Post #659
20/8 Serendipitous Saturday.
This was going to be a sleep-in Saturday if the forecast (4mm at 5am) was to be believed. But the Bureau is about as believable as a politician at this time of year, so set the alarm anyway. (Hope springs eternal). How serendipitous to find it dry at stupid o'clock and the blob on the radar headed to Whanregarwen (you know, just a bit south of Cathkin) September winds had arrived early ; a west northwester promising to boost egos out River Rd and crush 'em on the way back, but being on a bike is all about suffering isn't it? To the relief of some, GiantAndy was missing from the starting grid, though I reckon the wind would mimick the big lad and dish up a bit of grief later.
For now it was time to enjoy the wind at the tail and to hope my turn at the front had that pleasure. You'd think I'd have mastered the art of engaging a cleat by now, but a foot fumble at the 6am launch put me at the back pronto, though that might have been a bonus too 'cause Greg's is a great wheel to follow and Bo behind wouldn't be too taxing (I received the usual parable about his poor performance. Didn't everybody?) Rocket, Boof, the 5ft Ninja, Wozza, Emil, PistolPete, The Godfather and Bruce made up a small squad and surprisingly tempo was tempered to the low 40's along River Rd when faster was feasible, so those of more humble horsepower (like me) were being catered for. Facing the front is part of participation in the pack and my turn came for the last k to rooster corner (so some of my turn had the wind in my favor) but it was part two northbound on Coach Rd alongside Bo when the energy evaporated.
I had the willpower to reach the Broken River but the watts to get to One Tree Dam (I'll blame the wind at the right shoulder and the lack of shelter from it) Bo and the Ninja took over so I could begin the rehab program and begin to feel human again. Focus had returned by Channel Rd to avoid the flattened fox that becomes less of a speed bump each day. Word circulated that rolling turns would be on the agenda for Lemnos-Cosgrove Rd, a few quite rusty at the routine but worth the practice for the sake of progress in a headwind. Blown toward the Toaster for the last leg of bliss, Greg called an intermission a k short of the turn north for a flat GP5000. How weird it is when you stop that the gale force wind becomes barely a breeze!
Guilt faded a little more just a couple of k's later when The Godfather and Greg took respite at the rear too. GiantAndy's absence took the pressure off the pace cresting Mt. Wanganui, some respite came in Rudd Rd to be finally out of a headwind and there wasn't warp speed out of Canterbury's roundabout. Having that tail wind again on the Boulevard got several excited though and 40's returned. Like me, several others felt legs of jelly and the bunch had split in two nearing Tarcoola. (better than the shame of being solo o.t.a. I guess) But the crew was combined back at the Butter Factory in conversation on helicpoters, the turbo era and rolling turn protocols.
22/8 Wind and the want for watts.
There'd be a price to pay being propelled to Sanctuary Drive by 20 k's worth of north northeaster.....pain for a lot of the circuit just to get to coffee! It was a good roll-up for a Monday; Kel, Lenny, Jen, Rocket, Wendy, Greg, Wozza, Tina, Bruce, the 5ft Ninja, The Godfather, Emil and PistolPete providing a lot of inspiration to tackle a windswept lap - they'd be my shelter for most of it! Besides, would anyone in their right mind take the lap on solo? PistolPete's opening shift (as sure as Jorge Mario Borgoglio's catholicism) was partnered by Emil to Mitchell Rd with Wendy brave enough to battle the eastern leg toward Central Kialla (for half the distance anyway) Rocket and Wozz sliced the atmosphere from there to River Rd. Changing from left to right rows felt the wrath of the wind so I wasn't looking forward to being at the front. With the length of River Rd to harden up, shelter in the advance line had it's advantages though turns at the front were shortening swiftly. There's a sense of obligation seeing others suffering the consequences in the drivers seat.
Tina toughened up to try a turn on Coach Rd (just as the wind swung a little more head-on) and although she was silent as I drew alongside, the body language said "Save me!" soon after. Greg and I fronted with an aim to reach the Broken River but watching the speed to avoid toasting Tina as she refilled the oxygen tank. I avoided calling Greg across till I'd donated a decent drive (when the numbers went through the roof and all the alarm bells went off) and just as I drew breath to call" I'm done", Greg called half time (and that's a rare slice of satisfaction for me!) There was a want for more watts as PistolPete and Greg added a couple of k's to the tempo to the highway, their draft donating the ease on effort to survive.
