Familiarity breeds contentment

Making up for the lost opportunity from Saturday's rain, I convened with Brad, Wozz, Rocket and Pistol at A Mart on Sunday for a more dignified 7am start. My old engine struggled with the Raftery Rd southerly, I'm sure the Christmas Day tank of ice cream cake, fruit salad AND plum pudding had nothing to do with it!   (Wozz stated suffering too, his Christmas Day climb of Mt Hotham was a more excusable reason)  Pistol and Rocket were the usual energiser bunnies on Mitchell and River Rd's, Brad at full steam (in full winter kit) bowing out of contributions as we sliced the 11 degree breeze. Boundary Rd was blessed with a tail wind to take the cruising speed to 40, out to the Toaster and up to the Emu the honeymoon ended, work to the west to be done. My Christmas lunch extravagances taxed a couple of stints at the front, wonderful timing of Rocket to call Indian file and head the rapid drive home (me mentally murdered at second wheel though). Brad lost his grip with the group in Ford Rd, but we eased off the throttle to keep him attached, Wozz and Pistol facing the southerly at the portside.  Off the throttle again at DECA to stop Brad's rubber band from busting, he hung on as we paced the Boulevard to pit at the Lemontree for a morsel of banana bread, Wozza's Hotham assault, the track carnival and Christmas's copious catering was tabled for discussion. 

Still wearing away my Christmas calories, Monday drew Wozz, Rocket, Pistol, Temple, Shorty, Trav, Jase, AvantiTrev and BigRon to the Couldabeens start, but "just a roll around" had my h.r. to 170 in the first k. At the front, the short push south at the kinder was cruel enough, glad i'd scored a draft and avoided the torment in Boundary Rd. I coped fairly well beside the performance of BigRon for River Rd's last k, but wattage waned half way along Central Kialla , recovery only possible thanks to Wozz for the tow.  Across the highway and 'round Roubaix, wind behind spiced up the speed, lack of pace cowered me from the front into Conrod but the sprint was struck off the agenda.  A brief infusion of Lemontree caffeine discussing the hiccups of hospitality before I remounted to join a late 7:30 Goat peace train (Coggo, Brendan, Baz, Belly, Hommy, Deb, Tina, PinarelloMat and Dipper, with guests Paul and Ross thrown in)  A very casual roll out OldDookie Rd at 112 bpm, but Paul had directional dilemmas at Boundary Rd (left instead of right) spiking Belly's heart rate.  MrMagnet's arrival out of Channel Rd sent nerves scraping down the bunch blackboard, many on high alert updating risk assessments and insurance policies. How soon the comfort meter dips with gorillas in our midst, riding with the regulars certainly makes familiarity breed contentment.  The southerly took up the slack to River Rd but it was a tolerable drive west, comparing Christmas excesses, then down to less talk and more action in Mitchell Rd as the speed picked up.  The movers and sitters shuffled into position at Galbraith's gate, but it got messy with Mr Magnet mayhem creating Conrod chaos in the rear ranks, and newcomers getting too far ahead of experience and ability, gate keeper Deb dishing out directions.  I took to the pointy end for a squirt to the finish, Coggo and Brendan with the inertia when it matters taking the one two. 

A golf course warm up to reach an annual target (the curse of craved k's) was tenuously timed to a gathering of Goats at Friars on Tuesday, Tim, Deb, Joe, AvantiAndy, JB, Heady, AllegroJohn and Belly, forming a trimmed team to launch at 6. There were long and short donations to the bunch front on the leg east, Coggo's car surreptitiously sneaking by with bike aboard.  JB torqued up the turn at the front to the Pub, another Coggo drive-by showed us Tina's steed had appeared on the rooftop (away on a not-so-secret Mt Buller mission), Belly's imitation HG hang back, a hang-over from yesterday's directional dysfunctional?  Snapping out of the fixation on the bitumens blur below the Baum, it was a mixed bag of turns stumpy and stretched in River Rd., a fair flog up Mt.Nicolaci matching JB at the front, a preparation for pace to come in Raftery Rd. I put the foot into the old engine for the last 300 metres of Conrod straight (apologies to Heady for being hung to dry), Tim and JB bolting from the draft for glory, Deb a creditable fifth. Degani's hosted the post mortem on Mondays malady and MrMagnet mess.

