Post #637
12/3 Haunted by horsepower.
A free tow to the starting grid saved me from facing a southerly to Sanctuary Drive, so thanks Rocket, Emil and GiantAndy, I'll remember you in my will! A lap or three of the side streets absorbed our 6 minute early arrival but lining up at the roundabout found it unusually vacant....PistolPete was absent! Almost a dozen lights arrived behind in the last minute, who they were was masked by bright lights piercing the darkness. Fingers crossed there wasn't a big bias of horsepower or I'd be hanging on the back chewing bar-tape for 50km! (Those unknown would be revealed in the rotations to come) Boof appeared from the blackness behind to pair with Rocket for the opening act to Mitchell Rd, Grumpy and the 5ft Ninja showing up too in the 14 lights pointing south.
The standard practice of all the wattage rising to the top brought Wozza, Trav, Lenny and Liam forward, the clan complete with The Godfather, Lance and Tina in tow. (Lights hadn't lit The Godfather yet but there were cues to hint of his presence!) I'd been relegated to the rear by rotation arriving in Central Kialla and had caught Liam's wheel in the advance ; a third my age and four times as fast made it a massive miss-match (and a mental mountain to get over) but he doesn't bite. Rapid but respectful really.
GiantAndy had stayed put in the caboose which was well out of character for the big engine ; excused when he said he was doing 3 Peaks tomorrow. (4 years on and I've almost got over the 235 km and 4684 metres of elevation in 11 hours) Lenny had another bike from his extensive stable, the recent Cannondale aquisition with bottom bracket bother (probably can't cope with the wattage!) Trav and Liam led the way to rooster corner so pairing with Liam on Coach Rd with a breeze at the backside helped. All the intention in the world to get to the highway at the front does nothing when legs go lax, lungs labor and the heart does the Hiroshima thing.
I tendered my apologies and rolled across at the Broken bridges to inherit the Ninja alongside. And wasn't she a life saver slowing a couple of k's for the drive to the highway. The draft (albeit rather low) got my view back in focus while she, Tina and Lance did their duty to Old Dookie Rd, so I could manage a sentence or two as Grumpy, Trav and the Ninja started the chat on the aroma of Old Spice (the waft from the pork palace got the subject started!) Joining the advance as we swung west on Lemnos-Cosgrove Rd started the sequence again though now pace seemed more favored to the fitter, though I was convincing self a turn could be done again despite the leg power ahead. There wasn't going to be a full throttle thrash to Mt Wanganui was there?
Big horsepower drives long so I was still 3rd wheel at Ford Rd (and odds on favorite to face the front in Wanganui Rd) Rumors of a bolt along the Boulevard were brewing and that wasn't helping my head, so entering Wanganui Rd and seeing Liam assume the aero position had me raise the white flag fast! A berth in the final four or five would give me a better chance to get to breakfast and let the lads enjoy expending the energy at the front. Others had shuffled the deck too. Speed was keen along the Boulevard and why wouldn't it when breakfast beckons, luckily Lance and I were spared another appearance at the pointy end when Rocket and Wozza took on the task at Tarcoola to tow us to the Butter Factory. Hills we've climbed, pedestrian eye candy and pointers on 3 Peaks had conversations competing the breakfast table.
15/3 Labor Day ; light on labor.
Getting the wheels turning early was the ploy to slacken the stress of commuting to Sanctuary's start. It'd be a solitary spin today so the spectre of speed wouldn't flood the headspace with negatives. (That could come later!) Grumpy, The Godfather, Tina, Kreeky, Wozza, Kel, Lance, Rocket and Lenny circled the side streets waiting for six on the clock, the labor day holiday prompting a longer lap (weren't we meant to be celebrating reduced working hours?) Considerate company brought comfort and starting almost at the back helped too! Lenny and Rocket opened with an innings to Mitchell Rd, Wozza doing the distance to Central Kialla while Rocket resided in the draft.
Kreeky was coming to grips with being back in a bunch after a week off as The Godfather sided with Wozz for the 2 k's north, their pace a little more lenient....to Tina's delight. Placed at third wheel on the turn east into River Rd, it looked like I'd have duty at the front fairly soon with Grumpy. He's fair on old fossils, but the downside was facing an easterly to earn my breakfast. The reality of the shift came at Laws Drive when Grumps rolled across and took away that 10 to 15% advantage of a draft. Kreeky was on my wheel so I had considerate back-up too. Maintaining motion didn't need the pedal pushed through the floorboards (that dates me!) and that was somewhat satisfying under the circumstances....the head often over-rules the reality of what's really possible.
