Week 17 : A short wet week

Post 394  Saturday's soggy slog
The roll-up to Saturday's lap was predicted to be down on recent crowds, Friday's rain had dampened desire.......and the circuit.  There was an icy chill on the grid at 5:55 despite 14 degrees on the guage, but the punters trickled in (The Godfather, Shorty, AvantiTrev, Wozz, Rocket, Cate, Boof, Pistol, BassoDan, Cougar, MeridaAndy, TatPaul, Car+Mel, Trav and Bruce), the bulk arriving in the final minute (to guarantee a tow for the first few k's?)   Still, 17 was a workable sized bunch and minus the rubber band effect of the massed mobs of late.  Wozz and I were gentle on the throttle on the exit of town, but the sharp snap of "slow" reigned in the speed to wait for some slow coaches.  Underway again a few seconds later, I relished the effort to Doyles Rd beside Wozza as the speed silenced the snakey, similar knots with Rocket to Orrvale Rd  brought on an external grimace but an internal grin with only the sound of wheels working overtime, Boof then BassoDan providing propulsion as I settled into recovery.

 There was a social sentence or six as fifteen started the rotational rumba, The Godfather and Bruce summoning silence with speed to blur Boundary Rd (so Wozz, Rocket and I aren't the only tempo terrorists) but AvantiTrev soon calmed the cadence as a few weeks off in the Peoples Republic took its toll on velocity in Old Dookie Rd.  Wozz and I were back at the pointy end exiting Toaster corner,   the ENEer driving us to the right side to shelter those behind. Rocket and Boof dragged us to Emu corner without delay, the tailwind home expected to summon a squeak on speed. Felines were fractured eastbound as we worked west, the puddles from recent rain sullied bikes and spotted specs. (Ah! now is the winter of our discontent.........), Car+Mel and Cate driving tenacious turns while Shorty and Cougar caboosed to ease an early exit.  Rocket stayed considerately level as I wound up what little wattage remained in Wanganui Rd, calling him over as the tank almost emptied unlocked his mission to stretch out the pack. (Boof sucked into the sprint when he'd hoped to save some speed for Sundays' hills).  I slipped steadily rearward as the sprinters stepped up to play, finding I'd inherited a string of survivors in tow for Wanganui hill.  The burst of bravado over, jaws jabbered the length of the Boulevard to the next best thing to the ride, breakfast and banter at the Lemontree as the ritual ride repose .  Red meat, coaching and weird pets occupied conversation, tending to a filthy bike and it's dead worm population the weekend chore.  Rule #53 folks.  

24/4  Solo soliloquy

Sick of the same old circuits, and in need of a solo to clear the weekend's cobwebs, I pointed east early Monday morning, the long 20k strip of tarmac to tap to Cosgrove in my sights.  With rabbits to race and standards to set, rule #6 over-rode the meanderings of the prefrontal cortex as the heartrate did it's steady climb from 120 to 165.   I stuck to the spin of 80 rpm feeling a hint of an easterly against me, eventually the lights of Cosgroves gravel alps outlined the catagory two climb (well, 3.7 metres of ascent) to Quarry Rd.  South to New Dookie Rd then west back toward town with just two (considerate) cars to contend with, it was down the cassette and up the tempo feeling a breeze behind.  The lure of a red led ahead stirred some southbound speed in Boundary Rd, catching and passing a similar soloist (unidentified in the dark).  Over the highway and down to River Rd with a stirring sunrise to the left and purring pussycats lights behind, the westerly progress in River Rd was motivated as competition captured the cerebrum.   Time was the enemy as I made it over the col du Channel bridge, the need to shorten my lap to stay on schedule forced the usual escape via the truck route and Archer to shortcut home, satisfied to clock sixty before seven.

27/4. The temperature test.

The hypertension, the nervous twitch and the colossal cravings were at fever pitch after 70 hours off the bike (rotten rain ruined religious ride recreation) the joy being back aboard the Baum was certainly needed to face the 'feels like 3' Thursday.  Phil, Coggo, Dipper, AvantiAndy, Cate, Belly, Tum, Carl, Sandy, Joey, Tina, Hommy, Jen, PrincipalSkinner, AvantiLeigh and Heady arrived at Verney's roundabout for the Thursday therapy, barely 6 degrees with an icy wind testing tenacity.  Spread out like Browns' Goats on the open plains of Ford Rd, it took a k to congeal (the tack and jibe through the streets from the old grid gathered Goats good). Well organised by Lemnos-Cosgrove Rd, I found myself between Joey and AvantiAndy as the breeze blew southwest through the nether regions.  Joey has closed the base layer gap but gaps opened ahead of him, sudden surges of speed to regain a draft caused chaos on consistency and a lot of Fosstration.  PrincipalSkinner and Sandy sat in the caboose, plenty now cooking in their winter jackets and thermals as efforts increased fighting the wind into Boundary Rd.  Joeys wheel continued to fling back to greet me as he rose to close yet another abyss ahead, my mindful eye keeping a bit more distance as cautionary compensation, but the steady rhythms of Coggo, Tina, Belly, Phil and Carl made amends.  Several Goats were in training for the forthcoming Beechworth weekend, Hommy fully fit for the drinking bit!  There was bliss on River Rd's 2nd k of table top tarmac on the sheltered side, quite a contrast on the front at the roads' rough edge with the bitter breeze on the brow.  But with schedules and jobs to keep, Cate and I bid adieu at Rivers' end to push homeward, a thrash at the lake segment back in town, a fitting finish.

28/4. Hollywood heave-ho's a huge hibernation. 