The rearward grid formation had returned on Wednesday, lined up into the dump master with a cavalcade of Couldabeens, cursorily coming to crank. Wozza, Hollywood (citing sausage specs) Jase, SuperMario, Car+Mel, Bruce (from the pages of P&W history) Jen, AvantiAndy, AvantiTrev, Cate, Trav, Shorty, Pistol, Lenny, Cougar and Temple, formed the long thin line to set south on Archer at 6, I took the plunge of first to form a right line, getting my turn done early (only one other to do as it turned out!)  The lame were paying for Christmas gluttony, the lean (on mountain and MTB missions) feeling forlorn. Comfortably cool for River and Boundary Rd, anticipation (and perspiration) brewed as we pointed west on Channel Rd with the Cha Cha looming.  AvantiTrev (on the up line) hit the 'want for wattage' wall and was hurriedly hunting for a rescue draft, the bunch's rear swelling wide in over population. Cate, Car+Mel inspiringly ploughed forward, pace possessed, it was weaving class for Jase and I threading through the expirees buckling under Rockets rate. (Wozz and Trav the only survivors)  The calm after the sprint storm restored demeanour, many in the holiday 'crank-cafe-chat' habit. 

An early A Mart start with Temple on Thursday, topping off the year with a distance target to reach, revising our prologue to Wednesday's course, to intercept Thursday's 5:45 starters. The lure of a l.e.d. ahead in River Rd inspired our slog into the (perceived) easterly, balancing the mental limiter where effort is reserved proportionally to the distance remaining, finally catching Dalts as we neared the ripple strips.  Channel Rd west seemed a cruise (the bureau logged 5:35 as calm ; go figure!) reaching a Couldabeens train of 10 (Pistol, Car+Mel, Rocket, SuperMario, Cougar, Kenworth, AvantiTrev, Wozz and Marz) to climb aboard. SuperMario was served the satire of start times, Car+Mel on a quadrella of consecutive rides, Marz prostituting himself across nearly all local bunches (prompts publishing an en-cycle-opedia?), Rocket on a pre-race respite. My turn came up beside Temple sooner than expected, the S bend to Channels' end travelled well being primed by a prologue, but could I survive a few more turns of duty? Car+Mel, driven by determination, put in solid turns on Boundary Rd, River Rd's 6 kilometres dispensed with the peletons pace in 9 minutes. Car cranked a cracker turn in Central Kialla, Wozz, Pistol and Rocket driving a sizeable length of Mitchell. Pushing the 13 hard into the mid fourties kept me just in touch with the horsepower of Rocket, Kenworth, Wozz, Pistol and Marz on Conrods flat (60 prior k's had drained desire), Wozz nipping at Rockets heels to score a win.  A calm of cadence convened the stretched pack, a Lemontree chinwag on MtBuller, New Years rides and the mysteries of banana bread thickness complimented caffiene.

The intention of a cruisy lap to start a new year was chucked out the window on Friday, a  l.e.d. lure ahead on Old Dookie Rd triggering that automatic chase response (is it just a bloke thing?).  Hardly an Oppy's epic 1928 Bol d'Or effort (read <jeffdowsing.wordpress.com> tag: Bol d'Or classic,  for real inspiration) but I dropped the chain onto the 15 beyond Central Ave to add a few clicks to the velocity (careful not to empty the tank and catch the bait with nothing left).  The red l.e.d. slowly loomed larger by the Pub, but was it a pursuit of Pintara or Pagani?  Reaching the Broken bridges, the long locks of CatKev were recognisable, the laps remainder spent comfortably (#) in convivial conversation about wheels, Baum, the ever present male mantle of maintaining an average, time trials and holidays (# legs were complaining at 34 but the head was defiant, afflicted with the "not measuring up" syndrome). 24 tropical degrees lathered the limbs, avoiding a Raftery Rd chicane of spent fireworks surprised us both. There was a caution for just one car in town (the drunk / tired / drugged / texting / changing c.d. risk was fairly high at 7am New Year's Day) but it was the no eye contact / far away look of inattention that alerted our approach, the drivers last second realisation avoided a horizontal start to 2016.  Back home with a witty Strava post title (must muse Marz) to upload, it was off to the coal face to make a generous donation to the deputy commissioner of taxation.  

This week : 333 km.        YTD:  41k

Best of luck to manic Mexican Daniel "Everesting" Mt.Major this Sunday, my calculator reckons 46 times!

2015: the year on two wheels

Another year over, a new one just begun (so Mr Lennon wrote in 1971).  

