Amplifying the addiction

 Post #688

4/5 Bay play.

Braving the "Back to Black" ride was the intention but the civilized 7:05 start didn't agree with my Melbourne agenda; the 9:15 return didn't sit well with other tasks on my list.  Another day maybe.  So, it was stupid o'clock as usual for the usual Mordialloc start.  Few favored the hour or the direction north, just a handful were city-bound like me, but plenty would be southbound a little closer to sun-up.  More throttle was needed against a north northeast breeze though the head was happy thinking about the tailwind for the return. Closing in and passing many massaged the ego till a few gradual inclines nearer Black Rock reminded me I'm a flat-land specialist (with a particular penchant for tail-winds!)   

My erratic hear-rate monitor suddenly sprung to life , the good news of being below the red line was quickly corrected to get up there immediately.  Still passing and not being passed turned up the motivation (the downhills helped that too) while the familiar path through Sandringham and Hampton seemed to blur under the Michelins (the sea air almost adding a k or two to the tempo).  Southbound pelotons multiplied the further north I traveled and still bikes ahead were caught and passed (I'll need an XXXL helmet by journey's end!) Well ahead of schedule at St.Kilda, a lap of the Grand Prix circuit put a little variety in the u-turn near Port Melbourne, plenty of barriers and fencing already up for the April 2 race.  That breeze behind in Beaconsfield Parade started the southbound return on a positive pace, barely two minutes south and a TT Cervelo (with a young engine driving it) slipped easily by.  Let the hardening-up process begin Foss!  

The temptation to draft one of many bunches starting south was strong, but who wants a foreign wheel sucker among them (and where does 'sitting on' get you?) Rule #67 and #5 is the focus.  

Rounding up a team of eight seemed like setting the bar a bit high, though it does drag out the animal within to stay ahead; fingers crossed I'd get a decent gap before the next uphill dragged my speed back to snail-like. (must have been a pack of eight marshmallows; wide open spaces when I sneaked a peek behind)    Another spring chicken passed me at Brighton (black Factor / PasNormal kit) but I had him classed in a faster formula - apples with apples eh?    Ones and twos continued to be caught through Sandringham and Black Rock, even managed to shake off a wheel sucker of my own en-route to Beaumaris.  Big surprise at Ricketts Point was finding Mr TT Cervelo gasping up a rise and didn't that find a few extra watts to pass him!  The slightest decline past the Edgy and Mentone Grammar had the old faithful Craftworx humming in the 40's, what Tour de Cafe's long black would taste like keeping 37's on the screen for the last 3 k's to Mordy. The icing on the cake was to catch Mr Factor, whistling by him as the traffic light changed green just 500 metres from Mordialloc's pier.  Entertainment was provided by the blinguists and weekend heroes talk at the cafe, pleasant to pass an eye over a Bastion and a Passoni paired there too.

7/3 Easy east, work west. 

Just as well westerlies aren't a common thing in these parts; a headwind home isn't something to get excited about (though sharing it among friends is better than battling it on your own). A west southwester gusting at 35 km/h made staying in bed an attractive proposition so bunch therapy provided the motivation to get moving on Tuesday; a spin with the squirrels saving me from the softness of sleeping-in.  

Emil, Wendy, Tina, Jen and Lili formed an Indian filed line into Channel Rd's darkness, the wind at the backside making 40's a fair pace under Emil's guidance to the truck route.  I had doubts of equaling that effort for my usual shift to Orrvale Rd but that sort of wind gives a lot of assistance. Tina and Wendy were assisted too, doing their bit to the cypress trees for Lili's shift to start. Julz was waiting, ready and raring to get aboard at Hanlon Rd for week two of her apprenticeship (I wonder how raring for the headwind home?)      Jen got the reigns at Beckhams bend and took us to Coach Rd where the honeymoon ended, Emil taking us north at a reduced rate of knots with the wind to battle at the portside.  

34's seemed agreeable to the highway but the wind was wearing away the watts for Julz, trying to find shelter at the rear.  Diplomacy dictated that speed settle to 31's so the apprentice didn't resign.  Shifts turned short to share the load up to Lemnos-Cosgrove, duty at the front in small doses for the trip back to town too with some adjustments to pace so seven stayed together.  Emil was elected to the front at Ford Rd and couldn't resist the role of tow truck to town, plenty of eyes open to make sure there were no disconnections.  The usual halt at Balaclava Rd got a few breaths back in the bank.

9/3  Winters' hint?

Thursday brought a cruel reminder of winters' proximity.  The usual check of the bureau's "feels like" temperature quickly got a base layer on my list.  6 degrees needed some insulation, though I was reluctant to break out the knee warmers and full fingered gloves just yet; I needed some reserves ready for the ravages of June and July!  Rain had ruined the chance to ride on Monday and Wednesday so a couple of slow squirrel circuits would make this a soft week (no complaints though).    

Emil and Kim were found at Tarcoola, Jen and Tina in Rae, Molly making it a half dozen as we steered south toward the shop.  I took a guess that this was a therapy day.  6 degrees was beginning to bite and fingers were feeling like July already; going faster might get the blood flowing but the increased chill factor would be counterproductive.  All were in favor of Emil driving to the truck route (who would oppose it?), a little breeze behind adding a k or two to the therapy standard. What a change to do the Doyles to Orrvale thing without getting to zone four!  