A smiley start to Friday with grinning gals Cate and Mel (-Car) the company to commute to the carpark, Bruce, Grumpy, CatCol, Wozza, BamBam, Ralphy, Pelly, Pistol, Shorty, Nick, Weapon, Nev, AvantiTrev, Rocket, Boof, Trav, Jen, Dalts and hallelujah! Hollywood were fresh for Friday's frivolities.  The long thin line of Indians filed south, Hollywood (second ride since November ; 5kg to lose before forthcoming holidays to put on 10!) coming into view on the down line as I joined the up, the windless plains of Archer and Mitchell aiding our pace.  Nick and Pelly paired in punctures as we swung into River Rd, a mandatory stop to sledge (and a spot of leg judging with Weapon) while AvantiTrev got his teeth into the pitstop. Repaired and re-rolling, it was all quiet on the eastern front as we made up for lost time, my sole turn at the pointy end was with Shorty beyond the dip, then to let the team tow east, north and west, thanking the cloud cover for keeping the frost away.  Into Channel Rd, Dalts and AvantiTrev were sitting out the sprint, so I changed to the upline and won lotto, scoring Nev's nirvana wheel, shortening my odds for a ChaCha placing.  BamBam poured on the pace to Kinder corner for Pistol to drive to Hopeful corner, pieces of the podium puzzle falling into place as we reached Prentice Rd.  I just mustered enough wattage to stay in Nev's draft, Rocket ripped past but I'd survived for third on the line, fighting for breath on the brakes to call 'car left' at Orrvale Rd 70 metres beyond.  And so a short wet week ended with a speedy social spin homeward, hoping to make up the pitstop deficit to reach the timeclock by 7:30.

Week 17:   178km.            YTD  4190km

Week 16 : Crank till ya' cark it

Post 393  Around the Bend-i-go

Exploring new territory, I fronted Bendigo's Sternberg roundabout to catch Saturday's bunch, dozens of bikes converging to syncronise bunch departure (from the flat-out 7:05's to the tourist 7:30's).  I congregated with the 7:15's (Andy, Paul, Alistair, Cass, Steve, Les, Murray, Dianne, Reg and Mark) at their navigational mercy to follow directions south on Sedwick-Sutton Grange Rd to Mandurang, the rise and fall of the tarmac was the heater with just 6 degrees on the guage.  It was comforting to discover their's was a habit of anticlockwise rotations & long turns, a few k beside Andy finding flatlander Foss fairly fit. After 20 k's south we swung north east on Axe Creek Rd, commencing their protocol of rolling turns for a few k's.  (picks up the pace and fine-tunes the focus) It was good to get the bunch blinkers off and see how the other half crank, picking up a few pointers (and forgetting a foible or two) 

Missing a signal and maybe with eyes on just the bike ahead, Paul grabbed a fistful of brake and took to the gravel as a dodge for road kill upset the line, thankfully staying vertical. (highlights how complacency is our constant demon)  The regular long turns resumed as we swung onto Patons Rd (dipless Dave!) then a succession of lefts and rights, ups and downs as Ballarat's Murray (Gios) made himself known (of the Yabby Diver bunch I'd ridden with just a month ago)  A single speeder fixie appeared in the pack (murder uphill, mixmaster down) but kept himself apart on the descents for fear of putting a blender in the bunch. (thank heavens, he could talk the leg off an iron pot!)  We zig-zagged Sinclairs, Bennetts, Caleana and Somerset Park Rd's to bewilder my bearings (great directions from the bunch though) but I eventually got my bearings reaching the McIver Hwy with a sprint section (Rule #79) stupidly pegged at an intersection, causing a close tangle with traffic.  Drama diverted, we toured north via Pratts Park, McDonalds and Racecourse Rd to reach Epsom for the turn south and spear to town.  Chat, coffee and hot-cross buns were consumed at the Goodloaf, riders dearly departed and bunch behavior the sentence subjects.  

 

17/4  The Toaster Coaster  

A public holiday Monday drew Kenworth, Rocket, Shorty, Simon, Jase, Pistol, Kel, AvantiAndy, Jen, Bo, ScottMatt, TatPaul, Boof and BamBam to A Mart for a later lap at 7, pleasing for me to be back on level homeland soil.  Easter's light southeaster made a sedate start southward on Raftery, the effort slowly raised as I drew closer to the pointy end to share with Kenworth then Shorty in the second half of River Rd, hurrying up the heartrate.  The Goat train of peace passed peacefully west, our pace picking up as the breeze blew up Boundary.  The approaching car on the Midland Hwy was off ScottMatt's radar (who delivered a dud call), some safely across but most had halted, breaking the bunch in two. Reformed, resurrected and resolute, we made our way to Old Dookie Rd and the Toaster beyond,
Easters activities and hills vs flats was the sentence subjects till the turn west back to town primed the pace.  BamBam's appetite for prologues, Simons aquaintance with ascents and Pistol's abstinence from chocolate on the chat list till my second shift with Kenworth and Shorty in Ford Rd got muscles burning (trying to re-aquaint with the rise and fall of turns in a bunch vs the steady slog of solo is almost a lost art).  It seemed a sprint was on the cards as the motion multiplied in Wanganui Rd, but there was no serious moves beyond DECA till Bo poked his nose to the front and wound up the wick at the hill. Seemingly sprint starved, Kenworth bolted, and sitting in his generous tow I was gifted the tow to counter attack for what felt like a sprintless finish.  Back to base camp for caffiene and chat, CBD parking, camping and shots kept tongues tattling as the suns warmth renedered us lethargic to leave.

18/4  A flog in the fog
Fog felt like soup on the golf course prologue Tuesday, a 7 degree warm up (?) prior to a galivant with the Goats was sluggish yet slick.    Belly, Tina, Coggo, Dipper, Phil, Spiessy, Joe and AvantiAndy arrived at Verney's roundabout, keen to right the wrongs of Easter's diet?  Nine would keep the turns turning, soon into a rotational ritual with Joey fore and Spiessy aft, slicing our way east to Boundary Rd.  A pink horizon behind the fog set the scenery sweet, Spiessy quickly comfortable in the caboose for nine to slog southward puffing train-like steam.

