Post #655
23/7 The Saturday squad swap.
For a moment it looked like being a solitary Saturday spin. Not a soul was at (or near) the start at 5:58. This might not have been a good idea. A shift to the Wouldabeens (for variety's sake) may have caught them snoozing this Saturday. But five leds appearing in Gordon Drive saved the day eventually (and saved me the pain of solitary confinement) I only just survived a 20 k solo prologue 'cause eyelids sprang open at 4:15 and refused to close again. (sitting at home staring at the walls only breeds excuses not to ride!) Jase, Wendy, Shorty, Weapon and Crossy took their places at the grid but Superman (who'd called the bunch to arms) was missing (sounds like BamBam's habit is contagious in these parts!)
Shorty set wheels in motion and Superman appeared just as we'd cleared the roundabout. Nine degrees could have been mistaken for another planet at this time of year and a north northeaster propelled Shorty swiftly to Sanctuary Drive, Crossy taking captaincy there to Mitchell Rd.....and that's where the honeymoon ended. Time to do some work into the wind now! By virtue of position, Weapon got the Mitchell Rd leg to Central Kialla and tamed tempo accordingly.
Woulda's preference for their eastern path on Mitchell Rd was a change of my usual scenery (mundane as it was in the dark), Wendy driving toward the sole landmark of the dog-leg where Jase was promoted to the front. Without so much as a road sign to go by, there wasn't a thing to aim at but that strengthening east northeaster would end efforts at the front soon enough. I'd been given the helm somewhere in no-man's land with no guide on the length to Coach Rd, so continued at Jase pace hoping the tank wouldn't dry up. A reflection of a curved arrow in the distance finally gave me a clue of the hurt remaining.
I'll confess that joining the Woulda's today was to seek a sedate spin but this was becoming an effort for the old engine to reach the main eastern channel! Superman took charge for the aim north while I fought to find a draft at the road's edge. Red lit the horizon to distract the frustration. Shorty did well despite limited time on the bike and Crossy raised the standards when he was given the reigns at the Broken bridges. Jase and I again drew the short straw of the headwind in Old Dookie Rd after Weapon and Wendy had divided the drive of Boundary Rd. Nearly at the Pork Palace when Jase's elbow beckoned me to the front, the drive to the Toaster wasn't much fun though thoughts of the tailwind home found the watts to get there.
Superman suffered on the shift toward the Pine Lodge church and Shorty withdrew from duty with a lack of lumens from a new headlight (now there's another sneaky ploy to escape a turn at the business end!) Crossy opened the throttle headed to Lemnos-Cosgrove Rd and that disconnected Superman from the formation, so a brief pause and a calm resumption of pace got seven back together again. Two rows formed now that the wind was behind us , ego's inflated now that high 30's didn't need much effort (and there were none of the usual concerns about the bolt to breakfast on the Boulevard either, this crew steer to breakfast via Verney Rd!) Overseas itineraries, easy arrests and cruisy jobs made for different discussion over a different breakfast at BelCibo's.
25/7 Buoyed by the breeze at the backside.
On a cold winter's morning with no time clock to conform to, a sensible person would stay warm and soak up a sleep-in........I did say a sensible person! Five degrees wasn't so bad and an easterly breeze wasn't so brutal, though trying to get some sort of speed out of the old engine is always a big ask on a Monday (Emil must go through a lot of brake pads between Tarcoola and Sanctuary Drive) The grid failed to fill more than nine places at 5:39, The Godfather, Emil, Lenny, PistolPete, Kel, Wozza, Rocket and the 5ft Ninja were the few to front for the start of the 38th week's work. Common sense had the pack stay Indian file under PistolPete's lead, that easterly now feeling quite a handbrake with high 30's standards on speedo (clever me to be at the back with a fair amount of eastward travel to go)
PistolPete played the gentleman staying on the front to Central Kialla to spare the 5ft Ninja the headwind, her turn an admirable one to River Rd. My glance back on the lookout for traffic found PistolPete was a.w.o.l., so a squirt to the front delivered Kel the news to ease up. Oxygen stocktaking was nice. Pete had reconnected within a minute (headlight overboard apparently) so we were back on the gas to River Rd's bridge. That head-on breeze had no effect on Rocket's urge to reach rooster corner yet I was into Zone 5 keeping up! At this rate I'd have a coronary collapse getting to 2nd wheel! Wozza kept the speed simmering up Coach Rd in the 36's and 7's to the highway and Emil continued the cruelty to Old Dookie Rd though the breeze now on the starboard side helped the heart rate settle back to Zone 4.
