At last spring has sprung, but nobody told mother nature, she served up 1.8 degrees for the first day! Saturday was winter still, a light breeze from the west south west chilled muscles and bones, maybe kept many indoors 'cause only Cougs turned up at the Peppermill. (some were on a mutiny to a 7am start, perhaps a vote will cast the majority decision on where and when for future Saturdays?) An engorged moon lit the road till an even earlier sunrise lit up the fog laying in the low lands. Dave was at the highway to share the load, so a senate committee chewed over the Saturday options as we plied our way east. Nearly a dozen felines were headed south at the Broken bridges, a lost puppy spotted (well a green dawg anyway) all the way back near the pub. (malfunctioning alarm clock? dropped by the pack? keen to chase?) With us all on time constraints an abridged circuit chosen today, back to town via Old Dookie.
A fast dose of caffine to finish, just a small Cat faction at the Butterfactory (the left wing crossed the floor to Gloria Jeans). Departed just as Kylie, Temple and Hoffy arrived; the usual philosophical discussion will have to simmer till next week.
A Sunday morning alarm wasn't set (Fathers Day after all) but a cerebral one chimed every hour and a half during the night. Don't you just hate that? All too much by 5.15 so got up with the decision to lap the toaster circuit, running in a new Garmin Edge 500, something to appease the nerdy number type in us. Heart rate, cadence, calories, speed, temperature, tax file number, average speed, inside leg measurement.....all downloadable data to analyse and compare. (a note to self not to become a slave to the machine) Something about the 1 degree atmostphere felt like riding through treacle, even a bit dissapointed in the achievable speed. Good to be distracted by a great sunrise though, a band of fog sandwiched between a yellow field of canola and an orange dawn sky. Had to duck the ducks (ironically at the Emu), a v formation low flying toward Euroa. By the Pine Lodge pub there had been several sections of circuit missing from memory, zoned out or early onset dementia? The i-pod provided a metronome, Flume, Mount Kimbie, Seekae and Flying Lotus provided the electro genre to motivate the completion. Changed the scenery taking River Rd (as much as I don't favour it) noticing a church at Trevaskis Rd for years I'd not noticed. At a random glance Garmin's data showed 36.8 km/h, 162 bpm, 52 cadence, 1.6 degrees, 7.18am at the 38k mark, maybe too much information? Kept up the velocity to the end (despite temptation to the contrary) knowing it feels nice when you stop (like banging your head against a brick wall really) satisfied with a 33.3 solo, the legacy being jelly legs for the rest of the morning.
Mondays P&W harem has become a regular (and enjoyable) ride, all the girls improving each week (despite being crook at the weekend, Fee was firing on all cylinders). 2 degrees was still a winter hangover but at least there's early daylight (if only to spot the wildlife). 9 Cats had formed single file to reel us in, passing diplomatically at the Mitchell dog-leg. Nice to enjoy their short draft but enjoyed being with a far more attractive team. Back into town to start another week, enthused by promising spring sunshine.
Almost overwhelmed by a barrage of Stone Dine pans, Renovators , Navigator vacuums, Shark Steam Mops, Transformer Ladders, Dual Saws and Ab Waves on the telly Monday, the long wait till the sanity of Mythbusters signalled a ride and a chance to tune out to the crazy world. 17 degrees ditched the winter gloves for fingerless ones, booties stayed home too. Garmin's cadence/speed sensor battery gave up within a k of starting so relied on the trusty old Cateye flying by wire. Quite scenic heading toward Dookie (on Lemnos-Cosgrove Rd) with the sun sinking, casting an orange glow and long shadows across to Mt Major. Turned into Quarry Rd then took Kelllows Rd to the camel farm and hooked right down Cosgrove-Caniambo Rd, enjoying a whisker of assistance from a slight northeast breeze. The posterior remembered the rugged tarmac toward Caniambo, alloy frames not as kind as carbon on the rough stuff. Gritted the teeth for the long 12k haul of Bells Armstrong Rd, heading toward civilisation made it seem a bit shorter (the feint glow from lights at the trotting track was a good goal post). Finally into Mitchell Rd the soft side argued for a short cut home, but a very distant flashing tail-light was a carrot to continue for a Raftery finale. By Roubaix corner the distant bike wasn't going to be caught (the legs resigned to surviving instead) but pleased to clock up 70 at 32.8.