Joey's short base layer was threatening to expose a plumbers grin, a pair of frozen kidneys can't have been comfortable as he served another term to Boundary Rd's pig pen.  More wattage was needed from me to match Phil's pace to the pub (though he reckons he's out of form), Coggo, Belly, Dip and Tina still running like clockwork as we steered into River Rd, though velocity varied as we worked westward (was it the chill or the chocolate choking our challenge?)  Chatter had ceased as many reached for diminishing reserves, I'd taken to study the variety of positions each adopts in their mission of motion, a sit signature if you like, that's rarely duplicated.  Mixed Conrod scenarios played out in my prefrontal cortex as we rounded Roubaix, peloton position playing its part in several options.  Joey handed me the lead at Galbraiths so, for variety's sake, I stretched the squad single for a "crank-till-ya-cark-it" contribution.  The old engine was running pretty good into Conrod (recent solo hill work to thank?) but with 500 metres left, the tank was almost empty, signal right elbow to gesture the bunch by.  With just enough left to grab the last wheel, I caught the draft to get a view of Coggo and Belly battle the win, a social roll to Mandy's for breakfast (granola, yoghurt and berries) was a last-day-of-holidays treat.

19/4. Passing on the puncture parable

Playing train driver to Sanctuary's roundabout was the penance paid for early arrival at the grid on Wednesday, a good roll up of Kenworth, Car+Mel, SuperMario, Cate, Trav, Rocket, BamBam, Grumpy, Shorty, Nick ,Pistol, Wozza, Weapon, Dalts, Col, Jase, Kel and Boof proving there's always a crowd for a cruise.  

Rocket stepped up to form the up line as we left town, I found focus on anything but the pace....the sunrise, the road surface, Venezuela's gross national debt......       A glance back at the truck route found many missing, the go-slow to Mitchell had no result, so we u-turned to find the missing persons back near the roundabout, just getting mobile from Boof's puncture pitstop.  As one big happy family again, the lap resumed, a welcoming dawn to aim at bound for Central Kialla.  Making up for lost time on River Rd, I paired with Weapon (a short stint as 3 weekend podiums had pegged her pacy performance) then with Jase for the second last k eastward.  

 

The tempo tuned up bearing west, but was it a breeze up the bum in Channel Rd? (bureau said calm)  Poised perfectly as the bunch barrelled into Hopeful corner, I could see BamBam on the front, two wheels ahead, doing his best impression of Fukishima's No2 reactor as Pistol poured on more pace, so I sank all into a sprint past.  Glory lasted just 35 metres till Rocket and Wozz bolted by, no grizzles from me though, surviving third to these two fast foes.

 

 

20/4  Ten Turtles tappin'

 

KillkennyPaul, SuperMario, Softa, Jase, Jed, BamBam and Cougar were lined up at the shop for Thursdays thrash, 5:40 came and went, some sat seemingly stalled on the grid, so Fosstrated I took to the drivers seat, keen to percolate the pace. There was a holler to handbrake the hurry in leg one,  latecomers apparently joining behind, so a cruise to Doyles collected Bruce & Grumpy to form 10.   I turned up the wick on leg two to Orrvale Rd with all silent and single filed behind, but leg three had two rows form and the pace pine.  Jase and Killkenny Paul seemed keen for speed but a mothers club chat club had commenced, lasting to Boundary Rd.  KillkennyPaul, Jase and I ramped up the resentment to River Rd, slowly but surely the speed slipping back (not naming names) to idle in zone three.  The tempo turned up again in Mitchell Rd, Killkenny Paul's wattage ever improving, and a clean cross of Melbourne Rd seemed to inspire the troops, so hopes rose for a decent drive and a fast finish.  Rounding Roubaix, a case of marshmallow Michelin spelt all was not well, the dreaded beelzeebub bindii had struck my front wheel, deflated in tube and mood, it was a halt for repairs, Jase and Bruce returning to aid in moral and sledging support.  The Hares hurtled by as I climbed back aboard, three track turning home in the fourties delivering the workout wanted.

 

Week 16           252km            YTD 4,012 km

Week 15: Hotmix heaven and the downhill chill

Post 392
Saturday' s summary.....summery

Several regulars missing altered the ambience and culled the carpark crowd on Saturday, summer had swansonged to ditch the armwarmers, 17 degrees and a niggling northeaster (17-26 km/h) was sent to test us.  The Godfather, TatMat, TatPaul, ScottMatt, KillkennyPaul, Jen, Pistol, AvantiAndy, Cougar, Boof, Popgun, TrekTrev, Nev, Nick, Shorty, Wozz, ChrisA and Bruce formed two lines to set sail, sedately steered by Cougar and The Godfather, a westbound Oscar (fashionably fettled in matching kit to bike) u-turning to attach, MeridaAndy joining likewise to form a train of 21 to tap the flatlands east of town. Beside Wozz to Orrvale then onward to the Kinder with Bruce set the speed agenda, the rotations of riders within arms length only now identifying those dark mysterious figures that had arrived at the start line.  Bent brows and tested tibialis greeted Boundary Rd and it's northeaster, neatly echeloned from right to left to Old Dookie Rd then left to right to the Toaster (with one vexing exception), we battled the breeze if only to reap the reward of a tailwind home. 

Swinging north to the Toaster pooped Popgun just 5 minutes short of the reward, TatMat, Nev, Jen, Pistol and ChrisA scoring my vote as the smoothest of the smooth aboard two wheels despite the cross wind.  Westward at Emu corner with the breeze behind bums, Wozz and TatMat turned up the tempo for 20 seconds till Pistol delivered the 'cease and desist' letter from the caboose.  2km/h worth of icing was scraped off the speed cake in the interest of compliance (and to prevent personal injury), Bendigo haunts of our youth compared with TatMat as we drove to the bridge, everso sneakily squeezing the accelerator.  Like the holler from a pirate ship, the Godfathers' call of clear was a hilarious staement of the bleeding obvious at Grahamvale Rd (yet its a serious message that's rarely passed on).  As the momentum multiplied in the diminishing distance of Ford Rd, the Wanganui watusi beckoned the brave and expelled the escapees via Verney Rd.  Two rows turned single at DECA as Wozz donated himself as the sprint sacrifice of lead-out to the hill, TatMat my perfectly poised tow to the base, but the real sprinters (Nev, Boof and ChrisA) belted by at 56 clicks, marking us as mere menials.  A Boulevard breather restored normal bodily function to roll to the Lemontree for breakfast and banter on childhood dreams, football and the crassness of reality TV, new bike discounting the serious subject on the reluctant departure.

