The quest to be quick

Post #698

23/5 Like the mother-in-law's kiss.

Just one short ride squeezed into a 10 day holiday and I was like a junkie going cold turkey, brewing enough emotional frustration to keep Freud busy for a month.  (Yeah, the addiction is strong in this one).  So, swinging a leg over the Fizik on Tuesday couldn't come soon enough, even when the Bureau warned of zero degrees.  The perch on the bike felt quite odd for a few hundred metres till rust fell from the joints and feels like minus 2.8 gave me something else to concentrate on.  Hopes were set on the squirrel spin being a gentle baptism to being back on the bike after what seemed an eternity in oblivion.  

As expected, Kim and Emil arrived on cue at Tarcoola, while Jen, Molly and Lili (attired like Eskimos) joined the procession in Rae St.  Slow acting concrete finally took effect on LiamM to join us soon after.  33's seemed swift southbound on Archer St though the chill probably amplified the effort a bit.  With no last minute entries at the shop, the flag dropped at 5:29 for Emil's opening effort to the truck route . 37's as the metaphorical toe-in-the-water after a ten day drought didn't seem like the struggle I'd anticipated, though that was a rash statement from the comfort of the slipstream at second wheel.   Settling into a rhythm on my usual Doyles to Orrvale shift found 35's was what the old engine would deliver (and I reckon that would be a subtle transition to the slightly slower shifts to come (though Jen set a similar speed to the Kinder).  Molly called me into the second last seat on my retreat to the rear, so maybe that injury plagues her again? (or has the caboose become convenient?)  The light at Jamieson Rd's corner was Julz u-turning to even the numbers to eight while Lili led the chilled path to the cypress trees.  Kim wasn't so keen to spend too long at the front when a seat somewhere near the rear would be 0.003 degrees warmer, LiamM likewise keeping his appearance brief to the S bend.  Emil's early election to the front again might mean my second shift would come due earlier but his heroics of driving long to Old Dookie Rd must be in the job description (his discount driving at 35's at least wasn't going to cook me.....but then not much cooks at -0.7).   

From Old to New Dookie Rd seemed to take forever; I had a want for that 0.003 warmth at the back!   The thin strip of tarmac to Lemnos-Cosgrove Rd got squeezy avoiding the rumble strips (that warn of a railway line that's not used anymore) and an approaching car, though Jen guided us north for Julz to work west.  For a moment I thought rust had returned to the legs but the squeak squeak squeak turned out to be LiamM's shoe covers in rhythm to his pedal stroke.   Kim and LiamM's second shift extended a little further than their first to get us a couple of k's into Ford Rd, so naturally Emil was up for the long drive home when given the reigns a k from Grahamvale Rd.  Predictably his pace got keen 500 metres from Balaclava Rd and Jen caught his enthusiasm to bolt to the traffic lights.  I led the conservative party to the red lights that were waiting for us all.

24/5  Twice as hot as yesterday!

Eyelids were at risk of slamming shut while procrastinating over a pre-ride coffee; getting out of bed before the alarm can be a high-risk activity when it's a whole one degree outside (but I wasn't going to submit to the softness of a sleep-in.  That recent 10 day drought had caused enough damage already)  The morning's motivation was that one degree was almost twice what yesterday offered!  The roll to Sanctuary Drive with Emil had the old engine into overload, there was nothing supersonic about 32's but the cardiac cruelty of 165 to get there was doing my head in.  I'd already planned my place in the peloton on PistolPete's wheel (maximum delay before taking a turn), lucky that The Godfather's late arrival allowed me the luxury.  Attendance was fairly average, though a big bunch in this temperature is unlikely.

