Good to get back into a Saturday lap after a fortnight awol, a few extras filled the ranks at the carpark in the quest for extra k's. ChrisA, Dion, GT Craig and Dalts joined in with regulars Rocket, Shane, Shorty, Temple, AvantiChris, Avanti(Grandpa)Trev and Nick, waiting a minute for tardy SuperMario to arrive, threats of his shout for coffee as pennance. Tap tap on the regular course with the usual social scuttlebutt, speeches and sledges, a few infringements of speed going un-noticed. The sun's getting up a minute or two earlier each day to motivate summer, Shane and Dion motivating the pace along to the Toaster. Dalts and ChrisA disengaged turns in preparation for a u-turn to hitch a Cat ride, a solitary bike ahead i.d.'d by the flouro shoes as new dad Nath, our chorus of babies wails taken as congratulations. A steady tap along the length of Lemnos-Cosgrove, Ford and Wanganui roads, a bit of a blast up the Wanganui hill to earn our breakfast, and a roll through town to enjoy yarns on villans, kidney stones and bike longevity
Drank a litre of concrete Monday morning and attended another Cat lap, a baptism of fire after a cruisy weekend of little bike activity. Numbers were down but quality overrode quantity with BigBen, G, Dipper, Cobbles, Jarrod, Simon, Phil, Sly and others. The strong southwesterly may have kept a few indoors but a mild 11 degrees was a bonus (even braved the short knicks), a clockwise rotation eastbound on Old Dookie Rd had the scenery blurring by but was quickly frozen at Central Ave for a cars' sudden arrival. BigBrad, Bomber and Eggy arrived in Boundary Rd to lengthen the odds and shorten the breath, a chase was on to reach two bikes ahead (with no concession for the headwind) to River Rd. Fox and Minto were soon caught, I'd contributed turns till Laws Drive when the mental handbrake came on, an intermission in the rear seats to settle heart rate if I was to survive. A gap opened on the turn toward Kialla Central, I was soon left at the front of the tailenders to claw back the deficit, burning up what little recovery was made a minute earlier. A few ventured forward when the speed had settled in Mitchell Rd, so I put my two bob's worth in at the front till serious horsepower struck again. Thoughts has switched to survival mode once over the highway, a sudden arrival of a 4x4 at the sharp turn before Roubaix got the bunch sharply into order. 40km/h out of Roubaix and 45 by Arcadia Downs confirmed my commitment as an 'also-rode', nudging 50 for Conrod straight and hanging on the back with several others, the finish line couldn't come soon enough. Relief came crossing the line, endorphins of finishing overpowered complaining muscles, a bonus tailwind home was a trophy to go with a PR for the Crit sprint.
4am showers and 30-40km/h southerlys signalled a sleep-in Tuesday, a rapidly drying road at 6 infected thoughts with remorse, rump rewarded respite though. The southerly still blew Wednesday, my failed headlight battery caused a rush to swap volts and bolt to the start, catching every red light en route it seems. Mental mapping of shortcuts were being planned but a chance draft from a small truck delivered me to the back of the Couldabeens bunch as the team entered Archer Rd. I managed to speak sentences with AvantiChris and Chops after a kilometre of respiratory recovery at the back, much better to be in Mitchell Rd's side wind . On the front with Rocket (tempered from Tuesday nights tempest) for the Central Kialla leg saw a lone bike approaching from the truck route, LateLeigh (aka LeighMac) typically tardy 20 minutes in arrears in search of the Cats. Bearing east on River Rd tested AvantiChris's limit, puffs turned to nods turned to wobbles at 2nd wheel in the attempt to keep in touch with Trav's tempo. A long Cat train blurred by at the dip, Chris staying glued as Pistol & Rocket ripped up River. I felt guilty taking Boundary Rd's tailwind when others had battled the odds prior, but the Channel Rd payback levelled the score. Chops had Pistol to match (yet again) into the southwester, Trav driving a hard bargain against me at the front made it a daily double. A Garmin beep at the school said satellites lost, not till town did it restore reading.
Plenty of Goats assembled at Friars on Thursday, all awaiting proper Spring weather. Hommy spread the sledges as the numbers built till six bells summoned a start, 16 rolling out Old Dookie Rd in the wake of the Cat collective. Sandy must be on Kellogs Nitrograin, Coggo is back from billiard table rides in Sydney, Tum & Kate have returned from trans Tasman tripping, and the usual brief sentence spoken with many others. It's rather satisfying to be pushing along nudging 40, track turns measured in metres making it acheivable, a big difference to turns measured in kilometres with other groups . The Fossilosophy is we all gravitate to what's doable, enjoyable, social satisfying and releases the right quantities of endorphines at the end. We hadn't lost touch with the tail lights ahead in River Rd, despite the westsouthwester taking the polish off the speed, more than a dozen still contributing wattage to the cause at the front. (impressed that Kate, Tina and Sandy were still hammering out fast turns). Over the highway and round Roubaix (the corrugated tarmac turn in Raftery that rattles the fillings and the nerves) speed began to fill the rear ranks, I'd resolved to call it quits and let others unleash the fury in Conrod, Dipper, AvantiLeigh, CerveloJohn, Tum and Hommy all in the final 300 metre thrash for glory to Steptoe's house, me on a go slow, going with the flow, with Snow in tow.
To properly prostitute myself for the week it was a lap with the P&W's Friday, Minto, Fox and Meags the only takers, Princess a no show. The booming band of Breakaways behind building before blast-off , it was chocks away for us, Meags as rear gunner, vehemently vanquishing viral vices. Up to Central Ave with Minto, then to Boundary with Fox, a light southeaster to keep us occupied. Duty called again from the pub to River Rd, Minto ramping up the pace. Fox's roll over with 3k's of River Rd done was appreciated, 6 eastbound Couldabeens greeted, enjoying the breeze behind. A freaky Friday lookout behind us saw a very distant bunch in pursuit, worth a peek again at the highway (to avert a Cat-astrophe). Minto pushed the pace again to the Kialla Hall, Fox driving the same up to Roubaix. By Conrod straight the 51/Cat pack was rapidly closing in, with 500 to go Eggy and 51 bullet train hammered past, copious Cats in tow, clutching the caboose. A yarn with ArgonDave and Tum on the mornings' attendance (guesstimated at 45) was chewed over on the roll home through the suburb.
Week 42: 220km YTD 11,603 km
Word of the Week
"Cyclost" (noun) A rider without bearings or direction
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