How awesome is Amanda Coker breaking (officially) the world's highest annual mileage record! (122,686 km to date)   No doubt she'll raise the bar higher with 3+ weeks left for the next possessed pedaler to ponder.  Step it up Steve Abraham, already six weeks into his U.K. attempt........

10/4. Rule #9

A dreary grey day with an angry WSW'er (19-24 km/h) wasn't very inspiring, clouds rolling low and the threat of rain sent many diverting to doonas but the disciples of Rule #9 (Sandy, Tina, Cate and Hommy assembled at the roundabout for a Monday Peace Train while the Paris-Roubaix night owls slumbered.  The breeze blew us to Boundary Rd, a treat best shared for the forthcoming task south and west, Sandy content in the caboose to nurse a gluteus maximus.  The blast across our flanks in Boundary Rd cut our previously stunning performance back to reality, Hommy the substantial draft but Sunday's liquid overload pickled his pace.  Tina and Cate drove a long leg on River Rd, clouds dragging across the paddocks misting our progress west.  Hommy got his second wind in River Rd's last k, the half wheeling habit back in force till Sandy exercised her casting vote on velocity.  The niggles of a damp track and a grubby bike were overpowered by the one upmanship on the soft souls slumbering. A sprintless peace train finish caused Cate a craving to spike the Garmin graph with a crack at the Crit segment.

11/4 Turtle turgidity

The perception of running late bumped up my pace to the Turtles Tuesday, the southerly inciting some physical fastness but my berth at the grid had two minutes spare.  Nick, KillkennyPaul, TrekTrev, Cougar and Hoges were the solitary suitors to slog out a lap, slim numbers spelt single file, TrekTrev doing the honours of first shift.  Nick turned on the tow for leg two though I wish he and TrekTrev had got up the road a bit to shelter us from the southerly.  KillkennyPaul cranked a good turn to Prentice Rd , regular rigour building and benefitting his wattage. I took the turn to the cypress trees while Hoges hammered the single speed MTB and Cougar commanded the caboose.  The drivers repeated to Channel Rd's end, KillkennyPaul dragging us to the Broken Bridges, leaving the wide open spaces to River Rd to fight the headwind and gusts from oncoming trucks.  Cougar fell off the caboose as we swung into River Rd, a cruise of courtesy reformed the 6 pack, speed slowly stepped up to prevent fractures.  Nick and TrekTrev put into the westward effort, Hoges turns abbreviated pushing 2.75 dirt tyres, a single cog and sitting upright (he tells me it's good training!)  I scored the headwind again in Central Kialla, a couple of "easy"s to keep the caboose connected kept me out of zone 5.  Westward in Mitchell Rd had dropped Cougar off the tail, I eased off to offer a tow back to the bunch but the light (and the enthusiasm?) had subsided.  A long slog in the fourties to get back aboard eventually caught the foursome at Archer Rd, Nick providing the pace in and out of Dave's dip. KilkennyPaul headled us to Roubaix corner and I braved the long drive to Arcadia Downs to reward the lads some recovery for the Conrod thrash.  We'd caught Weapon solo at the first dip, KillkennyPaul slogging to victory at Steptoe's with Hoges hot in pursuit.  Holidays allowed a caffeine post mortem, cruising couple Jed and BamBam found at the cafe to chat on kit confusion and What's App hand grenades as the Hares (Nev, Troy, Wozz, Rocket, Pistol, Col and Bruce) arrived to join in.

12/4
Fresh and foggy again Wednesday, effort down and attendance up almost guaranteed as the troops gathered for the Couldabeens lap of leisure.  Kenworth, Col, Rocket, BamBam, Wozza, Nev, Mel, Pelly, Cate, Troy, Pistol, SuperMario, Cougar, Nick, Shorty, Kel, Weapon and Bo lifted anchor at 6, yet another bunch split for traffic calming the first k to congregate. 

All aboard called with BamBam driving the train like Tony Martin to Sanctuary Park's roundabout. (if you believe his publicity department!)  20 flew fresh to Mitchell Rd, east then north then east again with calls on traffic improved, creating considerable crew comfort.  An orange horizon held a promise of a fine day, low fog and the full moon setting the River Rd scenery, a chill in the air keeping those in the draft awake. A stick flicked from another wheel struck my right shin with a profanity, but happily for the first time in months I hit the front in Boundary Rd (between Cate and Shorty), well short of the ChaCha deep end.  Around Wozza's corner to commence the westward leg home, my promotion forward crossed paths with those demoted, pleased to have served their time before the suffering of the sprint.  My position was poised perfectly at 3rd wheel as the bunch powered past Prentice Rd, but the howl of Rocket's Zipp's and his bolt by relegated my place to 5th before I'd even sniffed the front, and so the social sentence swapping started for a cruisy crank homeward.



13/4   Cruisin' Castlemaine
On holiday in Castlemaine coerced a cruise on foreign soil, lots more lumps and bumps (hills) than on the homeland flats.  It was a chilled start en-route to Newstead in the dark of 6am, inclines causing ol' Foss to cog swap (for a change) to keep momentum up.  The Mt.Alexander Shire's a bit haphazard adding a tarmac verge, so I stuck to the white line roadside as a guide, the aroma of dead roo keeping me and Mavic's on the sealed stuff.  

Up hill and down dale to Newstead then nosed northward on a gradual climb to Welshmans Reef as the sun rose through the fog on the old gold diggings. Plenty of huff and puff climbing to Maldon, though the h.r. monitor (78 bpm) suggested I was barely awake. I rolled into Australia's first notable township, a few folk up and about as the road rose up to Porcupine Flat past ye olde rustic gold dredge and dragline.  I swung east toward the massive metropolis of Walmer (2 houses, a wallaby and an intersection) for another long climb to Fogarty's Gap, working the legs and lungs harder than my usual climbs up channel bridges .

