Charging through the chill.

 Post #648

28/5 Pea soup and Holy Cow!

The outer layer was already damp from the fog at the end of my street and doesn't that apply a psychological handbrake. (Feels like riding through porridge already!)  But Saturdays have a certain social magnetism.  Expectations of a reasonable roll up weren't high but finding Wozza, Trav, Emil, Boof, PistolPete, The Godfather, Bruce, Lenny, GiantAndy, LiamM, Grumpy, Lili and Rocket at the starting grid wasn't so bad under the circumstances.  (although no Tina, no 5ft Ninja, no Molly.....in winter retirement already?) Deliberately positioning at 3rd wheel behind Pistol and Boof in the left line when the pack rolled south bought me some warm-up time before serving duty (I should stop taking the easy way out ; diving in the deep end first might stop the softening!) 

 Conditions weren't ideal but better than yesterday - fog wasn't so thick, roads were dry and good grief, we could see further than 20 metres ahead!    Trav, Grumpy and GiantAndy had braved bare knees ; clearly the rest of us are softer (or sensible?)      It was odd to find a light approaching in Mitchell Rd, the rarely sighted TatPaul arriving from the west to u-turn and get aboard.  The Godfather and Grumpy had the reigns in Boundary Rd but a sudden holler beyond the fig farm started a chorus of discs squealing.  A cow in the middle of the tarmac was the commotion. (kangaroos and rabbits are the usual chicanes so this was different!)  The Godfather's vociferous "Moooo!" had it dispatched rapidly.  

It takes a minute or so to settle nerves as the relief of all staying upright sinks in, but soon enough we were back to the business of the Saturday circuit, Toaster bound on Old Dookie Rd.  (TatPaul had taken an exit west to town.)   Lenny and Bruce led us to Pine Lodge North Rd for Lili's turn on the go pedal, Bruce serving up the encouragement for her to go beyond her comfort zone and aim for the church.  But that left her an empty tank at New Dookie Rd for part two of the shift.  My turn came up early.   Bruce played  fair beside me to Lemnos-Cosgrove Rd and I already knew there wasn't the reserves to drive west with Boof to the Pine Lodge Creek, so just help pace till the tank ran empty.  Fog seemed to thicken as the sun attempted to light the sky, that soaked sensation helped by water dripping from the helmets' front. (Part of that Rule #9 thing?)  

LiamM must have skipped an earlier shift, finally reporting for duty at the front near Boundary Rd ; part one with PistolPete had plenty of pace but part two beside Rocket he faded fast. (Hard to find that half time limit eh LiamM?)  On time constraints, GiantAndy headed homeward at Lemnos North Rd  but his absence wouldn't halt the hurry from Wanganui Rd.  (I reckon there were several ready to serve up some suffering nearer town)    Wanganui Rd wasn't so painful in the high 30's though no rest in Rudd Rd turned legs a bit like jelly, so when Bruce hit the boost at Canterbury's roundabout, the pace turned the bunch Indian file. Demoted back from 2nd wheel to 4th when two rows turned one put some luck on my side, the real bonus would be not to see an elbow to usher me forward.  Fog kept wits sharp to avoid parked cars on the Boulevard, at least the road and the roundabouts weren't soaked.  Despite the energy spent, there's always satisfaction to reach the Butter Factory for breakfast and refuel an empty tank (you only bang your head against a brick wall 'cause it's nice when you stop!), the chat on bones we've broken, mortgages and used cars distracted thoughts of thrashed legs. 

30/5  Emil's enthusiasm.

Plenty of wind and the threat of rain wasn't the warmest welcome to the week but there's something about this addiction that drags you back on the bike.  A narrow window on the radar had opened to let me, Bruce, Wozza, Kim, Bo,PistolPete, Rocket, Tina, The Godfather and Kel get our fix.  At least it wasn't foggy.  After failed attempts at getting a lazy Lezyne operating, Emil led the parade south into Archer Rd, sticking to PistolPete's standards of a prudent pace to the truck route but becoming rather enthusiastic with the tailwind to Mitchell Rd.  (I guess the lack of a speedo could be a reasonable excuse)  but Tina had been cast off the back.  An ease of speed to congregate the bunch worked in my favor ; it was my turn to front the drive east with a northeaster in the face  (and I'd only just talked myself into hardening up for an early shift!)   I could use my tame tempo as an excuse for letting those struggling get back aboard.  

