Week 43 : Backing up the bravado

Post 418.
21/10 Doin' distance duty.

There was an early rise to click the k's Saturday, with the Tat200 ride just a week away, distance duty was to be done (particularly to prepare the posterior!)  Car, Jen, BeerMat, Ralphy, Trav, Boof and Kel were eager early too, so set off at 5:30 on a Raftery loop to intercept the 6am crew.  Bo was dragging the chain (1am finish to Friday nights' hydration session) but all felt a chase would cleanse his system of sin.  A southerly made a chore of reaching Roubaix, Bo less than amused when he caught and passed us.  The Godfather rolled ahead as we drove down Mitchell and were driven up Archer, arriving at the grid with a 2 minute intermission as the Couldabeens crew assembled.   TatMat, BassoDan, Shorty, Lucy, TrekTrev, AvantiAndy, Lenny, Wozza, Rocket, Sean, NewAvanti-not-OldAvanti-not-MeridaJohn, Mel, Bruce, Travis, Softa and MyRideTrev made up a big bunch to set sail south, earlier k's entitling me to delay a turn on the front till later.

It was talk time with Travis, TatMat, Sean and Mel as the rotations dictated the pairings (a game of musical chats if you like), Nath arriving from the west as the sun tried to rise.   The rubber band syndrome wasn't so strong but calls from the caboose became clogged within the crews' conversation.
Cats converged on Emu corner as we approached,
Nev arriving from the west in Lemnos-Cosgrove Rd.
I was just pouring on the pace to pair with the Godfather in Ford Rd when a slow was called for the stretched bunch to re-congregate, before you know it, it was back on the gas to finish my shift.  Kel was my next test of tempo, then a recovery in the draft as I retired from any further active duty.  Into Wanganui Rd the speed kept climbing and the ranks thinned toward the front, the down line peppered with holes letting in the escapees from the up line. I plugged the hole where MyRideTrev was losing the wheel ahead, many now diving for a draft as we reached the hill.

The Boulevard bolt to breakfast had been tamed to a speed limited tap, a long Lemontree table (spanning two shop fronts) echoed with banter on line marking and prior diets as appetites were appeased.
BassoDan, Car, Jen, TrekTrev and I had mustered the motivation for an extra leg to top a ton, a push into the wind down to Karamomus for a tail wind return to town.  BassoDan's solo efforts have built the torque to tap long turns, others doing their bit into the 25+ km/h SSW'er to share the load.  Karamomus peak hour had passed, not a car to be seen as the tarmac thinned on the eastbound 7 k's to Euroa Rd.  That perfect peace came as we turned north back to town, the wind directly behind easy on the ears and the effort.  The fidgets of distance were showing as we returned to the familiar Boundary and Channel Rd's though the sense of achievement (and readiness for next Saturdays long ride) kept the spirits above the muscular misery.

22/10  Slothful Sunday.
There was a motivational mountain to climb Sunday morning, a leg limbering lap needed to purge the punishment of yesterday distance.  Dragging the doona of a slothful Foss, a short and slow lap was the promised prescription, but it was only a k or two till the speed craving kicked in.

New Dookie Rd was delicious with a helping hand from a southwester, seeing the sun start Sunday was a scenic supplement.  The turn at the Toaster into the breeze turned up the toil, wrestling with the decision to head straight to coffee or slog out a Channel Rd course back to town (Rule #5 won)

The purr from the new groupset diverted attention from the cranial complaints driving down Boundary Rd, the turn into Channel Rd had some shelter but aromas of orchard sprays, blood & bone on the vegetable plots, something deceased in the tabledrain and the flowering trees (a hayfever hair-trigger) kept my cadence quick for cafeine.  Back and berthed at base camp, I chanced a chat with Cranky on titanium, bunch behavior and recent crashes :  Best wishes to Temple (elbow) and in a separate incident, Heady (rib) and Coggo (collarbone, skull and shoulderblade) for rapid recoveries.

23/10  Mon Ami Monday
Sleep was as elusive as a downhill with a tail wind, so what better cure than an early spin.  No pressure to perform but a temporal taskmaster soon set a standard of suffering as I pointed east to the Emu.  Standard chainrings (53/38) and cassette (11-28) have rattled my ratios, time to teach myself some spin if hills are to be tackled in the future.  80 rpm put some warmth in the legs, the hr steadily climbing to 160, but trying to leave a little in reserve to fight the SSW'er to the Toaster.  Motivating muscles was like trying to get Hollywood back on a bike, though the thought of hot coffee kept the wheels turning, over the new Old Dookie Rd bridge and back to town, and a catch up with mon ami Weapon fossilosophied on the fortunes of good health and bike bling.

24/10 Torture team.

It was already hurting at Kensington Gardens and there was still 1400 meters to go!  I'd set my standards a bit steep on the (compulsory?) first turn on the Tuesday thrash, now I had to back up the bravado to the 8 behind.  There was just enough left in the tank to catch the tail as Cate, Softa, KillkennyPaul, BeerMat, Ralphy, Hamish and BamBam slid past on leg 2, at least there was a reasonable recovery time ahead as others drove their duty, up to the Kinder and we gained '51Nath to tempo with the troupe.  Dragged along in the draft of Ralphy, I let a small gap open as I deliberated the recent fate of Temple, Coggo and Heady, caution better than complacency when many are on their limit.  BeerMat's "horizontal to hurry" training regime seems a bit harsh but a turn he did as we whittled down Channel Rd's length.  Hamish bolted into Boundary which caught me napping from the corner, quite the chase to get back aboard and prepare for my 2nd shift.   Let loose with 500 meters left of Boundary Rd, I added the first 500 of River Rd to earn my keep.  BamBam finished his turn  near the dip and peeled off the front, BeerMat baulking at another effort joined him on the down line.  Weapon arrived from the west aboard the purposeful TT Avanti, and u-turned to team with the tortured.  Another shift loomed for me in Central Kialla Rd, transfixed and waiting on Ralphy's elbow to cue my crank, I felt like a mixmaster spinning the 14 cog at 87 rpm but progress was surprisingly good.  Fast turns were slowly shortening as Pelly propelled us to Dave's dip, BamBam suffering the ascent but plugged on to the highway.  Another clean cross of Melbourne Rd inspired the drive on Raftery Rd, yet again I was handed the front as Ralphy took us out of Conrod's first dip.  '51Nathan had the superior wattage but it didn't stop me emptying the tank toward the last dip, the old engine misfiring across the line almost last, but stoked at another rapid lap (38.6)

26/10  Thrashless Thursday.

