Post #663
17/9 Carbon against tarmac ; a sickening symphony.
I could do without the damp! Saturday was another day of soggy roads, puddles, a damp kit and dead worms stuck to the bike. I should have been grateful that rain wasn't coming till mid-morning. At least I could feed the addiction (hang on Foss, it's a daily addiction with withdrawals on Sunday!) Nath at MyRide was kind enough to loan me a pair of cranks (till the new ones arrive so the bike was at least mobile. A northerly stopped me whinging on the commute to Sanctuary Drive, Emil's bro Anth along with Liam & Lili the surprise inclusions for the commute south. A surprise too to find Lance and Nev at the grid with the standard Saturday squad of Greg, Rocket, Boof, the 5ft Ninja, Wozza, Bruce and Grumpy. (Mmmm, no Pistol and no Godfather?) GiantAndy's arrival changed the forecast to fast!
In PistolPete's absence, Emil and Anth got the show on the Archer Road while the dozen behind sorted themselves into a pecking order. Pace was fairly keen on the turn north toward Kialla Central as the tail-enders bolted to keep in touch, a little subtle manoeuvring to avoid puddles going on as the bunch finally compressed back into formation. I felt my rear wheel squirm a little left for an instant then that sickening sound of carbon and bodies against the tarmac. Lance had overlapped his wheel for an instant and come down like the proverbial sack of spuds, the 5ft Ninja breaking her fall on him. Memories of my horizontal moments came flooding back in a flash seeing Lance motionless on the deck of Kialla Central Rd, thankfully he'd sat up barely a minute later.
Hip, shoulder, knee, elbow, cheek and helmet were showing a few signs of wear and tear. (The Ninja had got off lightly with a graze to the elbow). With a little claret forming at cheek and knee, Lance was up and hobbling about another minute on, both bikes showing just superficial wounds. With a forecast wait of an hour for an ambulance The Godfather was summoned from his cot to ferry Lance and bike to home, the Ninja keen to ride on. A cautious kilometre was rolled while the gravity of the fall sank in ; What trust we put in each other, speeding around the circuit just centimeters apart......it's moments like these you realise the repercussions of what happens when we run out of centimeters.
But, it wasn't long till the previous speed was back on the menu though perhaps wheels might have been a meter apart now. Do the math Foss; 38 km/h = 10.5 meters per second. So we had about 90 milliseconds reaction time now. Much safer!! (Like I said, the trust we put in each other. And it's better the devil you know......) The reshuffle on the re-start put me with Bruce ahead and Wozza behind and time to earn my keep came at River Rd's dip. Courteous as always, Bruce patiently co-piloted to the quarter horse fence (most of the bunch on watch for the ever enlarging pot holes) then Wozz supressed his snoring alongside while I ran the tank dry of any effort that was left. Recovery was written in the diary for later 'cause the pairing of Wozz and Rocket (rubber stamp that combination) needed more oxygen to hold on till rooster corner. Some sort of focus had returned by the Broken bridges where I could deliver a three word sentence to the conversation with Greg. Real replies would happen later.
The grey start to the day didn't deliver much joy and "feels like" 3 put me in a June mood so the fairly hot tempo delivered both distraction and warmth. I was lucky to avoid the now strengthening north northwester on the path to Lemnos Cosgrove Rd (the earlier halt for Lance's lay down had put us behind schedule, so the trip to the Toaster was cut off the circuit) while fitter fellas kept the momentum going, though I had a fair share of it at the starboard side bearing west to Lemnos. Another shift at the front fell due crossing Grahamvale Rd ; at least this leg had the shorter expectation of 1200 metres to Verney then 1100 metres to the highway (here's hoping I'd avoid the work in Wanganui to hold on for the bolt along the Boulevard). I made it to Verney, albeit nudging the red line, but part two with Wozza was missing the shelter from the north northwester I'd hoped for.
