Post #686
18/2 As good as a holiday?
How civilized! A sumptuous sleep-in till 6:30, a casual coffee and a cruise south for a 7:30 start. Makes a change from supersonic speeds and stupid o'clock. A change was craved from that standard and to be frank, Saturday's lap had gone a little stale lately. Rhythm is rare and a hint of 'big shot' syndrome was beginning to get under my skin. A spin with a different squad would rattle the repetition and might even measure my worth? (Probably highlight the advantages / misgivings of the usual mob too?) That spice called variety is worth a taste sometimes. I found DeepFry, GiantIan and Simon steering into Channel Rd at 7:30 (Hoffy on holidays it seems) so I sought a berth in their regular Saturday spin. Permission was granted. Four made a single file format sensible, though Simon confirmed the caboose was his residence for the ride, so three swapping turns meant work to do (though 33's wouldn't mean torture)
DeepFry led to Orrvale Rd (shifts a little longer than what I'm accustomed to) and GiantIan took on the drive to the cypress trees, keen to keep the pace percolating even through intersections (I favor the slow-in, smooth-out method ; prevents tsunami's at the back) Noting this mobs methods, I kept 33's on the cruise control and set sights on reaching Coach Rd as an equal share (bunch riding 101 really; fit in or f off!) Satisfied with my serve, DeepFry did the northbound Coach and Boundary bit, the light southwester stretching the speed to 35's (as it should). Simon selected a short-cut straight to Lemnos-Cosgrove Rd when all others pointed east onto Old Dookie Rd, GiantIan using plenty of throttle toward the bridge. Two oncoming bikes u-turned at the pork palace, surprised to find it was JB and eJim getting aboard (why eJim on an eBike chose to stay on as caboose is anybody's guess; maybe a lack of volts?)
I got the job of the northbound legs to Lemnos-Cosgrove, with the precautionary slow at New Dookie in the middle (roadside grass taller than GiantAndy camouflaging the view) 35's seemed to be set in stone for the way west too, JB driving a hard bargain to Boundary Rd into a now strengthening south southwester. It felt like Christmas finding the resealed section to Lemnos had been swept of loose stones, GiantIan doing the drive to Lemnos, albeit with a slightly slower standard. I was put in charge of Ford Rd's first 3k's and turned up the tempo to JB's standard (speed's always spicy nearing suburbia)
A short shift by DeepFry to Verney was followed by JB's effort to the highway though he stayed on to DECA's driveway. The sprint to Mt.Wanganui is ancient history to me but was game-on for this clan, GiantIan turning up the wick to Kittles Rd and throwing me the elbow to continue. As a visitor in a foreign land, I applied the 'don't be a dickhead' rule and held station (being casually deliberate), DeepFry hungry for the hurry up the hill while eJim broke all morals and standards trying for line honors (All should be burned at the stake for contesting the podium without so much as a contribution to the lap.......but this attempt with motor assistance too?) Braving another shift into the south southwester on Rudd Rd had GiantIan running on empty, so I offered him respite at the golf drive roundabout by taking the drivers seat. None seemed keen to want this position at Canterbury's roundabout so I continued the Boulevard tradition of tempo to Tarcoola. GiantIan had uploaded oxygen by then to pour on the power to Knight St. A social conclusion at Noble Monks satisfied the Saturday habit.
20/2 Horizontals, helmets, headlights (and the half-wit without one)
Kel's horizontal malfunction when Bo (to her right) went left, hadn't transferred any skin to the tarmac on the warm-up lap of Sanctuary Drive. The Ninja had a light globe moment as she arrived (realizing her helmet was home) as the congregation (Greg, Wozza, Kreeky, Emil, Tina, Troy, Grumpy PistolPete, The Godfather and Rocket) formed for Monday's ritual, so there was a slow introduction on the drive to Mitchell Rd as PistolPete hurried homeward to collect a helmet for the Ninja's conformity and well being. (It's what gentlemen do). Proper pace got underway toward Central Kialla (I was just getting to like the lazy start too!) but barely a k was covered when Pistol's headlight abandoned ship. Another slow would qualify this ride as interval training! Bunch order was shuffled again. With the pack back in action at Central Kialla and speed up to the 38's, I'd been berthed on Kreeky's wheel with The Godfather behind, the hint of a southwester of little labor to head east.
Grumpy had returned from a week away but there was still no sign of Lenny, the long dark 6 k's of River Rd led by Troy and Grumps to rooster corner (crowing again with a glow on the horizon now in the distance). Finding fog in February was freakish as lights lit Coach Rd north and only now joining the advance line, I guessed duty would call on the west way to town, not that the breeze was a worry (pairing with The Godfather might be!) Kel's earlier incident hadn't hampered her pace with PistolPete on Boundary Rd and speed stayed stable when the Ninja berthed beside her at the fig farm. Ten out of ten to Tina braving the drive to Old Dookie Rd, her bonus being Greg's slipstream as The Godfather held a length ahead of him to Central Ave. (I wondered if I'd get the same treatment?) Luckily The Godfather levelled with me to Dobson's bridge so I stretched his charity to call half time there.
