400 lumens speared the dark streets at 5.35, Mr Senior Citizen (John's dad?) was walking a ball of fluff, Mr Getfit Midlife was walking a pair of Reeboks, I was walking pace into the 30km/h southerly blowing up the road. And all this effort to get to a social Saturday ride! Enthusiasm dwindled reaching the start, 5 minutes to go and just two other players.....but 7 more emerged in the dying moments to share the load and share the bs. Trav, Rocket, Temple, PistolPete, Cougar, RidleyTrev, FeltMat, Nick and Shorty (back from hols) wound up to speed in Channel Rd, HBK and WhisperingJacks absence unmourned but cooling weather resented. Swore I felt a soft front tyre in the first few metres of Boundary Rd, Rocket (giving the handlebars a shake) did too, a road corrugation agreed as the likely culprit. Hopes rose with the southerly at our backs, speed restrictions ignored and a weekend ahead, the cackle and mumblings rotating with the riders to the toaster and beyond. A low Cat count for a Saturday at the main channel in Lemnos-Cosgrove Rd, a few following some minutes behind too. I drew the short straw of a head wind in Rudd Rd beside Rocket (but just 2 k to endure) , the Boulevard easier, tucked away from the elements. The customary post ride chin wag at the Lemontree (I'd managed to plug the resident nicotine chimney with a request for oxygen), Jase arriving in civvies for chat on Nath & Laura's news, the Deni Crit and the nutritional benefits of ice cream for breakfast.
Another lazy Sunday for me, but I dips me lid to Nico & the Fox for their bash at the Ironman Melbourne (9.52 and 9.36 respectively) and Coggo's go at a Nagambie-Melbourne trek. Comiserations to Wozza, he cracked the Tough Mudder but cracked an ankle into the bargain, now its a 6 week session on crutches instead of the bike.
Somewhat circuitless Monday morning, so a 'gone with the wind' go at a three quarter reverse toaster circuit. Straight down Wyndham St at 5.30 the flags were limp at the Motel but flapping at BMW, plenty of southerly to cope with outward and enjoy homeward. Had to perform a half nelson on my motivation to climb the long drag of Conrod, a bit uphill and into a head wind did little for my head. A very distant tail light on Mitchell Rd was some inspiration, 12 degrees out in the back blocks wasn't. Had quite a tranquil leg in River Rd, just the howl of the wind between the cochlears, clockwise rows of l.e.d.'s (SuperCats etc) not seen till Boundary Rd. I wasn't making any inroads to the distant tail light, sometimes visible from the dizzy heights of channel bridges then vanishing completely when I reached the pair of Broken bridges. It was E=MC2 up to Old Dookie Rd (energy = motivation by cadence squared) , well, 72 rpm is multiplied for me. Westward home I whacked an unseen pot-hole, ye old wrists suffered but the faithful Cosmics have coped well approaching 80,000k's use (376,635,237 revolutions for the number nerds) Back to town with time for toast before life at the coal face beckoned. A later spy on Strava revealed HBK as the elusive distant tail light, dissapeared home via Channel Rd.
I had to trawl through the drawers looking for optimism on Tuesday morning, overnight showers had dampened the playground to make a ride decision difficult. The hope glass was half full, the radar half ordinary, but set forth anyway on the glossy tarmac to a Couldabeens start, not a bike to be seen on the journey south and an odd spit of rain should have been a more than subtle hint. Only Cougar was brave enough to brave the elements, so we set off at five to in Channel Rd with some trepadation and many an escape route planned. We'd only reached Grahamvale school when the odd drop from the heavens became slowly larger and more frequent, the course reset quickly to Grahamvale Rd and Poplar Ave in the hope of getting home dry. We'd at least given it a fair try. Back into town the drizlle stopped of course, if only to frustrate. Home early, I'd just started breakfast part 2 to hear a decent downpour, diversion decision demonstrably deemed dutiful. Mr Ray O'Hope visited during the afternoon, blue sky and a clear radar put a positive feel to the hospital bunch.
25 degrees and a hint of northeasterly brought out plenty to play at the boomgates at 6. WillierTony (on a Specialised to confuse me), Harpo, Rocket, Scott, Clive, Juzza, Coggo, Kev, Axel, Paul and a last minute Luke made up a dozen to navigate the Verney Rd obstacle curse (intended typo), collecting Bomber & Sticks at the Ford Rd roundabout. Scott's two bidons of red jungle juice broke away from their very loose moorings on the railway line, so a brief slow for their retrival, then regroup. The Machine Steve, Dalton and LegalSteve joined in, delaying my rotation to the "rushin" front further, but who was I to argue, delighted to be towed along. Still a few wheels from the front when we rounded the Emu corner, six more punters were ready to climb aboard at the church (Trent, Trudy, Oscar and co u-turning from their anti-clockwise tour) I was fourth from the front in Old Dookie Rd and finally at the windy end for the last half k to the pub and down to Channel Rd with Coggo, then the drive to one-tree dam with Dalts. My H.R. was creeping to 180 when Dalton thankfully called a roll over, gasping (secretly) behind the big diesel to recover ready for River Rd. There was a steady squeeze on speed up to Trevaskis Rd where Sticks bolted to excite the troops to a mid 40's pursuit. Pulled back into the bunch by Laws Drive, Sticks used the brief recovery to attack again in Central Kialla Rd, more mid 40's till he and Bomber headed for home as the pack filed into Mitchell Rd. Just the second contribution to the front came for me (with Coggo) up to Roubaix, from there the big horsepower of Steve, Rocket, Trent, Oscar etc drove the train into the 50's with a dozen single filed behind. Four and a bit minutes of 175 bpm was chipping away at my reserves but I was suprised to find several contenders expiring early, I kept on at an even pace (with one jellybean left in reserve) to whittle it down to fourth, Oscar, Trent & Rocket (in that order) way too strong at 60+ km/h over the line.
