Post #690
18/3 Saturday singled.
It was high time I took an early shift. Most days have me hiding in an early draft anyway. PistolPete was strangely absent on Saturday and I just happened to be at the front of the grid when Lili, Graeme, the 5ft Ninja, Lenny, Bruce, The Godfather, Bo and Kel lined up for the 6am spin. The call for single file meant I wouldn't have to match anothers' pace; just the expectations of all the others to do something decent in the drivers' seat weighed heavily on the head. The 800 metres to the truck route wasn't so bad; a steady build up of pace didn't drain the tank over that distance, but maintaining the speed standard for the next 1800 to Mitchell made me regret setting the bar a bit high. (I hoped Lili wouldn't drop me when she took on the eastern drive to Central Kialla). Breathless, but reaching the target, I joined the tail somewhat satisfied I'd met The Godfather's "full block" standards. A whisp of a westerly would speed my recovery (the perception earlier of a northeaster was pure fantasy, but it helped my hurry south). Lili seemed cooked a k toward Euroa Rd and rolled to the rear, leaving the task of the tow to Central Kialla to Graeme.
My attempts setting 36's were far outclassed by Lenny's 39's in River Rd, and just as the negatives brewed in the head about sustaining that speed, Kel's call for calm brewed some hope instead. Lili was in Struggle Street, so the slow saved me. The half k's calm was soon swapped for speed again, although getting a few breaths back soon recharges the battery. The Godfather got into the drivers' seat on Coach Rd and got that diesel engine on the torque curve (53/13) to take us north for a long drive. (Time constraints turned Kel and Bo homeward via Channel Rd). A call of 'car back' was in fact the shop squad passing at warp speed (suitable sledges promptly delivered). The diesel was still going in Boundary Rd, his pace considerately controlled to keep all aboard.
The bike ahead at the fig farm turned out to be Emil, ejected from the shop squad (big on speed, low on compassion). Another contributor was more than welcome at half distance. Keen to continue his captaincy to the Toaster, The Godfather's enthusiasm had dislodged Lili from the caboose at Old Dookie's bridge, the subsequent slow to regroup worked for a little while but Graeme's watts on the front wore away the cohesion. My guess at 33's found favour, so I became the tow truck to the Toaster. Graeme got the pace and the position perfect heading to the Pine Lodge church, Bruce setting a similar speed to Lemnos-Cosgrove Rd (the broken rib didn't seem to trouble him, or does he hide the hurt?)
Emil bumped up the velocity (and why not with the now south southeaster assisting) and to her credit, Lili laboured the load well, 40's to Boundary Rd and onward, burning my vastus lateralis in the process. Energy was evaporating quickly in The Godfather's draft along Wanganui Rd so my turn into Rudd Rd's wind emptied the tank of any reserves for extra efforts. Big mistake. A very thin thread held me to the caboose for the length of the Boulevard. Being dropped at Tarcoola's roundabout when the hammer went down wasn't a drama seeing Graeme had succumbed too, the slow to 37's got the view on Knight St back into focus and found LiamM en-route to breakfast. The realities of recycling, road rage and old school revenge tattled tongues while the empty tank was filled.
20/3 Warriors or weirdo's?
Tempting as it was to stay in bed and listen to the southerly blowing at 40 km/h, I knew the sledges for failing to front to Monday's ride would be relentless. Besides, the regret of not riding would ruin the day. (Facing the tough stuff is good mental ammunition for when weather turns against you anyway). Wrung out half way to Sanctuary Drive, I was grateful Rocket rolled to the front and pair with Emil at Wilmot Rd, allowing me some respite at the rear where Tina was sensibly seated. Wind blowing water (from a broken irrigation spray) across Waranga Drive gave us a free cold shower, and what a delightful drenching when the Bureau said feels like 10. Greg, Troy, Bruce, Bo, The Godfather, PistolPete and Kel possibly wanted to be spared the sledges too and fronted the grid, Troy drawing the short straw to co-pilot the southern leg to Mitchell with PistolPete (who else?) though Troy's wattage and new wheels were fit for purpose.
Christmas came early turning east but naturally speed got spicy without the wind head-on, Emil and Troy positioning well to shelter the next in line from the labour. Tina and Kel had confined themselves to the caboose. Bo and The Godfather were in cahoots on River Rd, their usual "my engines' better than yours" demonstration started at the bridge and continued unabated (How refreshing to see they'd positioned well to keep the rear out of the gutter). Second wheel to Bo was testing my tenacity by the quarter horse stud but hey, it was better than heading into that wind! The Godfather finally allowed Bo to roll across at rooster corner so I should send the two terrors a cheque for gifting me a tail-wind turn.