Without a halt for traffic at the highway (I could have done with an extra breath or three), Wanganui Rd became my Struggle Street when Wozza and Rocket lit the afterburners to the 40's. And wasn't I second-hand at second wheel! Legs went licorice to climb Mt.Wanganui so there was nothing to accelerate on the turn into Rudd Rd. Most had shot past me, bolting toward the golf course, so preparations for the humility of going ota were well underway as a gap opened ahead. A look back (if only to confirm the inevitable) brought hope however......LiamM and Lili were 20 metres in arrears so I could be seen to drop back to help out the new ones home. Mid thirties were murder on muscles back into town (to make it look like I was donating a draft!) Watching the wheel ahead, craftmanship and Bo on a beach soaked up the sentences over breakfast.
19/9 Puncture practice.
Young Jack was a surprise addition to the grid (Wouldabeens don't do Mondays apparently) and with Couldabeens attendance down, another laborer was welcome. The Godfather, Lenny, Emil, Bruce, Tina, Rocket, Wozza and PistolPete assembled in usual spring conditions (feels like 0.9, a west northwester blowing at 13-19 and a few puddles to negotiate on a partially damp track) Pistol supplied the formality of leading us south and there was little worry about the wind ; it was in our favor for the way out, but arguing against us for the way back. Lenny had upgraded the old Cannondale to 11 speed and (as always) was the cleanest bike in the bunch (I don't remember specifying road grime and dead worms on mine) The turn north off Mitchell Rd through Central Kialla was a little vague, but I put that down to a soaked tarmac. That cobble-like surface near River Rd raised the issue again, only now the bike squirmed for the steer east. Earlier suspicions should have been noted, this was yet another puncture to practice a quick fix on. (The Godfather had the timer going!)
In the beam of Wozza's headlight, the tyre looked like it came fresh from the shower scene from Psycho and what had punctured the tube was anyone's guess ; not a thing was found (gotta love that!) With new tube in, tyre inflated and the wheel back in the bike under the 5 minute cut-off, rolling along River Rd was plagued with the nagging doubt of this tube surviving ; the fact that a CO2 barely breaks 80 psi was a handbrake on the head too. I'd got onto Emil's wheel in the reshuffle so the wind up the Khyber made the drive alongside him look almost reasonable. Yong Jack was my co-pilot for part two and it didn't seem fair to have a half century disadvantage ; whether he grew tired of my pedestrian pace or struggled with staying awake I wasn't sure, but he rolled across a bit before the rumble strips for rooster corner. Speed settled for the northbound shift to the Broken bridges where Jack called it quits, those constant collaborators Wozza and Rocket driving the effort up to the highway. An impatient Nissan just had to overtake a southbound Keeno almost as we crossed paths but Bruce had delivered a heads-up for the caution prior.
Tina had locked herself in the caboose when the bunch turned west into Old Dookie Rd in search of coffee, so with little chance of seeing the front again, I joined the advance (that headwind would hurt at the rushin' front) A couple of turns had rolled by Central Ave where Emil and The Godfather were elected to lead, but by Dobson's estate a few words had been exchanged and Emil took to the left line. I would have to face the front after all! (and wasn't that wind some work!) To prevent a likely implosion, the plan was to pair with Emil to the truck route then tuck into a draft when the squad went single file, 'cause I'd have nothing for the squirt to SPC! That tactic worked, though second wheel at that speed spelled suffering. I felt somewhat smug to have survived....and with pressure still in that tyre! (60psi when checked at home)
20/9 Wean him off the red cordial Kim!
Wendy, Kim, Emil, Tina, Lili, LiamM and the 5ft Ninja fronted for Tuesday's cool (3 degrees) circuit and as early as leg three to the Kinder, a little light on the horizon guided our path east. Pickle my grandmother!, there was no wind to wage war against! Emil had driven the first leg to the truck route and my standard to Orrvale Rd was done for Kim to steer our partially pink path toward Central Ave. Speed had settled a little from Emil's exuberant start, Tina taking on the leg to the cypress trees without that pressure on pace. Wendy kept the status quo to the S bend and Lili had mastered the Liv's Sram Red to drive to Coach Rd.