Down the steep descent (at a cautious 58 km/h) to cross the M79 and swing south onto the Old Calder highway to Harcourt, the sun streaming over the orchards and cidery.  I turned up the wick from Harcourt back to Castlemaine (a 39km/h average but the h.r. still slumbering at 70) with the lure of coffee at Saffs to clock a satisfying sixty clicks.


14/4  Good (f)ride day
Heaven forbid, I'm getting used to these hills! Still on a central Victorian furlough, I headed to Harcourt in the hours before sparrow's flatulence, the h.r. monitor behaving but the lungs berating the slow climb out of Castlemaine.

The old Calder highway was chosen to slog a southward exit out of Harcourt, a couple of sharp rises re-aquainting me with the 25 cog as gasps fogged the specs in 7 degree temperature.  With each uphill there's the uplift of a downhill after, whistling down to Farady and passing School Rd reminded me of the '72 kidnapping (that dates me!)  Kangaroos bounded boldly across the road as light slowly showed behind the hills, under the freeway and onward to Elphingstone, cautiously crossing the Pyrenees Hwy.  

The rise and fall regularity was broken by the day break, ever southward to Taradale passing the late 1800's bluestone bridges as the sun finally hauled itself above the horizon.  Soon into Malmsbury (delicious descent, asthmatic ascent!) I pressed on past the prison to find the M79 on-ramp for a northward push back to Castlemaine, the hotmix heaven on the aductor magnus.  Down the cassette and up the tempo on the freeway declines, caravans and speedboats the bulk of the very light holiday traffic (with a watchful eye on the emergency lane for discarded debris (buckets, bungee cords and burger boxes) and the deep ridges of recent reseals. Several k's in the fourties inflated the ego but swinging onto the Pyrenees highway uphill was reality's rapid slap in the face.  Knowing of the long 8k descent to Chewton and Castlemaine inspired my climb of Elphingstone's hill, twas great to clear the cobwebs off the 56/11 and turn the legs to combat the downhill chill to Chewton.  The craving for coffee continued the cadence to Castlemaine, Saffs again to the rescue of a post ride fix, sixty clicks clocked again.

Week 15        285k             YTD 3,760 km
 

Week 14 : Bike bait

Post 391

1/4 : A fast fresh frolic on Fools day

Mentally motivated but physically frigid facing six degrees Saturday, the urge to ride faster to warm up only whipped up the wind chill factor. How summer's warmth has softened us!   To satisfy the cyclust in him, Wozz flew in the face of flu and Mel withstood the weather to soak up Saturday's cycling sociology, down to the startline we rolled to find Trav, Tina, Bruce, Temple, Rocket, Avanti-not-MeridaJohn, AvantiAndy, MeridaAndy, HBK, Grumpy, SuperMario, BamBam, Shorty, Popgun, Cougar, TatMat, TatPaul, KillkennyPaul, BassoDan, Softa, The Godfather, Kel, Pistol, Bo, Boof, Jen, Jase, Manny and Carl.  Temperature obviously wasn't the hinderance,  so what fills a cold carpark at 5:55?  Mel's discovery of a spongy front tyre at 5:58 prompted an inevitable split in the Couldabeens crowd (feelings of fault were unjustified Mel, this is a team game!), 14 stayed to struggle with the SLR while 18 set sail as a manageable group one.  Boof's brawn and The Godfathers grunt reseated the GP4000 on the recalcitrant rim for group two (MeridaAndy, Wozz, Mel, Boof, The Godfather, TatMat, TatPaul, KillkennyPaul, Softa, BassoDan, Manny, Carl and Tina) to launch the second assault.  Wozz and I opened the account to Doyle's Rd but a mechanical misdemeanor messed with Mel's motion.  With a binding brake released, we steamed along Channel Rd, there'd be plenty of turns on the front today (making a change from the usual one or two), smoother shifts served by similarly skilled suiting synchronicity.  There was a short-cut taken to suit the schedule, Toaster and Emu corners dropped in favour of straight up Boundary to Lemnos-Cosgrove, with a heads-up to several unaccustomed to the ripple strips at the Hill Rd rail crossing.   Softa's made a comeback on a new Pinarello, Tina still toughing out her 400k a week habit and MeridaAndy's still murdering the big gears.  West toward town, BassoDan's tank was rapidly emptying beside Wozz, I moved up when he rolled across, cruising with compassion for a lad on the limit (respecting Rule #67).  Ford Rd's first 2 k's pickled me with pace beside young Carl, it's hard to deliver ten tenths while trying to hide that you're spent (the gasps, groans and headling usually give the game away).  

A nod for effort from TatMat and KillkennyPaul was my mental salve, now just to stay in the draft of Boof and Carl's pace in the hope of a quick recovery before the Wanganui workout. There were 14 line astern at DECA as the cream (Wozz, Boof, The Godfather, Carl and MeridaAndy) rose to the top, but the pace eased at the base of Wanganui hill, finding group one pit-stopped for a puncture payback. Group two pressed on to steal the warmest Lemontree seats, kit colours, caustic comments predicting pace & perfecting position were on the chat list as group one docked to fill a 28 seat table.

3/4 : Monday's meandering

The temptation to trek a different track overpowered me Monday, so steered south on Archer to crank a reverse Kialla loop, 8 degrees and the light southerly taking the slack out of the legs. Eastern standard time had delivered a few lumens of light by 5:30, a mental calculation to reach the Goat peace train by 6 was cutting it fine, but the Virgo in me delivered a pronto pace to be punctual.  Coggo, Cate, Spiessy, Sandy, AvantiLeigh, Tina, RidleySomebody, Phil, AvantiAndy, Bazza, Belly, ApprenticePete, Spartacus and Jen had foregathered at Friars, a course committee convening conversation to soon divert from the Old Dookie Rd's roadworks.   Chocks away at 6 with the gift of first light to navigate east, a calm crank in the spirit of serenity with daylight now identifying RidleySomebody as RidleyCraig.

