Filing an official complaint.

 Post #706

15/7 Clans combined.

I had no argument with Emil's suggestion to "sit on" to Sanctuary Drive; thirties felt like a thrash, even with a north northeaster in my favour.  Yes, tyre pressures were ok and no, I hadn't left the handbrake on!   Having the speed of a snail was beginning to weigh heavily on the head : was it time to apply for Adams family membership or should I make an appointment with a Spanish doctor for a special blood transfusion? It was a bit late to bail out of the Saturday spin now, this might be yet another sit-on-and-suffer-the-consequences ride.  

Rocket, Emil, Boof, Grumpy, GiantAndy, The Godfather, PistolPete, Julz and Bo converged on the Saturday grid but it was Rocket's turn to suffer that deflation sensation.  The six minute repair (much to The Godfather's disgust) had a small Woulda's train (Nev, Wendy, Joe (not Tony) and Nick) arrive at Sanctuary's roundabout a moment before our restart.  (There's nothing like a few red leds ahead to entice a chase!)   38's to Mitchell Rd threw me in the deep end early and made the 'sit on' option a rather attractive one.  The Woulda's were of course welcomed aboard, lightening the load for others. (it's been many moons since Joe (not Tony) and Nick have been in this bunch).   Tempting as it was to join the rotation, I knew the reality would be certain failure at the front and besides, GiantAndy's approach to the business end confirmed the caboose as the perfect place.  With speed a similar concern, Julz kept me company.  

That hint of colour on the horizon at rooster corner brought hopes of longer days ahead, though the season's temperature was here to stay for a while (A bit more light is all the better for spotting wildlife).  Emil's exit west on Old Dookie (collecting a special guest for breakfast) hadn't slowed the speed east toward the Toaster, the Woulda's still surviving in the rotation but no doubt looking forward to the prevailing breeze back to town.  Naturally, pace picked up on Lemnos-Cosgrove Rd, relegating a few more to the rear, but thoughts became selfish on survival with the engine load high.  

Woulda's exited on Verney Rd bound for breakfast while Mt Wanganui beckoned our bunch, though the tenacity tank was rather dry reaching the highway.  Horsepower to hang on was put on hold when Julz went o.t.a. at DECA ; I had no hesitation dropping off the back to offer a tow (finally feeling useful instead of being the baggage at the back) A long turn in the drivers seat back to the cafe (albeit in the low 30's) delivered some degree of satisfaction and might have even earned breakfast!  Lili, the Jenerator, Kim, LiamM and special guest Greg (with new knee) joined in for what's become the standard Saturday long chat; penny farthings, the USA echo chamber and screen addiction thrown around the Eighty8 table.

17/7 'Cause it feels good when you stop!

A decent nights' sleep staved off contracting Monday-itis, but I reckon a few would abandon this mornings' ride seeing the Bureau's feels like minus 3.6.  The commute hurt (both tempo and temperature) to Sanctuary Drive (again) though the head was in a better space than last week.  It was no surprise the grid was thin in the testing temperature, just BamBam, Emil, Bo, PistolPete, Kreeky and Kel lining up meant the morning recipe was Indian file. (That'll snap me out of the "sitting on" habit!)  Of course PistolPete opened the account toward Mitchell though sitting third wheel behind Emil, I hoped Pistol's 37's weren't the expectation. (Emil easing to 35's to Central Kialla was a relief)   Chuffed to manage 35's to the Central Kialla Hall, I knew it wouldn't last another k to River Rd so tried to limit my losses at 34's to the cobbled section.....from there the legs and lungs wouldn't give more than 32 to the turn.  "Nice Foss, Good job, Great turn and luv ya work" helped the head on the retreat to the rear while BamBam took on the drive to the bridge.  

Kreeky's long shift to the quarter horse fence at 32's got a breath or three back in the lungs but Bo hit the boost button when facing the front.  (My imitation of the growling bear must have sent Emil to the front to tame Bo's pace).  The smooth drive at 35's to the Broken bridges was trademark Kel and with just a k to the highway, naturally PistolPete did the extra on Boundary to Old Dookie ('cause he can!)   My calculation was being given the lead at Central Ave, reckoning Emil would tow us there when Pistol handed over on the turn into Old Dookie Rd, so the head was readied for duty while the legs burned behind Emil's pace.  (What's that theory? If it doesn't hurt, you're not going hard enough!)  A moment's comfort came when Emil stayed on to drive the leg to the truck route but second wheel syndrome got me well into the red zone. I was saved by slipping back a few places and into BamBam's draft as Emil put the hammer down to Mitchell St.

18/7 Fog frolic.

The squirrel start stalled a few minutes while the Jenerator put a little extra air in the front tyre (who would have thought tubeless were trouble?) though the procession of Emil, me, the Jenerator, Wendy, Kim, Crossy and Tina soon started the spin eastbound into Channel Rd's fog.  Julz was found at the school while I attempted to push through the soup to Orrvale Rd.  It needed a wheelbarrow of watts just to make a pedestrian pace.   Rest at the rear was timely while the Jenerator, Wendy and Kim put there two bob's worth in at the front to get us to Beckhams bend.  Crossy put the variables in the velocity to Channel Rd's end (must have graduated from The Godfather's training camp?) while Tina confined herself to the back seat, climatizing to Victorian temperature from a month in Queensland.  