Committing to a calmer ride, I'd promised myself a lazy lap in the caboose for Thursday, arriving at the grid I found Tina, BamBam, Ralphy, Cate, Hamish and CatCol were liking likewise (how rationale rules with 200k to face on Saturday!)  Even Kel and Bo jumped ship from the Hares to join in.  What a refreshing change to be 3rd wheel exiting town, BamBam and Cate doing the honors on legs 1 and 2 at a pace with grace.   Just 2 or 3 k's off the usual velocity made less stress, nice to have CatCol, Kel and Bo along to share the lighter load.  A two week Greek getaway hadn't hampered Tina's tempo, Hamish almost a seasoned Couldabeen after just 3 weeks aboard.  Corners and intersections were taken without the chore of a chase, inevitable the Hares would catch us today but concerns were carefree.

I'd missed the endorphins of a lap Wednesday, the obsession with saving some wattage for Saturday now forgotten as the speed steadily brewed on Boundary and River roads.  The Hares caught us at Archer Rd as Hamish and Bo had the helm (jumping ship to hang onto the Hares tail), but CatCol remained our tow truck to the highway.  Content to stick with the start line intention, our six stuck to it, collecting both Bo and Hamish jettisoned from the Hares inspired our push to the finish.




27/10  Frivolous foggy Friday.
A cool calm and collected crank to the Couldabeens with Mel on Friday was a tasty tune-up to tomorrow's Tat 200.

The old habit of the grid filling from the half way mark is back, maybe the shy should turn up a bit later to covet the caboose?  Nev, Paul VanP, Kel, The Godfather, Ralphy, Bo, Shorty, Nick, BeerMat, AvantiAndy, Jen, Tina, MyRideTrev, Sean, Nath, Robbo, Wozza, Rocket, PistolPete, Bruce, TatMat, Kenworth, Softa and Chops made up a long thin line to spin south out of town, the tailenders picking position and pondering partners prior to the pairing process of joining the up line.  The sociology started with MyRideTrev on small chainrings, Paul Van on MTB's, TatMat on bunches to brave and Bruce on driving the distance.  Ralphy modeled the Tat200 jersey, Softa had read Rule #5 for breakfast, Chops was on yet another come-back and PistolPete was re-framed.

An unseasonal fog blanketed River Rd though '51, the Cats and the Goats were visible working west.  I joined the crew committed to the caboose, sitting out the sprint as the bunch barreled along Channel Rd, closing in on Fee and Kylie nearing the Kinder.  The charge for the ChaCha whip cracked the riders at the rear, a drawn-out and fractured pack pushing into the foggy distance.  The chatty tap back through town finished off a lap (and the week) with minimal leg expenditure.

Week 43       304km                     YTD 11,219km

    

Week 42 : Here comes the hurt!

Post 417

14/10. A pliant peloton.

I was feeling just a bit Gumby in the legs after Friday's ton, though the "feels like 4 degrees" numbed the niggles en route to the Saturday spin.  Jase, TatPaul, TatMat, Lenny, Nick, Boof, Cate, AvantiAndy, Lucy, Shorty, Rocket, The Godfather, Kel, PistolPete, Big Len, Wozza, Bo, Jen, TrekTrev, WhisperingJack, Trav, BassoDan, Liam, Bruce, Travis, AvantiTrev, OldAvanti-not-NewAvanti-not-MeridaJohn, SuperMario, HBK and KillkennyPaul populated the peloton, 5 years this Saturday ritual has been going on and look who's come and gone!  The bunch was as pliant as toffee rounding bends and crossing intersections, the front end winding up the knots as the back end were still under brakes.

Needing a blast at 45 km/h to catch the tail as we worked east on River Rd, it soon settled (almost) into the limited Saturday speed, dependent on the pairings at the pointy end (that mischievous meter rises and falls as some become over excited in the drivers seat). TrackStan appeared from the west and jumped aboard, TatMat was keeping a birthday under wraps, Boof back from a Thai escape, BassoDan (rare to Saturdays but regular solos) is tempo tuned, TrekTrev emerging from obscurity (and paying a pace price) and The Godfather musing musical memories.  I finally got to the front beyond the Pub with Travis then TatPaul, pegging the pace and calming the corner into Old Dookie Rd to prevent snapping off the caboose.  Another scenic sunrise (oft overlooked with an eye on the wheel ahead) to add to the blessings, though the parfumerie du pork palace swung the scales somewhat.  Pussycats rounded Emu corner as we rattled over the rail line, then we worked west back to breakfast, motivated by aggravated appetites.  Snap, crackle and pop went the gravel over Ford Rd's repairs, another stonechip as a Saturday souvenir. 

A clear cross of Numurkah Rd was a rare occurrence, the speed coming to a boil on the drive to DECA.  It's more than circumstance when Rocket, PistolPete, Wozza, Boof and Liam line up toward the pointy end (here comes the hurt!), Rocket driving on and on as the hopefuls were dragged in his draft.

The elbow eventually signed off Rocket's shift, Wozz the next to be sacrificed to the speed gods.  Young Liam made it look easy drawing away as Bo attempted to reach the front, up and over Wanganui hill we went a huffin' and a puffin', but there was no rest along the Boulevard with a bolt to breakfast.