The way back to town had a little less labor with the breeze at the backside but when The Godfather dragged us to Central Ave and the Ninja delivered us half way to Dobson's bridge, holding Lenny's wheel to the truck route got me nudging Zone 5 again. Being towed for most of the circuit had me feeling rather guilty, so when Lenny elbowed me to lead the shift to SPC, it was time I earned my keep. Pleased as punch to get 40 on the Garmin early but desperate (and a bit blurry) to maintain it, a passing car provided a subtle slipstream when I was left with just a few drops in the tank. What timing! Those 50mm Craftworx wheels paid me back with pace to continue to Wheeler St and there the empty tank made the engine splutter. It was a short contribution but a satisfying one (when I got my breath back!), topped off by kudos from Rocket no less!
26/7 Because others did!
The Ninja bailing out of Tuesday's spin could have triggered a mass exodus with a damp and windy Tuesday circuit in store. One more "I'm out" and I'd be pulling the pin too! So I found a bit of inspiration to know Emil, Kim and Wendy were stepping up to take on a somewhat soggy circuit. Where would we be without a bunch to motivate? (Probably tucked up in a warm bed getting eight hours sleep.....and going very soft!) Jen had returned to the damp and dreary six degrees from a beachside Queensland weekend too, so five to ride wasn't a bad showing, the westerly wind helping our hurry out of town but would be applying some hurt for the return.
Emil didn't get too excited with the tailwind to the truck route (I reckon Kim would know an effective payback if he did!) and I wasn't about to stir up any scorn with speed either (hell hath no fury etc......) I managed to avoid the puddles and steer the less-damp line to Orrvale Rd but guessed there'd be at least a dozen worms stuck to the bike by now. Wendy's smooth shift to the Kinder was followed by Kim's contribution to the cypress trees and Jen had no problem with pace to the S bend. Emil started round two with a dose of determination toward Coach Rd but a holler from the rear for a discount on speed lowered the standard a bit. It did keep everyone on speaking terms. Besides, some sort of wattage would be needed for the return to town.
Attempts to hold a straight line and a steady speed weren't so successful when Emil handed me the lead at Boundary's bridge, that westerly was intent on making a mess of it. (I could use the excuse of dodging puddles I suppose? Those behind probably thought I was drunk!) Already the shift scenarios were being calculated in the skull and the familiar pattern of being towed back to town looked likely, so extending my turn to New Dookie Rd felt like a fair share (it would probably be my swansong) Wendy towed us to Lemnos-Cosgrove Rd where Kim and Jen shared the 4 k's to Lemnos so when Emil took the lead into Ford Rd my theory of being towed to town proved true. Of course he drove the last 8 k's to the Butter Factory, I just had to hold his wheel!
27/7 Free entertainment.
The headlight lit up another damp strip of tarmac Wednesday; so wasn't it worth spending half an hour cleaning the bike yesterday?! (and just as I'd mustered up enough motivation to face yet another winter's morning). A cold westerly was thrown in just to test my limits. Thrashing the old engine to Sanctuary Drive with Boof and Emil (I reckon I commute with the wrong division, or should I leave home 15 minutes earlier?) found Lenny, Greg, Rocket, Wozza, Kel, Bo, the 5ft Ninja and The Godfather congregating for the ride ritual, so I tactically joined the rear in hope of getting the westerly up the Khyber when my turn came due (let's hope it'd happen in River Rd)
Lenny had set a keen pace which hammered hopes I'd match it when promoted to the drivers seat but I'd cross that bridge when it came. Bo and The Godfather seem inseparable lately and that spelled mischief as they paired to River Rd's bridge, though Bo wouldn't swallow the bait of being half wheeled so tempo didn't go supersonic. Time in the hot seat drew near for me in the draft of Boof and The Godfather to the dip, happy that Boof towed me up the category three climb before rolling across at Trevaskis Rd. The westerly helped me get to the quarter horse stud but matching the 5ft Ninja on her mission to get to rooster corner toasted me. A side wind on Coach Rd and the Ninja's miserable draft wasn't helping the heart rate in recovery either!
Lenny and Greg threw the social standards out the window touching 39's to Old Dookie Rd, my saving grace was I'd be unlikely to get to the front again (such sad news ; I'd have to miss that headwind to town!) Bo had slipped back a few places in the order (avoiding the headwind or another pairing with The Godfather?) while Rocket and Wozz didn't spare the horsepower toward Central Ave. Emil and The Godfather got together for the drive to the truck route with hurt on the to do list, and just as Greg praised The Godfathers' determined drive, he ran out of steam and retreated for a draft 200 metres shy of the mark. There was a lot of sting in the squirt to SPC but a chance to get oxygen came when Wozz punctured at Wheeler St.
