Week 12 : Frustrating foibles

Post 389

18/3

Strangely solo on the spin south to Saturday's social circuit, Wozz and the grinning girls were on different missions today, so I could set my own (slower) pace.  The Godfather, Pistol, Rocket, Boof, Popgun, Nev, TatPaul, Cougar, TatMat, BigLen, MeridaAndy, Nick, Shorty, Jen, Tina, Temple, HBK, Bruce, Troy, BamBam, Jase and TrekTrev assembled in the carpark, Bo arriving to report Kel's puncture a k back. Pistol went to the rescue (Bo baulked) and soon returned with Kel in tow to set the train rolling. 

The pace was on, captained by Rocket and Boof, my turn for legs two and three partnering Bruce to the Kinder.  It was borderline armwarmer weather at 13 with a degree or two dropping near the channels, but Rule #5 applied.  It was hard to suss the breeze till turning into Boundary Rd, then the effort eased and the pace picked up, a south southeaster the Saturday gift for us all.  Spin Doctor, TrackStan and a couple o' Cats joined in in Old Dookie Rd, Saturdays seem to be an open house lately with guests almost equalling the party faithful.

The tempo was still on toward the Emu then west toward town, AvantiTrev's absence playing a part in the pace? (Does anyone remember the Saturday speed limit?)  Still spearing into the dark on Lemnos-Cosgrove Rd at 6:40, an oncoming (doona delayed) SuperMario u-turned to join in as we cast off the Cat caboose.  I was being promoted closer and closer to the front again, how come I'm given the wattage of Boof and Bruce to match?  The usual escapees exited Verney Rd for a calmer finish as I barrelled into the last leg of Ford Rd with Boof. Surprisingly, there was a clean cross of Numurkah Rd, I called a roll at Cleaves and prepared to hang on as 20 others moved up for massed motion. SuperMario's turn faded fast, the almost full rotation of the bunch in the following kilometre (it took 20k last time) put Boof, TrackStan and Rocket onto the Wanganui podium.  As always, the post ride breakfast was as good as the lap, sugar, heart attacks and the joy of fresh bread employing tongues at Lemontree's long table.



20/3
Bored witless by the same old circuits, I set off to the bustling metropolis of Congupna in the early hours of Monday, only one car to avoid but the tarmac acne (bitumen blisters) in the emergency lane (where we're meant to ride) were profuse.  95% humidity and 22 degrees steamed the sweat out of me with an east southeaster to make sure I cooked the calves.  Back to town in plenty of time, I had a suburban jaunt to fill the minutes before the Goat train of peace was due to depart.  Tina, Brendy, Phil, Cate, Jen, Spiessy, AvantiAndy, Vince, RidleySomebody and Belly headed out Old Dookie Rd (pegged for roadwork), speed was set at peace (possibly pain for others?) but no protests meant it was somewhere near right.  There were no tangles with the tame tappers today, well into the distance (earlier start?) kept things comfortable. 

Belly and I headed River Rds westward assault,  a little east southeaster helping to make peace pacy.  It was a Foss failure to recall RidleySomebody, but a social chat with Vince and Belly before making my departure at Rivers end.  A solo 12k back to town pondering the physics of balancing and traction on 10mm square contact with the asphalt and paused for a pic of the somewhat sinister sunrise in Archer Rd.  Soon daylight savings will grant us a few weeks of extra light that winter will quickly gobble up again.

21/3
Surrounded by the radar greenery on Tuesday made the decision easy to turn soft and have a day off the bike (a proliferation of punctures for those who did journey out apparently)

22/3
100% humidity had the frogs croaking Wednesday with a slim chance to slip under the bureau's green band and get a lap done. Finding Mel and Cate en-route, the power of positive persuasion was applied to Cate to bin the negatives, arriving at the carpark to join Chops, TatPaul, Bruce, Pistol, Weapon, Temple, ScottMat, AvantiTrev, BamBam, TrekTrev, Kel, Kenworth, Bo, Boof, Rocket, Nick, Col and Shorty, only three braving an earlier FDC thrash.   Col got the party started south on Archer, Bruce playing the pace police as the bunch stretched longer than a politicians hyperbole.  Boof and Rocket were the only volunteers to form an up line, and with no other takers 400 metres later, I moved up to make an example. Leg three (truck route to Mitchell) at the front attempting to keep pace with Rocket seemed endless, best to focus just a few metres ahead than the devestating distance to Mitchell Rd.  Chops did me a great favour calling an early roll eastbound, at last my recovery could begin.  Col's a smooth operator (quite comfortable in close company), but TatPaul's early days on two wheels needs a little sandpapering, Kenworth was relishing BamBam's draft, now he can experience what we all enjoy on his wheel. The Godfather chirped his usual shy sledge from the Cats crossing paths while AvantiTrev floated a Strava embargo to peg Saturdays pace......yeah, as if!  The Goat PainTrainers were swift on pace, I'd reached the rear (well recovered) as our bunch pointed north on Boundary, the sky blacker than Trav's Avanti, but would we stay dry? Steadily elevated closer to the front in Channel Rd it seemed I's score the tortuous task of chasing Rocket into the ChaCha (positive persuasion poured on me now) and sure enough, it was full steam into Kinder corner as Rocket squeezed the pack single file behind him at Hopeful corner, the carbon cacophony as his Zipps protested the pace, all chasing the draft as he powered to Prentice Rd.  I was blurring at the edges when his elbow signalled my turn, a short burst at 53 km/h all I could muster till Boof blasted by to embarass my effort.