I managed a k or so with Grumpy so to keep things equal, called my roll across for Kreeky to co-pilot till my tank went empty, kudos from Grumps sparking something to aim further. I took a guess at driving another k but the lack of legs eventually raised the white flag, regardless of the distance. Kreeky and Kel finished off River Rd like it was a Sunday drive while the world came back into focus rather quickly for me. Lance and Tina calmed the hurry a little as a little light came to the horizon. The difference in the divisions stood out as Rocket and Lenny took charge into Old Dookie Rd, the headwind not hampering their hurry to the Toaster. Encouraging words went in Tina's ear to keep her hanging on, the guarantee of a tailwind back to town probably helped too. Grumpy and I had the tail breeze first when our turn came due into Lemnos-Cosgrove Rd, and using the tactical trick of holding half a wheel back calmed Grumpy's urgency a bit and kept the speed survivable.
Woolshed Rd was half way for me, Kreeky called on for company as I aimed at Boundary. I must have had the blinkers on with my aim, I'd missed a pair of roadside bunnies threatening to run amok (glad they chose not to). Tina was taking time out in the caboose but Lance braved a drive at the front with Wozz, the Rocket and Lenny combination getting heads down and cadence up and that got us to town post haste. It seemed likely Grumps and I would be called on for driving duty again when we were promoted back into the advance line in Wanganui Rd but I felt fairly optimistic another shift was achievable (all down to a calm commute to the start?) Others had worked Rudd Rd and the Boulevard in the aim of getting to breakfast so Grumpy and I had just the k beyond Tarcoola's roundabout to finish the lap. Breakfast at the Milk Bar made a different base camp (gotta love their granola!), the chat of GiantAndy's 3 Peaks assault, real service and the Soviet steamroller whiling away the time.
15/3 Civil squirrels.
Gotta love the serenity! A casual commute to the Archer St shop with Kim and Jen felt guilty. It was only a couple of k's off the usual pace but Emil's absence allowed a brief moment of bliss! Tina and the 5ft Ninja made up a quintet to tap the squirrels circuit and I'd been elected as Emil's understudy to do the first shift to the truck route with an east northeaster to pour some energy into. Setting the right speed can be a difficult task ; too slow and you risk being shunted (or deafened by the snoring behind), too fast and there'll be pained protests or a knife in your back (you know that "hell hath no fury...." thing) So a smooth and steady build up of pace tentatively set mid 30's as a trial tempo, and with lights still behind me, silence and no stinging sensation in the spine, I figured I'd got it something near suitable. Kim was given the elbow crossing Doyles and receiving four kind comments said the pace was perfect. Kim, Jen and Tina performed well to the expected shifts but the Ninja was on a mission at the cypress trees to make it to Channel Rd's end. It was of little benefit to me when her head went down in determination to drive the last k ; thin as a pin (and only a bit taller) made it a dismal draft.
Taking on the east northeaster headed north on Boundary wasn't too bad and I'd nearly pulled back the target to reach the fig farm till the weight of expectation extended it to Old Dookie Rd. Harden up Foss, a bit of extra effort won't kill you! There was almost a tailwind home after all. Kim got to New Dookie and Jen to Lemnos-Cosgrove, the turn west blessed with silence now that the wind wasn't blowing between my ears. Tina found some inspiration pointed at Lemnos, and I reckon that breeze up the backside was responsible (she did the long drive to Lemnos North Rd) The Ninja got a wriggle-on too for our introduction to Ford Rd, succumbing to the urge to round up the speedo numbers to an even 40. I wasn't so concerned with even numbers when given the lead again at Grahamvale Rd, 36 or 37 would do to keep the five together. (the old engine was miss-firing from a lack of caffeine anyway). Kim had the northeasters help to drive the southern leg to Balaclava.
17/3 Without wind....What the?
Molly had returned, Emil had traded in the fishing rod for the La Pierre but Tina had back-tracked home to get the second Specialized (No #1 had suffered a tubeless valve malfunction) The squirrel situation was normal otherwise, with Jen, Kim, the 5ft Ninja, Emil and I ready to roll at the shop. Wednesday's wet had us all hungry to clock some k's. Creatures of habit that we are saw the standard sequence start eastward - Emil, me, Jen and Kim driving the usual shifts to the truck route, Orrvale Rd, the Kinder and the cypress trees where Molly took over for a short shift to Beckham's bend and that's when the Ninja was let loose.
Right at the point of leaning into the corner, residual gravel from roadworks at the S bend cause my front wheel to skip sideways, and that spiked the heart-rate for a moment. The 5ft Ninja had her aim set at Channel Rd's end, a little more gravel at Sellman's had the rear wheel squirm and that made my grip on the saddle a little tighter!