The call of "Car back" was welcome (the slipstream to come would keep 38's on the speedo for a while) but the oncoming bike with rider head down (and without a headlight) was on a collision course with our overtaking car. Luck had him look up with a millisecond to spare; a sudden swerve left and an accident was avoided (within centimetres) Experience had Kreeky and I not miss a beat and continue the work west, an urge to slow would have had wheels into wheels in an instant. I was chuffed to keep 38 as the standard to the truck route but was close to detonation getting there, so allowed half the field to pass (purely for their draft) when the line went Indian file to be dragged to SPC.
21/2 Watts & wind.
Just one day without wind wouldn't be asking too much would it? You guessed it, a southerly blew again (with a hint of west in it) and that got the determination dialed up to get south to the start line. The northern leg of the squirrel circuit would be sweet, the rest there to suffer. The usual Tuesday team (Molly, Tina, Wendy and Emil) made the pilgrimage to the shop, Graeme making his late arrival with a minute to spare. Naturally Emil led the six into Channel Rd with his usual enthusiasm at 38 to the truck route, my enthusiasm only getting 36 on the speedo to Orrvale Rd (if I could see it in the dark. 6 weeks till eastern standard time gives us a little light. For a week or three) Tina had no trouble getting to the Kinder at a better pace but Molly had resigned herself to the rear as an observer. Shift 3 from the Kinder to the cypress trees is first half hurt, second half helped by the wind, Wendy coping well with both halves to deliver her drive (though I wondered if Graeme was ready to launch some labor for his turn due next. Hopefully Wendy had some torque left in the tank to respond)
In a very smooth swap of shifts, Graeme was light on the throttle to Beckhams Bend then turned up the speed slowly to finish off Channel Rd. Textbook stuff. A rare halt for traffic allowed a little more oxygen into the lungs for Jen to set us north to the highway (a little more oxygen taken on board there too while a car and truck crossed our path) then on to Boundary Rd's bridge. Speed was smoothly applied to 38's. Second wheel to Emil's pace is usually nearing me to the dreaded red zone, though that south southwester saved me a few bpm's to do a decent turn when I was given the reigns at Old Dookie Rd. Tina took over at New Dookie for the drive to Lemnos-Cosgrove. Although the west way to Lemnos is now swept, the new surface would loosen fillings in your teeth, but Wendy did the work to the bridge and Graeme towed us to Ford Rd. The 3 k's to Grahamvale Rd is as smooth as Boof's head in comparison, so Jen's drive there seemed to need a lot less watts. The short shift to Verney Rd was Emil's but clearly it wasn't enough, the southern leg to Balaclava had his name on it (and he was welcome to its' headwind too!) though Graeme spiced up the speed for the last 400 metres for a sprint to the traffic lights (they changed red for us, of course)
22/2 I'm givin' her all she's got Capt'n!
Just for a moment, the idea of going back to bed was very appealing......till the six spoonful's of h.t.f.u. in my coffee kicked in (glad it did; the regret of not riding would ruin the day) The commute to Sanctuary wasn't so cruel; a light east southeaster didn't bother me on the 10k drive south but keeping 32's on the speedo did.
Kreeky, Wozza, TrackStan, Troy, Grumpy, Bruce, Rocket, the 5ft Ninja, Bo, Emil, Tina, PistolPete, Boof, The Godfather and Greg lined up waiting for the big hand to move to eight. PistolPete and TrackStan led the way south but TrackStan's drive was depleted a little beyond the truck route so Emil stood in for the speed. Nearly becoming sandwiched between Wozza and Rocket in the advance line, Bo took a dive to the left line, incurring Rocket's wrath (Lucky he escaped The Godfather's view). Well down the left line through Central Kialla, I just hoped my turn would come somewhere after rooster corner; that east southeast breeze felt more like a wind. Wozz and Rocket mastered the gradual build up of speed entering River Rd, a turbocharged sprint to catch the tail not required today.
Following Tina into the advance line should make part one of my duty at the driving end manageable; I had fingers crossed Bo would do the same for part two. Bruce had dragged himself from the sick bed but chose to sit this lap at the rear, Grumpy making another appearance for a lap but Lenny is still on the missing list. Kreeky and Tina took over the lead role at the quarter horse stud with a couple of k's discounted from Troy's prior pace. Tina's got a serious dose of determination of late, driving the distance to Coach Rd and calling half time half way there. When I was promted to the front, that east southeaster was more like a brick wall than a breeze, or had that h.t.f.u. worn off by now? The last 1500 to hear the rooster crow wore down more watts than I wanted. North toward the Broken bridges wasn't much easier, despite Bo behaving, and when an oncoming truck provided enough wind shear to take my wheel south to Seymour, it was hello zone 5!