Tina to the Kinder and Kim to the cypress trees put Jen in charge, and of course she did the distance to Coach Rd before handing over to Molly to take us north. (Julz had tendered her apologies for the ride.....and won't that amplify the addiction!)   Leadership was handed to Emil at Boundary's bridge, his constant check on speed taming the temptation to turn up the hurt.  As expected, I got the Old to New Dookie shift.  Respite at the rear while Kim and Jen towed us through the head-on breeze to Lemnos North Rd was a good gig, Molly taking the toil a k into Ford where Emil was given the task to take us to Grahamvale.  Of course that wasn't enough for Emil's eagerness; the short shift to Verney then south to Balaclava was his wish.  Certainly therapy for me (but would it mean lots of watts for tomorrow?) 

10/3  New recruits & old farts.

The feeling of inadequacy was overwhelming finding just 148km clocked for the week.  Somebody sensible would treat it as respite and use it to recharge the batteries, but I didn't say I was sensible!  The desire for distance as a measure of fitness is probably all wrong; rest and recovery is said to be better, but that doesn't feed the habit like kilometres do!  Emil had found Greg on the Boulevard on a super stupid o'clock spin so, for a change, I had a draft to Sanctuary's start rather than suffer the south southwest breeze in the face.  I could join Tina, Lili and Molly's grin in the slipstream too.  The arrival of Gazza, Rocket, Boof, Kel, Wozza, Troy, The Godfather, Kreeky, Bo, BamBam and newbie Strathy at the grid would make this a one-turn lap though PistolPete's absence had many rattled.  Wozza stood in for the first shift to Mitchell and without thinking, I joined the advance at second wheel to Emil (a truck about to enter Archer Rd at the time a car was overtaking us made the start startling).  

Emil's ease of effort allowed me to front up for the drive to Central Kialla though I had doubts of doing :"the full block" to River Rd with Kreeky (but the bunch split for traffic at the turn north, so backing off the gas till they caught up gave me time to overdose on oxygen and cope with part two).  Recovery took till River Rd's bridge while Boof and Kreeky towed us there.  Gazza had convinced Strathy to sample the squads' hospitality and wisely took the invitation to sit in the caboose, a place Molly and Lili took up, finding their labor lacking to front-up for duty.   

BamBam's attendance scores an A+ again and he braved the front with Troy (compliant alongside) headed to rooster corner.  As advocate for the full block, The Godfather took on the north drive of Coach Rd to the highway with Rocket, putting pressure on Bo to do likewise to Old Dookie Rd.  (Good news was that kept me from fronting again!) Maybe Kel called half time at School Rd on the work west in Old Dookie Rd but we'll blame Bo for taking a half turn.  Emil and Wozza paired again to drive from Central Ave to the truck route, so my slow exit from the roundabout dropped me down the order a few places where a decent draft was had to SPC (roadworks soon at this roundabout will rethink our route for a few months)  Strathy had survived his maiden lap intact, just the banter and sledging to get through at the Butter Factory as part of the induction. 

A long black in the tank surprised me with speed on a solo spin out New Dookie Rd (this was the addition to overcome the inadequacy) till I realised the south southwester was helping the hurry, heading down Central Ave to Channel Rd was the decent dose of reality at the right shoulder.   Daylight made this 28k intermission a rare treat.  Finding the vintage velocipedists  had arrived at Adams Rd for their 8am departure, I joined a good mix of Hoffy, Chilly, GB, YoungBrian, Frizzy and a couple of others when WobblyTrev punctured forcing his Channel Rd short-cut.  A single-filed formation was a little out of character (but safer) though the line settled into smooth 33's south to Mitchell and all the way east to Coach Rd (nothing like the unpredictable Brown's Cows rabble that their division two is famous for)  I finally got the lead role in Coach Rd and had the breeze behind as a bonus, so a step up to 34's and 5's didn't dislodge anyone (but kept them silent). 

The rooster at River Rd crowed his approval of daylight and 13 degrees.  E-Jim and IrishTony climbed aboard the caboose at the fig farm and there they stayed for the drive up to Hill Rd (that has no hill in it) for the way west to Lemnos.  YoungBrian, Hoffy, Frizzy and Chilly tapped out a reliable tempo for 70+ year old farts, so there's hope for me yet!  Frizzy flinched an elbow to me in Ford Rd so my drive to Grahamvale Rd a little bit faster had a silent following  (but none dislodged.) A few had chosen permanent residence in the caboose though.  

Hoffy led the line in Wanganui Rd, his slight slow at DECA taken as my hint to take over, so knowing this mobs' protocol is a sprint up Mt.Wanganui, I wound up the watts to Kittles Rd, but only had e-Jim using volts to keep up.  Such pleasure comes from dropping a wheel sucker for the win, particularly when a motor is needed to challenge (that should read cheat).   Hoffy was keen to hurry again along the Boulevard while others delighted in his draft so I swapped turns with him to Tarcoola before bidding adieu's to head home.  114 got the weeks' kilometres back up to respectable again.

 

This week 262km

YTD 2,917km