Week 12 of the year already (week 2951 on the planet though), not a soul on foot or at the wheel on the ghost town trek south to Saturdays start, just a hint of smoke in the 18 degree air to fill the nostrils. Copious chat on the starting grid as the crew formed, SuperMario, Dion, Geelong defector Stewy, Patrick, Wozza, Rocket, PistolPete, Nick, Trav, RidleyTrev, Cougar, Shane, WhisperingJack and Jase filled the ranks. A touch of northeasterly and paired up with Wozza (leg 1) then Rocket (leg 2) put my CPI into defecit, a draft for a few k's would help the balance of payments. Good to have Patrick back, 7 peaks challenge done and dusted, Stewy too, back on a visit enjoying long lost flat terrian. A bark from a dog turned me to scaredy cat at Sellmans, thankfully no pooch pounced to pester the peleton. Nath's jaw rebuild was the news of the day, a few titanium plates & screws installed won't slow him down though. Around the Toaster corner it was head down into the strengthening northeaster, just about on the redline up to the Emu with Rocket, one word replies to his conversation may have sounded a bit rude. (lack of oxygen Rocket, not lack of interest) SuperMario was the filling in the WhisperingJack / PistolPete sandwich today, he always seems to attract the velociraptors. Pointing west after the Emu with a tail breeze homeward the speed limit was chucked out with the food scraps and Lance Armstrong jerseys, no comment from RidleyTrev (and no notes taken) on pronto pace. Lemnos-Cosgrove Rd soon became Ford Rd which soon became Wanganui, suprised there were no infringement notices issued tearing up the tarmac. Most could almost taste the coffee in Rudd Rd, I snuck half a wheel ahead of Rocket at the cemetery to claim a faux victory but scored a Strava KOM as a bonus, just a second shorter than Jase, Cougar chuffed with a QOM. We manoevred the masochistic manhole mayhem of Mason St to be seated at the Lemontree for chat on gigs, formula one and Kittels dummy spit, Shane tucking in to a decent brekkie.
Mondays drab atmostphere of low grey cloud, a bit of NNE and 14 degrees could have been mistaken for June, does nothing to motivate a ride but a long held habit is hard to break. A few Breeze lasses were forming up at the carpark as Cougar & I headed out Channel Rd, only the grey disconsulate clouds to look forward to. Small bunches today, maybe as motivated by the weather as me? A few spits from the skies at Boundary Rd's Fig farm suddenly painted a soggy future, but the Gods of cycling smiled upon us all by turning off the tap. A short steady lap to start the working week, back in town and still the sun was yet to rise. Using the helmet light through town a fair bit lately to supplement the fixed headlight, a glance toward cars approaching from the side streets seems to wake them from a slumbering daze or draw their attention from texting, drinking coffee etc.
A crystal clear sky lit by a three quarter moon made Tuesday morning a little more inspiring. I'd overdressed for the occasion, a winter base layer turning the torso into a sauna. Kenworth, Cougar, Nick, WobblyTrev, Trav, PistolPete, HBK, WhisperingJack, SuperMario, RidleyTrev, Temple & Shane rolled into the carpark but nearly all had single filed, casting doubt on my deodorant. Kenworth the only brave soldier beside me, fingers crossed for a good second pairing. WhisperingJack, HBK and PistolPete teamed up to be the three jalipinos to go into the hotpot of speed in Channel Rd, Rocket off the menu today. A light northwesterly blew us to Boundary Rd but dragged the cloud cover too. Resolves were tested on the southern commute and by Mitchell Rd retirements to the rear were becoming popular, down to 7 working the front till HBK's exit made it 6. Rocket's absence threw the possibilities open in Raftery Rd, a few gaps opening past Arcadia Downs and chasms by Conrod. As PistolPete, Kenworth and WhisperingJack opened up a bigger lead, WobblyTrev drew alongside me then inexplicably developed a rapid negative caster to the left, directing me into the dust (voluminous verbs veered the variable vexatious veteran vocationally viable) calamity avoided to finish upright. Could have done with the Minties (it's moments like these....) but recouperated for the social roll through town.
Not quite a Mallee bull, but feeling well tuned to tackle Tuesday arvos' hospital bunch (missed a few of late, had better put in an appearance or be struck of the register). Luke, Axel, GT Craig, WillierTony (a recent birthday but still a pup) Harpo, Clive, Rocket and Juzza loitered around the boom gate for 6pm to arrive, the self appointed/opinionated 'champion'' fronted for unknown reasons, was ignored. The customary additions to the bunch on the commute to the Emu included Sticks and Bomber, James, Stiffy, Dalton, not-so-GiantTony, Trent, Trudy and the Machine, numbers swelled with the speed helped from the 15 to 20 k's of west southwest wind. Bomb and Sticks hit the loud pedal south to the Toaster, shutting up many to stay in touch. Good drivers kept up the motion in Old Dookie with an ease in Boundary Rd helping many get their breath. A passing 4x4 near Channel Rd belched diesel smoke for us all to inhale, some now content to stay at the back for a free tow. The Machine, James and Bomber drove into the southwester on River Rd, I'd found myself on Rockets wheel and slowly working up toward the big and far more capable guns, wondering if this was the place for ancient engines low on power. Long turns delayed my promotion to the front till Raftery's horse stud (and I was but the tired old donkey), only capable of a few hundred metres with Rocket in the 40's. I'll remember GT Craig in my Will for a timely roll over at Arcadia Downs (before I bent a valve), the big guns now firing into Conrod with many like me shelving aspiration for perspiration and dedication in the closing 700 metres. The bell tolled for many digging deep at the front, maintaining a steady pace paid it's reward of my place in the front 6, albeit some distance from Bombers 1st spot with Rocket nipping at his heels 2nd.
