An early prologue to start Saturday, a chilled (2.6 degrees) course to the Emu with Wozza and straight to 150 bpm @ 78 rpm to put some glow into the gastrochnemius. We felt some hinderance (SSW wind) on the turn to the Toaster, h.r. climbing to the high 160's, westbound on Old Dookie Rd I treated myself to a gearchange (56/15) and dropped 15 bpm into the bargain. Into a partially shielded Channel Rd a sudden growling at the ankles turned on a sudden sprint, Sellman's Darth Vader (German Shepherd) gnashing at our heels in the darkness injected excitement into the Garmin graph. With the dog dropped, we tapped down to the school and eased the momentum sensing a Couldabeens arrival (Ange, Ron, Trav, Shorty, AvantiChris, Cougar, Jen, Pistol, Rocket, Hollywood, Weapon, Masi Mario, Jase and BigMat), 14 arriving at Doyles to socialise our Saturday. BigMat's attendance wasn't a hologram, out at last after months of retirement (to justify the nights' planned beer and pizza session?), it was a well behaved crew till Hollywood inflicted pain on the truant BigMat and Jase. We're at last over the hump of solstice and downhill to longer days, but there's barely a hint of light till we're crossing paths with pussycats. Cougars light lost lumens (challenged for charge) and the boisterous babble of Ange shattered the morning atmostphere. I was wearing a touch thin with 80k's clocked, how soon we weaken with shorter circuits cranked? Jen ventured forward for her shift at the front just as the heat was applied for Wanganui hill, wisely holding station as the eager beavers bolted for the stage win (plenty of geese cooked well before serving). The commute to coffee had a sense of urgency, all chasing a seat under the heater? Weapon's Cairns attack, turn ettiquette and Linda's lumbar on the chat list while we pondered the chill climbing back aboard the bike to get home.
Seems a spray painters convention had covered cars in a cool crust of white Monday morning, minus one was definitely a ride for the dedicated (or demented). Trawling the depths of the prefrontal cortex against the chilly east northeast breeze, I set course for a solo Toaster loop, feeling like I was dinking BigMat and his beer supply to the Emu, 78 rpm @ 160 bpm and climbing, the turn south to the Toaster was as relieving as a proctology cancellation, so treated myself to a 100 metre calm of cadence. It was a psychological hurdle lept knowing most of the remaining loop had a bonus breeze behind, I gave myself a D for speed but a B for effort, a cranial concession catering for the cool. Vince and another (cloaked by darkness) were in Boundary northward, cruising to create Cat-astrophe as I slipped southward, warmed (?) by the thoughts of a tailwind (albeit a feeble 4 km/h) in River Rd. A trio of Breakaways biked east at the dip, westward went I still at 150bpm+, but calmed to 66 rpm. A pause for two cars at Mitchell Rd (Central Kialla almost at gridlock!) then on to Raftery with a sense of triumph over temperature seeing the white grass roadside. The breeze had abated, Conrod's dips filling with fog, a Strava sufferfest of 159 justifying my breakfast.
Transferred the track Tuesday, the totuous test of tenacity to a tough northeaster out New Dookie Rd to hurry the heart and harry the hippocampus. I'd almost called on the almighty reaching the church (maintaining 31 into the 15-26 km/h headwind), a moment to study alpha centauri and the corona australis in the sky as my heartrate climbed down from the heavens. Twas bliss bound to town from the Toaster, back to the Friars launch pad just as Goats (Belly, Coggo, Heady, Phil, Joe, Tina, Sandy, Hommy and Principal Skinner) set sail. Winter has trimmed the Goat pace noticeably, some still suffering but Heady's tour de France has him peaking from the Pyrenees peaks. Lots of glass to avoid at the turn into Boundary, momentum more managable spinning southerly. Speed picked up in River Rd but my eye on the clock begged a shortcut home if I was to meet the wishes of my employer. Peeling off in Archer Rd and exposed to the wind bumped me into zone 4, hard yakka homeward on a mission of minute management but a 3rd fastest for Kialla Lakes Drive was a bonus.
