Week 25

Odometer 136,994.  
A good dozen had assembled  for Saturdays start, inheriting Shorty & Jase (with Trev's bunch low in number).  Mt Raftery was still a catagory 2 climb despite an assisting east north easter. The pack arrived at Roubaix corner to find Steve waiting (a puncture had prevented rolling up to the start line) instead of Dave, away in Melbourne for a ride before surgery has him laid up for a bit. The small giant killer Kel was on a killer small Giant (a loaner, but soon to be a suprise birthday present) and Daniel was killing us in short knicks with the temperature barely topping 3. Bo & Daniel's enthusiasm had Hoffy at the end of his leash in Central Kialla Rd so a measure of compassion was added to keep the group from fragmenting. A good mix of Temple's dry wit, Hoffy's laugh, Daniel's sarcasm, Andrew & Kylie along again with the regular legends made great company. Cheques were almost being written for Bo & Daniel's long go on the front into the headwind on the Shepp-Euroa Rd, eventually the load was spread amongst all for the journey to Old Dookie, relief to have the breeze behind thereafter. Bo, Daniel and Temple filled the podium positions in the dash to the line, I was happy to sit back in the royal box with Hoffy, Leon, Cougs and Kylie to witness. The essential banter & bullshit at the Butterfactory was a fitting conclusion. 

137,059 
Had an idea to roll out a bit of distance on Sunday, (so many rides in the 30 to 50k bracket may have imprinted memory in the legs) but stiff winds and 7 degrees wasn't helping the motivation. Mmm.....carpe diem? Drank a few cups of mental concrete and rolled out to Mooroopna, up through the urban jungles of Undera & St Germains, with 20km/h winds from the west telling me the planned leg to Echuca was going to hurt. Though of a realistic target speed for the 30k leg west but soon revised it, wide open stretches exposed to the elements and the coarse stone tarmac felt like i'd left the handbrake on. It can be mentally demoralising head down into the wind with little respite, no-one to do turns with either (pictured a big plate of scrambled eggs and a large double shot flat white as the focus to drive the tired engine)  Relied on the variety in the i-pod to distract thoughts of "are we there yet?" Nice to finally arrive at Echuca, noticing a bit of Cervelo & Pinarello bling parked at the Blackpudding Deli in High St, so decided this was the pit stop for a feed & caffine. Kept the stop brief before the muscles cooled too much, remounted and set a course to Kyabram, the barren countryside through Cornella Creek made pleasant with a light tail wind. Very little traffic to deal with, but  then sane people would be snuggled up on their couches watching telly wouldn't they? Cut through Lancaster, Merrigum and Byrneside to hook up with the Midland, a bucket of relief and a handful of grins to be back on home turf  162k's clocked in just under 5 hours ride time, averaging 32.1 on the speed, 158 on the heart.  (47,400 heartbeats = 4580 calories apparently, justification for an extra serve of dessert?)

137,221
The old legs didn't feel too bad Monday morning (8 hrs sleep helped) so turned up to find Sooty, Fox, Cougs, Fee and Meags at the P&W start at 6. An overcast sky made the dark seem darker, the depths of winter wasn't encouraging either. Weekend activities discussed, climate grizzled about, topped off with a few laughs was a good introduction to the week.  A last second sighting of an oncoming car at the main channel bridge averted drama at the Mitchell turn. Pussycats had reeled us in by Central Kialla Rd, but fate dealt them a puncture just after Archer. Good comradery to start the working week, not phased by the train just beating us.

137,268
If it's not freezing it's windy. And Tuesday it was the latter. A south southwester at 26k's for a circuit with 7 Couldabeens.  Kel put forward a rolling turns suggestion just 2 k's in, a good theory to make best of the elements.  It was a bit like forming a Greek government though, not enough practice to execute perfectly. Waiting near the top end of Channel Rd was a large black dog (not a chirpy little green one...he's wisely swimming in a warm pool) perched in the right lane to have a go. This threw confusion and adrenalin amongst us all, thankfully staying upright to carry on. Heading south in Boundary Rd was the real toil, we nearly got the tempo right but it required precision speed (almost impossible in the dark) A ripple at the front causes a tsunami at the back, the rubber banding expired Temple momentarily. A call to order regrouped the house of assembly for a session in Mitchell Rd and the motion to accept Archer Rd as the route home was carried. Homework was to study the 2007 Tour de France team time trial stage (the class act of Ulrich & the T.Mobile team)

137,309
A collection of 11 for Tuesday night at the hospital boom gates, nice to have young Liam & Luke along (Luke's shiny new Merida sparkled like Chaddy's chain!) Graham back from the coal gas fields too.  6 degrees hadn't prompted Axel to don the electric socks, suprising to have Mike along too, not a fan of the cold. Trev and Nath arrived right on the start gong. Mid 30's sustained out to the Emu, Steigy drafted in, then 3 others jumped aboard at the church only to hitch a ride to Channel Rd. Pairing with Trev was a good move then with the sheer torque that is Steigy.  Luke & Nath stopped all the chatter with a burst toward River Rd, a good rate of knots by us all westward too. A tidy little group into Raftery, but Nath launched an attack at Roubaix corner (3k out from the finish) to stretch it out. The numbers were against him though, reeled back into the fold 500 metres later.  Over a dozen l.e.d's all pumping out 400 lumens was a bit much for an oncoming driver who gave us all a dose of high beam as retaliation. By Conrod straight Nath had reprimed the legs to lead out Graham but a hit  400 metres out was asking a lot. Many were dropping like flies and soon I was on Graham's wheel who was ready to blow a head gasket with 100 left.  Not worth calling it a win, I just happened to arrive at the front when others had retired.  A great team average of 35.4

137,362
Wind was the enemy Tuesday, so it was frost for Wednesday. And the coldest one yet. Just in time for hump day (solstice) an antarctic minus 4 had put the icing on the parked cars and a sparkle on the blades of grass.  A few groups were tough enough to brave the atmostphere, 51 had the wheels humming on Boundary Rd in pursuit of Cats, Cougs & I happy to tap around against the grain, keeping the hobby happy.  A hot shower, hot toast and hot coffee were as good as Christmas when I got home, reckon I thawed out about 11am.

137,397
And that's where the odometer stayed for Thursday, a decent downpour in the early hours allowed a rare
sleep-in till 6, breaking the 9 day cycle cycle on early morning rises and rides. Gave the Vredesteins a front to rear rotation, 3000k's has come round quickly.  Friday morning's fine misty rain and glossy roads made for a second day off.  

WEEK 25  403k's 14,508 calories (17 litres of ice cream) 32.4km/h average  YTD 9803km

"An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind" Mahatma Gandhi 1869-1948