At the suffering setting

 Post #703

24/6 Cruiz'n.

Feeling as flat as Channel Rd, Greg's call for a calm Saturday cruise came as music to my ears.  A short spell from the speed of the Sanctuary squad might be my medicine (Maybe I'm flogging an old horse to death or is Winter wearing me down already?)  Glad I didn't clean the bike from yesterday's damp, glossy streets weren't such a worry en-route to Channel Rd and no pressure to perform was as refreshing as the northeaster blowing at the backside (though that Garmin screen tends to nag "Is that all you've got?" to the subconscious doesn't it?).  Greg's tall profile was found in the dark near the Kinder, Julz located near the cypress trees; both emerging from a week off two wheels. I had hopes they were as rusty as me.   Barely more than a breeze, that northeaster seemed to tax what little speed the legs would give headed east, Coach and Boundary Rd's path north no better, but the social sentences distracted thoughts from the weak wattage. 

Choice of course was eventually decided on Boundary then the way west on Lemnos-Cosgrove Rd, out of that northeaster at last but feeling a northerly now nagging at the side.  Positions shuffled, more for the social benefit than the slipstream, the path to Mt.Wanganui less stressful than usual.  It's been a month worth of Sundays since spinning a lap barely into zone three, maybe the therapy needed to survive an otherwise swift week?  Again defying the convention of a Butter Factory breakfast, the Eighty8 pit stop treated the taste buds while talking gluten-free gastronomy, video surveillance and breakfast cereal for dinner.

26/6  Tick, tick, tick........BOOM!

A 30 km/h west northwesterly blew the background music to my wrestle with the yeah/nah's at Monday's stupid o'clock; avoiding the front for the return to town finally winning over the defeatist's argument for a sleep-in. A new chain, cassette and tyres was hoped to make the effort easier.  Only seven at Sanctuary Drive's start line spelled single file, so slipping in at fifth wheel when PistolPete started the squad south almost guaranteed me a tailwind turn on River Rd.  (Fingers were firmly crossed).  A moment's pause to right a road closed sign from horizontal in the middle of Archer Rd got a breath back but oxygen was quickly spent again in the rush to Mitchell Rd.  36's seemed to be the limit with the tailwind to Central Kialla, sensible seeing a few small branches littered the tarmac.  

I'd almost prepared for the pain at the pointy end arriving at River Rd's bridge but Emil was being the tailwind thief to continue to the dip, getting me into the red zone before the hard yards started.  A k slower allowed the old engine to reach the quarter horse fence where the struggle for recovery could start while Kel led to rooster corner.  The cross wind crucified on Coach Rd till The Godfather's headlight abandoned ship near kangaroo alley (should it be called skippy straight?) so the slow got the heart rate out of the heavens. In The Godfather's haste, the bunch eventually reformed at the highway. 

Varied velocities had alarm bells ringing in my engine room while Surgio led the labour to Old Dookie Rd so PistolPete's smoothness to School Rd was a kind contrast (though my boiler was about to burst). Wozza's watts to Central Ave proved too much for me to hold Bo's wheel at the rumble strips, a big gap opening when the old engine started miss-firing.  PistolPete's watchful eye saved me, towing me back to the pack (set at sympathy speed) Just 20 seconds reprieve recharged a little energy.  Staying in the slipstream of Rocket's revised pace was possible though beyond the truck route a car crept forward from a side street to scare the speed out of me.

27/6 All the fun of the fog.

As if I needed something else to slow an attempt at speed , the fog felt like a handbrake headed to Tarcoola, feels like two making legs labour even more (but then who takes up this hobby 'cause it's easy?)  A better than expected grid had formed at the shop; Kim, Jen, Wendy, Greg, Julz and Crossy lining up in Emil's slipstream to exit town.  34's seemed sensible considering the conditions.  The boiler hadn't burst reaching Orrvale Rd for my usual shift from Doyles, though I felt like a wet sock finishing it.  Kim had made her comeback quick to the Kinder, giving Wendy the lead to drag us to the cypress trees.  Crossy had crossed the floor from the Woulda's to contribute to our cause and Greg was squeezing his last lap in before a knee rebuild would side-line him for two months.  