2015 was a year of comings and goings by BigMat, Tucks and WhisperingJack, the extinction of HBK and Disco Steve, a slow fade away of Spin Doctor, a rare sighting of Mr Magnet, Wobbly Trev and Chicken legs to terrify, but blessed by newcomers Marz, Cate, Jen, Car+Mel (only one has a mohair singlet!), the rise and rise of Wozza, Boof, and Rocket.  It was a year for prologues, abandoning the Library and Hospital bunches, the Couldabeens start time debate, magpies, punctures, a Goat ball, Tour de Beer, the Pain Train (finally cracked a 40 km/h average), Torture Tuesday, a 180 FruitLoop, the coffee shop sprint, a grossly gravelly GrandFondo, Fisky's pedal through puke, grids forming from the rear, and new bikes for FeltMat (now AvantiMat), Boof, Jen and Wozza (and several going over to the dark MTB side).  It was a year to wear out 6 Michelins and three chains, 18 days when rain prevented play, being swooped by a great egret, caught in a thunderstorm, triple punctures in April and August, temperatures of minus two's (June), fog (July) and a 49 km/h southerly (March). What a year for MachineSteve scoring the UCI world masters road championship (50-54), Weapon's assault on the Salzburgerland 70.3 Ironman, the charity of Tour De FightBACC and SOS's epic 1200k Paris-Brest-Paris in 89:35.

But it was a calmer year for me with 50 days spent off the bike, the laying to rest of old faithful BMW (I'll count 193,000 k's as "run-in") and the long awaited birth of a new Baum. I tapped 146 Couldabeens laps, 76 with Goats (+25 on the pain train), 93 prologues, 48 solo laps, 9 Saturday doubles and four triples. As always, many mates made and strengthened, a grump or two delivered when justified, and thankfully remained upright for 16,017 kilometres (56k/day) requiring a tank of 418,000 calories  (112 kg of plum pudding with 55 litres of custard).  I ride to support my eating habit...

It's heartening (and surprising) to receive over 28,000 page views of this blog from so many quarters (regulars from USA, Ukraine, France, Poland and so many close to home), I often wonder if this ramble strikes a chord till comments out on the road inspire the next weeks muse.

Very best wishes to all for 2016, stay upright, push that big ring and spare a wave to a fellow addict, see you out there somewhere.

Week 52 Record breaking and breaking bunches.

Post 323

Surprised with plenty of What's App takers for an early lap prior to the Saturday habitual, Wozz and I encountered plenty of Friday nightclubbers still street active (both tipsy and tearful) at 4:45, a dead shopping trolley the Saturday slalom (no skippy's or horses today).  At the A Mart assembly, Rocket, Temple, Jase, Trav, BigMat, Nick, WhisperingJack and newcomer Brad were the early birds, away at 5 on a Raftery-Mitchell-River-Boundary and Channel preliminary, the cruise control bumped up to 34 with plenty donating the driving.  SuperMario appeared at Central Kialla, 24 celciuses and an awakening northeaster took the slack out of the legs in River Rd.  There was an easier tap back on Channel Rd with a scowl to Sellmans' DarthVader, about to emerge to snap at our heels, no sprint at the Cha Cha was as rare as a Rocket loss.  Back to the startline (with 5 minutes to spare) part two of the Couldabeens contingent included Fisky, Car+Mel, Shorty, Boof, Hollywood, Lenny, Lucy, AvantiTrev, cougar, Pistol, Lynda and "Cattendee"Dalts, unfortunately the mobile chicanes of Hit, Miss and Maybe threw predictability out the window, an additional 'Johnny'(comelately) unquantifiable.  The ride started smooth and slick, but leg two saw Maybe face the reality of the lead, an awkward rearward retreat rattling our routine. (why play a dud note if you can't face the music?)   The bolt out of Kinder corner stretched the tail-enders, a lamentable legacy of a long bunch.  The double roll of Miss then Hit set a small tsunami rippling through the ranks and rhythm, Jase and I left to pick up the pieces and smooth the way to Boundary Rd.  Someone turned up the tempo to Old Dookie Rd, the east trek to the Toaster had the Ham Hilton piggies squealing for the breakfast menu (or were they preparing to be on the Christmas table list?). Nath arrived from the north, the aforementioned 'Johnny' becoming very intimate with Shorty's elbow prompted increasing my life insurance.  Wheeling west at the Emu the whiplash cracked the pack, I carried the news to the front in the interest of bunch unity.  Weapon joined the ranks as a Cat pack of Ben-Hur proportions speared East at the main eastern channel, our mob cranking west against the northerly and into the fourties (so much for the Saturday social!)   Hit and Johnny were on the tarmac's left edge despite calls to get up the road (erased of echelon education).  Frustrated with most being denied a draft, Foss's fuse had finished, fury taking bunch riding 101 to the front.   Johnny was in meltdown, Hit minus comprehension and questioning direction (again), I delivered my WTF to these overnight legends, clearly out of their depth, then removed myself to the rear to relax rage and temper thoughts.  How granted is the teamwork till you lose it?  