A week since the last Couldabeens lap, nice to catch up with the crew again in the early hours of Tuesday. Dave, Cougs, Leon, Nick, Shorty, Steve, Rocket and Jase were there, Kenworth & Matty arrived out of breath (Matt had his legs well & truely warmed up from the big truck) Ryan & Daniel (7 degrees = short sleeves & short nicks of course) arriving meant it was 6am on the dot. Rolled into Channel Rd to get the show underway, Daniel spotted Vince running late and held back to pair up for a chase back to the bunch (duely joined the ranks at Doyles Rd). Half way out Channel Rd we swallowed up legal Dave and a mate out of winter hibernation on a roll around (they hung on for a quick initiation to Spring). Gravel must be on special at the council, plenty scattered around recent pot-hole repairs. A few words with newbie Matt (on Felt) in Boundary Rd keen to hang on a bit longer, the light north-easter propelling the mob into the 40's for a lot of Boundary & Mitchell. Vince had birthday present 80mm carbons to roll on, but the singles weren't homologated for us mere mortals (unfair advantage old fella) Last night's long lap was taking it's toll on my reserves, so was happy to sit back for the last 2k's and let the young'ns roll through , but picked up quite a few ejected from the front in the last k, to tow home a happy crew (with cob-webs cleared) with a 36.5 average. Of course, Rocket victorious at the front, the train driver still in bed when we crossed the line.
A familiar bunch of ratbags at the hospital boom gates on Tuesday night. I joined Scotty, Robbo, Mike, Dalton, Rob, Hamish, Nath and Craig to make the starting team, plenty hooked on out the road. Reece, Mitch, Gools, legal Steve, Bomber and Steigy (even Killer reappeared) made up the numbers, five more had u-turned beyond the railway line to join the lengthening train. As is custom Robbo, MItch, Bomber & Reece turned up the wick with a slight breeze from behind, 40+ for Old Dookie Rd, a brief respite in the high 30's for Boundary, then 42 to 45 for River Rd with barely a word spoken. Bomber bailed out at the Kialla hall to head home, the speed stayed though into Mitchell. In the low 40's Reece hit the detonator at Archer Rd taking Robbo, Mitch, Nath, Gools and Dalton on a very premature breakaway. Found myself driving a slightly slower train (with plenty of carriages behind) up to Roubaix where Dalton and Gools, ejected from the frontal attack, were reeled in (and generously donated their horsepower to the cause of staying in touch with (or at least within sight of) the breakaway. A nice draft by Gools when it mattered gave me the edge to take 5th, albeit 100 metres behind the fearsome foursome ahead, a 38 average over 42 k's nothing to sneeze at though. Analysing Garmin info downloaded later recalled the HR, speed, cadence, distance, and elevation at any given point (painful memories?) but I was really chuffed having the new 56 ring, a life saver tonite.
With copious encouragement to join the P&W's for Wednesday mornings, I turned up to find lots had abandoned ship for rpm at the gym (looking a big sweaty bums and spinning like a mixmaster...aargh!) At least Meags, Troy, Cougs and the Pom turned up to enjoy the scenery go by, breath in the country aromas and hear the tyres on the road. 5 made rotation worthwhile, a chance for a yarn too. By River Rd the TT lads hadn't caught us, but a dozen Cats did at the turn into Mitchell (sensibly delaying the pass till the road straightened) Matho delivering a 'cheeky' good morning. Coug's eagle eye saved the day at Central Kialla Rd, spied the approaching TT'ers (and the car about to overtake) to prevent us being spread like jam on the asphalt. A 51 breakaway shot past as we headed toward Archer Rd, their remainder a minute later (with a crazy cross of the highway risking life and limb, ruined reputation too) Not big on the risk, we tapped away to the finish (the big wookie overtook with 2k left) the constant 18k NNE wind proving enough.
An early start at the salt mine on Thursday again, so an earlier (and shorter) lap to keep on schedule. September is living up to it's reputation of wind, wind and more wind (must be on a diet of cabbage and beans?). Blowing at 22km/h this morning (gusts to 35) so not bursting the boiler trying to break records.
Trawled the depths of the Garmin handbook to set-up the cadence/speed sensor, finally ironing it out Thursday night. A last minute text from a good mate to put his bins out for collection had the Friday morning P&W start in jeapordy, just made the SPC roundabout to find only Stace & Fee there (a revival in neutral with average weather?) A rapid northwester was blowing us into next week, single file the go today. Just past River Rd we were finally caught by 6 Cats, Matho, Kel, Bickers and crew inviting us to jump on (and share the toil for Mitchell Rd's head wind onslaught i'd guess.) Turns varied in length and speed, wind gusts to 33km/h had a big part to play too, conversation overpowered by concentration & effort. The welcomed sight of a finish line inspired a final push, beckoning Matho & Kel to do likewise fell on deaf ears, just touched 50 against the breeze to finish the week spent but satisfied.
Week 36 447 km 16,092 calories (5 litres of chicken soup, 4kg roast beef, 12 baked potatoes, 2kg pumpkin, 5 heads of broccolli, 10 carrots, 4 dinner rolls, 3 bottles of Shiraz.....and a wafer thin mint) 32.7 average YTD 13,776km
"Resist much, obey little" Walt Whitman US poet 1819-1892
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