Speed seemed a struggle midfield while Jen drove the last 2 k's to Coach Rd, though the Garmin showed a social 34.  I had the shock absorber role when a few were caught napping at the back as Julz launched north to the highway.  Those knees seemed in fine form to me as Greg did a long drive of Boundary Rd to Old Dookie, Emil duplicating the distance to Lemnos-Cosgrove before I was handed the reigns.  The Bureau said calm but I could have sworn there was a breeze behind helping me to the channel bridge on Lemnos-Cosgrove, handing Kim the task to take us to Lemnos.  

Extras on duty meant the usual routine had a shake-up, Crossy put in charge of a well controlled shift to Balaclava Rd till an Audi passed with millimetres to spare - prompting Emil's angst to pursue for payback. (Audi escaped stage left while the red light halted us. Lucky Audi)    

I made the mistake of believing the Bureau's forecast of showers from the early hours of Wednesday morning and enjoyed a sleep-in till 7, but of course, it didn't rain. 

29/6 Squirrels 0, Sanctuary 10.

A deserted Tarcoola roundabout and an empty Rae Street said a squirrel spin was off Thursday's agenda.  The search for a sqaud in Sanctuary Drive would be the alternative to cycling solo (listening to my own grizzles would be unbearable!)  29's was the best the legs could muster on the journey south while I wondered if my days are numbered keeping up with this young clan.  Time to act my own age? (lawn bowls and bingo has little appeal!)     Bruce, The Godfather, Troy, Wozza, Kel, Kreeky, BamBam, Bo, Boof and PistolPete gathered at a chilled grid (feels like minus 2.2) to fly the flag of soldiering through the season.   

With a want to avoid the fresh westerly, starting near the back of the bunch was guessed the best tactic to score a turn with a tail wind.  Sizing up the horsepower in the pack at least found one or two I could try to keep up with.  Lined up behind Kel as Bo and The Godfather (there's that pairing again!) drove out of River Rd's dip seemed doable, particularly with wind at my wastegate, even better when Kel took a k off the hurry for the last 1500 to rooster corner.  Boof was kind holding his engine in second gear as I gasped north toward skippy straight but the reality was asking him to roll across half way to the bridge.   BamBam did his best with Boof but shelter in the left line beckoned by the first bridge where Pistol teamed with Boof to take the tempo up a few notches to the highway. 

Kreeky had taken a rain-check on driving duty so I wasn't the sole sufferer.  This engine was still labouring though at Boundary Rd'd fig farm but I was counting my blessings being in the draft while PistolPete and Wozz worked their magic to Old Dookie Rd.  It's rare to see Troy in Struggle Street but a deflating tyre gave the reason a k beyond School Rd.  With the tube replaced (but pinched), the CO2 inflation caused a small explosion, so exit tube one (in three parts) for the fitting of tube two. Emil's absence spared us the gospel according to tubeless. Well beyond The Godfather's 5 minute expectation, the crew finally got rolling at 34's back to town for coffee to conclude the circus. 

30/6 Horsepower for head winds.

I could get used to this solo spin to the start stuff; no early pressure on pace makes a pleasant change, but would bunch speed come as a shock to the system? I'd find out soon enough lining up with Kreeky, the 5ft Ninja, Wozza, Bruce, PistolPete, Rocket, Bo and BamBam at the roundabout.  Following Bo into the advance line with a 20 k west northwester blowing at the back might just make my turn decent, though hearing the Ninja behind me, I figured on having little slipstream in the respite after duty.  BamBam and Bo did the dip to the quarter horse fence, Bo's turn short beyond for the Ninja to score a tailwind turn.  Lucky me in the middle got the last 1500 wind assisted metres to rooster corner.  

A call for single file in Coach Rd put Pistol, Rocket and Wozz to the front and relieved the Ninja of part two of her drive but as I guessed , I had little slipstream to survive.  With the old engine on the red-line, I'd be slipping back a rung or two at the highway if I was to survive (if I could hang on till there!)   BamBam's wheel was a bonus near the back (the Ninja choosing the caboose for survival) on Boundary Rd though Rocket's pace to Old Dookie had me at the suffering setting.  Wozza worked a similar speed to School Rd, Bruce continuing the cruelty to Central Ave. (Hold on just a couple of k's more Foss where coffee would cure everything!)   Bo started the shift toward Dobson's with a little hope of recovery at 33's but beyond the bridge, 36's got my engine valve bouncing again.  A brief draft from a couple of passing cars limited the damage.  Striking an unseen stone beyond the truck route heightened the heart rate further but staying vertical and Kreeky's quieter 33's into town allowed me to look like part of the team.

This week 243km

YTD 6,871km