A clear starlit sky, barely a puff of wind and temperature in double figures was all you could hope for Wednesday morning, off to Kialla Lakes enthused to put in a lap, SuperMario, Shane, Cougar, RidleyTrev, Nick, HBK, PistolPete and Rocket enthused too. Cougars troublesome light connection threw darkness about but soldiered on with 8 others to light the way. A week of a sealed Archer Rd was almost hard to believe, more roadworks (propogating a roundabout) must be part of the councils "dig-up-the-road-plan-for-congesting-traffic-scheme". Nick's chain did a dismount on the gravel diversion, troops rallied to regroup at the alt. route. HBK had leapfrogged to sit beside SuperMario's wheel, turning up the tempo to Mitchell. We caught Mr & Mrs Cat in River Rd (deja vu last Wednesday) and set about a steady slog to Boundary Rd with oncoming bunches aplenty. HBK gunned the northern leg with 100 knives in his back (40th birthday presents?) paired with Rocket (preferring to keep friends). Shane & SuperMario were putting in a good show considering nearly a week off two wheels for each, PistolPete's click click click (from a cadence sensor?) not quite my metronome. A few bursts of acceleration (proportional to HBK's presence at the front) kept all awake if the odd cool patch didn't. A longish wait for a gap in Doyles Rd peak hour (and the earlier wait for Nick's chain anomoly) hadn't dented the average speed too much, arriving back to Archer Rd on schedule.
The Thursday forecast came to fruition in the early hours, plenty of rain & drizzle dictated a rare sleep-in. A new pair of Michelin Pro4's fitted, noticing a rogue bindii lodged in the old front.(it served 8,500k well, but thin) Afternoon clouds appeared ominous, a library bunch ride decision was left till quarter to, many referrals to radar and forecasts to swing the result. The darker greys were in the east and heading south so crossed fingers & committed to a 6 o'clock roll. Only GT Craig, WillierTony (on his Willier) Ranso, Juzza and Clive to start, all confident there'd be a few punters to join in out the road. Stiffy appeared quietly at the back of the bunch nearing the golf course, Mitch then Paul at DECA, only to have GT Craig puncture at Numurkah Rd. (he & Paul repaired and short cut the loop to join in later). Kev, MachineSteve, Trent &Trudy and lil'Tony were added to the mix on the road to the Emu (Trent, Trudy and Steve dampened on their earlier anti-clockwise loop) A good mix of machinery tonight, Basso, Oppy, Giant, GT, Willier, Cannondale, Avanti, Merida & Jamis, lil'Tony's Propel akin to a steath bomber. Paul & GT Craig rejoined with LegalSteve in Old Dookie Rd, many I'd guess were saving wattage for Saturday's Crit. but the pace picked up over the highway, just as my turn at the front came. Nudging 40 and attempting to match Ranso then lil'Tony for 4k took the wind out of my old sails....be tough, HTFU, suck it up, show no weakness, look calm (while legs scream, h.r. soars and lungs burst) This fast stuff was best left to more capable drivers for River Rd. Tempo was tamed again in Mitchell, Trent and Juzza restrained leaders out of Roubaix, the thrash waiting till the last 600 of Conrod (timed conveniently to my last effort at the pointy end). With little response left in my legs the bunch swamped me, no skin off my nose to roll in quietly second to last.
Limp of limb, jaundiced of joints and malnourished of motivation Friday morning, it was left to QOTSA's "My God is the Sun" to tow this bloke out of his nest. A number 3 haze filter over a recumbant crescent moon and a balmy 17 degrees minus wind put a positive into a ride to congregate with Rocket, Kenworth, Cougar, Shane, Temple, PistolPete, HBK and Nick for a "quiet roll around". Roadworks continue in Archer Rd, better now with an inch of gravel swept off to get some traction. I'd paired with HBK and his satirical sarcasm and was working harder than the 43bpm showing on the Garmin (crook connectivity I'm guessing). Twas a gift from the Gods to have Kenworth roll over to tow me in River Rd, reeling in the Breeze lasses as the umpteen Cat factions and Friday freaks wound west. The h.r. had restored reading 136, and for a brief moment HBK was actually the level bike king (photographic proof not available) but soon reverted to his half length ahead position for the push to Channel Rd. PistolPete's metronome is a little quieter, Rocket's pace quieter too to save some joules for Saturdays Crit. An overtake of Fitzy (?) beyond the cypress trees, (a brief drizzle from the heavens started to concern but then faded) then we closed in and passed an unknown rugged up roadie approaching Orrvale Rd. A left then right toward the school, suddenly we had the winter kitted bloke coming alongside to pass, but then sliced across my wheel to cut in. Abridged advice on etiquette soon despatched the inconsiderate interloper allowing the team to finish the lap cleanly.
Week 13 316km YTD 3,572
"I have made this (letter) longer, because I have not had the time to make it shorter"
Blaise Pascal (1623-1662) French mathematician, physicist, inventor, writer, philosopher
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