There's a lot more comfort seeing beyond the reach of the headlight, Bazz back aboard a bike (and suffering the temperature), Apprentice Pete improving all the time, Sandy swish in the new Goat kit and Spartacus unbridled by birthdays. Two bikes ahead were reeled in on River Rd's first k, Keeno and Cranky on a calmer-than-Cats cruise. Speed rose surreptitiously toward the bridge, one last turn beside Phil before it was my time to exit.   Still craving a change of course, I pointed north on the truck route to town to put diversity in the day, the 2 metre wide emergency lane a safer option than the skinny strip of Archer Rd's tarmac. The sun speared its beams through the clouds to enthuse the day, ah, but how long will this daylight dream last?

4/4  Team Turtle time trial
A cool and calm cruise to the Turtles Tuesday, with a short sprint to wake up the heart rate in preparation.  Just Jase, TrekTrev, HBK and KillkennyPaul had fronted the 5:40 grid, are the absent Turtles terrified by tempo?  With just 5 to work the lap, I cleverly called an Indian file but stupidly volunteered the first (and longest) shift. 8 degrees had clamped the lungs, taking till Kensington roundabout to get up to pace, it was quite a push for 1600 metres but I was trying to ignore the distance.  HBK towed us to Orrvale Rd, Jase to the Kinder, KillkennyPaul to McFadyen Rd and TrekTrev to Jameson Rd.  HBK powered on to the S bend leaving me the remainder of Channel to drive, unaware that TrekTrev's fuse had fizzled to the point of OTA and jettisoning breakfast. He summoned us onward (according to HBK's report), so five became four southward on Boundary with Jase doing the honours to River Rd.   KillkennyPaul dug the comeback depths to hammer out a turn (albeit abbreviated), HBK towed me to the kennels and I drove to the dip for Jase to take over.  The power of positive thought pushed me to pound out a 2k turn in Mitchell Rd, thank my lucky lungs there was a pause for traffic at the highway for respiratory recovery.  Into Raftery Rd and headed for Galbraiths, we were wearing down the lead a solo bike had ahead, nothing like a bit of bike bait to extract extra effort eh?  I put in a turn to Arcadia Downs before Jase dragged us into Conrod straight, the almost elusive lure found to be Weapon (with the TT Avanti advantage) as we crested the first rise.  I was going to gift KillkennyPaul the honours of the finish line till HBK shot past him in the last 150, a dark force motivating me to steal the win and deny HBK the bragging rights.

5/4 Boof's birthday bike bash

Wednesday started with a new pair of Pro4's and tubes (better than Colgate's ring of confidence....wow, that dates me!) and a new chain making the DuraAce delicious to change cogs.

Another cool and calm cruise to converge on the Couldabeens clan found Jase, Nick, Trav, Pelly, Shorty, Car+Mel, Pistol, Wozz, Cate, Rocket, Kel, Bo, Avanti-not-MeridaJohn, TrekTrev and Temple ready for 6am launch.  There was an inevitable big bunch split by traffic on the exit so it was a slow start till the bridges before the pace was on, Nev, Weapon, Bruce, BamBam and Troy joining at KiallaLakes. It's becoming way too easy to to sit back and relish the tow as the up-line assembled quickly, Wozz, Rocket, Boof, Pistol et al forming a formidable force to slice south toward Mitchell Rd.  So it was sit back social time till the call of duty beckoned much later, talking tummy turn-arounds with TrekTrev, kits that cook with Kel (purring in purple), travels with Trav, Boof's birthday, velocity variation with Rocket, weekly targets with BamBam, the Thursday agenda with Temple and compact vs big rings with Avanti-not-MeridaJohn. 

Cats were at the corner of River and Boundary, a line of galloping Goats licking lips bearing down behind, but most of us had attention on yet another super sunrise at One Tree Dam on our travels to Channel Rd.  And so the speed brewed west, and as each stepped up to play their part the short straw of the ChaCha lead-out became the issue.  Shorty squeezed in his turn just before Central Ave, a jinx befalling Car+Mel and Cate inheriting the build up to Kinder corner.  Turns in rapid succession put me at the front turning at the corner, pleased to have Jase roll across soon after.  Rocket took the long drive to Prentice Rd as a gift for birthday boy Boof, I sat in survival mode in Jase's then Temple's draft to be towed along for a midfield finish.

6/4  Temple's Tour de Turtles
Cramped by a case of the c.b.f's on Thursday morning, I had to trawl the depths of the corpus amygdala to get some giddy up to ride.  Spending the 15 minute commute to the carpark slowly warming up the old engine worked well, only Temple, Shorty, KillkennyPaul and Softa had fronted for 5:40 duty though.  Great to have BamBam arrive as we launched, a glance back found all carriages attached behind so I let loose on leg one (deja vu Tuesday), apparently unhooking an unseen addition who'd arrived looking for "the slow group".  Birthday boy Temple drove leg two and BamBam leg three to the Kinder, KillkennyPaul had a crack at leg four, scoring an elephant stamp for effort getting most of it done.  Shorty dragged us to the cypress trees and I was surprised to then see Softa face the front, but the glory lasted just 50 metres till reality cooked him.  I towed the train to the S bend but Softa had kaboomed off the caboose (solo laps and concrete consumption to do before his next attempt?).  5 became 4 in Boundary Rd (deja vu Tuesday again), I took a long turn in River Rd (Boundary to Trevaskis) maybe to prove my worth / earn my tow / find my limit, but it's almost heaven to get back in the tow and gasp my way back to coherent.  BamBam blasted the last 1.6 of River, Shorty slogging southward through Central Kialla to give me the drive on Mitchell to Archer (deja vu Tuesday yet again!).   It was repeat as neccessary in Raftery Rd where Temple scored the birthday present of the Conrod crown, a chatty commute home with Killkenny Paul on the fine art of the elbow flick, bacon breakfasts and the emerald isle.

