Post #685
13/2 Oh, the woes of wind!
I should have been the cork out of the shaken bottle after three days off the bike, but the southerlies were blowing again to haunt me for the ten k commute to Monday's lap (and handbrake any attempt to keep thirty on the speedo). Emil was kind enough to halve his horsepower and stay alongside, Wendy, Tina and Jen having no complaints glued to our draft. Troy, Kel, The Godfather, Wozza, Kreeky, PistolPete, Bo, Greg and Rocket converged on Sanctuary Drive for the 5:40 habit and with my tank almost empty from the drive to the start-line, I'd softened to take the last place in the order (though with just thirteen others in the pack, this wouldn't be a free ride 'round. I'd probably miss out on a tail-wind turn but really, it's a bargain if you drive a couple of k's and get towed for the other forty)
PistolPete and Emil weren't exceeding 35 km/h to Mitchell Rd but it wasn't a return to social speed standards, 35 km/h gusts head-on hampered any more hurry. A collective sigh of relief came turning east, Emil and Wozz adding a couple of k's to the tempo toward Central Kialla. The 2k's north to River Rd were bliss and of course 40+ blurred the bitumen getting there. An approaching car meant we couldn't skirt around the patches on the patches on the pot-holes (400 metres before the turn east), the experience earthquake-like and a pain for the posterior. You soon appreciate the shelter of the left line when it's time to transition to the right, the southerly making steering a straight line a precision operation in the advance line. (Banging elbows with the rider alongside isn't the ideal scenario). A few were running out of gears toward the Broken River, Bo and (later) The Godfather timing their turns to get the advantage of the wind up the waste-gate. They're good at it!
Rocket complied with Jen's want for a short shift on Boundary Rd, invoking the "full block" demand from The Godfather. Tina made the most of the southerly heading north to Old Dookie Rd where my turn west became due. A fair amount of labor was needed toward School Rd till Tina raised the white flag half way, PistolPete the consummate co-pilot while I wore down the watts for the "full block" (as payment for the draft till now) to Central Ave. Emil's pairing with Pistol beyond there raised the stakes higher ('cause they can!) and traffic split the pack at the truck route , so what's usually the squirt to SPC was but a trickle till the team re-united. Holding the wheel became a challenge through the lefts and rights of the course to coffee, the thoughts of the tailwind home keeping me on the tail till a red traffic light detached me.
14/2 Snap, crackle, pop.
I'll be diagnosed with RSI soon. The Repetitive Southerly Injury is showing signs of physical and mental stress; wind is almost constantly against me the moment I swing a leg over the Fizik. Maybe electroconvulsive therapy is the answer to convince the cranium a headwind is good for you? Wendy, Emil, Jen, Tina and Graeme seemed to enjoy exposure to it, turning up in Balaclava and Rae St for another stupid o'clock Squirrel session.
31 was my red-line to the shop; I could have managed a higher pace to be honest, but mentally, I needed something left in the tank at the start-line if I was to contribute something like a fair share to the workload. After 8 k's worth of wind in the face, Emil's 2k introduction to a 37 km/h standard was a big ask, though a couple of k's with the wind at the starboard side is bearable when there's 8k's worth of sitting in the slipstream to follow. A couple of k's to the Kinder with Tina in charge commenced my recovery at the back, but when Jen opened the throttle into Central Ave's headwind, the respite went on hold till the ease of effort east to the cypress trees. Wendy's work to the S bend was steady and h.r. dropped to mid 140's though Graeme's eagerness to finish off Channel Rd ruined the recovery again.
Emil went easy on the accelerator to the highway and careful again to get up to pace on Boundary, though sitting second wheel had little of the draft available in the caboose and 40's became the stuff to suffer. I'd expected to be handed the reigns at Old Dookie and found the front a little easier for a while.......till preserving the pace began to use up the watts. A passing truck delivered a draft to save me. A little hesitation for westbound traffic on New Dookie Rd stretched the line long; silly me waiting for the tail-enders made mine a challenge to catch Tina's hurry to Lemnos-Cosgrove Rd. The fun began westbound toward Lemnos with Jen leading the way, the road recently resurfaced and coated with plenty of loose stone. Just a few millimetres off line from a cars' wheel tracks and bike tyres squirmed for traction, the snap, crackle and pop of coarse Cosgrove stone under high pressure rubber got gloves gripping the bars tight.
An echelon to seek cover from the southerly became a high risk activity. Jen did well to follow a line less gravelled, though rumble strips now camoflaged by the re-seal awoke the posterior with a start. Ford Rd felt like a billiard table in comparison and the relief of Wendy's shift to Grahamvale Rd at 33's allowed nerves to settle. Too settled for Graeme it seemed; he bolted to Verney at 38's, the breaking point for Wendy attempting recovery at the rear. A moment off the gas to regroup and Emil built the speed to something all could survive to Balaclava (but Graeme got itchy again to sprint to the traffic lights). Yep, red again.
15/2 Flogging this dead horse.
This shift would be short. Feeling a little guilty as others did their duty at the front urged me to join the advance line when reaching rearmost in River Rd, though Tina (sensibly) took the rear-gunner's role as tempo climbed to 38's. I wasn't sure I'd have the watts to power this sort of pace when promoted to the business end but going beyond the comfort zone is part of the job description when you take up this habit. I might not meet the k.p.i.'s for long, particularly as an east southeast breeze brewed to become a northeast wind, but a small donation is better than none isn't it?