There weren't a lot of sprockets left while 42's blurred the path north and I knew I'd hear that "full block" demand when I called half time to Bo at the Broken bridges. This old bloke doesn't come with a long range tank (the oxygen consumption at this pace would run the tank dry by the highway anyway) so part two with Bruce to the pub was my limit. Not surprisingly, few bikes braved the southern spin so The Godfather's greetings were minimal. I spent the distance to Old Dookie Rd in hope I'd avoid a second term. Pistol and Troy were on the front again for the west way to Central Ave so maybe I'd be lucky to score a tow into town? The pleasure was the shelter from the southerly in the advance line while Emil and Troy took us to the truck route. The want to echelon against the wind when the pack turned single file for the squirt to SPC was stifled with commuting cars behind, the western approach to SPC the only lane open at the roundabout so days of this circuit are numbered.
21/3 Where's the wind?
Uninviting as Channel Rd is at 5:30 am, seven speared into it's darkness, today with a little more insulation fitted against the bite of 11 degrees. Emil had put 37's on the menu toward Doyles Rd as me, Molly, Tina, Jen, Lili and Kim lined up behind, keen to make a contribution to the team or maybe just keen to get the chore over and done with? Of course, I got the Doyles to Orrvale shift and just for a change, I found the opening speed achievable (and not a tailwind to explain it!), the slightest of southerlies was hidden by houses, the Orrvale school and the orchards. Molly had taken on Tina's usual drive to the Kinder, a shift to the usual routine.
Jen was in charge from the cypress trees but slowed for a moment at Beckhams bend to let Julz join the line, then resumed her rush to get to Channel Rd's end. Lili had the southerly breeze as a gentle aid to the highway but cut her shift short to finish it there. In contrast, Kim had the hammer down on Boundary Rd (what you can achieve without a speedo to reference your pace!) but the lust for oxygen at the bridge had her hand over.
The routine had returned with Emil at the front bound I guessed, for Old Dookie Rd. Presumption correct; I got the usual Old to New Dookie shift with the bonus of that breeze behind. Jen was on a mission to get to Lemnos, though a brief moment off the gas had Julz keen to captain. Jen got back on the throttle again, testing Julz' will. Despite Jen's curved ball, Julz got down to business for the 3k length of Ford to Grahamvale, though the speed sank slightly in the last k as oxygen failed to keep up to the enthusiasm. Always eager to lead the last leg to Balaclava Rd (and on to the Butter Factory for that matter), Emil jumped a couple of rungs (urging me to follow at second wheel) to donate the gals a tow into town but eager had dislodged Julz in the last 400 metres so Balaclava's red light regrouped the seven again.
22/3 The mornings' moisturiser.
A fickle forecast kept some guessing (and kept some others in bed) but I had faith in the always reliable yr.no app of "all clear" for Wednesday. Yesterday's half inch of rain had dampened the tarmac and 100% humidity made riding like pushing through soup. Bruce, Tina, Boof, The Godfather, Wozza, Gazza, Rocket and the 5ft Ninja's spirits weren't dampened, lining up behind PistolPete, the lower attendance forcing this to be an Indian filed format.
Second wheel to Pistol is usually the last to labour but today's eagerness to berth there made me 2ic. Pete makes 38's look easy (but it makes me lame), the urge to keep the line intact drags out a few more watts worth though. Using that urge early could be blamed for starting my turn already cooked, but if the rest didn't like the pensioner's pace, they could lump it! Two k's to Euroa Rd seemed to be all uphill (I later discovered an easterly breeze was too blame) and emptying the tank to reach shifts end isn't a good idea, so with Tina's turn next, I had hopes she'd be kind on the throttle. The measure of fitness is in the recovery they say, so when the world came back into focus nearing River Rd there was some hope left. Rocket took the tempo up a few notches in River Rd and Wozza followed suit, the focus blurring again a little by River Rd's end. Gazza got into the drivers seat at Coach Rd to make his hurry and although his speed was swift, the smoothness limited the suffering. PistolPete's not much of a draft but wasn't it good to have The Godfather ahead carving a decent slice through the atmosphere. A puddle or two made a mess of the bike but better get used to it Foss, there's a lot more to come! (I'd forgotten about the aroma of dead worms stuck to the bike, the fun of playing frog dodgem another of Winter's entertainment to look forward to!).
A breath or two was gained on a brief wait at the highway but Gazza had cemented himself in the lead for Boundary too, aimed at Old Dookie, a test for the 5ft one sitting at second wheel. My focus moved close on PistolPete's wheel, the peripherals blurred under the sustained speed (no complaints from me though; Gazza's long drive would save me from a second appearance at the front). The Ninja was obviously toasted a touch from Gazza's 6 k's worth of martyrdom, her lead west into Old Dookie Rd faded a little shy of School Rd but Bruce did the duty to Central Ave with little signs of carrying a broken rib. The Godfather delivered his variable velocity to the truck route (a test for legs on the limit) but PistolPete's smoothness eased the pain to SPC. Conformity with commuting traffic seems to be on the improve, though consistency could be better with some.