Kitted in a lighter base layer for Wednesday (after Tuesday mornings sweatshop) resulted in another wardrobe malfunction, chilled by 11 degrees with a strong southerly to deal with. (Memo to self ; check outdoors before the ride!) Shane, Wozza, Cougar, Nick, Rocket, Trav, PistolPete Jase and RidleyTrev formed the pack at Kialla, PistolPete reporting Archer was now open (and sealed) for business. Just a few loose stones to contend with but the southerly wind wore down the motivation by arrival at Mitchell. Tail lights ahead were slowly being caught, a Cat (and his kitten) caught in River Rd just as the usual procession of bunches barrelled west. The east leg seems even longer with the sun still in bed, lights of smaller groups southbound in Boundary showing River Rd's real length. A short but sweet tailwind was relished to Channel Rd, then the heads down work homeward. A pitched stone from another wheel to my derriere whacked me a giddy up to match Rocket to the S bend, pacy speed to the kinder predicted a thrash at Prentice Rd which never materialised. PistolPete looks sedately smooth at speed, Wozza primed for the tough mudder in fine form too. Our bunch of 10 were soon back to base, split at Archer for the commute home, negotiating the test track of twists, roadworks and manhole covers of Archer, ranked a close second to Verney Rd's joke called a bike lane.
A real dose of winter on Thursday, 7.8 degrees to start the day, I got the clothing right at least. Just Rocket, Kenworth, Nick, Cougar, PistolPete, Wozza and WobblyTrev fronted, lamenting those lost to lethargy as the season cools, FeltMat, Shorty, Temple, BigMat, WhisperingJack and DiscoSteve all resting in peace as the die hards (desperado's?) fly the flag. Mr & Mrs Mystery rolled out a minute before our start, just the carrot for Rocket & Pete to chase. Caught by Orrvale Rd, Mr Mystery was clearly possessed by the pursuit, had quickly dumped Mrs (latched onto the back) to play with the boys. Order was restored by the kinder, down to the business of enduring the temperature, foggy spots and speed, even though my heart rate monitor was showing 43 bpm till the cypress trees. Mr Mystery was identified in the rotation, Mark (Mrs = Trish) somewhat against the grain of peleton protocols. Nick was nursing a niggling hamstring but soldiered steadily on, Wozza compliant sharing the front of house duty. HBK and Aimee were caught and passed at One Tree Dam, Mark & Trish resigned to the rear for their Mitchell Rd exit. There's at least 10% more velocity from Rocket & Pistol than most, at least they're playing ball with us mere mortals on the limit, just hang on when they pair up at the front.. Patches beyond the dog-leg were colder than Putin's politics but Pistol warmed us up by pouring on the power up Mt Nicolaci. A slow for traffic at the highway allowed Cougar and WobblyTrev to close a small gap, solidarity ruled out of Roubaix and up to Conrod, the Pistol & Rocket greyhounds then let off the leash. I'd dropped back to lend a tow to Cougar (and draw a straight line for Trev), pleased to cross the line with a 36+ average, a solid ride for just eight players.
It's the fifth anniversary of the library bunch (formed to escape the big hitters in the hospital bunch, that worked didn't it?!) so it's timely to attend. The car park had a fair collection of punters for tonights 6pm lap, Scott, Harpo, Juzza, Clive, Paul, Coggo, Hamish, WillierTony, Simmo, Axel (and newbie mate Pete), all enjoying a return to summer weather (30) with a hint of NNE wind. Paul parked the Avanti horizontally at the Balaclava roundabout, a late car call and the gutters' ridge undoing the balance, no skin off and (of more importance to Paul) no paint off the bike. Mitch was picked up at DECA, the Machine Steve at Numurkah Rd, Dalton, Trent, Trudy and more in Lemnos-Cosgrove Rd. I had a turn with Coggo then another with Mitch, watching the heart rate climb into the red, Clives' carbon brakes sounding like a baritone budgie on the turn at the Emu, newbie Pete now missing. Easier going south and west, the Columbian was collected in Old Dookie to even up the numbers. Pointing south, another go at the front for me from the highway to the bridges with Paul, Mitch next, picking the speed up to 40 to River Rd (4k's at the pointy end had earned my dinner) The slowly setting sun is perfectly pointed along River Rd these days to test everyones vision, in two weeks it will be darkness to endure. Speed was fairly brisk to Central Kialla and the westward leg to Raftery, seems I'd just recovered when another turn came up. A bit shorter this time, half a k with Paul then the same with Mitch, mid fourties enough to fray my edges. In Conrod the competent wound up the intensity, proportionally spitting out the hangers on, some had thrown in the towel with 400 left but i'd got on top of the 13 sprocket to round up a few, a rather distant fourth to the Columbian, Mitch and Paul taking the prime positions.
A very mild Friday kept the variety in the weeks' weather, the NNE a nuisance wheeling out Channel Rd, but Darth Vader's sudden invasion from the tabledrain was a bigger problem. Hard to aim the water bottle at a dark pooch growling at the heels in the dark. The wind was tougher bearing north into Boundary Rd, the Supercats, 51 and Goats were on a breezy bonus for freaky Friday. A restorative little roll around today to recharge limp legs.
Week 12 362km YTD 3,256km
"Money is a strange business. People who haven't got it aim at it strongly. People who have, are full of troubles" Ayrton Senna (1960-1994) Brazilian Formula 1 driver (would have been 54 today)
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