Indian file had given way to two rows, PistolPete my co-pilot to Central Kialla Rd.  Humiliation wasn't so bad when Pistol and Wozz only raised the pace a couple of clicks to River Rd.  Wind had kept the chat quiet (The Godfather the exception of course) while Kel and Bo guided our path along River Rd.    Kim and Tina had locked themselves into the caboose so it was back into the advance line for me before I knew it. (Two turns today Foss, harden up old timer!)   Bo called enough at the Broken bridges so Bruce rolled across to leave me whipped by the wind (relieved he called "your speed") but I had little hesitation to hurry to the highway, something was needed for a respectable part two with PistolPete in Boundary Rd.   Respectable got me to the bridge where the white flag was raised.  The northeaster made the 8 k's west on Old Dookie like a holiday for hammered legs but rather than a rapid trip to suburbia, some decorum was saved for those who'd been working overtime just to stay aboard.

1/6 Winters wonderful welcome.

Being judged badass was probably the sole reason to ride.  Finding a few others at Wednesday's grid would help too..... if only to justify riding in feels like minus 2.8.   A west northwester at 20-28 km/h was our welcome to winter (as if we needed it) and that would give us heaven to Boundary Rd and hell back home.  Naturally PistolPete played pilot south to Mitchell Rd and despite a few attempts to form an advance line, Indian file stuck.  Boof, Kel, The Godfather, Bo, Emil, Wozza, Bruce, Rocket and Greg lined up astern. (none wanted a partner at the front facing the wind homeward obviously)  

Greg got the bliss of the breeze up the backside to Central Kialla though a hint of northerly fanned ten across the tarmac.  Single file certainly sucks the 'social' out of the ride but under the circumstances, focus on steering a straight line took priority.  The Godfather's torque took us to River Rd where Boof did the shift to the bridge.  Wozza's watts worked us to the bridge while my focus was a mental metronome for cadence as the crank sensor battery went on strike (and that averted thoughts of who might get the opening bout of headwind 10 k's ahead in Old Dookie Rd).  Rocket drove the train out of the dip but Kel had withdrawn from duty for respite at the rear (running on 7 cylinders from yesterday's migraine)  so i was moved up a rung to Bo's back wheel.  Emil had the northbound task along Coach Rd to the highway, doing the 3200 metre haul as expected ; a little easier on pace so the line astern could find shelter from the wind at the portside bow.  

Bo was trusted with tempo crossing the highway, my wish that he'd do a half turn so I'd avoid the head-on hurt in Old Dookie.  No elbow from Bo at the bridge and hopes sunk at the fig farm....he was doing the long haul to avoid the Old Dookie drama too!  (This must be International Harden-up Week!)   Given duty at the front, I was surprised to get 35 on the speedo heading toward School Rd but there'd be an ugly mess if I managed to get there at that pace, so the aim was shortened when effort nearly doubled to keep tempo 300 metres later.  I begged Bruce to take over just shy of the bridge (and just shy of blowing a gasket) so the last of the legs labor was used to get back aboard when Kel called me in.  Recovery wasn't going to happen in a hurry even in the draft to Central Ave so when Bruce's headlight did a dismount there was a few moments to overload on oxygen as he u-turned to retrieve it.  Funnily enough, the cold was of little concern for the 3 k's to the truck route, holding the wheel ahead kept legs and lungs busy enough to ignore the chill.  Coffee compensated for that later. 

2/6  Squirrels soft, so a swifter Sanctuary squad. 

No Kim, no Jen, LiamM and  Lili were on the missing persons list and Tina was in Queensland.  (How the squirrels soften!)  With only Emil, the 5ft Ninja and I parked at the Archer St shop, the executive decision was to take a spin with the somewhat swifter Sanctuary squad......safety in numbers if you like.  Greg, Bruce, Rocket, Boof, Kel, PistolPete, Bo and The Godfather formed at the roundabout in a fresh feels like minus 0.5 and Pistol had barely got us pointed south on Archer when Boof pleaded a pause for a puncture.  Such is the season.  (How much warmer it was being stationary rather than charging through the chill!)  

Underway again, single file was the chosen format, PistolPete down Archer to Mitchell and Greg across to Central Kialla.  None of that sedate social stuff today, high 30's is the spec for Tuesdays and Thursdays though that's probably a stroll for Boof, Rocket, Wozza......need I go on!  That sort of thinking was quickly cancelled 'cause it might be just me left when the calculations were done!   A garbled call from The Godfather (aren't they all?) of "Hupp hupp" into River Rd was guessed as a halt for another puncture, Bruce, Kel and Bo almost at a standstill when the translation was deciphered as a simple "Car up".   