A determined drive on "the last hurrah" incited me to hurry, but traffic compressed the pack to make the Lemontree seats a battle. Ghost signage, the insidious scourge of mental illness and mortgage stress made the racket on a long Lemontree table.








16/10  Mono Monday.
The wrong rendevous at 5:30 altered my course, no hope of catching Troy, Wozza, Pistol, Kel, Bo and Trav so I set sail on the Archer, Mitchell, River, Boundary and New Dookie course for some solo therapy (wrestling with the inner demons) Attempting to sustain some spin (78 rpm), it was one of those days where the wind was against me, yet the trees remained frustratingly static.

I'd convinced myself the north leg of Central Kialla was easier, then tuned out to River Rd's 6k length, at least there was a dawn to distract from the distress (worth a brief halt to snap)
A few bikes were working westward to justify a ride at this silly hour, the push north finding two's and three's southbound.  New Dookie was the road less traveled and rewarded the rump with a steadily smoother surface to home, heaven.

17/10 Two teams tempo.
The planets had aligned to bring almost perfect weather to Tuesdays thrash therapy, 10 degrees and a light northeaster just perfect for pace.  Hamish, Pelly, BamBam, Cate, Softa and KillkennyPaul gathered at the grid, Hares already assembling as 5:45 tolled.  Off on our eastward effort, Hamish took the drivers seat half way through my usual shift, no argument with that manoeuvre!  Seven swapped the suffering toward Boundary Rd, Nath making it eight, joining at the Kinder (a Murcielago among the Mahindra's)  The loose gravel at Sellmans felt like a handbrake, happy to reach Boundary Rd upright but nitrous was needed to catch Hamish's drive to the bridges.  KillkennyPaul is pedaling possessed, Softa learning the fine art of pace (leaving enough jellybeans in the jar to catch the tail and not go OTA)  Nath ripped into River Rd and almost broke the bunch but it soon settled to a smooth speed.  I was put to work at Laws Drive when Softa swung off the sweaty end of the train, finding my mojo atop the 14 cog to drive to River's end (great to find that headspace of pace, legs and lungs complying, Cosmics crooning, the goal reachable and the gasps coming from behind and not within).  Hamish hurtled down the 2k leg of Central Kialla, Cate monstered Mitchell's opening k and BamBam bolted toward Archer.  I could see Pelly's distinctive gait grinding along in the drivers seat, Nath taking the reigns just as the Hares had hunted us down and powered past.   The extra effort to catch the draft was dug from the depths, but the bolt with a clear cross of the highway snapped the trains' chain dislodging 4 from the rear.  I could nearly reach the Hares tail but Softa, Hamish and Cate were 5 meters in arrears, so I eased back to work with the wounded as Nath, Pelly, BamBam and KillkennyPaul tucked into the tow of the Hares.   Keeping our previous pace, despite the lament from the legs, we worked to Conrod straight, the Hares unhitching BamBam and KillkennyPaul as they hurtled to the horizon, us last four finishing content, puffed but chuffed with a 38.2 average.

18/10  A packed peloton.
Turn on the good weather, slap a speed limit on the bunch and the whole town turns up to ride! The Couldabeens carpark crammed with AvantiTrev, Lucy, Kenworth, Lenny, PistolPete, Sean, GTCraig, PaulVanP, Robbo, Nath, Cate, Mel, BeerMat, Shorty, SuperMario, Jen, AvantiAndy, Nick, Nev, Kev, CatCol, Boof, ScottMatt, Goose, TrekTrev and Hamish, ready and raring for Wednesday's roll of relaxation.  Nev and I captained the crew to Sanctuary's roundabout, and arriving at the truck route, the early crew of Kel, Pelly, Jed, BBgun, Car, BamBam, Ralphy, Trav, Troy, Bo and Rocket  inflated the pack to Ben Hur proportions.  (special commendation to correspondent Kel for assistance in the roll call recall)

Robbo, GTCraig, PaulVanP and Nath were on an MTB recovery roll, BeerMat suddenly in intensive training (forthcoming Tour de Pub) Kev accepting a long standing invite, Goose, TrekTrev, Nick and SuperMario conditioning to the comeback trail, Lenny keeping a 50th under wraps, Sean new to the crew and Troy and Jed were concreted to the caboose.  Lapping up a tail breeze, the Goat pain train pumped into River Rd just as we finished it.
Quick rolls in Channel Rd moved me toward the front, swinging into Central Ave it was drive time to the Kinder, surprised AvantiTrev came up to pair.  Kenworth rolled across soon after to save AvantiTrev the tempo torment, but Pelly cut loose to set the sprint smokin' early.  Drawing alongside me approaching Prentice Rd, CatCol was on a hot tin roof with sprintention, launching his attack early, but with Boof poised to pounce behind.  Several were wilting ahead but with such a packed peloton it was best to hold the line and station for everyone's safety.  Boof was clear and bolted to victory, the calm and conversation commencing for the crank back to town.