I picked up and dusted off the dummy, rolling quietly solo to Verney Rd, oncoming Goats (Spartacus, JF, Brendan, Carl, Belly, Coggo, Heady, Dipper, Bickers, Deb, Tina, AvantiAndy and Ky import Manny) a welcome sight, so u-turned to tag along.  Great was the smoothness and familiarity, social exchanges were just getting underway when Spartacus punctured, a chance to sledge the pitstop and be driven insane by friendly flies.  Fixed and back in motion, we slogged our way to the Emu then revelled in the southerly and westward trails, but Manny succumbed to deflation at the east Goulburn channel, more eff'n flies to fend from fundamental orifices!  Tina and Deb rode a forward reconnaissance while Coggo captained the the repairs, forward ho on Boundary then River with a hairdryer northerly toasting the edges.  AvantiAndy rear-tired from duty, a ménage of Muppets plied East as our dozen drove at 40.  My head started an argument with the legs about distance, just one more turn as the ton ticked closer.  Tina and Deb with NevY aboard were caught in Mitchell Rd to collectively crank home, legs winning the case for the negative over the highway, sitting in the rear stalls to recover. Rounding up Sean at Roubaix, numbers at the business end reduced and laboured to Conrod. Feeling guilty for not donating to a good cause, I wound up the clicks to the front for a final fling, Manny and Brendan emerging from the tow to take the one two, my 3rd spot after 105k, more than satisfying. Mandy's  cafe was packed with alfresco Pussycats (the Christmas socks presentation) and internally infested with Adams family, Heady's lady-breakfast and the Goat Christmas agenda discussed in the din.

A toaster tap Monday (with the golf course corner cut off), rolling east on Ford Rd as Eggy and 51's assembled for action. Pleasant to push along with help from the southwesterly but tough to the Toaster against the headwind, and lots of sticks to slalom from Sunday nights' squalls. Distant Goat lights shone oncoming in Old Dookie Rd, but the clock was against social intercourse, so slogged south to River Rd to keep to schedule (Buenos Dias Mexican Angelo at one tree dam), the headwind strangely more manageable than the force at the flanks bearing west.  Into a good grinding groove along Central Kialla, but the clock ticked an Archer Rd exit, icing on the cake to finish 50k with a tailwind home.

A premature preamble Tuesday, along the Boulevard-Rudd-Wanganui-Ford-Boundary and Old Dookie Rd if only to clock up a k of k's for the December MTS, almost at arm-warmer temperature with just 12 degrees, wind (southerly at 15-24) the constant companion. Early birds BigBen and Kev were on an Old Dookie rollout, I cornered the SPC roundabout to find a long string of Goats cruising a Christmas ride, with a Muppet menagerie in reconnaissance, Phil, AvantiLeigh, AvantiAndy, Dipper, Bickers, Snow, HG Phillo (must be an important ride) Coggo, Belly, Deb, JB, Tina, Geoffrey, Joe, PrincipalSkinner, a guinea pig shaped Hommy, Heady, Min, Jock, RoosterRoscoe, Jan and PinarelloMat.  Goat gendarme Phillo found his way to the front and capped the speed to sedentary (a super sedate 98 bpm speed), Tina, Deb, Coggo and others unable to contain the crawl, breaking away. The circuit spent socialising, inbound on Channel Rd, musing with Muppet Min on bureaucracy. Back to Mandy's cafe for a Yuletide breakfast, civilians Baz, Brendan, Loretta and others joined, poet Pete pronouncing a perfected Patterson prose per the Goats year. 

A northeaster (favourable to a pain train record breaker) drew Coggo, Tum, Heady, Phil, Manny, AvantiLeigh, Carl and Dipper to Friars on Wednesday, shorter turns on the new menu.  I'd berthed in third last behind Heady, engines of AvantiLeigh, Coggo, Manny and Tum wound up the wick with a solid push into  the wind on OldDookie.  I got the drivers seat for the last bit east and took a small taste of the southbound Boundary bliss, Phil locked into caboose management. I had a big expense to get back in the draft after spending most of my pennies at the front, a little uneasy with a few surges to the Pine Lodge pub.  Manny slipped smoothly and comfortably into the track turns with good donations to the drive, my heart rate was on the escalator to 184 hammering the 13 cog into the mid fourties to Trevaskis Rd., with another trawl for tenacity to grab the last draft, the role of keeping the caboose attached weighing heavy. What inspires this pursuit of personal limits, a measure of collaboration and self? How fine the line between determination and defeat, banging your head on a brick wall 'cause it feels good when you stop! (And we'll be back at it again next week) Carl drove a hard bargain on Mitchell, the carrot of riders ahead, motivating motion.  Tum tore up Mt.Nicolaci as we passed THM, our clear pass over the highway kept hopes up for a fastest time, but Heady spent of steam, slipped into retirement. Coggo, AvantiLeigh, Manny and Tum piloted the push from Galbraith's gate, Tum handing me the last 200 metres of Conrod, specifying not to let the average slip. All my Jellybeans went into the last lunge, spent and speechless, a 40.2 average pleasing for a small train.