7/4   Sprinterred
Despite a cruisy commute, Wozz, Car+Mel, Cate and I arrived on the second row of Fridays grid, popularity populating the peloton yet again.  (BamBam, SuperMario, Col, Pistol, Bruce, Jen, Trav, Kel, Pelly, Kenworth, Bo, Weapon, Nick, ScottMatt, Boof and TrekTrev)  Pelly played tow truck for the town exit, I got off my lazy gluteus maximus (see Wednesday 5/4) to do early duty in the up-line just as Wozz and Col did likewise.  I copped a thorough whole wheeling from Col from River to Mitchell, just grin and bear it Foss, it's probably Col's eduCATion?  An orange horizon slowly cleared to pale blue, reaching Central Kialla paired with Bruce was a tough task but he remained respectfully level.  After 4200 metres of toil, I reckoned I'd earned my tow, now the social side to enjoy (when my capacity to speak returned!)  River Rd westward bike traffic was thin, not until its end do Cats and Goats come out to play these days. North on Boundary into the breeze, Channel Rd promised the relief of a partial wind assistance home (with the obligatory pick up of pace to suit).
Cate, Car+Mel had done their donation to the drive by the cypress trees, Jen got hers in before Central Ave, it was now up to Wozz and Col to lead us to the ChaCha.  The speed was taken ever so gently up to the boil that I reached the front with 700 metres to go. 

With Boof and Bruce on my tail the only option was to bolt (so they'd earn the glory), delighted to glimpse 52 clicks but my fuse was burning rapidly.   Bruce then Boof soon belted by to instantly trigger my mental defeat, the engine in shut down and holding my line, I watched as most scurried by, but hey!, there's no trophies at the end except for the grins and laughs commuting home.



Week 14       253 km             YTD 3,475 km       

Week 13: Judging jibe journalism

Post 390

A spit or three from the heavens at Saturday's grid didn't dull the desire, just holding faith in yr.no's forecast of a post ride drizzle.  Lots of leds pierced the darkness to converge on the carpark, Wozz, Cate, Car+Mel, BassoDan, Tum, Temple, TatMat, BeerMat,TatPaul, KillkennyPaul, Cougar, Temple, Trav, Avanti-not-MeridaJohn, AvantiTrev, AvantiAndy, MeridaAndy, Jen, Kel, Bo, Rocket, HBK, Pistol, The Godfather and Boof assembling for the 6am launch. I toed the tempo line on leg one with a tame tap at the front (but still felt the pins of pace protest).  TatPaul and BassoDan shared the leg two responsibilities,  Nev and ScottMatt joining in from an advanced reconnaisance. 

Rocket and Boof got the bunch up to the usual high thirties (funny, no pins now), now to headcount (recalling the names later) and swap words with each second rider as the rotations shuffled the order.  Cats Cranky, Dalts and Clive joined in Old Dookie Rd, the rubber band of variable velocity hard to hang onto perched at the back, the slightest variation on pace or line amplifying and multiplying down the line of 15 pairs of peloton protagonists.  Rule #59 and #88 need serious study!  I found myself playing shock absorber rising through the ranks on Lemnos-Cosgrove Rd, dampening the ups and downs and lefts and rights for the benefit of me and the sufferers behind.  There was surprise when a Garmin glance found 43 in Ford Rd, the northeaster priming the pace and the ego.  The gradually shortening days have us in the dismal dark all the way back to town, hanging out for next weeks time change to gift us a few weeks of morning light.
I had first bite at Wanganui Rd but short turns by TatPaul and BassoDan closed the door as Rocket launched an early break at the transfer station.  When a gap finally opened in the up-line there was a tough chase to catch the break, if only to get a brief draft from those popped off the back. 
Mid fourties for half a k with a dozen in tow cooked me, hallelujah to score the delicious draft of Kel when my tank emptied.   It was gasp and wheeze time to Rudd Rd as the dozen passed, composure finally arriving to chat with The Godfather Boulevard bound.  Staying smooth and straight, chooks & eggs and Velominati's Rules kept conversation cooking, savouring the cafe's coffee and granola and the Couldabeens fellowship and bullship.  Serious sentences on Adnate's street art and politics with Temple, Wozz and Nev while waiting for the accurate arrival of drizzle to clear (but a grubby bike to clean as a weekend chore)

27/3

Tiring of the same old tracks, Monday's lap went west, off the (bike) beaten track to tour towards Tat.  There's a spirit of adventure and discovery cranking a course less travelled, a bit of Bourke and Wills if you like with the thrill of the unknown ahead. The Midland highway's getting a shoulder re-co so it was a squeezy spin when the peak hour of 5 cars passed by, a tailwind helping outbound, but there was a homeward hinderance to come.   I turned north onto the Tatura-Undera Rd and ascended the category 3 Mt Tarmac,

10k's of pushing into the northeaster putting the fortitude into Foss.  Through Gillieston (1 house and an intersection) and finally up to the Lancaster Rd I turned eastbound, fortitude now replaced with another F word.   Turning angry fighting the headwind for 6k, there comes a point when the legs won't give what the head wants, so there was a rethink on pace in the interest of survival (ceasing sulking at the slightly lower speed).  The wind at the left shoulder on Echuca-Mooroopna Rd was a little easier to bear, legs still stinging but I distracted thoughts to the road rubbish to dodge on the skinny shoulder.  A baby bottle, a coat hanger, a 15/16mm ring spanner, a plank, McDonalds packaging, a garden rake....  The Mooroopna waste water treatment plant awoke the nostrils abruptly to spur on the speed to return to the suburbs minus delay, a nicely timed return to town as the 7am starters car commuted, 50k clicked for me, Strava saying a 147 suffer.

