Post #650
18/6 The want for warmth.
A free tow to the start line wasn't to be sneezed at, so a little extra effort to catch the draft of Boof, Wozza and Rocket at Benalla Rd was worth it. Being dragged along in the slipstream for 5 km meant a little extra in the tank for the Saturday spin, and that might be handy if hurry was on the menu. The dozen at the Sanctuary grid (Bruce, Rocket, Trav, Boof, Bo, Emil, Wozza, the 5ft Ninja, Greg, Liam and PistolPete) were the usual soldiers that suffer this stuff, assembled for duty as the temperature gauge bottomed at 0. Surprise, surprise, PistolPete had taken a long overdue break from the lead role so Bruce and Wozza guided our way to Mitchell Rd.
I was leaning on the excuse of a recovering back strain to berth toward the back. TatPaul arrived to make it a bakers dozen to Central Kialla, the speed set in the survivable mid to high 30's which kept stress suppressed (for now!) I'd almost slipped into a comfort zone on River Rd ; speed had smoothed, limbs had limbered and it'd be several k's before I'd face the front, but a halt was hollered near the quarter horse stud for Trav's deflating back tyre. The mandatory sledges soon faded as Trav's frustrations grew with world championship wrestling needed to get a stubborn Continental onto a Reynolds wheel (some wheel and tyre combinations aren't a pleasant pairing)
Quips went quiet when a recalcitrant rear wheel wouldn't refit and the Jamis was close to being launched over the paddock's fence. (repairs in dark, damp and freezing conditions rarely go well) The restart shuffled me down the order to be on Trav's (stubborn) wheel for the north leg of Coach Rd. I'd found my second wind as the bunch crested Boundary Rd's bridge (frustrating when you're 3rd wheel and bound to be half cooked when finally at the front). With winter's solstice just a few days away we'll be over the hump soon and eventually get longer days though a couple of months of cold still to come doesn't do much for enthusiasm.
Traffic split the pack entering Old Dookie Rd so the call for a little calm gained me a few bonus breaths till Bruce and Trav wound up the watts again to lead the lines east to the Toaster (where I'd finally face the front). A morning without wind was a bonus and a certain comfort comes with Trav's co-operative co-piloting ; we'd set the pace and other folks standards could go to hell! (I was quietly chuffed to find 36's and 37's on the speedo anyway) Liam was my partner for part two and he'd respectfully backed off the throttle so I didn't develop an inferiority complex. The signs of Liam's 'Zwift-itis' was obvious as he faced the real world chill in the drivers seat, arms shielding his chest from the chill. More muscle for momentum was needed as he and Emil captained the way west, bumping up the tempo to touch 40 (but that's standard Saturday practice when headed to town) Not a bike or a bunch was found headed east ; too cool for Cats obviously. The 5ft one had done a sneaky shift out of the advance and into the left line as the lads with lots of labor delivered long shifts to deliver us into the suburbs.
Colour in the sky put a positive into the morning, shame the temperature was now in the negative. Speed stayed survivable along Wanganui Rd so being 2nd wheel in Rudd Rd wasn't like approaching Armageddon. I was ready to face the work at the front beyond Canterbury's roundabout, but Boof saved my stress by leading the hurry along the Boulevard and as Indian file became the fashion to thread the line around parked cars, being relegated 4th wheel didn't tax an empty tank either. Being towed to the start line then towed again to breakfast is being spoiled ; nice work if you can get it! Beer festivals, podcasts and rising the ranks of the motorsport ranks captured conversations at the Butter Factory table (and distracted thoughts of facing the cold commute home)
20/6 Mild? Dry? This ain't June!
For a moment I thought I'd been tele-ported to another planet! A mild 8 degrees and dry roads was certainly out of character for June. A recurrence of lower back pain got me grizzling just a k down the road and a northeaster would give me something to grizzle about in Mitchell, River, Coach or Boundary Rd's (and just my luck, I'd get to the front somewhere along there). So what perfect timing it was to have Rocket and Wozza join the commute on Archer Rd ; it only took a fraction of a foot fumble at the Benalla Rd lights for Wozz and Emil to take charge of the drive south and tow this broken down old timer to the start. (Saturday all over again!)
The standard winter squad (Kel, The Godfather, Rocket, Bruce, Wozza, Emil, the 5ft Ninja, Kreeky, Greg, Bo and PistolPete) had formed with a few feeling a little second-hand from the weekend beer festival (I have little sympathy for self-inflicted wounds!) A rusty lower spine didn't allow great acceleration, so I'd slipped to 2nd last as Pistol and Emil set sail toward Mitchell Rd. The northeaster felt far more easterly than the bureau's reckoning so I had hoped of being towed to River Rd's end before facing the front in Coach Rd. Bruce, Greg, Rocket and Wozza did their bit to drag the pack through Central Kialla and well along River Rd to the quarter horse fence, Kel and Kreeky from there with the (mainly) easterly eroding energy fast (not a very nice birthday present for Kel!)
