A perverse passion

 Post #723

13/11 Just another manic Monday.

Three days break from bike business got the old battery recharged, though softness festered quickly.  Sleeping in till 6 seemed extravagant.  As penance for time off and just to throw me in the deep end, a southwester made the southbound spin to Sanctuary one to suffer, though Lenny's appearance from an earlier (stupider o'clock) north loop provided a slipstream to let me off lightly.  A dozen (Tina, Troy, Lenny, Wozza, PistolPete, Emil, Kel, The Godfather, Bruce, Bo, Kreeky and Rocket) defied the feels like 5.6 to form a squad for the circuit.   Like most laps, the horsepower fronted first, PistolPete and Emil having no issue with the southwester to tow us to Mitchell Rd where Wozz worked his watts to Euroa Rd. Others just sat in his wake, hardening up to the hurry. 

A rabbit's random rush across the tarmac sharpened wits (and brake reaction times) but it barely stopped the usual chat on weekend activities (and how fast 48 hours evaporates).    With Tina's wheel to follow in the advance and the wind almost at the behind, River Rd was an easy path to pedal, time at the business end looking likely on Boundary (with the wind's help there too).   The Godfather's usual entertainment distracted thoughts from Rocket's velocity at the front.  Fresh tarmac repairs had the usual sprinkling of loose gravel to avoid, though it has to be better than the recent pot-hole saga we suffered. 

The time to serve some speed came when Tina rolled across beyond Boundary's bridge, part one brief when she called it quits shy of the fig farm.  Wind gusts from oncoming trucks weren't as tough as imagined so part two with Lenny to Old Dookie Rd became most manageable.  More urgency went into the velocity toward Central Ave ; Troy bedding in a new set of tyres and The Godfather trying to bend the teeth of the 11 sprocket.  Draft from a couple of passing cars had Emil and Wozz keen to keep 40 on the speedo, Bo stretching the line long to SPC with 43's and stretching friendships with it.

14/11  He's just an excitable boy.

As sure as the sun comes up, a southwester tormented the roll south to the shop.  (Why should we get it easy?)  I'd found Wendy, Emil, Kim and Tina en-route, the hopes of finding LiamM or Molly cruising Rae St was about as likely as finding The Godfather on the little ring!  (Maybe their return is a new years resolution?)  Julz and Greg fronted the start line, the third stroke of 5:30 getting Emil eager to exit east. (the prevailing wind having the effect of neat raspberry cordial poured into the excitable boy)   The line of seven was almost ten long by Kensington Gardens roundabout so the call of "Easy!" dictated a little less throttle (if he wanted to keep his fiance)   No argument from me, it lowered the bar a little for my usual (633rd) Doyles to Orrvale shift.   

Almost pleased with my pace to Orrvale Rd, Tina tested my performance anxiety with a spirited turn to the Kinder and Wendy didn't make it much better with her swift shift to the cypress trees.  I wasn't looking forward to the return to town into 20 k's worth of southwester to face, or could I squeeze in another shift before the turn west?  Greg got the lead role for Coach Rd to the highway and continued duty at 37's (without any complaints) on Boundary till Old Dookie Rd.  Emil couldn't help himself with New Dookie Rd as his aim, 41's and 43's keeping the squad silent with 2 k's of cruelty. Thankfully, his wasn't a long drive today; just short (but not so sweet). His elbow gave me the shift to Lemnos-Cosgrove, so I did get the winds' windfall. 

The west length to Lemnos was shared between Tina and Wendy, Julz starting Ford Rd with speed but was whittled down to slow over the distance.  Kim was keen to get to Verney Rd but not so keen when Greg pushed the pace toward Balaclava Rd.  By Graham St, Emil's itch was for a faster finish, though the rubber band was at breaking point for a few at the back.  That red traffic light fixed the problem.  Reformed for the Hawdon St leg toward coffee, the rubber band snapped by SPC (the finger of blame was pointed in two directions) but caffeine curbed the complaints.  

     

15/11 Go with the flow.

