Post #700
3/6 A ride restrained.
The call for a calm Saturday was attractive to several on Saturday (Bo, Boof, Greg, The Godfather, Wozza, Julz, Emil, the 5ft Ninja, GiantAndy and PistolPete) although overnight rain didn't make the circuit very attractive. Yesterday's crash and the state of the roads certainly put caution on the cards, so the promised cap of 35 for the circuit seemed a sensible ceiling (if it was stuck to). Shame it takes something horribly horizontal to bring the risk back into focus; speeding along through the dark at 10 metres a second (less than a metre apart) is bound to have consequences at times. (Highlights the trust we put in others, eh?) Settling into some sort of order, Julz had shied from facing the front in Mitchell Rd, ducking to the left line and leaving me Emil's wheel to follow to River Rd. My duty at the front was to the bridge then with The Godfather to the dip and that was a decent heart-starter to the lap for me (An east southeaster had stolen anything like stamina from me).
Naturally, eyes were peeled for 'roos, and rooster tails of water from wet wheels quickly found open orifices and clean bikes and kits to make a mess of; at least the craving for k's was satisfied. Hijinks were off the menu with Bo and The Godfather separated and most of the horsepower had restrained themselves to the call for calm, though my second serve at the business end from Verney through to Mt.Wanganui seemed to empty the tank, even at social speed. Wozza and GiantAndy were let loose in Rudd Rd to clear cobwebs while the remainder took a cautionary cruise along the Boulevard ('till Emil's enthusiasm erupted to bolt the last k to Knight St.) The now standard split to the cafe of choice saw a few head to Eighty8 for breakfast to refuel and solve e.v. battery disposal, getting booked and supporting your local grower (legal crops that is)
5/6 Going through the Monday motions.
The forecast of a wet week ahead stirred the bones out of bed on a mild Monday.....this might be one of the very few chances to clock a few k's for the week. A few had braved bare knees in 8 degrees when 5:40 drew Emil, Tina, Bruce, the 5ft Ninja, BamBam, Bo, Wozza, The Godfather, Kel and Greg to the starting line. Wozza and Emil performed the opening ceremony to the lap in PistolPete's absence. There'd be no escape from the northeaster today and scoring the Ninja's wheel would offer little shelter. Tina had braved getting back on two wheels following Friday's horizontal malfunction but chose the caboose as a precaution while I prepared to brave the front as Kel and the Ninja led the mob out of River Rd's dip.
Duty called sooner than expected when the 5ft one shortened her shift, then the k alongside Emil to rooster corner felt the wind more head-on to burn up the reserves (it seemed like a wind to me but the Bureau reckoned it was a breeze ; these statements come from a static weather station though, not alongside a young bloke's pace!) The Godfather must have had watts on his Weet-Bix, delivering yet another decent drive on Coach and Boundary Rd's. Greg was making the most of a pre-knee replacement ride. Old Dookie Rd had plenty of pace with that 'wind' behind (or was it the eagerness for a fix of caffeine?) and into town 45's were seen briefly on the single filed thrash to SPC's (will it ever be fixed?) roundabout.
The forecast wet week did happen to limit the kilometres (therefore limiting this babble!) so that will muster motivation next week!
This week 116km
YTD 6,029
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