Post #661
3/9 'Cause it feels good when you stop!
Going soft skipping Friday's ride for a sleep-in had a penance to pay ; ten kilometers worth of headwind to Sanctuary Drive's start-line.......and paying it was painful! The tank felt empty on the grid and there was fifty k's still to cover before the life saving sustenance of coffee could be administered. Feeling totally outclassed with The Godfather, Boof, Bo, Wozza, Bruce, GreatScottSteve, Grumpy, Emil, PistolPete, Rocket, the 5ft Ninja and GiantAndy forming the grid didn't help the motivation, maybe I'd get a turn at the front with the wind in my favor? Ducking the drama of the headwind and an early turn, I slipped down the ranks as the bunch headed south, though Wozza (completely out of character) had commandeered the caboose. He'd earned it clocking a 170 km solo yesterday. Into the rotational routine and into the advance line, I had the white noise of The Godfather ahead and GreatScottSteve behind (hasn't it been many moons since he's been in the bunch! Now living the life of a mountain goat, he'd be murder to match.....but I was listening to that pessimist again wasn't I?)
It didn't really feel like minus 0.2 so maybe high thirties had distracted attention from the cold, though the pleasure of turning away from the wind through Central Kialla was comforting. Emil turned on the entertainment turning into River Rd mounting the traffic island but Bruce guided us on the proper path toward rooster corner. Emil and The Godfather fronted the two lines out of the dip and thankfully neither were up for epic efforts ; in fact I was surprised The Godfather rolled across as early as the quarter horse gates. Without a visual half way point to aim at, I took a guess at when the tank felt half empty (or should that have been half full?) and prepared for GreatScottSteve's speed for part two.
Not so bad as it happened, though I reckon he was just cruisin' 'cause he had no drama delivering sentences on the front ; I was giving two word replies (with a big breath between 'em!) Lots of light lit the optimism of a great Spring day ahead (when the temperature adjusted to what season it was), lots of camels noticed on Coach Rd's paddocks now that darkness doesn't vex our views (Were they there through Winter?) PistolPete and Grumpy led our way to the Toaster as the sun threatened to blind us - doesn't seem that long ago when it wouldn't rise till we'd made it back to town! Wozza sat comfortable in the caboose and the Ninja joined him with a lack of Di2 volts to deliver the gears needed for the homeward hurry on Lemnos-Cosgrove Rd, that southerly wind of no concern to me sitting comfortably on the sheltered side. Rocket and Boof kept the speed standards high nearing Lemnos. I had no hesitation joining the advance for another shift if it meant I'd be recovering in the slipstream on Wanganui Rd before GiantAndy lit the fuse for the Boulevard.
Lucky me to be paired with The Godfather at Grahamvale Rd and bound for Verney while GiantAndy was conveniently at the back of the pack. GreatScottSteve was my co-pilot for the leg to Numurkah Rd but seemed to be in struggle street (all those nearby mountains don't help his hurry if he hibernates in Winter!) Bo put in a big effort to drive the length of Wanganui Rd and most spent the length of Rudd Rd overdosing on oxygen in anticipation as GiantAndy neared the front. Concerns calmed cornering Canterbury's launch pad (sorry, roundabout) when pace stayed at a simmer but GiantAndy's torque was triggered when Bruce peeled off the front as the Boulevard divided. I was scraping the bottom of the energy barrel at Tarcoola's roundabout, a peek back realizing I was now third last. An ominous o.t.a. triggered a trickle of extra watts to stay aboard as part of the pack. Fake tans, exercise programs and acting your age courted the conversations over breakfast.
5/9 Peace in the pack.
I wasn't expecting a heat wave in early Spring.........but "feels like minus one"? Winter just won't let go! Lungs struggled with the chilled oxygen to Sanctuary Drive but that early effort would at least ready me for the rush of bunch speed. (Doing a cruisy commute would make a cruel contrast) The grid wasn't so full at 5:39, only Tina, Kreeky, Rocket, Lenny, Bo, PistolPete, Emil, Kel and Bruce wanted to tackle the temperature. Chocks away at 5:40 and The Godfather, usually the last to arrive, wasn't to be seen in Archer Rd's darkness ; looks like we'd have some serenity in the squad.