An abated brekky has lightened the ride load lately, a new chain deminishing the deraillier din does good too. Wednesday's route was a Raftery run-in prior to the Couldabeens to test my regime, selecting to spin (79 rpm) as an introduction. Keeping to the timetable (5.46 @ Roubaix) and feeling the ENE handbrake in Mitchell Rd, I'd finally got into the groove in Archer, still on the 79 spin, to get to the Couldabeens grid on schedule, Pistol, Hollywood, AvantiChris (in shorts!) Nick, Temple (flu finally finished) AvantiTrev, Masi Mario, FeltMat (out of hibernation) and again adorned by Breakaways Jen, Melissa, Cougar and Cate, all keen to turn wheels. A good intro to the anti-clockwise loop, gently up to pace slotting into position for the first turn in Mitchell Rd. There was a little work to be done on River Rd and Boundary, although some not quite around the echelon ettiquette. It was less taxing in Channel Rd, the stars were aligning perusing positions at the cypress trees, AvantiChris and Pistol taking the tempo to the kinder, Hollywood and and Pistol to the Cha Cha launch pad. With Rocket away the bridesmaids were out to play, Masi Mario and Nick were team tentative as I seized the chance to pounce at Prentice Rd. 50 km/h, 171 bpm, (OMG 94 cadence!), position, timing and a lot of luck handing me the chocolates, the big gap to 2nd (Hollywood) a glint to the sprint .
A smooth slow start-up for Thursday, slamming the door of competitiveness and over enthusiasm, letting the legs rather than the head set the cruise control on a golf course loop. The south west wind was a complete about face from yesterdays, an enjoyable entree to the certain spice of the Couldabeens circuit. It was almost a complete 10k full circle to rendevous with Wozza at 5.30, a grind into the headwind to the carpark to see tormentors/tormentees ChrisA, Cougar, FeltMat, Nick, PistolPete, Rocket, AvantiTrev and Trav arrive for the early flag off. Luck placed me kindly in order behind Trav and Nick and ahead of the quintessentially quick quadrella of ChrisA, Pistol, Wozza and Rocket (taxing 10% tempo to Trav's travels). There wasn't a lot of breeze benefit to Boundary but the effort was evident pointing south (rotation tucking me in for a tow on ChrisA's wheel). FeltMat, Cougar and AvantiTrev were happily on a tail-light tenure, River Rd repeated the regular ritual of rigor (an elephant stamp to Trav continually venturing forth, Rocket's considerate commiserations commended). Wozz and Pistol ploughed into Central Kialla's headwind, I scaled Mt.Nicolaci beside Nick but Conrod's tailwind was on everyones wish list . A stab under the ribs stopped my contributions at the front just as Nick and Trav pulled the pin, leaving ChrisA, Pistol, Rocket and Wozz the only drivers left at Arcadia Downs, the remainder stretched out along Conrod in survival.
An e.o.f.y. stocktake forced an early start and a short lap Friday, Wozz in the same boat for a 5am spin. Struggling to warm up on 30'ks in 1.6 degrees, we yarned on the many hit by winters negative headspace, my legs negative to the moderate pace. At this time of year it's ride to survive, hibernation = ruination. Difficult navigating through fog on Lemnos-Cosgrove Rd to the Emu (almost missed the turn), legs went to jelly off the Fizik but recovered clicking to the 15 cog for Old Dookie Rd. A few masochists were rolling out early ahead of the Freaky Friday fraternity as we rolled back into town, thanks Wozz, nice to finish the week on a short and steady lap.
Week 26 336 km YTD 7,578 km
Friday, June 26, 2015
Saturday, June 20, 2015
Week 25: Sprint starts and elected to the ejected.
With my head in weekend mode I'd stalled the Saturday kit-up routine, finding myself five minutes behind the eight ball to reach the Saturday startline.....yet another sprint start to the day. The temperature was just 0.1 degree into the positive, but I'd well and truely warmed up on the 5.6k commute, reaching the carpark with a minute to spare. Another big grid of Bo, Kel, Ange, Linda, Fisky, Dion, Nick, Shorty, AvantiChris, AvantiTrev, Rudy, Hollywood, Cate, Cougar, Jen, Ron, Rocket, Pistol, MasiMario and the even later comers Jase and Trav (didn't make me feel so guilty). All set off into the cold darkness of Old Dookie Rd, I'd planned a double dip of Couldabeens with a Goat chaser, the lure of longer laps are fading with the temperature, but preserving some sort of form for future targets jump starts the enthusiasm again. The elongated social wheel of musical chairs revolved on the familiar Saturday track, exchanging snapshots of the peletons personality as each prepared to venture forth for the effort (or ease) contributing to the pointy end, keeping up the average (and the ego?). I was suprised to see Fisky in the pack, didn't think he emerged from bed till it was 5 degrees or better, Ange was giving the usual somewhat subtle (as a sledgehammer) calls. Thoughts of joining the sprint were thrown out when my turn came up beside Dion in Wanganui Rd, all reserves being spent by DECA just when the sprinters and sprintenders emerged from the rear at the whiff of Wanganui hill, Rocket reliably ruled till Bo bolted. I was content to plug away at the rear with several likeminded in tow, didn't want to empty the tank with more k's to follow. I peeled away from the bunch with Dion and Nath (on a similar agenda) and fronted Friars to find a trickle of Goats arriving for frappe fuelling in preparation for a Toaster lap. Almost needed a bomb threat to motivate Baz, Hommy, Deb, Sandy, Snow, Jan, Roscoe and Principal Skinner from their seats, Dazza, Dion, MeridaAndy, Nath and JamisScotty the ones keen to saddle up and fire the starting pistol. A casual cruise to the Boulevard eventually got the bunch together, Nath and Dazza setting the standard at a cool 30. There was quite a Ford Rd fragmentation with rusty riders retreating rearward, urging the six pack (MeridaAndy, JamisScotty, Nath, Dion, Dazza and I) to carry on, leaving the contingent to cluster and cruise. There was plenty of work to do with just five to team with, MeridaAndy on the road to lumbar recovery and JamisScotty fighting a bi battle of aerodynamics. A steady roll to the Emu and Toaster and down to the Pub, it was no suprise when MeridaAndy and JamisScotty bailed out for a Channel Rd exit but Dion, Dazza and Nath didn't have to turn up the tempo! Into zone 4 (but manageable) for River Rd we caught and passed the shortcutting Snow and Jan and plugged on to Mitchell, GiantMark intercepting at Archer Rd for the return to town, a SSE'er assisting our passage to the Butterfactory to refuel from 98k's.