There's a sense of freedom in the single filed spin with the squirrels, with nobody alongside (unwittingly) applying the thumbscrews of keeping tempo certainly makes a refreshing change, although the weight of expectation probably keeps us all delivering some sort of speed. (Kudos fuels the confidence and that keeps most turning up again. Far better to make some sort of donation than clutching to the caboose for the whole lap!) LiamM's standards lifted the labor a little for the seven behind him in Boundary Rd, the 5ft Ninja promoted to captain at the bridge. Emil's energy had been brewing for 15 minutes so when given the lead at Old Dookie Rd, velocity turned up to touch 40 to New Dookie Rd. There was nothing but a suffering silence behind.
(Maybe he pours red cordial neat on a big bowl of Fruit Loops for breakfast?) I hadn't expected the lead role beyond New Dookie Rd, but the diplomatic thing was to set mid 30's back on the agenda to Lemnos-Cosgrove Rd. My legs weren't giving much more after that blast anyway! To the rear as Kim led us west, I could sit comfortably back into zone three for the 20 minute tow home. Kim and Tina divided the distance to the rumble strips near Lemnos North Rd where Wendy took us into Ford Rd to aim at Grahamvale, but Lili launched a coup d'etat for the lead role 100 metres later. (I must talk over the politics of that 'elbow' thing). LiamM was left with the lead role a kilometre on and he called it quits at Grahamvale Rd. Of course the Ninja bolted toward Verney. (Seven had finally formed a line behind 700 metres later). So Emil's signature shift south to Balaclava Rd was his to command and he behaved for most of it......till that itch to press the pedestrian button struck half a k from the lights (maybe it's Red Bull poured on Fruit Loops?). The rest of us rolled mid 35's to the intersection, just as the lights turned green.
21/9 Wednesday was a washout
The consensus was for a later, slightly longer loop for Thursday's public holiday but the eyes habit to open at stupid o'clock is hard to break. A solo lap prior to the 6:40 rendevous made up for lost k's yesterday. Kim, Tina, Lili, Emil and LiamM came together on the commute to the shop, an even eight made up with the arrival of the Ninja and Kreeky at 7. Things looked so different in daylight! Routine was thrown out the window when a two rowed proposal was accepted, single file to the truck route though (a lack of traffic probably didn't warrant it) I paired with Emil for the short shift to Orrvale Rd ; thankfully he'd turned down the hurry of the first leg to mid 30's and I was looking forward to something calmer still with Tina as co-pilot to the Kinder. Wishful thinking Foss, she had a similar hurry to Central Ave. Sunshine and a little warmth put a new perspective on the lap, almost unfamiliar scenery to take in now that we wern't under the veil of darkness.
Double digit temperatures had many legs exposed (Quite dazzling when they're whitened by winter!) Kim and Lili teamed to drive to the S bend as that bright thing in the sky guided us to Coach Rd, mid 30's taming to 33's as the gravity of a few extra k's sank in. LiamM and Lili seemed to have grasped the protocols of keeping level with the wheel alongside and I suppose there's a responsibility to see that they're guided along the path of riding righteousness. (It is Rule #3 after all!) Breaking the habit of the northbound path on Boundary Rd was difficult but we turned east onto Old Dookie Rd, difficult to convince the head as well that west northwester was helping me match Emil's speed to the Toaster 'cause it didn't feel that easy! (A little warmth on exposed skin was a great distraction though) Tina kept me honest with her pace to the Pine Lodge church and then I could soak up the slipstream till duty called again.
