Increasing incompetency

Post #647

21/5  Vote 1 velocity.

It's a dangerous thing to have five minutes spare post coffee and pre-ride when it's two degrees outside.  Thoughts of a sleep-in invade the skull so quickly!  (six days a week at stupid o'clock must be taking it's toll)  Quick Foss, get that complex insulation process underway before commonsense takes over!  It was likely there'd be a few missing from Saturday's start (infections, Covid, the lack of temperature, a federal election, common old softness.....that sort of thing) so I had the mental preparations underway on the commute to Sanctuary Drive for more work than a one-turn-at-the-front Saturday.  Just as well ; only Rocket, Greg, PistolPete, Grumpy, LiamM, Bo, Lili, The Godfather and GiantAndy had assembled, half the number of last Saturday's grid (but to be fair, it was a fifth the temperature of last week)   I'd arranged maximum delay for the first appearance at the front being on PistolPete's wheel when six bells struck, LiamM taking on the role of Pete's co-pilot.  The tame tempo to start the circuit suited a few (no doubt the standards would lift later!)  

A 'roo on Mitchell Rd slowed the speed a little more.  The five foot Ninja made a late entry in Central Kialla, one warm-up lap too many circling Sanctuary Drive and she'd missed the train (how handy to have the truck route as short-cut)   Between Grumpy and The Godfather there was little peace along River Rd but Greg and GiantAndy stoked up the speed to shut the sentences down.  The smaller Saturday squad had me in the advance line at the dip and soon enough my number was up in Coach Rd beside Lili (easy on the throttle and careful to keep your wheel level Foss ; don't cook your co-pilot!)   She'd had enough at One Tree Dam and Pistol partnered when I took to the left line, speed slowly sneaking up to the highway.   

A little colour came to the sky on the turn to the Toaster and the five foot Ninja was already shying from another shift at the front.  Conversely, that seemed to inspire Lili to brave the business end again.  Rocket set us west on Lemnos-Cosgrove Rd with a light east southeaster to boost the pace (and the ego) ; preparation for the pace to come as it happened.  Birthday boy GiantAndy bid his adieu's and rode off ahead to Lemnos North Rd (it's easy when you're young!) so Grumpy and Lili led into Ford Rd while anticipation brewed of the bolt along the Boulevard to come. Once it was the sprint to Mt.Wanganui that hurt, but times and the tempo have changed.  

Lili's energy evaporated barely a k into Ford Rd so shift two started for me aimed at Grahamvale Rd, glad that Grumpy wasn't on for a chat.  I'd need some oxygen to pair with Pistol. Verney Rd arrived and I called it quits, something had to be left in the tank to ready for that rush to breakfast. (and GiantAndy's absence wouldn't cancel it!)   There wasn't a lot of recovery time before turning into Rudd Rd and finding I was third wheel, so when Rocket launched at Canterbury' roundabout the draft was dismal.  Forties hurt along the Boulevard's length (though I was telling myself GiantAndy's hurry would hurt more) though hanging on to the hurry helped the self worth a bit.  Reaching Knight St with rubber legs guessed it was a quick one, looking back finding only Greg behind me confirmed it.  Traffic lights brought the bunch back together, breakfast being the trophy for the toil.  Quality kits, epic bike trips and driving lessons was the stuff sentences were made of. 

23/5  Waskally wabbits!

A feeling of few fronting came on the lap of Sanctuary's side streets ; Emil had pulled the pin, Covid had confined Tina and Bruce, temperature had sunk to that anti-social "feels like zero" again and few were circling the starting grid a minute or two before launch time.  Salvation came as Rocket, Jen, Kel, Bo, Greg and Wozza were found on side street three.  Wendy had escaped that sinking ship Wouldabeens, PistolPete and the Ninja were on the start-line and the entertainment (The Godfather) arrived as the Monday spin got underway (thoughts of fronting up to a start with just one fast guy there haunt me!)  Pistol built momentum slowly, avoiding the visual shock of seeing speed way faster than the commute (glad he was providing the draft).  Wozza had the watts to share his pace to Mitchell Rd.  