19/10  Acceler-eight

A new Dura-Ace 9000 groupset was bestowed on the Baum for it's 2nd birthday, ye olde set judged to have had a good innings with 136,000 km clocked.  Tropical temperatures (20) and a short window of hope on a spotty radar energised and enlisted BamBam, Ralphy, Cate, Lenny, Lucy, KillkennyPaul and Softa to the carpark for the 5:45 flog fest.  Shorter turns made sense with a NNE'er to punish our progress, a pleasure to have BamBam shoulder the first shift, halving my usual workload to the truck route.  New carbon pedals and cleats felt foreign, with the slightest change to foot position I felt like a knock-kneed pidgeon-toed flamingo running over hot coals!  Cate and KillkennyPaul cranked courageously to Orrvale Rd where Lenny assumed the captains position, but velocity variations wrecked those at the rear.  Lucy smoothed the speed at the cypress trees and Softa ploughed on to the S bend, previous explosion experience telling him to relinquish the reigns before ruination. Ralphy towed us to Boundary Rd for the tail wind treat, BamBam giving me the elbow at One Tree Dam for my go to River Rd.   Our energy echeloned in River Rd and was tested by Lenny's fluctuations but it eventually evened to keep the train together.  My third thrash at the rushin' front came in Mitchell Rd (work to do after the bludge in BamBam's draft) and handed the helm to KillkennyPaul at Dave's Dip hoping for some recovery before Raftery's toil.  Cate called a quick cross of the highway, a hurry-up with Hare headlights hunting us from behind.   Lenny smoothed the velocity to Galbraiths Gate, an urgency overcoming us with Conrod straight and the Hares so near.  I'd braced to do another turn in Arcadia Downs, made it to Conrod's first dip but my elbow couldn't encourage KillkennyPaul to deliver any more watts.  The head wind soon taxed Lenny when he took the lead, Ralphy stepping up to keep the pace percolating and get us to the finish line for a 38.7 average, just ahead of the Hares.

20/10. Windustrious weather.
The head wind neurosis hit hard Friday morning, silly me had arrived early and scored the first shift again, straight into a 25 km/h south southwester!  Thankfully, Hamish, Liam, Kenworth, Travis, Mel, Chops, Cate, TrekTrev, AvantiTrev, Nick, Boof and Jen rolled through for shorter turns to spread the load.

Earlybirds Bruce, Kel, BamBam, Wozza, Rocket, PistolPete, ScottMatt and Bo arrived as we reached Mitchell Rd, the pressure now off with the wind mostly favoring the rest of the lap.  Chops is on the comeback trail, Liam celebrating his 18th and ScottMatt off the back of a windy 'round the bay.  River Rd showed little damage of Thursday's explosions (multiple OTA's from the Hares)  though some were wincing at landmarks that flooded back the memories.  The Goats train of pain had turned tame, missing a few usual offenders, the olive branch had been extended to the B team aboard.  AvantiTrev broke his own speed limit in Boundary Rd's tail wind, Mel hard to match as I attempted to pair at the front from the Broken bridges.  Turning into Channel Rd pegged the pace, the southwester a slap in the face for the ego, still, I got my turn done and looked forward to a tow home.

Alas, Friday's now habitual caboose cramming meant half the bunch were sitting on, I was again being promoted forward at an alarming rate.  PistolPete had drawn the short ChaCha straw as the bunch barreled into Hopeful corner, the pack turning thin as Pistol's tank emptied nearing Prentice Rd. (Boof in prime position to podium)  A chin wag on the roll home was made exciting by a close encounter with a car door flung open by a motorist (hasn't read his eyelid instruction manual)



The week's end was crowned with the official opening of AvantiTrev's (hereafter dubbed "MyRideTrev") new shop, old and new bike faces attending in sumptuous surrounds, several Couldabeens preparing for an intense hydration therapy session after.  (read the aftermath next post!)

Week 42      248 km              YTD 10,915 km   

      

Week 41 : The love of labor

Post 416
7/10 Sheepish Saturday.

A succession of red lights turned the Couldabeens commute into interval training on Saturday, the perception of running late making an early workout for Wozz, Merida-not-AvantiJohn and I.       Nev, AvantiAndy, MeridaAndy, Trav, Temple, TatMat, TatPaul, BassoDan, BigLen, Jase, Lucy, Jen, HBK, Tina, The Godfather and PistolPete rolled south at 6 into 5 degrees, the horizon already hinting at a scenic start to the day. TatMat and TatPaul captained a cruisy start, much discussion during the week in favor of taming tempo to 35 for Wednesday, Friday and Saturday (so that winter hibernators stand a chance of staying aboard)
 Earlybirds Troy, Bo, Pelly, Kel and Rocket intercepted the bunch in River Rd, a fraction of a SSE'er of little consequence toward Boundary Rd.  A super sun-up made the launch from bed worthwhile, I finally reached the front from the Pub to Old Dookie Rd to share the drive with Lucy then Temple.  The breeze carried the piggery pong to our nostrils in Old Dookie Rd, a sure sign summer's soon to assault our olfactories.

Up to the church and over the rail line, a caution went out for a distant creature ambling the roadway, Cats rounded the bend to baulk (as we did) as a spooked sheep ran left and right in search of escape.  It soon scampered north as we wheeled west and Cats steered south.  The sun rose to light our way, many of usually quick character at great pains to conform to the constraint.

Ford Rd's profuse pot holes created complex chicanes, the promotion forward putting me into the working class for Wanganui Rd's sprint.  Way too early at the front (and with little hope of a placing) it was full gas to make a winner work, but I was soon swamped by Troy, Rocket, Pistol, TrackStan and Nev as they hit their straps up and over Wanganui hill.   There was a greedy grab for oxygen in Rudd Rd then the drive on the Boulevard toward breakfast, eighties music, cycling signatures and Tuesday's thrash jabbered the jaws, the Lemontree's menu and heaters taking the edge off 6 degrees.


8/10  Sunday serendipity.
A brief shower and a brisk northeaster would cancel a solo lap but obligation drew Ralphy, Car and I to congregate at 6 Sunday for a longer lap (such is the motivational magnetism of a bunch ride).  A camel lap was chosen for it's headwind-out-tailwind-home merit, but pushing 23 k's into 25 km/h worth of headwind meant hurt  (thank heavens others were to share the suffering)   A scenic sunrise letterboxed through the clouds, a mild 15 degrees giving some comfort in our battle to reach the quarry, turns long and longer (whether to prove one's worth or set a standard to lengthen the rest).