Belly called a 32 x 32 for Monday, a calmer karma with seven degrees almost declared a heatwave. Principal Skinner, Phill, MeridaAndy, Sandy, Hommy, Snow, Coggo and Belly was a good turn-up, or maybe Tuesdays forecast brought the meeting forward? The roll out of town collected CatKel and another unidentified feline, Tina at the weighbridge making up a dozen. Hommy was struggling to get above an idle, Snow with his usual 8 degree toe out in the right knee, Phil back aboard after time off. All settled into a steady tap, seems to be the winter want as cold ebbs enthusiasm as kilometres are clipped and rides reduce. It was nice to get out of the easterly and bear south, my form guage reading lame lately was quickly boosted to beaut, witnessing the the work needed by those smitten by sloth (and gastronomic Italian holidays!). Rolling rather relaxed (h.r. @ 119) I took leave at River Rd's end exiting stage right, a mission to hastily head home (160 bpm) and prep for work.
Tuesdays damp denied kilometres (some boldly rode where others feared to tread) but consequently inspired a short Raftery Rd prologue on Wednesday, if only to re-educate the legs with a curriculum of cadence. Fog blurred the view as the head dealt with a esrever dornoC noitcerid, glancing back confirmed I was enveloped in a dark misty cloud. All bearings were lost without landmarks, feeling for the dip by effort, for lack of seeing it. Rounding Roubaix (certainly felt that!) at 6am was on target to intercept the Couldabeens clan in Archer Rd, it was just a case of finding a dozen l.e.d.'s in the pea soup. Hazed headlights emerged from the fog in leg 2 of Archer, so I u-turned to jump aboard, Nick, Pistol, AvantiTrev, Rocket, AvantiChris, Hollywood, even WhisperingJack (thought fog had miraged my imagination) being bolstered by the Breakaways, Cougar, Jen, Cate and Melissa. I'd slotted into blessed position between Jen and Melissa but had plenty of work to do in keeping up. With River Rd covered congenially we pointed north, but nearing the Broken bridges my Mavic marshmallowed with a slow flat. My call of 'puncture' went un-noticed so it was a private pitstop to repair as the bunch vanished into the cloud ahead. I counted it positive to be spared the burden of the bindii, a small wedge of glass was found and flung, back on the road with little delay, driving hard homeward to meet the time clock. A dog the size of a small horse emerged from the darkness in Channel Rd's Cha Cha (turbo boosting the pace with adrenalin), but thankfully stood in stunned silence. Home on cue to reach the coalface with seconds to spare.
Thursdays downpour donated another day off the bike, but Friday's 20km/h southerly gave a dose of driving duties for Wozz and I to the Archer Rd shop, finding Couldabeens collectively congregating in the carpark corner, cowering from the cursed first shift. AvantiTrev, Cougar, Whispering Jack (yep, again. Twice in a week is double BigMat's and SuperMario's effort) Hollywood, Pistol, MasiMario, Rocket, Kenworth and Cate shuffled positions for take off, Shorty jumping aboard at Kialla Lakes. I'd fluked a tow for the head wind but the payback was pairing with Rocket in River Rd when Cate ducked for cover under Pistols' wheel. The spin doctor on a reverse ride joined in the rotation, a quick trip east as Cats cranked west. Enthused with a tail wind, Pistol and Rocket paired (cream rising to the top) to propel us to Channel Rd, matching Rocket to the S bend spent my reserves, Shorty's short shift saving my bacon till Wozza's puncture at the cypress trees gave all a reprieve and sharpened our sledging skills. AvantiTrev wrestled with a recalcitrant C02 pump (blowing tube 2) but we finally set the wheels turning and belted into the Cha Cha. On Rockets' wheel I dug deep to pass and roll, Kel followed suit, (a MasiMario meltdown matching the motion) many boys coming out to play when the work had been done, I was swiftly swamped, elected to the ejected with an E.T.A. to the O.T.A. Another Wozz puncture on the last leg halted a few for pitstop duty, the craved for caffine crew continuing.