Pistol and Emil made 36's and 7's look easy to Old Dookie Rd from my sheltered perspective a few wheels back but it was the relief to turn away for the wind for the 8k's home that really helped. Sheltered again in the left line made the tempo tolerable while Rocket and Wozza towed the dozen into suburbia.
23/8 LXV.
To hell with a clean bike, rain had stopped and the addiction needed feeding! Half an inch overnight had given the ground a good soaking and most of the road was drying from an energetic west southwester (19-32 km/h) Here was another one of those cruisy outbound, cruel inbound laps. (You only go soft avoiding them!) The 5ft Ninja took the sleep-in option and Jen did that running thing but Kim, Emil and Tina showed their dedication to the squirrels survival. The west southwester wasn't quite right up the tailpipe en-route to the truck route though Emil had high 30's set on the speedo.
I'd be trimming that tempo a tad for the sake of survival (It was day 23,741 on the planet for me and I was feeling a bit second-hand!) and some sort of wattage would be needed later. Tina's turn to the Kinder and Kim's shift to the cypress trees had some pazzaz in their pace but I'll bet the work west back to town was sounding warning bells in the pre-frontal cortex. After a brief halt to tend to Kim's tail-light, Emil was back in the drivers seat again, me thinking yet another long drive was on the menu was quickly cancelled when I got an elbow at the S bend. Sharing the tail wind was first class diplomacy. I'd finished off Channel Rd and did the little length north to the highway (though the wind was a little on the port side)
It's rare the gals get a go in Boundary Rd so Tina driving to the fig farm and Kim taking us to New Dookie Rd felt foreign. No complaints about the draft though. Emil's effort to Lemnos-Cosgrove felt like a prelude to a big shift west but I got that one wrong too when I was handed the reigns at the main eastern channel for the 1800 metre leg to Lemnos. The shelter from the orchards was perfect but the wide open spaces was the punishment. Tina and Kim shared the first 3 k's of Ford Rd so Emil towed us to Verney for his ritual shift to Balaclava (without the show of excess wattage today) almost timing the traffic lights to perfection (the moment you un-clip and put your foot to the tarmac, the lights turn green!) A post coffee short clockwise lap clocked up 65 k's for the day's occasion (so aren't I the sucker for a head wind home!)
24/8 Winters' last hurrah?
About 200 watts were needed to throw the doona off on Wednesday. Feels like 0.5 degrees didn't help the rise and shine routine! We've had 30 mornings of 3 or below so far this year so surely this was winters' last hurrah? The 17th year of riding through the cold months and each feels progressively colder (or maybe I'm getting softer?) The lack of temperature hadn't bothered the 5ft Ninja, Emil, PistolPete, Bruce, Bo, Wozza, Jen, Boof, Kim, The Godfather, Greg, Kel or Tina who'd appeared at Sanctuary Drive at stupid o'clock in a somewhat softer version of yesterday's wind. (9-15 km/h worth of west northwester would make the inbound k's to town a little harder than the cruise on the outbound part)
I hadn't considered the circumstances of slotting into second wheel as Emil led the left line and PistolPete played pilot for the advance for the first two legs of the lap. I hoped that social standards would stay (as did others I'm sure) Mid 30's through Central Kialla and up to River Rd confirmed the more sedate speed had stuck, Grumpy (probably the closest to the start line) running late for the flagfall, had used the truck route to rendevous with the bunch.
I'd transitioned to the advance line at River Rd's bridge, pleased that Tina (ahead) was braving a turn at the business end 'cause I had Emil's energy (behind) to keep up with for part two when duty called. (it looked likely I'd face the front into the westerly on Old Dookie Rd ; that'll teach me to take the soft option at the start!) Bo hadn't moaned about pace or his performance but chose a calm velocity for for his turn while those with plenty of performance stifled their speed to keep a dignified tempo that all could contend with.
