The vertical version

 Post #701

10/6 Curing cravings.

A wet week caused a craving to get aboard the bike when the forecast finally said dry for Saturday, an urge shared by Troy, Rocket, Julz, BamBam, The Godfather, Wozza, Tina, Emil, Bruce, Kim, KnightPaul, Boof, Greg, LiamM and PistolPete apparently, assembling at Sanctuary's start line.  I had some rust to shake off when six bells struck to set sixteen southbound, the small gap ahead in the left line slammed shut when Bo filled the void. His speciality?  Rocket's repairing ribs had allowed him a spin and rescheduled surgery had Greg back in the bunch, KnightPaul added more horsepower to the pack while Bruce, The Godfather and Bo were showing signs of a soaked spin yesterday.  Duty in the drivers seat was scheduled for later when I finally joined the advance line beyond River Rd's dip. 

 Water across the road (yesterday) caused a caution to be called but just a few puddles remained at the quarter horse fence; the only other concern was facing feels like one (and whether to guess The Godfather's hollers as a caution.  Is an interpreter available?) It was a pleasure seeing a fraction of light on the horizon along Coach Rd (hump day is only a bit over a week away!)   BamBam and Tina did their time at the business end on Boundary Rd (LiamM, Kim and Julz opting for partial rotations) and I scored part one with Tina to Old Dookie then part two to the Toaster with Bo (half wheeled the whole way of course!)  

Those with wheelbarrows full of watts played ball; conforming with the teams' tempo is the secret to sustaining attendance at this time of year.  Long drives by those who can made this a one-turn-at-the-front lap for many, the colourful sun-up scenery behind motivating the return to town. Behavior along the Boulevard made a welcome change, cobwebs being cleared on the last k to Knight St.  "Interesting" people we know, vexed vision and specialist surgery was on the breakfast babble list.

12/6 Toaster tappin'.

Siding with the Wouldabeens (Crossy, AlmostRetiredTrev, Wendy and ChrisS) was tant amount to treason in some Couldabeens quarters, but the chance to ride in daylight on a public holiday made perfect sense for Tina, Emil and I.  A lap of slightly less labour was a drawcard too.  The risk of 'roos on Raftery Rd turned a Toaster lap short to make Archer Rd the starting straight for Emil and I to lead to Mitchell Rd. 

33's raised no objections.  I got lucky to be in the draft for the monotonous length of Mitchell Rd as a light easterly made work for others toward Coach Rd.  Emil showed remarkable restraint to keep tempo tame (one should do as the Roman's do in Rome), possibly wearing a set of brake pads out in the process.  Oxygen to spare for sentences made this a rare ride where social intercourse was possible, though feels like 0.8 was causing an early craving for coffee. The Bureau said north northeast but the ease of heading west on Lemnos-Cosgrove contradicted that, the fact that all were happy to serve their sentence at the front a little faster confirmed it was a tailwind to me.  

The 14k length of Lenmos-Cosgrove and Ford Rd passed with pleasure to Wanganui Rd, a short spin south on Rudd Rd to Canterbury where the six slimmed to single file just as I'd reached the front at the Boulevard. I had no plans for heroics toward breakfast but of course Emil did beyond Tarcoola's roundabout.  Conversation in the Milk Bar's warmth only made the remount to ride home a little harder - but that's how winter tests us. 

13/6 A fresh fling.

With a few out of action and just five fronting for Tuesday's lap, I guessed there'd be extra effort needed, particularly with a northeaster blowing for most of the anti-clockwise tour of Shepp East and Lemnos.  The commute south to the shop was the easy bit, though feels like four encouraged a little extra cadence for some warmth.  The recent kangaroo calamity has created a consensus for a little calm in the depths of a dark winter, all comfortable with a cap of 35 and a renewed focus on conditions and wildlife to see us through the season, hopefully remaining upright. Even at second wheel, 35 was an effort to the truck route. The northeaster wasn't helping.  Wendy warned of another pot-hole expanding near the school, one I just managed to see and avoid in a tiring turn to Orrvale Rd. 

Wendy worked her watts to the Kinder and Kim performed well to the cypress trees without a speedo for reference.  Tina's intention to drive to the end of Channel Rd was shortened by the wind at the S bend.  I'd got my head around the extra effort needed to head into a now north northeaster but Emil chose to suffer the length of Boundary Rd to New Dookie Rd.  Given the short 1800 metres to Lemnos-Cosgrove was more than enough punishment and catching the train's tail when Wendy worked west wanted willpower too.  Sitting at second wheel to Lemnos North Rd had laboured Kim to shorten her shift on Ford, Tina doing the 2 k drive to Grahamvale Rd.  So Emil naturally took on the role of tow truck to Verney Rd and added the southbound shift to Balaclava (with a final fling into the 40's) to that (always?) red traffic light. 

14/6 At war with wind.