We lapped up 2k's of respite southbound to Kellows Rd then took on the final 3k's into the wind to the camel farm.  Today was all about distance (a tune up for the Tat200), the speed ignored with the wind favoring the cruise south toward Caniambo.  The rough and skinny Bells Rd became slightly tolerable with wind assistance westward homeward, socially sweet with a yarn to divert attention from the rutted road tormenting the toosh. Bells became Armstrong and the surface smoothed, Mitchell Rd soon appeared to urge the drive home, although some encouragement was poured onto the Raftery route to town in pursuit of kilometers.  Back to base camp and 75 done, coffee and toast was the compensation (next week, a little further, to convince the cranium the distance is do-able)

9/10  The train of peace...till the tailwind!

A mild Monday (17 degrees) trimmed the time to kit-up, it felt foreign to leave arm and leg warmers home and cruise to Friars to catch the train of peace.  Gradually the endangered species emerge, Dippa and Phil joining Coggo, Sandy, Heady, Jen, Hommy, Spartacus, Belly, AvantiAndy, Tina, Speissy and Sly for the Goat roll of repose.  A northerly niggled on Old Dookie Rd as Phil re-aquainted himself with his Giant, Tina was tuning in for holidays and Hommy sought navigational guidance (weekend cocktails to blame).

Sly started saddle babble, Heady joked he was unacustomed to bunch riding (oft OTA), Jen was recovering from a weeks worth of birthday bashes and Coggo eased off his hillness (Sunday in the Strathbogies).  The appeal for calm low 30's was thrown out of court as we steered south on Boundary Rd, all had found fast form with the breeze up the backside.  It was a different story stacked across River Rd sheltering from the northerly, but the pace was still primed. Groundhog day reaching Rivers' end to take my leave, a headwind home was hardly fun but I was pleased I could cut through it at a reasonable rate of knots.

10/10 Tenacity Tuesday.
The season swung Tuesday, 12 degrees colder and a fresh southerly dragged the arm and leg warmers out from a very short retirement! The weather didn't hamper KillkennyPaul, Cate, BamBam, Ralphy, Pelly, Tina and Avanti-not-MeridaJohn from the roll up, Hamish (new to the 5:45'ers) and mega-long-time-no-see-Gazzagrasshopper forming ranks in the carpark.  Guess what!? I had the first shift again!  CatCol cranked into Channel Rd and joined onto the tail for my ergotropic effort eastward, working the old engine hard 'cause there was a long break between shifts.  BamBam, Cate and Tina cranked it to the Kinder, Ralphy and KillkennyPaul to the cypress trees.  I was off the Fizik before the corners ready for the whipcrack of acceleration, a glance back to see we hadn't dislocated the caboose as Pelly powered toward the S bend.  Intern Hamish put in a solid turn, but Gazzagrasshopper galloped into Boundary Rd scattering the pack (a V8 among the formula V's?).  CatCol cranked a long turn in River Rd, handing me the drivers seat for the billiard table ride at the kennels, that competitive curse in my cranium setting a target long before the limit was reached (blind optimism?) How swift the signals of stress start when flogging the forties, legs, lungs, heart and head competing for immediate attention (but which would pull the pin?)  The lungs had enough at the dip and there was still the last wheel to grab, or face the ride of remorse going OTA!  Fear of failure is a great turbo boost to catch the caboose (those gutteral gasps were me and not a bear being poked), a relief to be finally in the tow.  Great to have the girls grinding out their goes, Avanti-not-MeridaJohn's new Di2 Corsa tears along the tarmac though KillkennyPaul doesn't need a new bike 'cause he's tearing along as well.  No signs of Hares on our tails on the peek back in Mitchell Rd, and that pumped the pace toward the highway, kudo's shared (as always) some compensation for the hurt at the end of each shift.  My turn from Arcadia Downs to Conrod's first dip left little to respond to the sprint, BamBam, KillkennyPaul and CatCol's tanks emptying as Gazzagrasshopper let loose from the box seat (his Conrod speed similar to Sunday's on 4 wheels)  Crossing the line I glanced back, Hares a distant half k back as we wallowed in the team victory.

11/10  Troy tanking?

The promise of a speed limited lap magnetised the masses to the carpark Wednesday, The Godfather, Wozza, Troy, AvantiTrev, BamBam, Shorty, Nick, GTCraig, Goose, Car+Mel, BBgun, Grumpy, Ralphy, PistolPete, Pelly, Rocket, Nath, SuperMario, Cate, Temple, Hamish and CatCol filling the grid. A long single line eventually paired down Archer and turned into Mitchell,  PistolPete dapperly dressed in yet another cool kit,  Hamish back for a repeat peloton prescription, GTCraig clearing cobwebs from his GT, SuperMario unseen but heard from the confines of the caboose, Car chasing k's (and dragging BBgun back on the bike), Goose and Nick tense on the tempo and AvantiTrev and Nath taking time off bike shop building.

It seemed an effort into a light easterly ( the bureau said nil) on River Rd but the tempo conformed to the rules, an ambling dog near Rivers' end caused a call for caution, the news relayed to the Goat train o' pain working west (Sly well and truely OTA in Boundary Rd).  Velocity remained behaved up to Channel Rd, enthusiasm sneaking up the speed as we neared the cypress trees.   I could see Troy and Wozza at the pointy end scheming the sprint, an early attack squeezing the bunch skinny as we hurtled to Hopeful corner.  The Godfather and Grumpy tucked in for the tow, my spot at 6th wheel a prime position.  Wozz and The Godfathers' peak had passed, Pistol shot by but he soon ran out of ammo, I was glued to Grumpy's wheel but swapped sits as CatCol hit the boost button.  Troy eased off the gas with 50 meters to go (tanking?) so I'd scored 2nd as CatCol got the chocolates.


