promptly woke at 5:55! Rest day signaled loud and clear.
This week 246 km YTD 780 km
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