A sudden call en-route to Central Kialla for a rampant rabbit at the roadside snapped a few from their trance like stare at the wheel ahead, thankfully wits were sharp enough to avoid any horizontal malfunction.  The usual chit chat on the weekend's activities kept jaws active (for those not occupied absorbing oxygen at the front) and more good luck than good management had me between Wendy and Jen in the advance on River Rd.; within my wattage to keep up....just.  Yet another rouge rabbit ran toward our path but thought better to steer for greener (and safer) pastures.  Time at the front tolled beyond the dip and facing the front out of the draft was certainly fresh but senses were more tuned to not toasting the partner in pace.... and looking for random rabbits. The rooster crowed our arrival at Coach Rd and the way north went easy till The Godfather resumed high thirties on the cruise control.  The division one lads had lined up to serve some wattage at the front and because they're specialists in long range labor, it was unlikely I'd need to face the front again.  Forth wheel in Old Dookie Rd seven k's from town suddenly raised doubts, but plenty of power in the drivers seat delivered us to the truck route where single file to SPC dropped me a few rungs down the order.  Saved from a second turn by that much!

24/5  Full house.

With a full squad of squirrels at the shop (the 5ft Ninja, Tina, Jen, LiamM, Lili, Emil and Kim) the call for a tame tap was well received by those who'd been sidelined for nearly a week.  Emil's "tame" could translate to "test" for others though.  All was well arriving at the truck route with 7 astern as Emil handed over, so with gentle use of the accelerator I aimed at Orrvale Rd.  (Did good Foss. 7 lined up behind as the Ninja took on the shift to the Kinder)   The day felt a fraction warmer though the bureau reckoned 0.2, so maybe we're climatising to the chill?  Jen set a considerate pace to the cypress trees for Kim's comeback to commence ; a tentative turn to Beckham's bend was her ideal intro after a week off.  Tina's 7 days of Covid confinement needed just a toe in the water too, but the enthusiasm to reach the end of Channel Rd took it's toll.   

With little watts left at Coach Rd, Lili's blast to the highway unhooked Tina from the rear, the call for calm getting 8 back into line again.  Lili continued at a more suited speed to Old Dookie Rd.,  LiamM making tracks to New Dookie Rd but had a dose of Emil enthusiasm to continue to Lemnos-Cosgrove.   Craving k's after 4 days off 2 wheels, Emil towed us west to Lemnos North Rd so the first leg of Ford was mine, seemingly longer to drive today so maybe I was slower!  The Ninja got her second shift from Grahamvale to Verney, Jen setting speed sensible to suburbia.

25/5  The easterly effort.

It's so frustrating!  All the willpower in the world wouldn't help when there's not the watts to deliver!  Try as I would to reach the highway, the legs and lungs were having none of it ; Rocket was nearly at stall speed co-piloting nearing Channel Rd and Emil had gone easy on me from River Rd to the Broken, but this old engine had nothing decent to drive the shift that most manage easily......and I'd been towed 14 km in a slipstream before duty called.  (I think it's called flogging a dead horse Foss!)  Second wheel to Trav and Emil driving 2 k's worth of headwind to rooster corner probably wasn't the ideal introduction.   

14 had rolled away from Sanctuary at 5:40 (Bruce, Wozza, PistolPete, Bo, Greg, Trav, Grumpy, Emil, The Godfather, Tina, Rocket, Kel and Boof) , PistolPete's slow stoke of speed wasn't taxing though Tina had trouble holding the wheel as pace lifted beyond the truck route (gear selection using something akin to boxing gloves is bound to be a bother!)   Calm for a k to Mitchell Rd got the bunch back together and should have kept some reserves in my tank but an easterly breeze was more like a gale (Bureau said 9 km/h ; my legs said 29)  There must have been some strength to it ; Grumpy and Greg had low 30's tempo into it.  (It was social speed Wednesday though)   The pace felt almost manageable out of the dip but getting closer to the front the tank was draining fast. 