28/7 Westerly woes.
Hardening up to the hurry of the Sanctuary squad looked likely when Kim and Wendy failed to front up on Thursday. Just Emil and I set southbound while I suppressed thoughts of a Sanctuary thrashing but concerns were soon cancelled finding Jen and the Ninja at the shop, all set to spin the squirrel circuit. There'd be a little less speed but a bit more labor to make up for it, particularly with a westerly to worry about for the return. Naturally Emil introduced us to the circuit with his standard shift to the truck route and with the wind behind, soon put high thirties on the agenda. I wasn't so stressed to conform to that standard, my usual turn to Orrvale Rd has only 1200 metres to drive. (Sounds short, but the wattage spent to get there becomes apparent when re-stocking oxygen again in the draft) Jen took us to the Kinder in the "warmth" of nine degrees though the suffering of the headwind we'd face at Lemnos-Cosgrove wouldn't make things too comfortable. The Ninja drove on to Hanlon Rd where Emil commenced round two, so where I'd be given the elbow to lead was anyone's guess. (Nothing like a bit of variety injected into the usual ritual). Bearing north into Coach Rd pegged the pace a bit with the wind at the left shoulder and surprise surprise, Emil elbowed me to the front crossing the highway (and I'd just finished my therapy sessions on the repetition of the Pub to Old Dookie shift!) The orchards offered a little shelter and that smooth stretch of tarmac had the Michelin's humming. (A check on the speedo confirmed it was more of a psychological speed than physical one though!)
Not being greedy, I gave Jen the lead at Old Dookie Rd, reckoning the Ninja would have a chance of avoiding the wind up to Lemnos-Cosgrove, therefore Emil's energy could be spent westward into the headwind. That went to plan, but I hadn't counted on suffering the second wheel syndrome when Emil chose a long drive to Lemnos. Preparing to face the front in Ford Rd, I had more of that second wheel work to Grahamvale Rd instead. These young fella's with energy to burn........... Surely I'd get the lead role for the short shift to Verney? Nope! Emil's exuberance went further to Verney Rd where I felt certain he'd continue on his trademark shift south to the Butter Factory, but pickle my grandmother! I'd finally been given the drive to Balaclava Rd. Smooth tarmac again and a few houses lending shelter from the wind made the return to town most pleasurable (though a puncture slapped some reality into me at the Uni.).
29/7 F...f...f...frigid Friday!
And here's me thinking the worst of winter had passed! Friday turned frigid with a feels like minus 2.5 and that got the new thermal jersey off the hangar.......now to ready the lungs for a Friday frosting! Southbound to Sanctuary Drive had the usual preparation for for bunch speed by trying to keep up with Emil, Jen, Boof and Rocket ; seems hard at the time yet I survive a faster pace later! The Godfather, Bo, PistolPete, Kel and Greg lined up for labor at 5:39, PistolPete providing his usual leadership to Mitchell Rd. I joined the queue for work at the rushin' front behind Rocket, hoping his kindness to senior citizens hadn't faded and trusting Jen (behind) wouldn't tear my legs off on part two!
There was plenty of effort into the legs keeping pace with Greg and Emil dragging us through Central Kialla to distract the senses from the cold. Efforts elevated when promoted to third wheel while Emil and The Godfather steered two lines to River Rd's bridge with hardly a breeze to grizzle about (SE 6-9 km/h) but 100 % humidity felt like pushing through soup.
Rocket's compassion helped the head cope with the drive toward the dip and Jen let me off the hook of hurt when she called a short shift for part two. Boof and PistolPete seemed to be just about stalling towing us to rooster corner. (all I want for Christmas is half their wattage Santa!) A hint of horizon light lit hopes of longer days ahead while hopes of surviving turn two filled the head when joining the advance again. (Bo had restored a bit of calm to the velocity as some sort of encouragement) Verbal mud-slinging featured at the front when Rocket and The Godfather steered us into Old Dookie Rd but that's the standard on-board entertainment that aids attendance isn't it?
Rocket was highly amused by The Godfather's effort to slow the speed, though that's exactly what I'd be doing when given the lead role! Getting to the front at School Rd, frustration grew as the old engine refused to deliver what the head wanted, and when it miss-fired beyond Central Ave, I called Boof straight over to recover. Why ruin the rhythm? I'd suppressed the sounds of suffering to Dobson's bridge where the world started to come back into focus and that was just in time to use the last in the tank for that dash to SPC.
This week 284 km YTD 7,707 km
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