28/3

It was almost a winter watershed Tuesday, 8 degrees was a shock from 20 degrees the day before.  The cool but calm crank to the carpark found Shorty, Nick, Dalts, KillkennyPaul, Cougar, AvantiTrev, ScottMatt, HBK and Temple ready to roll.  HBK was keen to pair with me as we set off on leg one, leaving him a half bike ahead seemed to keep him in a happy place. I backed off the gas with AvantiTrev in leg two (reduces my bike servicing costs), it was a bit early for his full steam effort he tells me. And so the rotations rolled as the Turtle train tapped east on Channel Rd, plenty of small sticks and branches to dodge from Monday night's wind (and some missed too, to be minced by Mavics).  Temple seemed to have the Ridley in a chain chattering half gear, AvantiTrev's lumens went to lunch to leave him in the dark in River Rd (what a novel idea to evade a turn at the front!), Killkenny Paul with a tank of enthusiasm even though his engine protests. Good to have Dalts along as a contributor though I'm not sure if he understood HBK's half bike welcome. Shorty had me short of breath keeping up in Mitchell Rd though there was good recovery time during the wind up on Raftery Rd in the chase to Conrod.  HBK dragged two lines to single file in the 1200 metre straight, I got the perfect sit as he and Temple pushed their limits with all in tow, just a waiting game till distance decided my launch time.  Off the Fizik at the 300 mark, all stops were out to shake off any followers, taking the chocolates easily as the gap attested. 

29/3

Three grinning girls put cheer into the chill of Wednesday morning, 9 degrees didn't deter Kenworth, Trav, Cate, Nev, Weapon, Shorty, Car+Mel, BeerMat, Cougar, Pistol, Bruce, Boof, BamBam, TrekTrev, AvantiTrev, ScottMatt, Troy, Chops, Nick, Rene, Col, Dalts, Jase and young Lightning to collect in the carpark.  BeerMat took the plunge of first turn to Sanctuary's roundabout, no shortage of upline volunteers today with a speed more sympathetic. Sentence swapping got underway as 26 rotated, Dalts and Col along for a Couldabeens crank rather than a Cat crawl.

The Goat PainTrain was in their first k of River Rd as we finished our last, well beyond the cruisy Cats still in Boundary Rd.
A pooch in the undergrowth as we neared the Channel Rd Kinder caused a trip in tempo for a tick, back on the gas into Kinder corner and hurtling toward Hopeful corner, Shorty got the driving duties for the umpteenth time.  Car+Mel and Cate delivered TrekTrev to Prentice Rd where I'd planned my move.  With Rocket and Wozz in respite, Boof, Nev, Pistol, Troy, Trav and Bruce otherwise occupied at the other end of the bunch, it was my chance in a lifetime, so bolted possessed.   It seemed a hundred lights were swarming behind, I'd broken into the fifties and was squinting, searching the distance ahead for that almost elusive white line of relief.  Almost feeling the gasps of challengers at my back wheel, the finish finally appeared, hallelujah! Foss had just enough jellybeans to take a rare win.

30/3

It was as cold as a visit from the tax department Thursday, a solo spin (21k) in the silly hope of warming up prior to a grind with the Goats.  Outbound on a deserted Ford Rd, thoughts on the bikes vs cars rant in the SheppNews (cheap lazy vox populi jibe journalism) niggled the nerves.  There's some weirdos behind the wheel (and some behind handlebars too) thankfully mostly in the minority, so I meditated on Rule #6 instead.  Steering into Boundary Rd, thoughts jumped quickly to Rule #5, an icy wind blowing at 25+ cut through the base layer (and there's still three months of winter yet to come!).  A steady grind back to town found Coggo, Sandy, Dipper, Bickies, Belly, Tina, Hommy, Temple, Phil, HBK and Heady ready. There was a mix of old and new Goat kits amongst the dozen, Hommy on a good behaviour turn beside me to Central Ave, Temple the hard one to stay level with this time. Work to do for all in Boundary Rd into the wind, a swarm of red led's ahead blinking an invitation to pursue.  Dipper and Temple drove the enthusiasm in River Rd to catch Cobbles, Dion, LegalSteve, G, BigBen, Sherls and a handful of others on a casual jaunt, inspiring them to climb aboard and contribute to our westward goal.  A chat or two and I was back at the business end for the last shift of River Rd, but then to depart (such sweet sorrow) north and west homeward, out of the confines and comfort of a bunch, singularly exposed to the elements. 

31/3
All hail the holy base layer and armwarmers!  It felt like five Friday, fingerless gloves not a good choice as I worked my way south to the Couldabeens.  Bruce, Car+Mel, Pelly, Grumpy, Merida-not-AvantiJohn, Nick, Shorty, Cate, Trav, TrekTrev, Jen, BamBam, Troy, Pistol, Boof, Rocket, Kenworth, Kel, ScottMatt, Nev and Bo braving the cool too.  BamBam slogged south in a selfless self sacrifice of supurb speed to Sanctuary's roundabout (well, that's his version of events!) many on a vigilance of safe practice (bike vs cars redneck replies awakening lost habits?) though the calls from the rear only made it to midfield. Good to have flu-fighter Rocket back, but Wozz still suffering. The proposal of a new Couldabeens kit has had tongues wagging for the week, reaching consensus will be a battle, but three cheers for Kel starting the design process.  River Rd was almost empty, save for a lightless Mexican, cruising Cats were exiting Boundary Rd with a befuddled Goat pack behind. I got my turn done at Channel Rd's cypress trees, all looking mighty fine for the ChaCha but a call of puncture pulled us up at Jameson Rd.  The front half was urged onward with plenty at the pit-stop, so ensued the compulsory crank to the Kinder, TrekTrev keen to lead a chase for the ChaCha. Hot coffee and the warm company of 'the ladies of the peloton' a perfect end to the wintery week.

Week 13   262km           YTD 3,222 km
 
Meanwhile, just south of Oakridge Florida, Amanda Coker draws ever closer to a new world record.  Averaging 374km a day on a bike, she's less than a thousand k's short of the 120,805km annual distance record (set by Kurt Searvogel last year) with almost three weeks up her sleeve. Go you good thing!            

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