12/10  Make the hurt go away Mum!
The hurt homeward harrassed the headspace just rolling to Thursday's grid, plenty of westerly was going to torture legs and lungs on the way back to town.  Ralphy, Pelly, Cate, KillkennyPaul, CatCol and Softa were the protagonists of pain poised at the carpark at 5:45.  It was tempting to turn up the wick with a tailwind out of town but keeping the bunch bonded at this early stage is key for repeat appearances.  Softa's ride rarity hampered his horsepower but Ralphy's ripe!  The little train of 7 zig zagged its way the through the orchards and vegetable plots of Channel Rd woo'ed by the westerly, CatCol delivering his draft to One Tree Dam, a slingshot for my turn to River Rd (but his elbow cue is as subtle as Baum's welds).  Shorter drives into River Rd's headwind would be an OH&S directive but Pelly and KillkennyPaul pushed out torturous turns, Ralphy cranking up the pain threshold to almost unhook KillkennyPaul while Softa clung to the caboose.  Cate courageously keeps the fast femme flag flying, Central Kialla done and into Mitchell Rd the Hares were still scarce but so was Softa (OTA).  The climb out of Dave's dip cooked CatCol but he doggedly (Pussycat pun intended) drove to the highway (or did I miss that elusive elbow?)   And so we all shared the love of labor in Raftery Rd, tempo and heart rates rising as the end drew nigh.  I was handed the helm out of Conrod's first dip and put the head down for hurt in the final fling, but a feeling of isolation found I'd stretched the bunch early when I glanced behind.  Gently off the gas to regroup only baited Ralphy to attack for the victory, but the team holding off the Hares yet again was sweet enough. (a Hares double puncture however had elevated our ego).

13/10  Bunch jumpin'.
A rare day off handed me an opportunity for a long lap to break the habit of work-a-day 40k's.
Part 1 : Rip into Ralphy.    It was on from the get go at 5:30 from the Kialla Lakes shop, FDC's Troy, Grumpy, Bruce, Ralphy, PistolPete and Rocket (along with k craving Car and BBgun) were quickly in an Indian filed flogging of Kialla's southern loop.   Ralphy's ribbing remarks put Troy in payback mode, it made a PB for me for the Raftery Rd leg and a 2nd fastest for the Archer assault as we pushed the forties for 16k.  The Godfather joined on the northbound to town, my legs lamenting an early beating but the more sedate speed to come was a lifeline.
Part 2 : The cast of Couldabeens.  The carpark was copiously crammed with Couldabeens (Kenworth, Mel, Shorty, Lenny, Cate, Hamish, Goose, Lucy, Trav, Jen, WhisperingJack, Nick, CatCol, Avanti-not-MeridaJohn and Temple) for the speed limited circuit, setting off southbound in a long line of led's.

The limit was generally adhered to (depending on who paired with who and whether the westerly aided or abetted), a big bunch promising just a single shift for most, and that found favor with WhisperingJack, Goose and Nick.  Kel joined the bunch as we entered River Rd, promotion forward seemed to take forever as Cats, '51 and Goats cranked clockwise.   It was up Boundary and into Channel before I felt the work needed to slice the air at the bunch front,  Jen kept me silent from the S bend and Hamish extended my effort to the cypress trees, the ChaCha off my breakfast menu if I was to top a ton today.

Shorty drew the lead-out straw as the pack pushed toward the Kinder, he gone from first to last by Prentice Rd, the victors invisible among a sea of cyclists hell bent on breaking the sound barrier.  Lax legs were thankful for the stroll back to suburbia.

Part 3 :  Calm with Car.  Driving for distance, Car was keen for k's to climatise for the forthcoming Tat200, a quiet loop of Verney, Ford, Central and Old Dookie Rd's to round up the numbers.  Smooth and steady was the ethos, discovering Ford Rd is now patched (just the loose gravel to watch for instead of wheel consuming craters)   A cruisy crank of Central Ave then Old Dookie Rd home, nice to soak up a rare one-on-one and savvy a cycling supporter. 
Part 4 : Quick cafeine.  Back to suburbia, a solo spin to the south of town made a small time window for a short black at Kialla Lakes cafe, a boost to the bravado to face the final chapter.
Part 5 : Alarming Adams.  Barnsey, Norm, ol' Ron, Jimbo, Gawny, Chilly, WobblyTrev, Pat, lil' Jodie, Don, Beery and The Pom had assembled in Adams Rd and I clicked the caution control to 9.4 (how quickly we climatise to a regular crew and find fault in foreign parts!)

I'd chosen Norms wheel (the benchmark of smooth) for their single filed crank to the truck route, the pairing up thereafter starting the socialising toward Mitchell Rd.  Old mate Barnsey still on the old mate DBR (12+ years), Beery getting the Cannondale out when shifts allow, WobblyTrev nurturing his nickname (and making an artform of slicing across wheels), Gawny as wise and wirey as ever, ol' Ron a navigational nightmare and the The Pom commiting the cardinal sin of wearing lycrack  ("lai'kraek" : noun - aged synthetic cycling apparel that has become partially, unsettingly translucent ; see also lycringe, lycreepy, lycrass)

Pass the hat around for some new knicks!  Double digit degrees and daylight was relished along River Rd, shifts of varying speeds and lengths up Boundary Rd began to pickle Pat, and by Lemnos-Cosgrove Rd a calm had been called as Beery towed the pooped Pat back to the caboose.  A headwind had delivered a serious dose of reality to the small bunch, lil' Jodie and Gawny the stand-outs of rhythm as we chipped away at Ford Rd.  Wanganui Rd always incites effort, either to get it over and done with or vie for line honours, but it was just Beery and I to hammer the hill.  Remembering that the Adams family finish line is in Rudd Rd, I dug deep to hold the young bloke off, responding to another thrash on the Knight St dash scored PB3 for me.  (and it was Friday the 13th!)  An extra (late) breakfast silenced my stomach over the Friars cafe racket, satisfied with 115 k's clicked.