Week 25 230km YTD 7,242 km
Belly called a 32 x 32 for Monday, a calmer karma with seven degrees almost declared a heatwave. Principal Skinner, Phill, MeridaAndy, Sandy, Hommy, Snow, Coggo and Belly was a good turn-up, or maybe Tuesdays forecast brought the meeting forward? The roll out of town collected CatKel and another unidentified feline, Tina at the weighbridge making up a dozen. Hommy was struggling to get above an idle, Snow with his usual 8 degree toe out in the right knee, Phil back aboard after time off. All settled into a steady tap, seems to be the winter want as cold ebbs enthusiasm as kilometres are clipped and rides reduce. It was nice to get out of the easterly and bear south, my form guage reading lame lately was quickly boosted to beaut, witnessing the the work needed by those smitten by sloth (and gastronomic Italian holidays!). Rolling rather relaxed (h.r. @ 119) I took leave at River Rd's end exiting stage right, a mission to hastily head home (160 bpm) and prep for work.
Tuesdays damp denied kilometres (some boldly rode where others feared to tread) but consequently inspired a short Raftery Rd prologue on Wednesday, if only to re-educate the legs with a curriculum of cadence. Fog blurred the view as the head dealt with a esrever dornoC noitcerid, glancing back confirmed I was enveloped in a dark misty cloud. All bearings were lost without landmarks, feeling for the dip by effort, for lack of seeing it. Rounding Roubaix (certainly felt that!) at 6am was on target to intercept the Couldabeens clan in Archer Rd, it was just a case of finding a dozen l.e.d.'s in the pea soup. Hazed headlights emerged from the fog in leg 2 of Archer, so I u-turned to jump aboard, Nick, Pistol, AvantiTrev, Rocket, AvantiChris, Hollywood, even WhisperingJack (thought fog had miraged my imagination) being bolstered by the Breakaways, Cougar, Jen, Cate and Melissa. I'd slotted into blessed position between Jen and Melissa but had plenty of work to do in keeping up. With River Rd covered congenially we pointed north, but nearing the Broken bridges my Mavic marshmallowed with a slow flat. My call of 'puncture' went un-noticed so it was a private pitstop to repair as the bunch vanished into the cloud ahead. I counted it positive to be spared the burden of the bindii, a small wedge of glass was found and flung, back on the road with little delay, driving hard homeward to meet the time clock. A dog the size of a small horse emerged from the darkness in Channel Rd's Cha Cha (turbo boosting the pace with adrenalin), but thankfully stood in stunned silence. Home on cue to reach the coalface with seconds to spare.
Thursdays downpour donated another day off the bike, but Friday's 20km/h southerly gave a dose of driving duties for Wozz and I to the Archer Rd shop, finding Couldabeens collectively congregating in the carpark corner, cowering from the cursed first shift. AvantiTrev, Cougar, Whispering Jack (yep, again. Twice in a week is double BigMat's and SuperMario's effort) Hollywood, Pistol, MasiMario, Rocket, Kenworth and Cate shuffled positions for take off, Shorty jumping aboard at Kialla Lakes. I'd fluked a tow for the head wind but the payback was pairing with Rocket in River Rd when Cate ducked for cover under Pistols' wheel. The spin doctor on a reverse ride joined in the rotation, a quick trip east as Cats cranked west. Enthused with a tail wind, Pistol and Rocket paired (cream rising to the top) to propel us to Channel Rd, matching Rocket to the S bend spent my reserves, Shorty's short shift saving my bacon till Wozza's puncture at the cypress trees gave all a reprieve and sharpened our sledging skills. AvantiTrev wrestled with a recalcitrant C02 pump (blowing tube 2) but we finally set the wheels turning and belted into the Cha Cha. On Rockets' wheel I dug deep to pass and roll, Kel followed suit, (a MasiMario meltdown matching the motion) many boys coming out to play when the work had been done, I was swiftly swamped, elected to the ejected with an E.T.A. to the O.T.A. Another Wozz puncture on the last leg halted a few for pitstop duty, the craved for caffine crew continuing.