The Boundary Rd opener is a regular for Emil, so I sat in the smooth wake at 2nd wheel for the promotion to the front, taking an educated guess I'd be in the hot seat at Old Dookie Rd. Tina was found at the fig farm and climbed aboard. Emil's elbow put me in the drivers seat as predicted, and in a stroke of perfect timing, a passing truck provided a draft to help me to New Dookie Rd. (Gotta get a break sometime!) How dignified to finish a shift and still have oxygen to spare! The 1700 metres to Lemnos-Cosgrove Rd was ably captained by Jen, Kim driving the west way toward town, leaving the last k to Lemnos to Molly. The Ninja did the cork-out-of-a-bottle thing into Ford Rd while the tail-enders were towed carefully back into formation. (The rubber band will only stretch so far...... ) Tina scored the Grahamvale to Verney leg so Emil finished off the lap with his signature shift to Balaclava Rd.
18/3 A ton (for fun?)
I craved a change of routine. I was beginning to feel like a dead hamster in the spinning wheel! A different circuit and maybe mix with some familiar (but fading) faces to spice a little variety in life. There was a craving for kilometres too, seeing as Wednesday was a washout. A lap with the Woulda's was overdue (and with winter fast approaching, they'll all be in hiding soon!) I could add some distance after if the craving was still strong. Laura, AlmostRetiredTrev, Jase, Nick, Pelly, Wendy, BamBam, Crossy and Joe (not Tony) made it a decent roll-up to Kialla, looking like a shop dispenser full of Life Savers in their colorful kit.
Joe (not Tony) won the honor of hosting the first shift to Channel Rd and had a southerly blowing an assistance, but rather than take the easy way out, he stayed on to captain to the truck route. It seemed Indian file was kosher till Jase formed the advance line headed to Orrvale school. Maybe AlmostRetiredTrev had set the policy on pace 'cause mid 30's seemed to be the standard. I was happy to play by their rules, particularly if I was to add extra k's after. It wasn't till Coach Rd that I faced the front, straight into the southerly as my luck had it! I was co-pilot to Wendy till One Tree Dam then alongside Crossy till River Rd, lower 30's now the fashion. (Keep to that party policy Foss!) Pelly was taking care of the caboose today, a recent case of Corona had relegated him to respite at the rear. It's been many moons since tapping a lap with Nick, almost unrecognizable with whiskers and a new bike!
With just 9 swapping shifts, another turn at the front came again quickly, there's none of that 3 or 4 k turns at the front Couldabeens style with this lot! Wendy and I were at the pointy end a bit beyond Mitchell Rd's dog-leg, determination driving her to reach Central Kialla. Relief came rounding Roubaix corner in Raftery Rd with the wind now up the back passage, the party policy now dropped with some spirited speed toward Arcadia Downs. There was nothing so inspired as a sprint in Conrod straight but Joe (not Tony) broke into the 40's to cross the finish line, the tap into town headed straight to Degani's for the essential caffeine conclusion.
With the coffee craving cured, the matter of k's came up, so a few k's solo steered me to Archer Rd in search of the 8am faction at Adam's Rd. If I was to do a decent distance, it wasn't going to be at supersonic speed! Hoffy, Chilly, Geoff and Beery were the only candidates at the Adams Rd grid, the more pedestrian faction having left 10 minutes prior on a shorter course. 8 bells set wheels south in single file, the southerly now a little stronger. Grandma ued to say a guest should bring a gift, so I took to the front at Sanctuary Drive to tow the lads to Mitchell, low 30's set as the threshold (unlike other bunches, this one had some more senior than me!)
Turns of 2 to 3 minutes were in vogue on Mitchell, through Central Kialla and into River, so when Hoffy gave me the lead at Laws Drive I set my target at rooster corner. How pleasant to be at the front and not blowing a head gasket to keep tempo, nice to see what the road and surroundings looked like too with the sun now well above the horizon. Pace lifted a little on Coach Rd as Beery got excited with a tailwind, even Chilly drove a little longer than 2 minutes with the advantage. The tyranny of distance was beginning to tell, the sit site in a little distress now the standard 45k spin was well overdrawn. (I spared a thought for what Greg was feeling after 8 continuous days of the Tour de Cure ; I'm sure his rear would be glowing like Chernobyl's reactor 4!) Hoffy led from New Dookie Rd and gave me the heads-up of the Hill Rd route west toward Lemnos ; I hadn't tapped this road for nearly a decade, it's pot-holes and ridges reminding me why!
Back at the front in Wanganui Rd there was little interest in speed, so I capped velocity at mid 30's to the mountain, unbeknowns that Geoff had taken Kittles Rd as an escape route to the Boulevard (We intercepted a few minutes later) vvI bid my adieu's in town (their cafe of choice certainly not mine) and headed homeward, a check of the odometer finding I was 3 k short of the century. To satisfy the o.c.d. within, a few laps of the block were rolled just to get the ton recorded.
This week 316 km YTD 3,134 km
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