Feeling a fraction easier northbound (with the wind at the starboard side) cutting through the atmosphere first seemed to be a bigger effort.  So facing the reality of being the Formula V in the F1 field, I requested Rocket to roll across at Channel Rd.   A bit shy of the highway, but better than nothing I suppose.The draft was a relief but The Godfather's pace 2 km/h faster ruined recovery.  Still suffering the huff and puff across the Midland, comfort didn't come till the fig farm 2 k's later, and seeing The Godfather still driving after 4 k's in the drivers seat only increased incompetency (and he's no spring chicken either!)  The easterly should have eased effort blowing behind in Old Dookie Rd but, of course, speed increased accordingly ; and still The Godfather stuck it out at the front to Central Ave.   It wasn't just me feeling wrung out, Tina was happy to drop off the back and roll quietly to coffee but Bruce being a gentleman, partnered her to town.  I made the most of the draft to stay aboard (with a fraction of worth left) finishing with the pack.

27/5  Fun? in the fog.

About a zillion water drops hung in the headlight's beam at the driveway's end, but uniformed Friday, shirking yesterday's weather, Rule #9 and the brotherhood of the bunch over-rode the conditions to face a foggy Friday.  10 degrees was cause for some celebration, braving bare knees might be the last chance till September!  Wozza, Boof, Trav, Kel, Lenny, The Godfather, Gaza, Kim, Bruce, PistolPete, Emil, Tina, Bo, the 5ft Ninja, Grumpy, Rocket and Liam converged in the damp atmosphere of Sanctuary Drive, long-time-no-see Liam (the younger one) shaking the Zwift addiction to brave the outdoors again (didn't he pick a ripper day for it!)    The line drew long to the truck route as 18 positioned to pair in two lines, the tsunami effect of acceleration causing the rearmost to use full throttle to stay in touch.  A quarter k of calm at the front soon had the fluoro freight train as one.  

Fog veiled the perpetrators of pace into Mitchell Rd as the rearmost struggled with low 40's to get back on board, just as well Grumpy and Bruce had the horsepower to tow the back-markers back to the bunch.  Roads were damp out of town and 100% humidity had specs needing a wipe repeatedly (deposited to a jersey pocket at the expense of making the speedo illegible. Best not to see the numbers anyway - they only compound concerns of keeping up!)   Comfort was out the window on River Rd with tyres glossy and rooster tails of road spray from a dozen ahead ; I was almost at the point of abandoning ship for a safer alternative.  Fog making our whereabouts doubtful didn't help either.  

Effort got easy for a moment then turned harder ; I figured we must have gone through River Rd's dip. It was relief to hear Bruce's call of puncture (don't they happen at the worst of times?) so regaining some vision (and location) as Bruce tended to the tube eased an anxious moment.  The restart shuffled the order of course (but who's pedantic about position?) and being on Kel's wheel (Mrs. Smoothie) was some comfort. Scoring that erratic wheel  (no offenders today, but no names to avoid a law-suit!)  is never the peace-of-mind position in the pack.  Bo called a short shift as Kel crested Boundary Rd's bridge (The Godfather's objection, instant) so I moved to the front with a resolve to stick to the speed but ignore the expectation of distance, calling it quits before detonation (preserve the pace ; tempo on a yo-yo is a no no!)   

Bruce paired at the fig farm and my limited tank was empty at Old Dookie Rd, so Emil and Bruce provided the draft to Central Ave.  A 10 second halt for traffic was a bonus for getting a few breaths back.  The final leg to the truck route was set at sensible, given the commuting traffic entering town and a somewhat sedate spin to SPC (just under 40) kept nerves from fraying and let the bunch finish as one.  

This week 258km    YTD 5,782km