Week 25 230km YTD 7,242 km
Saturday, June 13, 2015
Week 24 : Fanning feline pheromones
Saturday started in a mad rush, running way behind schedule was an unwanted heartstarter, but I made the start line with a minute to spare. A copious cast had assembled despite the cool celcius, Linda, Ange, Bo, Kel, Tucks, Rocket, Pistol, Nick, Cougar, Jen, Shorty, Jase, Temple, AvantiChris, AvantiTrev, Trav and MasiMario almost making a record roll-up for winter. No daylight to enjoy en route to the Emu, closetting cloud cover cursing a colourful commencement. Little work to do with 19 others to draft from (Nath arriving on site at the Lemnos-Cosgrove Rd kennels), just sit back and enjoy the social side. Pistol Pete opened the account on the Wanganui Hill sprint, a handful of hopefuls pulling out all stops for the honours (no hope with Rocket anywhere in the rotation). My rustyness relegated me to the rear, a 40 k roll was enough to justify the toasted banana bread reason to ride.
Monday was a "gotta work on a public holiday so get up early and do an early solo lap 'cause everyone's having a cosy sleep in" ride. A Cat lap was the all the motivation I could muster, getting a shove from the port side on Old Dookie Rd's northerly (what's with the suicidal solo rider minus helmet and lights coming into town at 5.45?). It was pleasing to add 30% to the cruising speed in Boundary Rd, not a living creature or car in sight to impede progress. Put the head down in River Rd, the billiard table section (possibly 0.002% downhill?) from k2 to k3 was heavensent. It was wait for nobody at "wait for David", a chance to calm the heart rate from 160 with the breeze behind again. A one and only car arrived to baulk the turn into Mitchell, but it was plain sailing thereafter, just a headwind into Raftery Rd to empty the tank.
Gathered with Goats Tuesday, AvantiLeigh, Carl, Coggo, Belly, CerveloJohn, Speissy, Joe, Bickers set sail out of town, and it was game on single file from the SPC roundabout, collecting Tina at the weighbridge. The order was as organised as an emmisions trading scheme till AvantiLeigh set regular rolls at Central Ave, Bickers, Joe and Spiessy sat silent in the rear seats while the westerly (22-32 km/h) blew us to Boundary. Tina tested the turbo beyond the Broken bridges, a tail-light temptation seeing Cats a k ahead. There was a lot of puffin' and a bit of cussin' into River Rd's headwind (gruelling gusts from the oncoming garbage truck) , I scored the drivers seat out of the dip, and set about an exploration of my limits with a 2500 metre turn. CerveloJohn drove the Central Kialla leg (nursing new knee), we swung west into Mitchell just as the westerly swung southerly. Spiessy and Jo were MIA (Bickers escaped earlier into Channel Rd), our pace now a chase sensing a gain on the Cats (traffic delaying their Melbourne Rd crossing). AvantiLeigh towed us to the horse stud, with a Roubaix round up of the Cats (fanning the feline pheromones), I drove to Arcadia Downs where the Cats began to finally front to the business end. Well into the fifties in Conrods' dying metres (chosing the line carefully amongst unknown sprintenders) it was a Goat 123 finish to massage egos.
Inspiration to crawl out of a warm bed was low Wednesday, thoughts of the cobwebs congealing on Whispering Jack, BigMat, Temple, SuperMario and FeltMat motivated me to kit up and join Wozza for the commute to the Couldabeens carpark with just 0.7 registering on the guage. Pistol, Rocket, AvantiChris, Cougar, Jen, Cate and AvantiTrev had all queued up at the rear of the grid (hoping for others to take the first turn?), Kenworth a last minute arrival to get the mob mobile. A quality lead-out by the lasses, I found myself again in the speed sandwich between Rocket and Pistol, but it wasn't the torture test felt last week. AvantiTrev ventured forth for one turn, newcomers (to Wednesday's) Cate and Jen not afraid to submit multiples. Wozz and Rocket appeared to be in for the long haul of River Rd but the rotisserie rotated to cook me for the last k. The sprinters drew away at the Cha Cha, I was struggling for speed in 1.1 degrees so stayed with the survivors. Good to have the femme fatale's along to tame the testosterone and increase the attendance with so much Doonitis going around.