Greg was being half-wheeled by The Godfather to the dip and my time with him was up next. Kreeky (behind) for part two would hopefully grant me concessions on compassionate grounds. PistolPete, Wozza, Emil and Rocket had set their standards so far while Boof and the 5ft Ninja were waiting in the wings for their turn to come. I have seniority over The Godfather though I'm outranked in watts, but the young fella took pity on this pensioner. Hopes of co-piloting with him to the quarter horse fence was pure fantasy as this old engine spluttered at his speed, reality rolling me across at the half way mark to seek Kreeky's kindness for part two. Dropping a k off the velocity was my only hope. Kreeky was compliant alongside to the fence, his drive with Boof to rooster corner showing fine form (though he wasn't talking much as the Ninja and Boof drove north on Coach Rd).
The Godfather's greetings were gushed to the southbound bunches as we crossed the highway, Boof, PistolPete and Emil typically quick on the northern path to Old Dookie Rd (they must have immunity to headwinds?). Speed is no longer a worry when wind whips at the backside, so 42's to Central Ave in Rocket and Wozza's draft was sustainable. With a clear path through the Doyles roundabout, the afterburners were lit toward SPC, 45's became the norm till a sudden slow for an approaching van turning in front of us to head south. Catastrophe avoided, 37's seemed snail-like on the commute to coffee till High St's traffic light let the lungs refill. My hopes were that dead horses could be revived by coffee.
16/2 Like silk.....
Kilometres seem to evaporate when you get in that zone.......a smooth speed (under the cardiac danger zone), trust in the wheel ahead and barely a breeze to battle had the tarmac blurring under the bike so smoothly for Thursday's lap of luxury (no gasps and groans, no legs like licorice, not on the brink of heart failure and the views were actually in focus!) Thursday's 35 limit works well and has most in the comfort zone where facing the front isn't a fear. I'd done my duty to Orrvale Rd as usual and settled into the draft at the back, well below the point of implosion and still with oxygen to spare! I could get used to this. Emil had restrained his rush on the first drive to the truck route and Tina took us to the Kinder at the same steady rhythm.
Nice when everybody is on the same page (Is it me or is that a rare thing?) With broken spokes replaced, Molly had returned to Thursday's therapy and did her time to the cypress trees for Wendy to lead us to the S bend (without the concerns of Graeme's acceleration thereafter). Kim's care at keeping the cap on speed kept the six stuck together to Coach Rd for Emil to lead us north. The northeast breeze wasn't really a bother when Emil elbowed me to the lead at Old Dookie Rd, those few k's below bursting point making my time at the front almost enjoyable to New Dookie.
After Tuesday's gravel fest on Lemnos-Cosgrove Rd the joint decision to use Hill Rd as a diversion was less stress to Lemnos, Tina and Molly dividing the distance to the old shop. Wendy piloted the brief roll on the super smooth stretch of Lemnos North Rd and was keen to take on Ford Rd too with the pace less tortuous than Tuesday. So the squirrel ritual was preserved when Kim did the drive to Verney 'cause Emil got his trademark turn south to Balaclava Rd (and the red light that comes with it). Looking forward already to the next therapy session!
17/2 A Friday to favor the fast.
Tailwind assistance to the starting grid is as rare as rocking horse manure, though something to help my hurry is always welcome. Where I could hide from the headwind for most of the anti-clcokwise lap was the real issue though. (Take a concrete pill and harden up Foss, escaping that effort is nigh on impossible - I just needed to choose a compliant co-pilot!) The choice was out of PistolPete, Emil, BamBam, Greg, Tina, The Godfather, KnightPaul, Kel, Graeme, Kim, Kreeky, the 5ft Ninja, Bo, Jen or Troy who'd made up the Friday squad, though the order of arrival doesn't always give you many options. Lining up on the Ninja's wheel wouldn't have much aero advantage but Jen (behind) can be counted as a smooth operator. PistolPete and (birthday boy) Emil got wheels in motion at 5:40, the tailwind down to Mitchell Rd setting a swift precedence on pace. Why that tempo became gospel into the headwind I have no idea!
It's alright for these young guns untroubled by wind, regardless of the direction - my trouble is that most of this mob are young! This would be a Friday for the fast. Rocket, Wozz and Boof were noted by their absence, Bruce has been on sick leave and Lenny's listed as a missing person but KnightPaul had made a special guest appearance again and BamBam made a comeback. Greg and KnightPaul had the horsepower to haul us through the headwind at Central Kialla, Troy and The Godfather lengthening the line into River Rd (yet another thrash at the back to stay aboard). I'd hoped for something a little slower than 38's toward rooster corner although being in the advance line at least had some shelter. (poor position really, I'd be exposed to the northeaster advancing to the front. Reversing the roll would have made sense but that gets complicated for some).
25 degrees at 6am said Summer wasn't quite finished. BamBam ran out of watts at 3rd wheel and withdrew from the advance to take residence in the caboose nearing Coach Rd, Kim taking the left line option as Kel and Bo took us toward the Broken bridges. Tina had braved an appearance at the business end and drove well (with some verbal motivation from behind) to reach the highway. Part two of her shift was understandably short so Jen and I took our medicine in Boundary Rd. (Were the gusts of 34 km/h just for us?) I called half time a bit beyond the bridge and despite preserving pace, the Ninja had ideas of fronting faster and whole biked me to the fig farm. When I didn't respond to her new standard she rolled across, though PistolPete turned the tables when her speed sank back to the previous pace in the last half k to Old Dookie Rd. With wind almost at the back door for the way west to town, enthusiasm (and naturally the speed) built toward Central Ave and although legs had had enough, my head drove the incentive to hang on (the cure of coffee wasn't far away now).
Almost o.t.a several times this week, I was determined to hang on for the squirt to SPC and although being slowly demoted toward the back I made it to the roundabout. but the numbers didn't add up ahead arriving there. BamBam, Tina and Kim were 30 metres in arrears so duty and diplomacy had me drop back to keep them company for the commute to coffee.
This week 244km
YTD 2,024km
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