A stiff southerly will cull a carpark crowd, doona diving would be the preferred past-time of the soft today I pondered during a reversed Saturday breakfast (toast first, cereal later). So, who must ride before breakfast and who must breakfast before a ride? Numbers seem split down the middle. Straight into zone 4 to commute south at 5:45, sharing the 25-35 km/h southerly saga with Wozz, taking bets on attendance. Surprisingly, the Couldabeens carpark congregation contained Shorty, Rocket, AvantiTrev, Temple, HBK, Lucy, TrekTrev, Bo, Lenny, Kel, The Godfather, Bruce, Leah, BassoDan, Tina, TatPaul, BeerMat and Nev, 20 a preferred pack to splitting the masses of previous weeks (and kinder on my memory recall) A tame tap alongside TatPaul got leg one done (without knives in the back), leg two with Wozz whipped up the mid thirties, and still the Channel Rd gravel patches send a shiver of traction terror through the troupe. Wheels sung in the roaring fourties along Boundary Rd, there's nothing like a breeze up the bum to inflate the ego (till the next turn!) The drivers into Old Dookie Rd vs the brakers in Boundary were poles apart, Leah caught on the back foot went uncerimoniously OTA, but Bruce returned to her aid. (It was a regrettable ride ritual for our rookie, hope it doesn't deter the determination Leah)
27/2
The push to the Emu at 5:15 murdered Monday's legs, a mere 10 km/h ENE'er escalating me rapidly into zone 4, retaliation for a rideless Sunday? Solo's have been scarce of late, high time to get out of the peloton protection program and h.t.f.u. The relief I'd hoped for turning to the Toaster had vapourised, that Dookie demon (the one that changes wind direction when you turn) had struck, subtracting the north from the northeaster. Old Dookie Rd offered the salvation of a tail breeze while I contemplated a Cats crank or a Goats gait, time and rule 5 chose the feline factor, subsequently found at Central Ave. I blended into the bunch of Shane, Car+Mel, BigBen, Dion, Wongy, The Godfather, Tina, Jodie, Paul VanP and co, still rusty on the rolling turns I was sandwiched between Tina and The Godfather, guess I'll cop curses if I make a shambles of it. Lil'Tony, Cobbles, Sherls and Col joined from their idle in Boundary Rd, Car+Mel took a Channel Rd coffee exit as Pistol Pete slotted into the rotation. Pace picked up south of the Broken bridges, rhythmic rotations ripping through the k's (or maybe the light easterly gave that impression?) Retirements became popular over the highway, negatives brewing in my head proportional to speed, forcing a mass of mental digging to keep fronting the rushin' front. There's a point where messages from heart, lungs, legs overpower the will, into Conrod's first dip was the end for me, superior speed (& youth) told me I'd done my dash. I was dragged over the finish line, but 65k before 7 and a 161 suffer score was my excuse.
28/2
Despite the push beside TrekTrev on leg one, my Garmin refused to budge from 30.4 km/h, in the dark on pace and with pride of pace dented, a reboot was the salvation of speed and success. The Turtles turnout terrific Tuesday, Shorty, Temple, SuperMario, Cougar, AvantiTrev, Jase, Cate, HBK, Ralphy, Jed, TrekTrev, Kel, FeltMat and Bo made it a record recruitment, maybe 17 degrees and a favourable breeze was the inspiration, but watch this space (and the grid spaces) in July! A red led ahead challenged a chase, the swift, smooth, svelte silhouette of Weapon (aboard the TT Avanti) eventually caught at the S bend. Pointing into the darkness of Boundary Rd (sianara Summer!), turtle interns Ralphy and Jed were line astern (for reasons that would become clear later), SuperMario and AvantiTrev maintaining their moderate momentum. Craig Lotsalumens still grinds River Rd with two led lights blazing, but now sports flashing fork lights for f#@& sake! Temples performance of late warrants a post ride sample, Weapon and Cate paired for a determined drive at the dip, I had TrekTrev to match for the last of River Rd but a mechanical demon slowed his start into Central Kialla. A brief single filed slow till the problem was sorted, then back on the gas to Mitchell Rd with time made up to the highway, a rare clear passage the reward. There were plenty of players for pace to Arcadia Downs, I got my turn done by Conrods dip but was then boxed in as Temple and Bo took the front. Jed and Ralphy attacked early passing Bo on blow-up, none wanted the chase challenge and by the time I had a clear path, Ralphy and Jed were well clear, third spot still a satisfying score for me though.