If it weren't for the other weirdo's riding (hopefully!) in Wednesday's wintery wind, I'd have cancelled the alarm and drifted back into la la land.  Feels like 2.9 and a 24 km/h westerly wasn't a good advertisment for leaving a warm bed!  I nearly called a tow truck to get me moving.  Weirdo's Greg, Kreeky, Wozza, Boof, Bruce, the 5ft Ninja, Emil, BamBam, PistolPete, Tina and The Godfather lined up in the windblown Sanctuary Drive and priorities seemed to be on getting a shift done before the heartache of the headwind home. Old Dookie Rd wouldn't be much fun.  

PistolPete had allowed Boof and Wozza to get the party started south while I drew the short straw of the Ninja's starved-of-a-slipstream wheel.  The wind behind primed plenty of pace along Mitchell to the point of considering dropping off the back if this was the standard.  The dark, the damp road and recent wildlife worries have altered comfort levels (Lili going under the surgeon's knife today put more caution in the cranium)  but Emil applied an ease of effort to set the speed at sensible on River Rd's wet tarmac. The Godfather willingly obliged.  (I do favour the vertical version of riding).  

Luck was likely to let me get duty done before Old Dookie Rd arrived but BamBam's draft was hiding the real work of the now west northwester blowing at the port side on Boundary.  The Ninja drew alongside at the bridge but wisely called it quits at the fig farm, sensing the suffering to come for the west way home.  How lucky we were to have horsepower to the front for the 8k back to town, Wozza, Boof, Pistol and Emil providing 36's and 7's (into the wind mind you!) to satisfy the coffee craving sooner.

15/6 Quality....quasi quantity.

Emil's early launch and my moments hesitation put me at the back of Thursday's line, a welcome change from the usual second wheel duty, though rooster tails of water from Emil, Tina, Wendy and BamBam was the payback for procrastination.  Preparation time before facing the front wasn't a bad thing though.  The road from home was dry but damp (the Bureau failed to forecast) had scattered on the circuit from earlier drizzles.  Glad I hadn't cleaned the bike!  A few on the injured / sick list had slimmed the squirrels to four so BamBam's last moment arrival at the start was a welcome addition.  

Feeling the guilt by the time I was handed the reigns at the cypress trees, my drive to Channel Rd's end was figured to be compensation for the long tow. I timed that well; giving Emil the lead role on Coach and Boundary Rd and the joy of the headwind with it! Ah, but he's young (and I reckon he enjoys the pain!)   Tina must have counted her blessings to be towed to Lemnos-Cosgrove Rd, putting in a decent drive herself for 2 k's west toward Lemnos.  Not content with the k to Lemnos North Rd, Wendy chose to work another 3 k's to Grahamvale Rd.   BamBam's elbow elected me the lead arriving at Verney Rd, donating Emil's hallowed drive to Balaclava Rd to my control (better not f#@k this up Foss!)   The north northeaster amplified my abilities to build up to 40's beyond Graham St, but I f#@k'd the timing of the traffic lights (of course) arriving at a red one.

16/6 Friday's frustrations.

A clean bike and chain should have started Friday on a positive but 3 k's down the road the clatter from the chain was doing my head in.  No amount of derailer trimming or gear changing would silence it.  A lot of effort was going in with little return on speed as well.  Arriving at Sanctuary's start line at 5:40:03 needed a bucket load of watts just to catch the tail of the bunch launching southward, so the draft from Rocket, Kel, PistolPete, Tina, Troy, Boof, Greg, Bruce, Wozza, Bo, Emil, the 5ft Ninja, Kreeky and The Godfather at least helped with the hurry.  Finding the incentive to advance for a drive at the business end was difficult.  It was tempting to stay at the back but Boof and his man-cold were confined there.  Speed seemed supersonic till a glance at the Garmin read 'h.t.f.u. Foss, it's only 37'.  

So I followed Tina toward the front while Greg and Troy towed us to the dip.  Tina took the lead for a k till survival beckoned her to the shelter of the left line.  Despite heading east, the north northeaster felt head-on at the front and with barely a k covered, I called half time to Greg for part two with Kel (she kindly ignored me sounding like a steam train and the bike sounding like a shaken bucket of nails).  My white flag was raised just a minute later for Kel and Kreeky to save my breathless bacon. Nearly able to string a sentence together in Coach Rd, a 'roo the size of a small horse caused a sudden slow (deja vu a fortnight ago) but all remained upright.  With brakes barely cooled, The Godfather was on the gas again to stir up the stress, velocity varying to the highway.  

This wasn't a fun Friday.  PistolPete restored the rhythm on Boundary Rd though 37's still felt like 47's to Old Dookie Rd. Out of the head wind and bearing west toward town fixed some frustrations but legs were still laboring. Sheltered in the left line back to town took a little pressure off although the throttle was still wide open to keep in the slipstream.  All got the green light at High St........except me, so a slow roll to the Butter Factory was bliss, though now I sensed a slowly softening rear tyre.  At least I found the excuse for the effort!

This week 328km

YTD 6365km