I'd found myself with Tina ahead and Kreeky behind as the bunch got into order and that league suited me well for a Monday. Memory (and a few visual clues) guided the wheel on the smoothest path, avoiding the rough edge of Mitchell Rd and steering clear of the cobble-like surface nearing River Rd, though Rocket managed to get the pot-hole dead centre near the vineyard he'd warned me about last week. Eyes are usually on the lookout for cracks that become holes and holes that become craters but there's so many to remember now that Winter has worn it's worst.
Emil tamed his tempo near the dip to give Tina a fighting chance at fronting the bunch, just a hint of a south southwester probably making the task a little easier. Almost at the quarter horse gates, Tina took a raincheck on part two for the draft in the left line, so I paired with Emil till the 5k mark (it's not really a landmark ; it's when the reflection of the road sign at Coach Rd comes into view ; or when the heart rate hits the roof!) I called "Your speed" to Kreeky out of respect to his recovery and he survived to do a decent drive to rooster corner.
A blue sky lit the way north on Coach Rd while Lenny and Rocket showed us how horsepower works. The clear call at the highway was a refreshing change from "Have a look specimens!" and yet again, the wattage ahead yet to do their duty confirmed another turn at the front looked unlikely. One tame turn at the front seems a like a fairly Scottish donation to the crew for 30 k's but I'll use the pensioner discount excuse and take a reasonable average speed as a bonus.
6/9 A lengthening line.
After a three month hibernation and a frolic overseas, Lili and LiamM re-appeared to swell the squirrel squad. I wondered what wattage had been lost in their lay-off ; I take a two day break and it seems I'm starting from scratch again! (ah, but these two are young......) Wendy, Emil, Jen, Tina and the 5ft Ninja made their appearance at the shop and Kreeky accepted the invitation to join in (this mob might be more manageable while he's on the comeback trail) A light southeaster presented itself as a handbrake in Channel Rd but Emil had the bit betwixt teeth to serve up some high thirties stress to the truck route.
The Ninja took the tempo to the end of Channel Rd but that turbo kicked in on Coach Rd to bolt to the highway. (gap filler duties again Foss!) Into Boundary Rd, another liberal dose of throttle was needed but the speed soon settled headed to the bridge. Kreeky kept the speed at a simmer with a good drive to the fig farm and considering a recent week on the sick list handed the reigns to Emil. I was expecting an elbow at New Dookie Rd, given that nine had the load to share, so the 1400 metres to Lemnos-Cosgrove Rd might be my second and last appearance at the business end for the day. Another colorful sun-up brewed but my focus was fixed to finish the northern leg. Tina was made captain and was blessed with that southeast breeze to the bridge, Jen taking the second half of the drive to Lemnos. LiamM took on the Ford Rd leg but called it quits a little before Grahamvale Rd so the Ninja filled in to guide us to Verney. Kreeky was given the shift to Balaclava Rd and Emil showed remarkable constraint till 300 metres from the traffic lights (which were red, naturally!) when the itch to press the pedestrian button was too much for him.
7/9 The master of the tailwind turn.
The whiplash effect at the back got bums off seats southbound from Sanctuary's start as Pistol and Bruce bolted toward the truck route, or maybe it was a slightly bigger bunch that had amplified the reaction time to the call of "chocks away". A few considerate eyes were open to make sure bits didn't break off the back though. High thirties to Mitchell Rd was a tough welcome to social Wednesday. There's some wear and tear thrashing a cold engine but holding on for a k or so and speed would soon become second nature (keep hitting your finger with a hammer and it goes numb eventually!) The Godfather's absence meant peace in the pack again though Grumpy was keen on the auditory overload. Gazza was back from the tropical north just in time for a tropical 8 degree start to the day while an easterly wind required some muscle at the front for River Rd (though Tina, Kim and Jen getting closer to the front were probably hoping their turn would be later rather than sooner.)
Boof, Gazza and Emil provided the propulsion to rooster corner to save the gals stress while I couldn't help noticing those previously patched pot-holes are opening up again. Northbound on Coach Rd, Emil needed restraint for Tina to build up to pace but to her credit, soldiered on to One Tree Dam (Bo was quick to criticise her short shift ; from the comfort on his rearmost position!) before calling Kim to the rescue. Jen and I supplied the slipstream at the Broken bridges to the highway, Kreeky alongside me to Boundary's bridge before I got a draft to help my rehab. Bo finally got to the business end at the fig farm to pair with Kel to Old Dookie Rd then enjoyed the tail wind just to School Rd before calling time out. (Such precision timing ; the planning it must take to get that short wind assisted turn!)