1/3
The price for early arrival Wednesday was pole position, Paul VanP, Pistol, Rocket, Mel, Shorty, Temple, Cate, Weapon, Kel, Bo, Boof, Chops, AvantiTrev and Kenworth were smarter, arriving later. Still, it wasn't so bad driving the first 3 k with a suggestion of a ENE behind, FDC's Wozza, Bruce, BamBam, Grumpy, Pelly and Ralphy (FeltMat mechanically missing) joined at the bridge, Rocket pairing with me (sympathetic with the speed) to form the up line. The pace was applied in Central Kialla but I had joy in the tow midfield, gradually demoted by rotation to the rear I found myself perusing a pack of peculiar perverted pedalling proctologists, two rows of folk hunched forward carefully examining the posterior ahead. There was a tiny hint of colour on the horizon, an impressive string of lights on Boundary Rd being the mid week PainTrain of Goats headed our way as we slowed at River Rd's end.
Shorty caught the Kinder curse (wring out all your wattage at the front only to watch breathless as everyone you just towed sail past into the sprint distance) yet again, round the bend the tempo maxed as an attack from the back had Rocket, Wozz, Boof, Pistol et al power past in a ChaCha conspiracy. The bunch stretched out longer that parliaments question time, Boof Strava scoring a fine 1:08 for the 1.1 k segment. FeltMat approached us from the west, now minus mechanical misdemeanours, on a flash new e-tap equipped Scott (so FeltMat formerly AvantiMat but originally FeltMat is now ScottMat.....just to make things clear), the roll to town wishing Weapon many happy returns.
2/3
On the hunt for a little variety Thursday, I set a course via the golf course and the brand new Verney Rd tarmac as a foreward to the Goat lap, feeling rather primed of pace if I don't say so. Coggo, Speissy, Tina, Bickers, Jen, AvantiLeigh, AvantiAndy, Dipper, Phil, HG, Sandy, Sooty, Spartacus, Hommy, Belly and Snow formed a seventeensome from Friars, but chains were dragging at the stroke of 6. Even a quiet roll out of town had elasticised the pack, Hommy driving alongside me (well, his rear wheel and my front wheel were paired) to Dobsons eventually got the turns rolling. Kudos was served to Dipper and AvantiLeigh on their Wednesday workout (40 average), great to see Sooty back aboard a bike (without an engine), HG still continuing his three bike length exclusion zone and AvantiAndy with growling brake issues. We'd homed in on a small team of tame tappers (Jimbo and Doc recognised) at Old Dookie Rd's end, Spartacus driving the overtaking manoeuvre in Boundary. Harassed by Hommy again (rule #86 and #88 infringements aplenty) at the fig farm was prickling my patience, but bit the lip as AvantiLeigh, Coggo and co took us to the highway and beyond. Back to the front with Spartacus for River Rd and its niggling SSE'er, we'd rolled the turn as Hommy half biked up for act two, but my repose rattled like Michael Douglas in "Falling Down" as I let my legs answer his challenge with a savage serve of speed. It was rather feral of Foss stretching the pack (and the friendships) approaching the dip, the consequence was a bunch well split in two, the culprit now camped in the caboose. Tina, Sooty, Belly, AvantiLeigh, Snow and I continued on, timely though at River's end to take my leave and exit via the truck route. Apologies were extended later, the banter suggesting all was well (and that Hommy's harassing habit won't change!)
3/3
Despite a cruisy commute to the Couldabeens carpark, Cate, Mel & I were still first on site, so a sneaky sidetrack toward the bridge for a minute had us seated midfield on our return. Pistol, Bruce, Wozz, Boof, Kenworth, Nick, Temple, Troy, Jen, Chops, Kel, Bo, Rocket, Paul VanP, Shorty, Pelly and ScottMat swamped the shops' parking bays. The bunch blast off at 6 speared south to exit town, quite the rubber band syndrome as we got up to cruising speed but Pelly punctured (his trifecta for the week) to give all an early intermission. At least there was communication about the halt, ditching the silly silence system. The restart was a smoother scenario, BamBam found lurking at the truck route. 20 km/h worth of tailwind at Central Kialla with Wozz and Pistol at the front made for maximum motion, my turn for masochism was in River Rd with Bruce (bridge to the dip) then with Bo for a k. A long Goat pain train wheeled west, Boundary Rd blurred by, the lottery of Channel Rd ahead for us. Pistol charged the ChaCha at Hopeful corner drawing Wozz, Bruce, me and Bo in Indian file behind, Wozz wrung out the wattage when Pistol pickled, Bruce bolted and seemed to be odds on favourite till Troy and Paul VanP pounced in the dying metres to take the one two. Coffee connoisseurs cornered south and workers wheeled north at Channel Rd's end, Cate cajoled and coerced a crack at the Crit sprint segment (tempted by tailwind?), Jen and Mel joining in for a week's end workout (and a PB as the week's dessert for me.
Week 9. 262km. YTD 2,206
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