Week 41     332km          YTD  10,667   


    

Week 40 : A distant speck on the horizon of hurt.

Post 413
30/9   Back & forth.

Get a challenge stuck in your head and it torments till you try...... My OCD stirred me way before Saturday's sparrows fart, so I set off solo, clockwise on the Couldabeens circuit to intercept the anticlockwise crew and score a tow back home.  I questioned this compulsion but it was justified by Robbo's quote ; "Better than laying on the couch eating Cheezels off your fingers!"  A westerly whipped at the wheels up to the golf course then helped to run me out of town, carefully managing the heart rate to keep the resources ready for the return.  Rabbits and pot holes were the only chicanes to the church, Velominati's ethos "Free your mind and your legs will follow" playing over and over in the prefrontal cortex.  The turn at the Toaster to work into the wind wasn't as tough as expected though the chin was on the headstem to reduce the drag into the 20k's worth of westerly.

Boundary Rd was ridden in recovery mode, River road's 6k of cruelty was yet to come! I don't know what sets an internal speed standard but a target keeps the effort effervescent, legs weren't too happy conforming to the cranium by River Rd's bridge but the bonus of a bunch draft kept the wheels humming.
Down to Mitchell and across to Archer, I'd reached north to the truck route when the pack cranked into view. It was sweet to be swept up in the sociology and suction of 20 cyclusts after 42k solo, "good morning"s to the crew (Kel, Wozza, Tina, Nev, Rocket, Merida-not-AvantiJohn, The Godfather, Travis, Temple, Liam, PistolPete, Tum, Bruce, TrackStan, AvantiTrev, BamBam, Grumpy, Ralphy and TatMat) as I was promoted by rotation toward the front. The rising sun cooled the air, legs regretably uncovered, but the wind was welcomed up the rear in River.  TrackStan was spinning dervishly on the little ring, TatMat poised perfectly, Grumpy breaking in the new Propel (or was the saddle breaking in his bum?), Merida-not-AvantiJohn now laryngitisless, AvantiTrev adverse to advancing to the front, Tina off the back of Buffalo and Rocket reaquainting with riding (3 days off the bike).  Traffic reports were stalling half way up the bunch  and the caboose role of rear vision forgotten, another pot hole enlarging in Boundary Rd (set to swallow wheels) are all a bit annoying on an otherwise perfect start to the day.

Up to the Boundary bacon barn it was my turn to match Temple's tuned tempo to Old Dookie Rd, then beside Ralphy eastbound, chuffed to score the tailwind to the Toaster (pointed toward Dookie as good as going there Ralphy?)

With teeth clenched, heads down and cogs swapping, we were into the breeze on Lemnos-Cosgrove Rd, lucky me to have 14 wheels ahead to carve through the headwind.  ScottMatt arrived from the west then another pot hole claimed the air from Liams tube, the halt for repair a bonus for my backside after 80k. Bunch order was reshuffled on the restart, many now in hiding from the front with the sprint just a few k away.  1800 meters worth of Wanagnui Rd and the wind had whittled down the warriors by DECA, 700 to go and the pooped were popping off the pointy end, Pistol surrendering to TrackStan for the finish line honors.  The Boulevard to breakfast stage swiftly silenced the chat, plenty of Strava trophies awarded for "The last Hurrah" to the Lemontree.  Other weekend pursuits (I believe a football match was going to take precedence) trimmed the table to a dozen, doctors, finding a climbing rhythm and keeping pace with technology the only interruptions to porridge and a long black or two (compensation for 90k).

2/10  A mixed menage.

The peace train proves popular on Monday, varying factions fronting Friars in the dark.  Coggo, Tina, Heady, Sandy, Speissy, Hommy, Cate, Belly, Carl, Weapon and The Godfather with Sly and the Strava Stalker (seeking social satisfaction?) sneaking in.   Going OTA was the grid discussion till 6 bells meant movement, Heady and I easing the tame train slowly out of town.  Can't say I've had the pleasure of pairing with Weapon that often, the super smooth spin from Doyles to Central was pedalling purity personified.  And so rolled the mixed menage of Goats, Cats, old dogs,  spring chickens and lost souls out Old Dookie Rd with a hint of orange atop the horizon to take the edge off the time change.  Chat was channelled to the foibles of football by most, my silent spin beside the stalker poised for polarised personalities.  Roo's restricted River Rd's first k, bounding the tabledrains in search of an escape.  Eventually clear, a sedate speed resumed till time tore me away at River's end, Weapon too short-cutting via Archer and soaking up the sunrise.

3/10  Tuesday torture.....love it!
Ralphy's appearance at Tuesday's thrash was almost like the second coming, good 'ol reliable Temple, Cate, KillkennyPaul, HBK, CatCol and Grumpy (oh yeah, Softa made his weekly visit) made 9 to have a fighting chance to hold off the Hares.  On auto-pilot to drive the first shift, 4 degrees gripped my lungs to keep turn one modest.  It's a long way back to the caboose, but makes a generous recovery time, Grumpy propelling the pace aplenty to the Kinder.  Softa assumed the drivers seat as we turned at Jameson Rd, but there began his implosion, by the cypress trees he'd succumbed to speed, turning TNT at Hanlon Rd  (and so began that ride of introspection, realisation, castigation, blasphemation and resolution, on the long and lonesome OTA stage home)  I had CatCol's wheel of smoothness to the Boundary bridges and was there released to drive to River Rd, the slightest gradient like a mountain when you're close to the limit.  Plenty sharing the load meant I had a holiday till Central Kialla, interesting to watch the heart rate step up and up as I got closer to the rushin' front.