Yuletide lurks closer, but who needs an excuse to assemble the troops to put in a lap and break the fast? Wozz, Pistol, Cougar, Kenworth, Cate, Kel, SuperMario, Rocket, Ange, Car+Mel, Nev, Lynda, Nick, Trav, Hollywood, BigMat, Jase, AvantiTrev, Jen, Lucy, Bo, Ron, AvantiMat and Temple formed a congenial collection of Couldabeens convivially conversing Christmas cheer on Thursday, with seasons decorations aplenty.  In a direct path to Channel Rd's sunrise, wind put work into leg one and two for me at the front, though tempo was tamed to prevent pace protests.  Pistols' elaborately engineered tree, BigMat's bluetoothed carols, Nev's handlebar mounted Santa, Rockets' helmet lights, amongst others, put all in the festive feeling. Ange and Ron stalled the rotations in Boundary Rd, Nath appeared at the tail end at the Toaster (it would be a while for the speed to spike to strike!)  I had a yarn with a few on Saturdays' shambles, seems many share the need to heed the speed creed.  Many are talking, not many saying; so, secure Saturday's as social? (Wanganui sprint stays with a religious Rudd Rd regroup) Your vote to captain AvantiTrev.   A 7:30 start at the salt mines shortened my lap socially to a Verney Rd exit, most others willing and able to consume a Christmas Eve Lemontree breakfast. 

Saturday's forecast gloom inspired Christmas Day k's, a push East into the northeaster (20-37 km/h) to the Emu was a chore (the Boundary Rd escape, so tempting) but sheer stubbornness drove me to Pine Lodge Rd.  With rubber legs till the Cosgrove silo, taking 30 bpm off the effort was a relief. Exhaustion written too on the face of  a solo anti-clockwise rider, my Christmas present was a tailwind back, navigating to a lunch of over-indulgence via Channel Rd.  Taking advantage of a breeze and an empty street, a dip of determination on Wilmot Rd scored a second overall (46.4 av), making room for plum pudding.

Week 52.  336 km.         YTD 15,724 km

Merry Christmas one and all, I hope Santa brought lots of carbon and titanium cheer!

Retraction: An unreserved apology to Goat Brendan, incorrectly accused of dropping off the Pain Train (18/12) at the Pub. He held on at least 300 metres longer than that!

Week 51 Putting dread to bed

Post 322

Predictably a prologue to Saturday's lap, Temple found at the south of town at 5 (8 degrees guaranteed arm warmers were yet to be squirrelled away), a cool calm and collected 35k to get the limbs limbered. Southbound on Raftery, there were no kangas today, but a loose horse threw caution at Conrod's dip.  A bait of Brett and Rabbit entered Mitchell from Archer, the carrot caught, we enjoyed a draft for a few minutes till patience passed, tackling the long length of River Rd as a duet.  North on Boundary then west along Channel, a compact (caramelised?) Couldabeens crew appeared (half the size of last Saturday's squad) AvantiTrev, PistolPete, Rocket, Nick, Cougar, Lenny, Lucy, SuperMario, MasiMario and Wozza with Scott-not-BassoDave on a pre-feline appearance. We u-turned and slipped into the order of rotations, Trav appearing from the east on leg 3, seems he'd pursued our prior prologue per se.  I'd finally arrived at the front in Boundary Rd but Lenny was hungry for the lead, the legend of HBK lives on!  The bunch sliced against the southwester to the toaster! westward beyond the emu, Pussycats passed eastbound with a trail of latecomers in pursuit, thoughts of a Lemontree breakfast menu masked my 70 k rubber legs syndrome.  Many were playing the waiting game as velocity wound up at DECA, Rocket and Pistol in a different league, bolted the Wanganui hill ascent, 

Breakfast rhetoric on Strava titles, mohair singlets and green ginger wine a finishing touch to 75k. 

Out the driveway at 5:12 Monday, glued to a steady speed at 77 rpm, the slightest hint of an easterly sent the heart rate climbing (125 to 160)....pass the tissues and the Fluvoxamine!  Turning South at the Emu (5:37) eased the effort, then better beyond the toaster turn (5:41), several advance parties to the pussycats worked east, Ange, Lynda and co, a gaggle o' girls and the odd soloist.  Back to SPC (6:00) finding a group o' goats (Coggo, Heady, Brendan, Phil, Belly, Deb, Baz and Spartacus) forming Monday's peace train. Steaming smoothly out of town, Coggo had legs of dough (a headwind ride to Melbourne likely to cause it), Spartacus smarting from his Dinner Plain effort, Heady unsteady from a Head office reunion. The heart rate idled quietly while Christmas comparisons were conversed but by River Rd's end my time turned tenuous to retreat a shortcut home to keep a boss happy.