Braced for Thursday's chill (-0.7 degrees) with the maiden voyage of my Couldabeens winter jacket (insert gratuitous endorsement for Volta's insulating qualities), Jack Frost had culled Couldabeens contenders to just Rocket, Pistol, Spin Doctor, Wozz and Trav. (troops tortured by temperature toppling like tenpins) Into the deep end of a double shift with Wozz then Pistol, elevated the effort early, the rest of Channel Rd spent in rushed recovery for take two. A burst to Boundary's Broken bridges commenced an internal Jihad between mind and muscles, head saying "fight on", legs saying "f#+@ off". An oncoming bike burnt the retinas with a zillion lumens of light as I dismissed the demons of duty to have another dip at the pointy end in River Rd, (Rocket and Spin Doctor just seemed to be cruising), Wozz called time out just as I drew my last breath to say the same thing, the next 700 metres beside Pistol rendered me speechless. The rotations rolled too quickly, back to the rushin' front again in Mitchell Rd with the neurons waving white flags profusely! Willpower lept overboard, the comfort of a rear berth threw it's arms around me in an almost warm embrace, all my investments were now sunk into the Southern Bank of Survival (along with Trav and Spin Doctor) as we speared north with steam train-like puffs of breath, Wozza, Pistol and Rocket dutifully dragging us to Conrod. Out of the dip, Rocket dipped into his plentiful pocket of pace to power to the podium, Wozza whipping into second.
Coggo, AvantiLeigh, Tum and (a reluctant?) Belly lined up at Friars for Friday's locomotive of labour, a minus one temperature to warm up to. A little traction action on the roadworks gravel beside SPC on the run out of town, then shut up, head down and tail up single file eastbound on Old Dookie Rd. Coggo set a steady opening pace (predicting a hotter 1st innings it was fair on Foss but busted Belly). Tum and AvantiLeigh upped the stakes on the last legs to Boundary (youthful exhuberance!), I zoned into Coggo's seat post in a trance like tow, thanks to Todd Sampson (Redesign my Brain) for the focus fettish. We witnessed the eastbound Couldabeens light show as we speared south on Boundary, ripped into River Rd with the cold atmostphere like 5W40 diesel oil to push through. A tail-light ahead in Mitchell Rd lured Belly to step into overdrive, catching Princess (solo) who climbed aboard for a lift home. A brief halt (and gasp) for traffic at the highway, then back to nudging the fourties toward Conrod shortened the turns, Tum and AvantiLeigh with the legs to take 1st and 2nd, all my reserves spent on holding on for 3rd, happy to clock a 36 average.
Week 24 264 km
YTD 7,012 km
Monday was a "gotta work on a public holiday so get up early and do an early solo lap 'cause everyone's having a cosy sleep in" ride. A Cat lap was the all the motivation I could muster, getting a shove from the port side on Old Dookie Rd's northerly (what's with the suicidal solo rider minus helmet and lights coming into town at 5.45?). It was pleasing to add 30% to the cruising speed in Boundary Rd, not a living creature or car in sight to impede progress. Put the head down in River Rd, the billiard table section (possibly 0.002% downhill?) from k2 to k3 was heavensent. It was wait for nobody at "wait for David", a chance to calm the heart rate from 160 with the breeze behind again. A one and only car arrived to baulk the turn into Mitchell, but it was plain sailing thereafter, just a headwind into Raftery Rd to empty the tank.
Gathered with Goats Tuesday, AvantiLeigh, Carl, Coggo, Belly, CerveloJohn, Speissy, Joe, Bickers set sail out of town, and it was game on single file from the SPC roundabout, collecting Tina at the weighbridge. The order was as organised as an emmisions trading scheme till AvantiLeigh set regular rolls at Central Ave, Bickers, Joe and Spiessy sat silent in the rear seats while the westerly (22-32 km/h) blew us to Boundary. Tina tested the turbo beyond the Broken bridges, a tail-light temptation seeing Cats a k ahead. There was a lot of puffin' and a bit of cussin' into River Rd's headwind (gruelling gusts from the oncoming garbage truck) , I scored the drivers seat out of the dip, and set about an exploration of my limits with a 2500 metre turn. CerveloJohn drove the Central Kialla leg (nursing new knee), we swung west into Mitchell just as the westerly swung southerly. Spiessy and Jo were MIA (Bickers escaped earlier into Channel Rd), our pace now a chase sensing a gain on the Cats (traffic delaying their Melbourne Rd crossing). AvantiLeigh towed us to the horse stud, with a Roubaix round up of the Cats (fanning the feline pheromones), I drove to Arcadia Downs where the Cats began to finally front to the business end. Well into the fifties in Conrods' dying metres (chosing the line carefully amongst unknown sprintenders) it was a Goat 123 finish to massage egos.
Inspiration to crawl out of a warm bed was low Wednesday, thoughts of the cobwebs congealing on Whispering Jack, BigMat, Temple, SuperMario and FeltMat motivated me to kit up and join Wozza for the commute to the Couldabeens carpark with just 0.7 registering on the guage. Pistol, Rocket, AvantiChris, Cougar, Jen, Cate and AvantiTrev had all queued up at the rear of the grid (hoping for others to take the first turn?), Kenworth a last minute arrival to get the mob mobile. A quality lead-out by the lasses, I found myself again in the speed sandwich between Rocket and Pistol, but it wasn't the torture test felt last week. AvantiTrev ventured forth for one turn, newcomers (to Wednesday's) Cate and Jen not afraid to submit multiples. Wozz and Rocket appeared to be in for the long haul of River Rd but the rotisserie rotated to cook me for the last k. The sprinters drew away at the Cha Cha, I was struggling for speed in 1.1 degrees so stayed with the survivors. Good to have the femme fatale's along to tame the testosterone and increase the attendance with so much Doonitis going around.