On the front again, a k of Mitchell Rd cooked me quick, so dropped back to the caboose to calm, and sneek a peek at a Hareless road behind.  The ever improving crew cranked post haste to the highway, guestimations on the remaining roles for Raftery predicted me in the hot seat for Conrod's finale.  Weapon appeared ahead at Roubaix as heads went down for the last 3 k's of business, still no sign of Hares in our soup as the speed turned spicy.  CatCol's elbow cut me loose out of Conrod's first dip, the finish line a distant spec on the horizon of hurt.  Wheels humming and on top of the 13 cog, the old engine started to missfire at the 300 mark, especially when Grumpy and Ralphy tore by.  Satisfied to finish as a team (a moments thought for Softa), the reward of a 37 average a glow for the gasp homeward.

4/10 Testicular testing pot-hole policies.
I scored the first shift again for Wednesday, the price you pay for early arrival! That long 3k stretch to the roundabout, a hint of a headwind, the responsibility of pot-hole pointing and Wozza's wattage to match made it a sensory overload.

The turns rolled for relief (though the draft from Wozz equals a matchstick), not until half way through leg 3 could a full sentence come out (sorry Trav, I was chat challenged, not introverted)   Socially sweet by Mitchell Rd, Grumpy, AvantiTrev, Rocket, BamBam, Car+Mel, The Godfather, Kenworth, CatCol, Ralphy, Cate, Lucy, Troy, PistolPete and KillkennyPaul rolled through, but calls from the caboose were as rare as a MasiMario appearance, a passing car uncomfortably close.

Speeds varied in River Rd, betwixt Rocket and Troy was well out of my league but they kindly conformed to my sub-standards.  That hint of a southerly had the speed swift in Boundary Rd, but the sun yet to rise had hid the crater at One Tree Dam.  Ralphy and Trav were the unlucky ones to hit it head on, bursting tubes (and almost anatomy) to put a pause in proceedings.  Goats sped southward (Heady on the OTA train a k behind) as we soaked up a super sunrise before the restart.  Troy and Pistol pedalled possessed on Channel Rd (so much for the social Wednesday theory), the turns rolling quickly as reality ruined hopes of those to brave the front.  Even before the Kinder a swifter standard had been set, Rocket turning the pack to single file as his afterburners flamed toward Hopeful corner.  Pistol, The Godfather, Troy and co tucked in for the tow, Rocket then Pistol peeling off pooped at Prentice Rd.  I'd lucked a draft behind Troy as the line drew near, my big effort to 50 was no threat as Troy rose from his seat and scorched away to seal the win.

5/10  A dozen dynamos.
I had a warm and fuzzy "Field of Dreams" moment as the grid filled with KillkennyPaul, Cate, Softa, BamBam, Tina, Grumpy, Temple, HBK, Ralphy, Vince and Bruce for the Thursday thrash ; build it and they will come....and they did!  It seems obligatory I drive the first turn (ironically the longest), thoughts of that long respite after the shift diverted my distress on the way to Doyles Rd.  Catching the last wheel (Grumpy) was a relief, but his dazzling tail-light was enough to trigger epilepsy!  There was the odd case of whiplash at the back on corners and intersections as the crew cranked to Boundary Rd, Softa's turn laudible in light of Tuesday's OTA  (I was still in the draft on Boundary Rd as Vince unleashed his velocity toward River Rd)   Personal pedaling peculiarities made a fascinating study sitting in the tow, each style a cycling signature (and a hint to the hurt in their headspace).  Psyched up for my slog at the front in River Rd, Grumpy gave me the elbow at Laws Drive, the prospects of performance pummeled to a pancake within 200 meters (tip; peeking at the Garmin readout is cranial crucifixion!)  After 800 meters of masochism, I handed the helm to HBK and collapsed into the caboose gasping.   All swapped the suffering to the highway though Softa had snapped off the back at Dave's dip, Ralphy also awol.  We'd timed a clean cross of the Melbourne Rd to rip into Raftery's, Temple taking us to Roubaix corner, Grumpy nearly to Galbraiths gate. I'd made it to the horse stud gate to put HBK in charge, the turns shortening rapidly with 3 now in the down line as 7 advanced.  Sitting at third wheel, my hopes lifted as Bruce buried himself into Conrod, on and on till his tank ran dry then Grumpy took the reigns.  I'd just clicked a cog to attack at the 250 mark when Vince flew by, I had just enough to catch his draft but made no gain.  All had crossed the line, most were wrung out and speechless but were basking in the afterglow of a 39.2 average.

6/10  Wind warriors.

Lights ducked and dived the side streets avoiding the first berth at 5:55 Friday, a stiff SSW'er would whittle down any who braved the front first.  Rocket and Wozz were the wind warriors (some say sacrificial lambs) as The Godfather, CatCol, Bruce, Troy, Car+Mel, Trav, Jen, PistolPete, Tina, Kenworth, Nev, Cate, AvantiTrev and Kel lined up behind at the carpark.  I chose the soft option of a tow (reckoned I earned it facing the first shift 3 out of 5 days), Wozz, PistolPete and Bruce forging forth like masochists.

The social status swung swiftly speedy with the wind at our flanks in Mitchell Rd, at least the traffic reports from the caboose were filtering forward.  Nev threw a blanket of peace on the pace in River Rd when the tempo approached the forties, those emerging from hibernation now standing a chance to stay aboard.  I'd timed my lead role perfectly with a tailwind in Boundary Rd, a brief visit to the right lane avoiding the gravel on the freshly repaired Wednesday's crater (hats off to Troy and the VicRoads rapid response team).  The caboose had become the popular place half way along Channel Rd as many opted for a cruisy end to the working week, too late for me already stuck in the up line among the quick company of Nev, Bruce and PistolPete. 

Into the forties at Hopeful corner, Pistol became the lead out laundry left to dry on the front, Bruce took the drivers seat from him at Prentice Rd but Nev took it up another rung.  CatCol had the perfect sit and launched from the draft to take the chocolates, the frantic finish fading quickly to become a social roll home as the day broke orange.

Week 40    269km       YTD 10,345km

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