Back on the gas, Kel resumed the hurry to River Rd's bridge, Bo given the reigns a little short of the target when Kel called "cooked".  I'd be in the box seat next so getting the head set for hurt became the priority (for all the good it does!)    Bo drove out of the dip toward Trevaskis Rd and for a moment I imagined being toasted at second wheel by one of his long drives, so I guess I should have been grateful when his elbow flapped shortly after.  With the tarmac blurring underneath I was almost pleased to see 38 on the speedo (a westerly breeze at the backside the bureau said - that was the deflating news much later in the warmth of the post ride post mortem) but just half a k later the reality of maintaining the pace slapped me in the face.   There's a heavy tax on tempo!  

 Aimed at reaching the next white post became the only motivation though the head hoped for something further when I got there, so the next white post became the aim......and so on till too much hurt said Halt!  (somewhat satisfied at that point to see the white fence in view ; the expected spot for the change of guard)   The Godfather took over, and so began the long and laborious huff and puff at the back to get the world back into focus.  The Ninja had a better idea, sit it out in the caboose!   Rocket made the northern leg to the highway look easy and with 6 still ahead of me, confidence grew that their long shifts would tow me back into town.  If not, my second shift would be shorter than the Ninja's headstem!  Bruce guided us west to Central Ave and Boof had no trouble with tempo to the truck route (a less than adequate tyre pressure from the CO2 doesn't seem to slow him down) but the slightly slower pace through town chilled the old bones - pace on the circuit had generated some heat.

3/6  Barely a breeze (but a battle)

Feels like 3 and a northeast breeze was probably the best weather we'd had all week!  Kit day provided some incentive to get wheels rolling, Bo, Greg, Wozza, the 5ft Ninja, Boof, PistolPete, Kreeky, The Godfather, Kel, Emil, Bruce, Kim and Rocket had arrived for uniformed duty which was enough players to allow two rows rotating (a rare occurrence this week, so choose your partner wisely Foss!)     PistolPete leading us south was a foregone conclusion, the bunch eventually sorted into two rows at the truck route.  I should have fitted the noise cancelling headphones, I'd scored The Godfather's wheel!  (Kim confined herself to the caboose)  

The breeze had blown us to Mitchell Rd so from there on we'd need some effort expended to Old Dookie Rd where there'd be the rare treat of a tail wind back home, though at 7 k's per hour it was hardly harrowing. (How much effort was needed I'd find out when duty called at the front.)  Kreeky had made a comeback from extended travels so was feeling the baptism of fire being back in the bunch ; he'd wisely positioned to be one of the last to appear at the pointy end.  

That breeze wasn't so subtle the closer I got to the front, how much horsepower it needed was difficult to judge from Boof and Wozza's demotion down the left line from serving their shift - a headwind had no effect on them!  Bruce managed a sentence or two with Greg in the drivers seat but then I'm speechless at the front with a tail wind!  I'd be dreaming thinking Greg and The Godfather would do the distance to rooster corner so there was no surprises when the big boy rolled across at the quarter horse stud.  (7 k's worth of northeaster? Felt more like 27!)  My shift shortened just as I'd started, getting to Coach Rd would be a big ask so a k alongside The Godfather used more than half my tank, thankfully Kel alongside was kind on the consumption to make it for the turn north.  

Kel had called Emil across a bit before One Tree Dam so she'd felt that breeze a battle too (difference was that she doesn't sound like the amplified asthmatic that I do terminating a turn.  Surely others have some sort of hell to go through facing the front [we know the ones that don't!] so maybe I need to keep a lid on the toll it takes?)  Emil and Bo took us to the highway but Kreeky and the 5ft Ninja couldn't escape the northeaster to the bridge and beyond in Boundary Rd, Rocket and PistolPete donated their slipstream to drag us to Old Dookie Rd.  (The Godfather had talked Kim into the advance line, tempted by the news of the tailwind back to town)  Wozza and Boof did the honors of leading the two lines to Central Ave, the responsibility of pace to the truck route with Bruce and Greg (they earned bonus points keeping Kim just inside her comfort zone), the long line laboring the short squirt to SPC)  We were all silly enough to stop and warm up on a brew at the Butter Factory, then get out into the cold again for a cold commute home!

This week 265km      YTD 6,047km 

(and ain't that diddly squat while I watch Bryan Taaffe aiming at a record time for an unsupported ride 'round Australia. So far he's covered 6,234km in 20 days! Want an OMG moment? Search him on Strava)