Doing the last k of River Rd with Kreeky is a requisite of Rule #67 I guess (serving your term can't always be with the wind in your favor) so I should be thankful that part two (northbound) had the wind coming in at 2 o'clock. Thankful that Greg had called "your speed" when he paired with me in Coach Rd, I could at least aim a getting to the Broken bridges as a thankyou. Greg did me a second favor supplying a great slipstream, the Ninja (surprisingly) facing the front with Greg with a goal to get to the highway. Intention is sometimes ruined by reality though, the Ninja quickly seeking a draft a bit beyond Channel Rd (10 out of 10 for trying at least!) Cats had made a rare appearance southbound (mild temperature and a tailwind must have rallied them from bed!) while PistolPete and Emil, fast regardless of wind direction, started their second shift aimed at Old Dookie Rd. That 8 k's westbound to town ended the woes of wind for most of the lap, so of course speed was dialed up in the pursuit of the finishing trophies...... caffeine!
22/6 Well, that dampened the enthusiasm!
Blind optimism ignored Wednesday's forecast ; my money was on the almost clear radar to get a ride in after being denied by Tuesday's downpour. Like Bruce, Greg, PistolPete, Jen, Emil, The Godfather, Tina, Bo, Rocket, Kel, Boof, Kim, the 5ft Ninja and Wozza turning up to Sanctuary Drive as spits fell from the sky, I recognise the signs of addiction! Call it dedication (or is it delirium?) that drives the quest for k's in these conditions, faith in the rain abating set the 15 southbound on yet another lap to fill the endorphin tank. Considering the damp tarmac and Kim and Tina's comeback, Emil and PistolPete set a social standard of speed to Mitchell Rd, lack of acceleration with that nagging back relegating me to the rear where The Godfather lurked from his last moment arrival. Spits from the sky continued and turned the tarmac glossy, not quite to the level of making rooster tails from the wheels or making soggy socks. Hope springs eternal!
Central Kialla became the comfort zone when the drizzle stopped while Wozza and Rocket carefully controlled the velocity to keep everyone happy (nobody shied from joining the advance line) Wind direction is normally the cause of contention but speed vs the damp was today's concern ; particularly on corners. Those two thumbnails worth of contact with the road is my red flag. Boof, Greg and Bruce showed considerable restraint in keeping pace diplomatic while Jen, Kim and Tina lined up for duty with The Godfather playing backstop. Coach Rd wasn't so damp. Kim and Tina made an effort in the drivers seat to the Broken bridges, The Godfather on his best behavior (away from Bo's baiting) resisting turning up the tempo when he was called to lead. Hadn't I scored well to be alongside to the highway.
Officially over the hump of winter's solstice, the days are now longer (a whole minute per day!) though it will be many months before we have light in the sky at stupid o'clock! The 5ft one paired with me to Boundary Rd's bridge (needless to say the Cats were noticed by their absence!) and I'd reckoned we'd be home and dry by the look of the high clouds lit by the city's lights, but of course another shower came to dampen the enthusiasm. Into town, caution came back on the agenda to deal with traffic and the slick path to the Butter Factory, the damp and spotted squad particularly keen for caffeine.
24/6 Racing rain.
For the first time in three weeks the old back had finally shut up, giving comfort to the commute to Sanctuary. I missed that being stabbed in the back pain like I'd miss a prostate exam! Emil's absence had taken pressure off the pace but getting a lap done before the forecast rain was the doubt of the day.
Numbers were down at the starting grid, a few probably gun-shy from yesterday's drenching, but the 5ft Ninja, Greg, The Godfather, Kel, Rocket, Boof, Bo, PistolPete and Bruce made up a workable team to form two rows southbound at 5:40. Yet again I'd found myself on the Ninja's wheel as 10 got sorted into some sort of order, the northerly wind keeping progress keen down to Mitchell Rd and stacking the pack across the tarmac toward Central Kialla. The Godfather and Rocket went toe to toe on tempo north to River Rd, the headwind of little hindrance to their speed (I'll have what they had for breakfast!) while I tucked into Greg's slipstream joining the advance, the plum position for a draft in this pack of short ones! Fingers crossed I'd get my turn done before Coach Rd and the headwind in it) Bruce and Boof had served their penance at the pointy end to River Rd's dip, so with gritted teeth and the appropriate cadence I faced the music alongside Greg with an aim of getting to the quarter horse fence.
But thinking about the effort needed for part two, I soon shortened that goal a couple of hundred meters. Good choice Foss, the Ninja was a formidable force for the kilometer to follow. There was little respite when Bo advanced and the 5ft one rolled to the left line; until I can get my head under the handlebars I'll just have to suffer the dismal draft! Bo and Kel bore the brunt of the headwind in Coach Rd and Pisto[Pete had withdrawn from duty with a lack of lumens. A smaller squad meant a second shift to serve so back into the advance I went while The Godfather and Rocket provided the shenanigans of speed toward the highway (Funny, The Godfather was strangely silent)
I sought a seniors discount on speed from Greg when he merged left after a long drive with Bruce to Central Ave, encouraging words helping me to reach Dobson's bridge but where I'd find the effort for part two was the mystery. (I reckon I'd drained the tank dry on Greg's kudos) Hoping the Ninja would do a short shift and I'd get a breath or two from the half draft thereafter was wishful thinking, Miss Determined was on for a drive to the truck route regardless. (my hopes had little faith in getting to the goal but stubbornness got me there). Something more was found for the swift shift to SPC and how lucky we were to reach the Butter Factory bone dry for the essential pit stop to fuel up on caffeine, the first few spots from the sky coming on the commute home. Perfect timing!
This week 215km YTD 6,352km
That possessed Irishman Bryan Taaffe continues his 'round Australia epic, now nearing Port Lincoln in South Australia with 12,746 km covered in 37 days. With 11 days left to reach Melbourne, a record may just be broken.
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