As predicted, the west northwester was waiting for Tina and I as we faced the front at the west turn toward town, "Your speed" called to Tina to keep the task as comfortable as it could be. (Bonus for me; something saved to match Emil's enthusiasm next!) Tina did well to drive till School Rd came into focus, so on the roll across, I avoided anything like acceleration (don't labor those on the limit......unless you need enemies!) Emil seemed keen to raise the rate of knots but I took half a k to respond, surprising myself to go the distance to Central Ave (part one below the red-line was the key) Emil and Pistol led the leg to the truck route and naturally speed escalated from there for the 1350 metres of murder to SPC ; a test of survival for those of more social standards but the pack finally re-united thanks to commuting traffic, intersections and the one red traffic light that was in the way of coffee.
25/8 A six pack before breakfast.
Wendy, Emil, Jen, Tina and the 5ft Ninja had dragged their collective carbon fibre to the Archer St shop in Thursday's early hours for the 5:30 spin, but the wait for Crossy's arrival was soon abandoned when Wendy realized she'd advised him 5:40. (not such a warm welcome for his maiden voyage!) So, chocks away at 5:30 with Emil ahead and Tina, Wendy, Jen, the 5ft Ninja and the wind behind made for a stress free start. Where the work would begin was anyone's guess. I certainly draw the long straw with the short shift to Orrvale Rd and consequently plenty of time to recoup lost oxygen while others did their thing. The usual changes of shifts were observed and Emil started round two on Coach Rd. He's kept me guessing the last few weeks with varied drives at the front, so eyes were well open for the signal to relieve him of duty. That west northwester made it's presence felt ; thankfully Boundary Rd has reasonable shelter from it. As a change of routine, Emil's elbow came well before the fig farm so I stuck to the protocols and set sights at reaching New Dookie Rd.
Tina was well placed to tow us to Lemnos-Cosgrove Rd and avoid the headwind homeward. With a good dose of grit and plenty of determination, Wendy and Jen shared the struggle of the distance to Lemnos, but it was the Ninja's mission to take on Ford Rd to Grahamvale that impressed more so. (less wind resistance down at that low altitude?) That scenario put Emil at the front for the drive to Verney Rd and the rest I'll have a rubber stamp made up to save pencil and paper (and subsequent wear and tear on the keyboard)
PS: Yep, another red light at Balaclava Rd!
26/8 Hark! What light through yonder horizon breaks?
Cancel instead of snooze got the skates on to kit-up in time for the ritual Couldabeens uniformed Friday fling, just a minute or so to scoff down a banana and a few mouthfuls of God's nectar (caffeine if you don't know!) to put some psychological fuel in the tank. Greg, Wozza, Boof, the 5ft Ninja, Emil, Tina, Bo, The Godfather, Grumpy (on time), PistolPete, Rocket and Bruce were true to the ritual too, lining up to lap the ritual 30 km circuit. I'd inherited the usual partners in the left line as the bunch set south, Tina ahead and the Ninja behind (gotta love that draft!) so I was suitably stabled for speed. Emil and Pistol then Pistol and Wozza got business off to a brisk start ably assisted by a breeze to Central Kialla and wasn't it a surprise to see those chasms called pot-holes near River Rd had been patched ; it's now a four star cobbled sector!
We found a feint red glow on River Rd's horizon to fuel hopes of longer days to come (well, five weeks worth till daylight savings time drags us back to reality!), a rather scenic spin east with fog settled into the low-lands. Pleasantries were passed among the two rows as the front two silently provided the pace just a couple of k's above the social speed of Wednesday's so there was little cause for complaint (or cardiac catastrophe!) I've know most of this crew for many years now so that element of trust allows wheels to be just a few centimeters apart, experience tells us though that 'trust' and The Godfather's calls don't belong in the same sentence!
The Ninja had paired with The Godfather at the Broken bridges and by Channel Rd she'd called half time, so I partnered her part two to the highway. Tina fronted in Boundary Rd so due care was taken not to cook her, the weight of expectation was probably to blame for her tank being empty at the bridge (tucking back into the draft in the left line had her recovery covered) Bo drew alongside for what became part three for me, but I found inspiration to drive to Old Dookie Rd 'cause Bo wanted a short shift! A scenic sun up behind distracted the stress of uploading oxygen while Bo and Kel headed us to town, that little more light at 6:30 now finding new buildings appeared during winter's darkness. A brief visit to the forties in the flurry to SPC certainly tempted the taste buds for the Butter Factory's brew.
This week 324km
YTD 8,778km
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