Braced for Thursday's chill (-0.7 degrees) with the maiden voyage of my Couldabeens winter jacket (insert gratuitous endorsement for Volta's insulating qualities), Jack Frost had culled Couldabeens contenders to just Rocket, Pistol, Spin Doctor, Wozz and Trav. (troops tortured by temperature toppling like tenpins) Into the deep end of a double shift with Wozz then Pistol, elevated the effort early, the rest of Channel Rd spent in rushed recovery for take two. A burst to Boundary's Broken bridges commenced an internal Jihad between mind and muscles, head saying "fight on", legs saying "f#+@ off". An oncoming bike burnt the retinas with a zillion lumens of light as I dismissed the demons of duty to have another dip at the pointy end in River Rd, (Rocket and Spin Doctor just seemed to be cruising), Wozz called time out just as I drew my last breath to say the same thing, the next 700 metres beside Pistol rendered me speechless. The rotations rolled too quickly, back to the rushin' front again in Mitchell Rd with the neurons waving white flags profusely! Willpower lept overboard, the comfort of a rear berth threw it's arms around me in an almost warm embrace, all my investments were now sunk into the Southern Bank of Survival (along with Trav and Spin Doctor) as we speared north with steam train-like puffs of breath, Wozza, Pistol and Rocket dutifully dragging us to Conrod. Out of the dip, Rocket dipped into his plentiful pocket of pace to power to the podium, Wozza whipping into second.
Coggo, AvantiLeigh, Tum and (a reluctant?) Belly lined up at Friars for Friday's locomotive of labour, a minus one temperature to warm up to. A little traction action on the roadworks gravel beside SPC on the run out of town, then shut up, head down and tail up single file eastbound on Old Dookie Rd. Coggo set a steady opening pace (predicting a hotter 1st innings it was fair on Foss but busted Belly). Tum and AvantiLeigh upped the stakes on the last legs to Boundary (youthful exhuberance!), I zoned into Coggo's seat post in a trance like tow, thanks to Todd Sampson (Redesign my Brain) for the focus fettish. We witnessed the eastbound Couldabeens light show as we speared south on Boundary, ripped into River Rd with the cold atmostphere like 5W40 diesel oil to push through. A tail-light ahead in Mitchell Rd lured Belly to step into overdrive, catching Princess (solo) who climbed aboard for a lift home. A brief halt (and gasp) for traffic at the highway, then back to nudging the fourties toward Conrod shortened the turns, Tum and AvantiLeigh with the legs to take 1st and 2nd, all my reserves spent on holding on for 3rd, happy to clock a 36 average.
Week 24 264 km
YTD 7,012 km
Monday, June 8, 2015
Week 23 : An Italian handbrake & resolution returned.
A rusty retun to riding (after three days off two wheels) on Tuesday, the hopes of sitting at the back of a large Goat brigade suddenly vanished at Friars.....just Belly, Coggo, Snowman and AvantiLeigh on the starting grid. Great to have Tina join in Old Dookie Rd to lessen the burden, AvantiLeigh suggested an Indian file then immediately put me up to bat first! It was a brutal baptism to face the westerly homeward after the tailwind out had painted it's false sense on fitness on me. Despite the negative neurons, the lap passed by without much torment, helped along by great teamwork. We passed Ron in Raftery having mechanical melee's, to finish a solid circuit as a befitting baptism for my excessive bike break.
Wednesday witnessed winters worst, a minus two to toughen the heart rate and numb the senses. Way behind agenda, I had all stops out to reach the Couldabeens grid on time, a PB of 8:34 to cover the 5.6km to the start line, Rocket, AvantiChris, Hollywood (Prince Pretzel), Cougar, Jase and Pistol (balaclava'd like a bank buster) were toughed to the temperature to tackle the track, windless thankfully. Maybe it was the deep breaths of iced air or muscles protesting against the cold, I had a big struggle to get the heart rate below 170 in an attempt to match Pistols pace in River Rd, so relented calling an early rollover (then took a k to utter a sentence). I was snookered by the Channel Rd Cha Cha, way out of my depth between Pistol and Rocket, the legs refused to provide pace for the sprint, so fumbled along in the fourties whilst the guns fired into the fifties. The bunch re-congregated at the school to roll back to town, nobody keen on coffee so solo'd a sojourn at Friars with raisin toast to thaw.