I wanted to call "Done" but the bridges weren't far away, so I delayed raising the white flag for another 200 metres (though that probably exceeded my safe working load). Greg sided with Bo and preserved pace till the downhill off the bridges and there started the battle of Bo vs Greg and who's wheel came first. Just what I needed at 175 bpm! I (just) held on to their hurry, hoping the slow for the highway might keep me from heart failure. Something approaching normal returned by Boundary Rd's fig farm (apologies for no replies to those who served me a sentence beforehand) but no sooner than breath had returned, it was time to spend it again for the way west on Old Dookie Rd, 42's emptying the tank quickly to Central Ave. (Just as well I was a long way from the front as excitement built arriving near town). Traffic slowed the exit from the truck route and that got muscles burning to build up to 45's but I'd survived the sprint to SPC (albeit third last) and squeezed a few words in with Bruce when the High St lights halted our hurry.
23/2 Three therapy.
No southerlies to haunt me Thursday........but there was a northeaster instead (just to make most of the squirrel circuit a struggle!) Maybe Mother Nature hates bike riders too? (If we pay rego, will the wind go away?) Kim cancelled, Wendy went the sleep-in option, Jen and Molly were nowhere to be seen in Rae St, Graeme was a no-show, Lili and Liam's rumored comeback might be next week but Tina and Emil just couldn't stay away. And I certainly wasn't going to miss my therapy session. A wait at the shop till 5:30 struck was out of courtesy to any late-comers but it yielded none, so Emil got the wheels rolling east to the truck route at the prescribed pace. The first 2300 metres wasn't enough apparently, an extended shift was on his wish list. Still at the front arriving at Orrvale then the Kinder, there was no stopping him at the cypress trees or even the S bend.
To Coach Rd and even beyond the highway told me Emil was on an epic (the boy behaved though, sticking to the speed limit). I was allowed into the drivers seat at Old Dookie Rd though, the northeaster quite a surprise after so long in the draft at second wheel. I suddenly felt duty bound to stay in the seat after Emil's effort, (though not of the proportions he set), delivering Tina to Lemnos-Cosgrove Rd for an (almost) tail-wind turn. She'd earned it. Ford Rd was Emil's to drive and for a moment I thought this might be epic effort number two and my free tow home, but an elbow was shown to me crossing Grahamvale Rd. The short shift to Verney seemed a lack-lustre donation so I braved stealing Emil's signature shift to Balaclava Rd (I guess he could launch a take-over bid if he didn't like it). But he didn't. Lucky me got the 2300 metre drive to the Balaclava Rd lights, for a moment thinking they'd stay green. But of course they changed red. Just for us.
24/2 Precision timing by the tail-wind specialist.
BamBam's puncture just short of the Friday grid allowed time to contemplate if I'd be lucky enough to score a tailwind turn but whether I did or didn't, there'd be effort at the front regardless. So why worry? All I needed was a co-operative co-pilot when I got there. I'm sure Emil was preaching the gospel according to St. Tubeless while repairs were underway but it didn't bother Grumpy, Greg, Troy, PistolPete, Jen, Wozza, The Godfather, Kel, Bruce, Bo, Rocket, Tina, Boof and the 5ft Ninja who waited out of earshot at the grid. Puncture problem solved five minutes later, Pistol and Bruce started the circuit south, hopefully without the urge to make up lost time. Just how many fingers can I cross? Trav arrived to join in near Mitchell Rd, the way east and north feeling the wrath of the 17 km/h wind, even at the back of the bunch. Just as well there was horsepower at the front to drag us mortals along. Deja vu Wednesday arrived finding Tina ahead and Bo behind when I'd joined the advance for the journey toward rooster corner.
Grumpy's attendance for the week earns him an elephant stamp and Bruce seems to be on Recovery Rd fronting for duty again but BamBam was doing his (usual) once-in-a-blue-moon thing. Quite a lot of freewheeling ahead made a mess of the rhythm at the rear and coupled with an echelon across River Rd, it was a pleasure to move further forward. In a similar scenario to Wednesday, oncoming traffic on Coach Rd carried a weeks' worth of wind behind them so those at the front bore the brunt. Getting closer to the business end at the Broken bridges, Grumpy seemed to think I'd get the dream turn with the wind behind in Old Dookie, though I wasn't that optimistic. Boof and Jen led into Boundary and Jen chose a short shift, calling it quits a bit beyond the bridge, so Tina paired with her to the fig farm then elbowed me to join her for the k to Old Dookie Rd. (Grumpy got it wrong). The work into the wind wasn't worth a grizzle, Tina's tenacity to do twice as much deserved the attention.
In a masterclass of perfect positioning, Bo came alongside for our drive west, just enough north in the northeaster to set the line in the centre of Old Dookie Rd. I could manage 37's and 38's with a little shelter and had set a goal to reach Central Ave (call me Mr. Martyr) till Bo decided School Rd was his half time (So much for "full blocks"?) Maybe he was bored with my tame tempo? He and Kel built up the pace to 40. When the Ninja paired with Kel aiming at Dobson's, speed had settled a whisker, the stability of 38's more manageable so some watts had returned for the squirt to SPC.
This week 295km
YTD 2,321km
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