Speed was now of little consequence with 15 km/h worth of breeze at the backside though the lads with all the wattage at the front didn't break the sound barrier. Of course there was a visit into the forties for the final fling to SPC but the bunch stayed mostly intact for the compulsory coffee to conclude. A forecast wet Thursday got plans of extra k's underway. Becoming stuck in a rut of regular 50 km distances soon bogs the legs into a routine where they complain bitterly if asked to perform anything else. I really didn't want to face that easterly again but the possible routes offered little alternative - at least there'd be a tailwind home. After a tap with Tina to Lemnos, a solo to Old Dookie Rd and out to Boundary put me on a Sanctuary circuit clockwise. Weird how all looks different going against the grain and in broad daylight.
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The sad news was that One Tree Dam is no longer. Just south of the Broken bridges, that tenacious willow in the dam's centre had finally fallen (and I'd frozen my you-know-what's off getting a shot of that one frosty morning in June of 2013) Sad to see the landmark is no longer there to see. (there's plenty of pot-holes to use as a marker I guess!) River Rd was delightful (now that's a rare statement!) westbound and that inspired a trip back to town via Raftery. Palms were feeling the signs of distance and the sit site was none too happy by now but that's the side effects of always driving one distance. (HTFU old boy! Warmer days ahead will stir the want for longer laps) Back to civilization and with 93 km on the clock nearing home, a little extra loop along Wanganui Rd satisfied the OCD within to round off a hundred.
9/9 A pop-gun among the cannons.
Half an inch of Thursday rain would mean at least a dozen dead worms stuck to the bike but there's a strange sort of attraction to blast around (breathless at times) that 30 km circuit with a bunch of (similarly) crazy mates, regardless of the road's state. A northeaster made a convincing argument to speed south to Sanctuary Drive ; I'd worry about the implications of dealing with the headwind later! Boof, Liam, Kel, Rocket, Wozza, Bo, the 5ft Ninja, Bruce, Trav, Lenny, Emil, PistolPete and Grumpy didn't care about the wet or the wind either (cementing their place in the badass files too). With a baker's dozen bound for Mitchell Rd, I hadn't given a thought to positioning and joined the advance on the turn east toward Central Kialla (guaranteed I'd have the wind to go to war with somewhere along Coach Rd).
Today I had Boof ahead as company for part one and Bo behind for part two. Wozza, Lenny, Emil, PistolPete, Liam and Trav had no issue with the tempo north and east while I could only guess the stress at the front sitting in the draft on the sheltered side of the peloton. I got a hint it would hurt 'cause it was an effort at fifth wheel! Liam was exempt from uniform day (contractual obligations) but Lenny needed a note from home on why he wasn't flying the flag. Another day minus The Godfather delighted Bo, though many were happy to sledge in The Godfather's absence. (I'll admit the quality of entertainment has suffered without him ; calls at the intersections are more comforting though) Rocket and Boof piloted our path north into Coach Rd in the 37's and 8's with the northeast wind at (17 - 24 km/h) of no consequence........but it was crushing my confidence at second wheel! The word 'out-ranked' came to mind.
I hadn't predicted Boof to roll across at the Broken bridges but I was predicting my shift to be rather short! It's said there's a 10 - 15% advantage at second wheel but it was 50% harder hitting the front! Channel Rd, just a kilometre ahead seemed unreachable! Trying to maintain tempo was my undoing, the white flag just had to be raised 500 metres later. Bo was kind enough to drop a couple of k's off the pace but I was desperate for a draft before Channel Rd. I was in the wrong league, but the right company. Kel and Bo made up for my poor performance to drive to the highway, restoring my focus (breaths would come later).
The Ninja put her two bob's worth to Boundary's bridge where PistolPete and Emil built the velocity up to 35's to Old Dookie Rd. The way west back to base camp seemed to have the wind behind us so naturally the excitement got high thirties and low forties on the agenda (Achievable though, with the head convinced that wind was no longer our hinderance). A rather damp dash to SPC made a real mess of the bike and kit but caffeine cures all that in the afterglow of a rapid lap.
This week 311 km YTD 9,276 km
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