Wozza, Boof, Kreeky, Bruce, Rocket and Greg lined up behind Pistol's gentle introduction of 34's. Bruce played co-pilot to Mitchell Rd, Emil, Boof and Wozza lining up for their early contribution behind.  The chill factor encouraged a higher cadence toward River Rd; it might heat the muscles a little more but the slicing through the atmosphere at any speed is hardly a warm welcome.  Not much chat in the pack as many chose to keep the hot air inside, even The Godfather had less to say, possibly with Bo's absence.  Joining the advance line at River Rd's bridge brought some comfort to get Kreeky's wheel - he's more in my league of speed than the other freaks! 

Greg and Kreeky were in charge to rooster corner so Kreeky and I paired north on Coach Rd and wasn't I pleased when he called half time at the bridge - gave me the reason to make the highway part one and I might get away with a short shift to Boundary's bridge as part two (and not a murmur of "full blocks" from you know who!)  PistolPete obliged my request for quits at the bridge so I spent the distance to Old Dookie Rd hauling the heart-rate out of the heavens (though speed had crept up a little on Pistol and Bruce's watch)   Naturally Emil was keen to continue the hurry habit west to Central Ave and no surprise Boof had us nudging 40's to the truck route.  I guess the bonus was that most were well warmed up for the obligatory blast to SPC.  The lap was probably a cruise for many but I had hammered legs syndrome for an hour or two after- see what time off two wheels does to you?

25/5 Not so cruisy.

Thursday's north northeaster made a welcome change to the chill, a blessing for the spin south to the shop but it'd be a pain in the gluteus maximus for a fair bit of the squirrel circuit (why should we get it easy?)   The only therapy for today might be the coffee at the conclusion; the southbound leg of Verney Rd was bound to get Emil excited so there'd be effort there too.  Greg was a surprise addition to the team at the shop, joining the procession as Emil led the first shift to the truck route with Jen, Lili, LimM and Molly in tow.  Struggling to engage a cleat on the exit from the carpark (you'd reckon I'd do it blindfold after 19 years of this obsession!) didn't slip me down the order - seems I'm destined to forever take on that second shift.  That wind wore away the enthusiasm even at second wheel ; Emil had set 33's as the standard but it felt like a category two climb to me.  

Putting my two bob's worth into the Doyles to Orrvale job needed a mass of muscle to register anything near 33's on the Garmin - and it was most likely the head handbraking the speed 'cause 167's wasn't my red-line.  The hint of a man-cold wasn't helping much.  Jen seemed to struggle on her quest to be quick on leg three, 33's sinking to 31's to the Kinder, but my urge was to get to the rear for recovery.  Yet again, Molly called me in to second last spot (I might request a doctors' certificate for her injury next time).   Of course Lili's turn south on Central was swift, the real test on the eastern drive to the cypress trees pulling the pace down again.  Julz joined in the second last seat, LiamM taking on the drive to the S bend (his tank emptied 200 metres short of the mark).  Greg's horsepower dragged us all to Channel Rd's end and continued north on Boundary to break the usual routine.  When given the lead at Boundary Rd's bridge, it was a fair bet Emil would want to match Greg's tenacity well beyond Old Dookie Rd, so maybe I'd be given the reigns at New Dookie instead? 

The concrete started to mix in the cranium, hardening up for the headwind from there. What luck that Emil's enthusiasm continued north to Lemnos-Cosgrove Rd and spared me the stress of the north northwester (cheque's in the mail Emil).  The speed to set west was the dilemma, so took a guess at 35's to the bridge, Jen confirming my punt with a similar speed to Lemnos North Rd.  Two k's worth of work into Ford Rd was a decent drive from the new recruit and Julz could still talk on her retreat rearward when the work was done (me thinks there's more in the engine than she shows)   Lili to Grahamvale Rd and LiamM to Verney put Greg at the helm for Emil's trademark shift southbound to Balaclava Rd.  As predicted, pace turned spicy with the wind at the backside and of course Emil opened the throttle with 400 to go.  Jen joined in the excitement ('cause she can) but 40 was plenty for me and my man-cold (and the four behind) to roll to the traffic lights....just as the green gave us the go-ahead.

This week 141 km

YTD 5,602 km