I suppressed the average urge Tuesday, a quiet roll to the ten-to-turtles with the eyes off the Garmin, a calmer karma to the cranial crisis of maintaining a speed. Kenworth, Nick, AvantiTrev, Cougar, WhisperingJack, Temple, BigMat and Choppy had enlisted for effort, two unknowns lurking in the shadows hereafter labelled Hit & Miss (for reasons that will become apparent).  ChrisA, early for the 6 o'clock supersonic squad, led us on leg one then returned to the startline, Hit moved to the front and filled Foss full o'fear by asking which way we turned, clearly challenged on bunch by-laws too!  There was a ragged roll, then Miss misfired and kaboomed straight to the rear, Hit then suddenly freewheeling, shunting the train. The familiarity of BigMat, Nick, Kenworth, WhisperingJack, AvantiTrev, Chops and Temple subsequently smoothed the formation to Boundary Rd restoring the comfort. I tried pairing with Hit again in River Rd, somewhere between half a wheel and a whole bike in arrears, most of my effort confined to concentration on what may happen next. Down to Mitchell Rd it was a relief to pair up with the quality quantity of Temple, but it was sweaty hands, gritted teeth and a gluteus gripped  by fear for Raftery. Temple and WhisperingJack got the hurry happening in Conrod straight, I hit the gas too early (but comfortable with a greater distance away from Hit), Chops and Kenworth taking one and two, me three. 

A preliminary tap along Graham, Verney and Ford found a fresh crunchy coating on Wanganui (standard COGS specs; bitumen straight over the pot-holes), a massacre on Michelins. Joined Wozza in the main drag to commute to the Couldabeens crowd, Boof, Rocket, Hollywood, Jase, Shorty, Cougar, Chops, Trav, BigMat, Car+Mel, Pistol, WhisperingJack, Temple, AvantiTrev, Rene and Nicholas. A fast flog to Mitchell with Wozz and Boof setting a solid standard, I was towed along with just one or two turns likely to be needed in a large bunch. A comforting calm with Rene relegated to the rear, Car+Mel turned on the talented train driving, WhisperingJack and I taking the last k of River to turn into Boundary.  Plenty of curry in the cadence for the Channel Rd Cha Cha, I was 6th last at the kinder, likely to be at the business end when it counted. An oncoming car stalled the final thrash, toasting Temple and WhisperingJack at Prentice Rd. I dialled up full tilt with 200 left, the sun rising behind casting long shadows of those in pursuit. The hallelujah chorus of Rockets Zipps howled by, Hollywood and Wozz in close proximity, but fourth (9th in fastest time) was was enough for this old dinosaur,  my normal operations taking a few minutes to resume while oxygen slowly sharpened the senses.

Scrolled through the adjectives to describe the northeaster Thursday, all unprintable for the 10k's to the Pine Lodge church, sheer stubbornness driving me beyond the Boundary Rd shortcut (if only to relish an extended tailwind tour back to town).  South to the Toaster and west to the suburbs taking the dust off the 14 tooth cog, greetings to the five separate soloists ranked just one acknowledgement (g'day Dalts, and  "yeah, good thanks" to the aloof peleton pariahs). A condensed collection of Goats were found  in Fryers St, Phil, Coggo, Bickers, Kate, JB, Tum, JF and Carl were courteously cortèged by Belly, Tina tacking on at the truck route.  The ten turned to a dozen with Geoffrey and an unknown joining at Central Ave, newcomer JF (right foot toe-in) questioned the ride direction but his smooth and steady demeanour put my dread to bed (see Tuesday's terror on bunch apprentices).  Belly lectured on signal standards for "car up", Carl's flamboyant finger flourish the bunch benchmark.  River Rd's rate of knots ramped up with the tailwind euphoria, the Cosmic's Christmas carol chorused allegro fortissimo.  Geoffrey's rubber band snapped at River Rd's end, the velocity duely dialled down for Central Kialla. There was just me, JB, Carl, Coggo and Tum working the windy end from Galbraith's gate, steadily steering into the northeaster, straining the sprint. Tum toiled the tempo of Conrod's final 150 metres, Carl with the youthful wattage to win.  We threaded the thin (and faded) line of the bike lane home, a slalom of glass, stones, pot-holes and sticks. (seems the COGS bike strategy funds only the consultants glossy brochures and power point presentations)