As rare as the Thylacinus cynocephalus, a gaggle of Goats were seen eastbound on Lemnos-Cosgrove Rd ; a bunch of 7 hasn't been seen in years! (What a little sunshine can do eh?) Mid 30's had been put back on the agenda, the slight south southwester of little consequence to the velocity. Maybe the sunshine supplied the speed? (Or was the want for coffee getting us itchy?) Duty called again crossing Grahamvale Rd and something inspired a long drive to the highway rather than the short shift into Verney Rd, the standard swing south resisted to continue west to Wanganui Rd. Tina still had the speed to keep me speechless, driving beyond DECA (where I thought she'd raise the white flag) and up the dizzying heights of Mt.Wanganui, but found herself into the breeze on Rudd Rd. Without his fast fix on Verney Rd, Emil was positively bursting for a blast-off on the Boulevard, but where? (The $64,000 question) By Tarcoola's roundabout the bottle had popped it's cork and Emil sailed off into the distance with most happy to stay at a semi social speed bound for the MilkBar. How civilized to sit in the sunshine quaffing coffee and babbling bike stuff.
22/9 Sunshine, double digit temperatures, barely a breeze to battle........what strange planet is this?
The consensus was for a later, slightly longer loop for Thursday's public holiday but the eyes habit to open at stupid o'clock is hard to break. A solo lap prior to the 6:40 rendevous made up for lost k's yesterday. Kim, Tina, Lili, Emil and LiamM came together on the commute to the shop, an even eight made up with the arrival of the Ninja and Kreeky at 7. Things looked so different in daylight! Routine was thrown out the window when a two rowed proposal was accepted, single file to the truck route though (a lack of traffic probably didn't warrant it) I paired with Emil for the short shift to Orrvale Rd ; thankfully he'd turned down the hurry of the first leg to mid 30's and I was looking forward to something calmer still with Tina as co-pilot to the Kinder. Wishful thinking Foss, she had a similar hurry to Central Ave. Sunshine and a little warmth put a new perspective on the lap, almost unfamiliar scenery to take in now that we wern't under the veil of darkness.
Double digit temperatures had many legs exposed (Quite dazzling when they're whitened by winter!) Kim and Lili teamed to drive to the S bend as that bright thing in the sky guided us to Coach Rd, mid 30's taming to 33's as the gravity of a few extra k's sank in. LiamM and Lili seemed to have grasped the protocols of keeping level with the wheel alongside and I suppose there's a responsibility to see that they're guided along the path of riding righteousness. (It is Rule #3 after all!) Breaking the habit of the northbound path on Boundary Rd was difficult but we turned east onto Old Dookie Rd, difficult to convince the head as well that west northwester was helping me match Emil's speed to the Toaster 'cause it didn't feel that easy! (A little warmth on exposed skin was a great distraction though) Tina kept me honest with her pace to the Pine Lodge church and then I could soak up the slipstream till duty called again.
As rare as the Thylacinus cynocephalus, a gaggle of Goats were seen eastbound on Lemnos-Cosgrove Rd ; a bunch of 7 hasn't been seen in years! (What a little sunshine can do eh?) Mid 30's had been put back on the agenda, the slight south southwester of little consequence to the velocity. Maybe the sunshine supplied the speed? (Or was the want for coffee getting us itchy?) Duty called again crossing Grahamvale Rd and something inspired a long drive to the highway rather than the short shift into Verney Rd, the standard swing south resisted to continue west to Wanganui Rd. Tina still had the speed to keep me speechless, driving beyond DECA (where I thought she'd raise the white flag) and up the dizzying heights of Mt.Wanganui, but found herself into the breeze on Rudd Rd. Without his fast fix on Verney Rd, Emil was positively bursting for a blast-off on the Boulevard, but where? (The $64,000 question) By Tarcoola's roundabout the bottle had popped it's cork and Emil sailed off into the distance with most happy to stay at a semi social speed bound for the MilkBar. How civilized to sit in the sunshine quaffing coffee and babbling bike stuff.
23/9 The 5.10am showers made the sleep-in option easy.
This week 234km
YTD 9,717km
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