A Goat lap Thursday, Coggo, Speissy and Snowman with the return of Hommy (larger than life) , Sandy and Principal Skinner from Italian holiday. Tina was collected in Old Dookie Rd, retirements from duty starting early in Boundary Rd. (weighed down by excess pasta baggage?) My suggestion of indian file was accepted unanimously with just 5 working the windbreak duty, all had done a shift by the time we'd swung into River Rd so assumed the front again. The mental target to reach the dip before handover was adjusted reaching Trevaskis Rd, the engine felt ok to drive further. The new limit of Laws Dr came and went, to hell with limits, it's go till River Road's end to set a personal challenge. I handed the controls back to Coggo when we rolled into Central Kialla Rd (tank a little empty), Hommy, Sandy and Speissy abandoning ship to short cut via Archer direct to caffine infusion. The remaining six continued on course, shifts shortening with a NNE hampering the Raftery progress. All were pleased to see the finish, a week of holidays for me allowed a rare post ride socialise over coffee, viewing the full extent of Hommy's handbrake (12 kg of imported Italian calories)
The creak and groan (from the body, not the bike) on Friday played havoc with the motivation, almost veered off on a solo lap till the negatives were negated and resolution returned. Couldabeens don't bite! (well, most don't!) Rocket, Pistol, Nick, Shorty, Cougar, a Broome bronzed AvantiTrev, Kenworth, Jen and newcomer MasiMario had gathered for Friday frivolities, a calmer karma than had previously predicted. The identical circuit to Wednesday seemed so different with positive degrees, but it's "hello darkness my old friend" with no hint of daylight now till the lap is tapped out. Rocket, Pistol,Kenworth and MasiMario were the only sprint punters at the Cha Cha (no prizes for guessing the winner), all keen on the Scottish restaurant epilogue as reward for finishing.
Week 23 171 km YTD 6,748
Wednesday witnessed winters worst, a minus two to toughen the heart rate and numb the senses. Way behind agenda, I had all stops out to reach the Couldabeens grid on time, a PB of 8:34 to cover the 5.6km to the start line, Rocket, AvantiChris, Hollywood (Prince Pretzel), Cougar, Jase and Pistol (balaclava'd like a bank buster) were toughed to the temperature to tackle the track, windless thankfully. Maybe it was the deep breaths of iced air or muscles protesting against the cold, I had a big struggle to get the heart rate below 170 in an attempt to match Pistols pace in River Rd, so relented calling an early rollover (then took a k to utter a sentence). I was snookered by the Channel Rd Cha Cha, way out of my depth between Pistol and Rocket, the legs refused to provide pace for the sprint, so fumbled along in the fourties whilst the guns fired into the fifties. The bunch re-congregated at the school to roll back to town, nobody keen on coffee so solo'd a sojourn at Friars with raisin toast to thaw.
A Goat lap Thursday, Coggo, Speissy and Snowman with the return of Hommy (larger than life) , Sandy and Principal Skinner from Italian holiday. Tina was collected in Old Dookie Rd, retirements from duty starting early in Boundary Rd. (weighed down by excess pasta baggage?) My suggestion of indian file was accepted unanimously with just 5 working the windbreak duty, all had done a shift by the time we'd swung into River Rd so assumed the front again. The mental target to reach the dip before handover was adjusted reaching Trevaskis Rd, the engine felt ok to drive further. The new limit of Laws Dr came and went, to hell with limits, it's go till River Road's end to set a personal challenge. I handed the controls back to Coggo when we rolled into Central Kialla Rd (tank a little empty), Hommy, Sandy and Speissy abandoning ship to short cut via Archer direct to caffine infusion. The remaining six continued on course, shifts shortening with a NNE hampering the Raftery progress. All were pleased to see the finish, a week of holidays for me allowed a rare post ride socialise over coffee, viewing the full extent of Hommy's handbrake (12 kg of imported Italian calories)
The creak and groan (from the body, not the bike) on Friday played havoc with the motivation, almost veered off on a solo lap till the negatives were negated and resolution returned. Couldabeens don't bite! (well, most don't!) Rocket, Pistol, Nick, Shorty, Cougar, a Broome bronzed AvantiTrev, Kenworth, Jen and newcomer MasiMario had gathered for Friday frivolities, a calmer karma than had previously predicted. The identical circuit to Wednesday seemed so different with positive degrees, but it's "hello darkness my old friend" with no hint of daylight now till the lap is tapped out. Rocket, Pistol,Kenworth and MasiMario were the only sprint punters at the Cha Cha (no prizes for guessing the winner), all keen on the Scottish restaurant epilogue as reward for finishing.
Week 23 171 km YTD 6,748
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