23/3
Tempted to Turtle thrash Thursday, a warm-up en route (in expectation) turned into a tour de street so I didn't grid to the sound of crickets.  The carpark had Jase, HBK, AvantiTrev, KillkennyPaul, TrekTrev, Cougar, Temple and Bruce parked with foreigners again (MrMagnet and Fred) maybe to measure their masochism?   The 5:40 exit shuffled the grid placings, putting me on HBK's wheel (think he was hoping for a perambulating partner) with Jase breathing down my cassette.  Bruce and TrekTrev opened proceedings, HBK ramped up leg two, so who was I to deny him pace?  ChrisA made a welcome addition at the school, my wattage waining for leg three (Jase is tough on tempo but I was glad to hear his gasps by Prentice Rd.)  AvantiTrev and Mr.Magnet heaved on the hindering handbrake at the cypres trees, 7 k's sliced off the pace gave many a chance to draw breath (and for a few to babble).  KillkennyPaul braved a few turns despite his lengthy lay-off, TrekTrev applying ten tenths to match a tuned Temple.   Frequent freewheels and riding off line is a frustrating MrMagnet foible (infecting some others), true comfort found only in skilled company I'm afraid.  Turning into River Rd we'd caught and absorbed Hoges into the bunch, monstering his single speed MTB with mud tyres howling under sufferance. Temple then HBK, Jase and I poured punch into the pace (the sweet sound of carbonaria  crushing conversation!), Hoges now seeking a tow from Jase which delivered me a diabolical draft.  TrekTrev turned himself inside out to pace with Temple out of Dave's dip, the body language translated pain but his determination was admirable. HBK and I applied more tempo gently out of Roubaix corner to keep him in touch, many now colonising the caboose.  Bruce buried himself at the front into Conrod straight and drew two lines into one, Temple and TrekTrev followed suit as I hid in HBK's draft in wait.  I was almost ready to pounce when Jase launched the attack at 300 to go, it took a lot of jellybeans to get on his wheel but I callled "yours" at the 50 mark, remembering the lead-outs he'd gifted me.

24/3
Time to step out of my comfort zone and thrash in the PainTrain Friday, so off to Friars I found Coggo, Dipper, AvantiLeigh, AvantiAndy and Tum (arriving at the third stroke).  Belly attached on the roll-out, and with boiler stoked and a good head of steam, we cleared the Doyles Rd roundabout in the fourties.  BigLen  and MeridaAndy were handy additions at Dobsons, AvantiLeigh driving leg two to Central Ave.  Feeling fairly fit, I took the reigns almost to School Rd, a little shy of the usual target to leave something in the tank for the task ahead. BigLen and MeridaAndy barrelled into Boundary Rd, some serious internal cognitive behaviour therapy going on in my cranial clinic as another turn loomed large for me.   A pause for trucks on the highway let lungs refill, then back to business for my drive to Channel Rd.  Aknowledgement for effort is great for the mental motivation but the lungs and legs needed more than just kudos. A big bunch of red leds ahead spurred the speed in River Rd, I got another go on the super smooth tarmac approaching the dip which at least made me feel like I was going fast!  Pheromones of felines flared the Goat nostrils in Central Kialla, Belly and AvantiAndy returning to the driving mix.  We'd caught the Cats tail at Archer Rd but waited respectfully for oncoming cars to clear.  51 bolted by in Dave's dip, MeridaAndy working the wattage to lead a Goat charge likewise.  Traffic halted us at the highway as 51 dissapeared into the distance, the felines now parked on our tail.  The Goat end went single file out of Roubaix as the Cats congregated in the caboose, I felt the pressure on the front to Galbraiths but a greater pressure as Cobbles and The Godfather crowded the Goat tail when I'd peeled off the front (but I held Andy's wheel to avoid a Cat swamping)  The Godfather let loose with 400 left of Conrod and I grabbed Cobbles draft, MeridaAndy took the chocolates as the Godfather backed off in the dying metres.  3rd behind Cobbles was sweet for me to end the lap with a 39 average (what would it be without the two halts?) and end the week on a high.

Week 12        221 km         YTD 2,960 km