23/3 The therapy theory.
A pedal at a pedestrian pace would be perfect. I must be getting old when most rides feel like I'm right on the limit, though I keep turning up for repeat prescriptions don't I! The theory behind therapy Thursdays is to let the legs recover and enjoy just one day of peace among the paced ones. Another theory might be to fall back in love with riding again rather than each day being terrorized by toil. The stars had aligned to treat the Squirrels to a tailwind back to town, so all that Kim, Wendy, Emil, Molly and Tina needed was to battle Channel and Boundary Rd's and enjoy the bliss of Lemnos-Cosgrove and Ford with the breeze at the back. Crossy had crossed the floor from the Wouldabeens to make a guest appearance with the Squirrels, being read the riot act on taming his tempo to therapy standards (there's that FIFO factor again) so Emil was the educator to the truck route teaching a therapeutic 33. I'd ranked the east northeaster as a wind more than a breeze though facing it for my Doyles to Orrvale session didn't really blow a head gasket. Distant lightning provided us a light show.
Tina tapped turn three to the Kinder and Wendy provided the draft to the cypress trees, Julz laying in wait at Beckham's bend to climb aboard the peace train. Kim must have been minus speedo again, testing the therapy limits to the end of Channel Rd and adding a haul to the highway for good measure. Crossy's debut drive showed considerable restraint, his regular head nod saying a watch was on speed (prevents a knife in the back!). Calling it quits at the fig farm threw the usual shift routine out the window but a bit of variety to the same old same old wouldn't go astray. So Emil's shift ended at New Dookie Rd and I got the 2k leg to Lemnos-Cosgrove as a change of scenery. Most had worked the wind over the distance if only for the treat of the help homeward, Tina and Wendy getting a taste of it first to Lemnos North Rd. Keen to make her donation, Julz had a wind assisted passage to Grahamvale Rd. Crossy was trusted with Emil's trademark drive south on Verney Rd and stuck to Thursday's standards, presented with the always red traffic light at Balaclava Rd.
24/3 Full house Friday.
A check of the Bureau's observatory data (better the devil you know.....) told me there was an east northeaster but in the real world aboard two wheels at stupid o'clock, I'd put money on a southwester smothering my spin to Sanctuary. Tactics to score an early slipstream to (at least) Mitchell Rd were on the drawing board long before reaching the grid. Trav, Lili, BamBam, Rocket, Jen, Emil, Kreeky, Bruce, Tina, Bo, Wozza, Boof, Kel, LiamM, Greg, PistolPete, the 5ft Ninja and The Godfather packed Sanctuary's start line, obviously taking advantage of a 16 degree morning while it lasted. The woes of Winter loom large! (I won't mention it's nine and a half weeks away). PistolPete, naturally got wheels turning south, Emil eager to expend his energy alongside. I'd got The Godfather's preferred place in the pack (last to serve duty, behind Pistol) so I'd be crossed off his Christmas card list. I reckoned I'd earned the position having hurt for 10k's to the start. Rocket reckoned I'd be getting a tow all the way to the Butter Factory given the size of the squad, but I've learned from experience nothing is guaranteed.
Kreeky faced the front with Emil in Mitchell Rd where the wind felt head-on too, so hats off to him reaching Euroa Rd and doing the part two distance to River Rd too. BamBam continues to earn frequent flyer points with the pack (hoping for election as the official Road Ranger?) and Trav had turned up to tap a few k's but where TrackStan has hidden is anyone's guess. (Succumbed to Zwift?) Gazza and his development squad hollered a sledge on their westbound roll of River Rd (as if The Godfather needs baiting!), Lili successfully dragging LiamM back onto the bike after a long (work related) hiatus, but both optioned the observers role from the caboose. Evidence of an east northeaster was debatable as I transitioned to the advance line in Coach Rd, the long line ahead allowing a headcount (18) so I could put names to the numbers later.
Julz, or should that be Miss Mustard (keen as!) was waiting for the train near Channel Rd. (19 now; won't get that in Winter!). Rocket's guess of my free tow to town was fading as I came closer to the front, Jen and The Godfather setting a tough tempo to Central Ave. Rather than labour at their limits, I set my own speed at the front for The Godfather to (hopefully) comply to, and in a gentlemanly gesture of sympathy to a senior citizen, he did! Tempting as it was to roll across at Dobson's bridge, I'd get The Godfather's wrath of "Full Block" then PistolPete's pace to live up to. So I stubbornly stuck out the long drive to the truck route where my tactics were to ease the exit of the roundabout and score a tow instead of the part two of pain. That worked a treat!
A diversion via Mitchell and Williams to avoid the SPC roundabout road closure put caution into the commute toward coffee ; a decision needed soon on the circuit to stick to for the next three months till the roadworks are complete.
This week 304km
YTD 3,520km
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