The pain train habit (#11) continued Friday, Deb and Brendan leading us out of town, but quickly converting to caboose position.  AvantiLeigh opened the account to Dobson's bridge, I'd hoped for a later role but the second leg begged me, 170bpm to Central Ave. Spartacus conquered leg 3 then Heady, Dipper, Coggo and Belly followed procedure, halting at the pub for traffic (noting the Deb & Brendan caboose had already detached).  AvantiLeigh full steamed to Channel Rd, I was approaching one tree dam wondering which would expire first, legs lungs heart or head. (don't look at the Garmin, don't look at the Garmin.......damn! I looked at the Garmin! (numbers made the head give up).  River Roads 6 km was divided amongst the hunched heroes, hurtling and huffing (hysterical and hyperventilating?) headlong homeward, high hoped, harried and hurting. My turn from Archer to the highway went blurry cresting Mt.Nicolaci, there was a "yeah, nah, but" moment for traffic on our cross of Melbourne Rd (is that a 'bogan baulk' Weapon?) which split the bunch, a much needed ease to reform the group for the final fling in Raftery Rd.  AvantiLeigh spent all his pennies into the northeaster on Conrod, Belly's push for a podium ended with a Nagasaki moment, while I was left to drive the last 200 home, Spartacus sneaking up the inside to snatch the honours.  All but me had the time for post thrash caffeine, my souvenir was Gumby legs till morning smoko.

Week 51    340km.     YTD  15,388 km.

Week 50. An exercise in excess exertion

Post 321

Feeding the addiction again, I was aboard the trusty steed (already 2,000 k's old) at 4:40 Saturday, setting south to meet Temple (AvantiMat also coerced) for a 35k prologue, extending the usual weekday effort to mix-up the muscle memory and seize the weather (16 degrees) while it's on offer.

Three loose skippy's caused an ease of the accelerator at Arcadia Downs, but then resumed the Mitchell-River-Boundary-Channel course on a calm cadence to deliver us timely back to town, just as a long Couldabeens train left the grid. (Boof, Nick, WhisperingJack, AvantiTrev, Jase, Cougar, Jen, Ange, Lynda, BigMat, Car+Mel, Lenny, Lucy, Wozz, Fisky, SuperMario, MasiMario, PistolPete, Pat, Rocket and Scott-not-BassoDave).  Greetings and weekend agendas were swapped as I progressed to the pointy end, Boof's pointed toes, Rocket's new Zipps, MasiMario's cheesy grin, BigMat's remarkable revival, SuperMario's open gait, Fisky's squeaky clean Giant, Ange's crash of cogs, all part of soaking up the Saturday social nourishment. CatPhil was caught at the fig farm, my Boundary Rd turn with SuperMario was soon swapped for the 3k length of Old Dookie Rd beside Ange.  The treat of a tailwind home was high on many hopes as our train steamed north to the Emu, Scott-not-BassoDave retiring rearward  (fixing to frolic with felines), Car+Mel, Jen, and Lucy forging forward in a flocked femme fatale fellowship.  The rubber band effect at the back was almost interval training as minor variations at the front turned monster at the rear, a big bunch disadvantage.  Midfield approaching DECA, I'd decided to sit out the Wanganui waltz, Rocket, Wozz and Boof already whipping up the business end, the peleton a popcorn of small kabooms as mortals tried to match. The femme fatale train timed the Wanganui hill perfectly, murdering many mere males in their path.  Composure on the Rudd Rd re-collection and banter along the Boulevard, I'd somehow ranked a 6th on the "coffee shop champion" stage (ranks high in the stupid Strava segment stakes).  The din of discussion on the long Lemontree table centred on extreme distances #, BigMat's goals and the sprint post mortem, AvantiAndy abandoning the Muppet ride to join us for caffeine, a large dessert of motivation needed to arise and head home from 80k clocked.  (# check out Steve Abraham and Kurt Searvogel's attempt to break Tommy Godwin's 1939 distance record of 120,805 km in a year.  That's 339 k's a day!)   Have a look at;   <oneyeartimetrial.org.uk>    <tarzanrides.com>

A solitary squirt Monday, minus the luxury of a bunch draft, just the draft between the ears as company on a Genesis lap.  A quick kit-up time, 25 degrees at 5:20am needing the minimum. (remember the complex closet co-ordination just a few months ago, needing more layers than an onion to insulate). Against a northeaster on New Dookie Rd, progress was pleasing, keeping atop the 15 cog at 74 rpm tended to boil the heart rate to 174 to the Pine Lodge church. Conservation on an almost empty bidon by the Toaster, the turn west was an easier slog, to Boundary Rd with distant LEDs oncoming, then south, crossing paths with Vince en-route to a bit of Catabolism.   PistolPete plied north at one tree dam, River Rd was empty for me to enjoy the ease of the east northeast.  The heart rate hovered between 156 and 170 all the way back to town, topping-up H2O via the nearest tap.