Into the southerly yet again, the old engine was nearly running on all cylinders (wish I knew why 'cause I'd go back for seconds!) to Sanctuary Drive but had no complaints when Emil took the lead at half distance to single file to the start line. (cheques in the mail mate!)   The 5ft Ninja, Wozza, Bruce, Greg, Lenny, Rocket, Tina, Bo, The Godfather, Kel and PistolPete filled the grid for the mid-week social spin ('social' being subject to interpretation). 

 Not Emil, not Wozza, but Rocket paired with Pete for the opening 2600 metres to Mitchell Rd (untroubled by wind in any direction, they're the usual partners in pace) while others who have limits lined up in order of ability behind.  Trees and fence posts appeared a little blurred to Central Kialla, the Garmin confirming 38's were the reason (Wozza's interpretation of social I suppose).  Supremely optimistic wearing finger-less gloves, feels like 6 nipped at the extremities, the bunch thinning themselves to squeeze between the pot-holed section and the centre line approaching River Rd for oncoming cars.  Following Tina's wheel into the advance line, I had Kel lined up behind for part two. 

Bruce played the gentleman role beside Tina (with focus fixed on reaching the quarter horse fence), my drive diplomatic too with ears open for Tina's call of quits.  A k later, Kel was alongside, speed gradually climbing to reach Coach Rd.  Silence at the turn meant the rooster was on strike, or asleep......or maybe destined to be Christmas lunch?  Speed kept creeping up toward the highway (blame the breeze at the back), Kel calling half time at the bridges.  (Summer must be near; the southbound 'hurt locker' trio has come out of hibernation).  Lenny and The Godfather took on tow truck duties to Boundary Rd where Greg set 37's to Old Dookie (probably the reason the Ninja sought shelter in the left line).  As usual, speed got spicy nearing town, so when Bo was elected to the front at the truck route, the dash to SPC was well beyond social.  But all survived to finish as a group, thanks to the red traffic light, to soak up the social stuff at the end (the real reason we ride?) 

16/11 My favorite thing.

Is it sliding down the slippery slope of softness when the favorite ride of the week is Thursday's slow one?  Just as well that relentless southerly blew to make the 7 k's to the squirrel start something to harden up on!  Miracles had happened to get LiamM back on the bike and Molly made the effort too, joining Tina, Wendy, Kim and Emil southbound to the grid where Julz and Greg were waiting.  Stacked across Channel Rd to shelter from the wind, 33's was Emil's pleasant pace to the truck route, a speed I was delighted to copy considering many other rides seem to explore the limits on this old engine.   Greg was under instruction to take the third turn (seems he doesn't behave among the back-markers) so drove a double shift to the cypress trees.  Wendy paid the price sustaining second wheel. 

A few extra players would shake up the routine; different lengths of tarmac to lead would almost be a holiday from the repetition.  Julz and Tina were treated to the tailwind on Boundary Rd, Molly content confined to the caboose.  LiamM had perfected positioning in the pack to score a one and only drive at the front with the last of the tailwind to Lemnos Cosgrove.  (Talk about a cruisy comeback!)  Emil made life easy towing us to Lemnos at 33's, though the call of "Clear" into Ford Rd got a hurried "Watch Left" added.  (Cars appear from nowhere with long grass at the roadside in the half light of stupid o'clock). Half got through, the other half halted. 

A slow start into Ford Rd while the line reformed was less stress for my drive to Grahamvale Rd.  Facing the southerly on Verney wasn't on many wish lists but Emil seems to have a perverse passion for it, leading the eight toward Balaclava Rd (with the standard thrash toward the lights).  Yep, red again.  

17/11 Starved of sleep, the pin was pulled on Fridays congregation.  And I'm pulling the pin on this babble for a bit too. (723 posts is a bit beyond o.c.d).  It'll give you time to read some far more interesting rants on social media and spare me the scribbles, verbal gymnastics and wrestling with the computer for a while.  Photos and a possible sentence will still be posted from time to time on Instagram @couldabeens though (if you're that starved!)

This week 193km

YTD 11,743km