In the standard scheme of things, Emil took on the drive north.  Condensation off the helmet caused a case of the nods for Emil and Julz; my only symptom was feeling like a wet sock from the 100% humidity.  Julz was given the reigns at Old Dookie and started with plenty of pace but distance soon wore down the watts to something sustainable to reach New Dookie.  Slowly on the throttle toward Lemnos-Cosgrove Rd allowed the rarely speechless Julz to chat again at the back, that little northwester needing a little more throttle to live up to the 34 expectation.  

Comfort came getting back in the zone (you know, where legs aren't screaming, lungs weren't bursting, speed was sustainable and the h.r. department wasn't ready to quit)   The distance to Lemnos was split between the Jenerator and Wendy, the leg to Grahamvale Rd halved between Kim and Tina (finally fronting).  A foot fumble crossing the truck route stretched the line longer, the turn south onto Verney rattled by a truck turning (minus indicators).  The squad had split in two as a result and continued to Balaclava; group one halting for red light, group two's arrival getting the green light to head group one to coffee. 

19/7 The temperature test.

Only seven weeks into Winter and I'm sick of it already! (there's 7 weeks of it left to endure Foss so h.t.f.u.!) Thankfully (hopefully) there'd be a few dedicated (or should that be delirious?) addicts lining up at Sanctuary Drive to knock over a few cold k's. (They force me to do it Mum!  / How silly would I look doing it alone?)   The Bureau could have done a bit better than zero.  Emil, PistolPete, Troy, Rocket, Tina, Boof, BamBam, Grumpy and Kreeky proved their worth fronting up.   It's nothing new seeing PistolPete and Emil leading the two lines to Mitchell Rd, the tempo quite testing till a glance at the Garmin showed a modest 35. 

So, does a low temperature make a high effort?  The lungs reckoned so.  Tina was testing the deeper end of pace after shallow speeds on holiday while I was just pleased to see BamBam and Kreeky in the mix as two I could keep up with.  Joining the advance in BamBam's draft kept stress levels low; guarantee it'd be higher at the front!  BamBam and Boof took the lead at River Rd's bridge, speed somewhat social for a change.  The roll at the dip paired me with BamBam, a hint of westerly breeze in my favour, but BamBam's tank ran dry half way to the quarter horse fence.  Grumpy was my co-pilot till my lungs filed an official complaint a k beyond.   Kreeky and Grumps continued to rooster corner where Pistol paired to aim at the bridges.  

Two lines tend to scatter a little nearing kangaroo alley (all the better for sighting skippy......though it's likely wildlife can appear anywhere) but the formation soon got back into formation when PistolPete and Emil turned up the pace to the highway.   Some serenity in the squad and clear calls at the crossings spoke strongly of The Godfather's absence.  To escape driving duty at the front, BamBam did a sneaky dive to the left line en-route to Dobsons, though I reckon I'd escape the effort with Rocket and Boof driving to the truck route.  Temperature was no longer an issue with velocity in the 40's to Mitchell St, besides the internal heat of coffee would cure concerns when we stopped (to be tested again braving the cold for the journey home). 

20/7 Like the mother-in-law's kiss.

 

A family sized bucket of motivation had dragged LiamM out of bed and into a chilled Thursday to get acquainted with the Squirrels again, breaking the two months (plus) love affair with his warm bed. (would the motivation last or do we order a tow truck to drag him out next week? Maybe it could tow Molly back too?)   Tina, Wendy, the Jenerator and Emil played martyrs to the feels like minus 1.5, trying to ignore the crusty white windscreens in the streets toward the Archer St shop.  BamBam's arrival set Emil east into Channel Rd's darkness at a moderate 34.  The northeast breeze wasn't too bad....till trying to repeat Emil's effort when given the reigns at Doyles.  

Protests from the legs gauged it a 15 km/h wind to reach the left / right chicane, collecting Julz into the mob of martyrs en-route.  The draft from seven ahead sped the recovery at the rear while Wendy worked her watts to the Kinder.  The kilometre to the cypress trees had the Jenerator as captain, Tina braving the front to the S bend.  BamBam polished off Channel Rd for LiamM to (hesitantly) head the line to the highway.  The short shift must have weighed on his conscience 'cause he continued beyond the pub, but hibernation had hindered his horsepower to pull the plug at Pogue Rd.  Emil had his head down and determination up to tow us to Lemnos-Cosgrove Rd.  

The wind blowing at the right gluteus maximus stoked up speed for Julz to drive to the bridge, a subtle flick of the elbow putting me to the front 200 metres beyond.  I hadn't driven the shift to Lemnos North Rd for ages ; a different length of tarmac to drive almost as refreshing as the temperature.  Ford Rd's first three k's was shared between Wendy and the Jenerator, Tina given the task toward Verney but todays course to coffee was via Wyndham, with Verney Rd in ruin from roadworks (refreshing to ride a bike lane without the cubic metres of gravel and witches' hats!)

Oh, that 15 km/h northwester? The Bureau said a 5 km/h breeze. (Hate that!)

21/7 Succumbed to softness on Friday, enjoying more than six hours sleep. 

This week 256km

YTD 7,478km