Just a spit or two in the early Tuesday hours, but there was hesitation in the heavens if the forecast was to be believed. Torn between the luxury of a sleep-in and the frustration of a lost opportunity, it was the head's loss and the legs gain to can plans of riding. A short shower at 6:20 confirmed my inaction (though the hardcore put in a few k's). 

Many made up for a Tuesday abandonment, Wednesday's carpark turn-up including Pistol, Wozz, Boof, Jase, SuperMario, Cate, Chops, Nick, Temple, Cougar, Trav, BigMat, Car+Mel, Shorty, AvantiTrev, Nev and visitors Rene and Nicholas. Headlight shy traffic split the getaway, Wozz lending the wattage to the six dislodged to catch onto the squad spearing south on Archer.  AvantiMat ahead was engulfed at the truck route to fill the ranks to 20, our crank east made easy by the westerly.  Wozz was wary of the wobbles Rene had in abundance (as scary as Trump in the oval office!),  Boof's puncture halving my turn at the front with an intermission in River Rd, AvantiTrev the ever present pitstop mechanic to the rescue. Oncoming Cats and 51 craved the tarmac's width, P&W's chipped Chops but we were underway and Boundary bound with just a few minutes lost. On the front for the northern assault, I'd lucked avoiding the headwind of Channel Rd.   Sitting in the second last seat into Kinder corner, I was drawn along the 300 metre dash to Hopeful corner then 500 beyond, zoning in on Temple's wheel ahead and catching a sideways glimpse of Rene's kaboom at Prentice Rd.  I hit the front with 400 metres left to burn, punished by the 20km/h headwind, with Boof, Trav and Chops closing in for the kill behind.  With my soft-edged focus on the finish line and drawing on all reserves, the archangel Gabriel appeared blurry in the windswept clouds, Cherabims and seraphims harmonising hymns reached out........snap out of it! Trav and Boof were nipping at my heels! Opening up the angry tank gave me the gap to take a rare win, spending the 3k cruise back to Archer in recovery. 

Tried an early effort with team FDC (don't ask!) on Thursday, it's not quite FdJ but Oz, Jed and Troy can crank. With flag fall at 5:15, we departed Kialla lakes for a Channel, Boundary and River trajectory, single filed 1k track turns the ride recipe. A handy heart starter in the high 30's, Jed toasting the tempo into the 40's, chat was capped as the Indian filed procession divided the workload in a disciplined drive.  I bowed out at River Road's end (to get in a go with the Goat gathering), the truck route and Archer not short enough to reach Friars by six though.   It was déjà vu taking Channel Rd to intercept the herd, almost to Boundary Rd's pig pen before u-turning, a lengthy line of lads and lasses (AvantiAndy, MeridaAndy, Tim, Tum, Phillo, Phil, Brendan, Bickers, JB, Belly, Coggo, Dipper, Kate, Jen,  Deb, Heady, Baz and Snow) swept south. Promotion from the tail to the top took just 2 k's, up at the helm with JB from one tree dam to River Rd after Deb's determined drive. A brief bout of boisterous Belly banter babbled before being drawn into the draft from others on duty, till my turn came again in Mitchell Rd.  Legs were lively by Galbraith's gate, plenty contributing to the cause, but workers were whittled down to eight as we cornered into Conrod.  I sat out a turn to draw breath, Tum towed me to the rushin' front, I applied maximum throttle, but the youth of MeridaAndy edged up alongside to dead heat the finish.

A quiet little tap around the golf course loop as a warm up to the pain train turned toasty glancing at the clock, time tested to tap a tempo to get me to the church on time.  Coggo, Belly, Dipper, AvantiLeigh, Heady, Phil and Tum had enlisted, Heady then Dip taking us in tow to Central Ave. The southwester helped my haste to School Rd before a handover to AvantiLeigh, Geoffrey was passed at considerable knots, unable to climb aboard.  Tum, Coggo then Belly poured on the power to the pub, a brief gasp of oxygen waiting for a car to cross, then the order resumed till my shift came again from the bridges to River Rd.  We swung wide for Couldabeens almost on the corner, heads down and effort up fighting the southwest breeze, a peculiarly pensive and placid Poppa, parked prostrate and possibly peeved, punted (per puncture) prior from a pussycat peleton.  I scored the south slog to Mitchell Rd, oncoming cars throwing gusts at the pace. There were a few cracks appearing in the train cadence as time and tempo took its toll, a surge here and there, a shorter turn, a wandering wheel.  Belly took us half way to the Raftery right hander, Heady to Roubaix, Dip to Galbraith's gate for my drive to Conrod, an exercise in excess exertion. I'd almost lost the draft as AvantiLeigh and Coggo sizzled their swansongs, all finishing suitably smug with a 37.8 average.

Week 50   293km    YTD 15,048