Week 44 : Freezing fingers and pace aplenty

Post #471
28/10  The Bathurst bunch.

Mid holiday and in mid NSW, I'd got the low-down on the Bathurst bunches (thanks Kirstin @ Wheeler cycles) so fronted the dog pound on Sunday (a civilised start at 9) for something sociable for a change (a week spent in solitary confinement was sending me silly.  Sorry, sillier)  Introductions with Steve, Tim, Tony, Gemma and Jazz established similar standards and ethics I'm used to, so we set south toward Perthville on their three roads circuit.  A sedate start slowly built to a comfortable cruise, long turns on an anticlockwise rotation is exactly what I'm used to.  Steve's on a titanium Hogan, Tony too on a tin one, conversation with Jazz and Gemma finding the common ground of road conditions, battling the breeze and surviving winter (though they get snow here!) This mob are big on pointing out the pot-hole and bump hazards though shy on calling cars, the gentle undulations were fairly stress free (for this flatlander) as we steered past a few houses, an old stone church and pub that make up Perthville.

A few k's south east and we reached Ryan's Rd, a recognised turn around point to enjoy the gradual downhill back.  Back to Perthville and we steered south to The Gorges, a tame category 4 climb of Gettingthorpe Rd for a k (passing another slower bunch out and about in the mild 16 degrees) Through Newbridge and out the other side, the turns rolled smoothly to "Skippy", another u-turn point (maybe there's trolls lying in wait travelling further south?)  We headed north back to Bathurst, and a few k's north of Perthville the turns shortened to rolling ones, up went the tempo and the focus sharpened to smoothness.  We picked up Noel who confined himself to the caboose but then vanished as the speed spiced to the mid 30's.  Rule #79 came into play for the city limits, Gemma and Jazz (with youth on their side) stirring up a sprint to the 60 sign.  A couple headed homeward but most had coffee set in their sights, berthing at Sweet Caramel for the post ride tall tales and true on the hard trainers, bike bling and peloton peculiarities.


29/10  Mt. Panorama (minus the horsepower)

The lure of Mt. Panorama just a few k's away from home (on holiday) was irresistible on Monday, an early roll down to the legendary track (in fact a public road when it isn't race day) was accelerated with anticipation.  Deliciously smooth hot mix is laid on its 6213 meter length, but the climb of 174 meters in just 1.2 km is the nasty bit.  Crossing the start line in the low 30's is quickly handbraked by a gradual incline from the get go, and rounding Hell corner it keeps increasing (TV images on race day flatten it)

Over the back straight bump, Griffins bend presents the real pain upward, the 10% rise employing the little ring post haste!  Looking 200 meters ahead to The Cutting wasn't a good idea, it only ramps upward from there and the heart rate was already 166.  Off the Fizik and toasting the legs barely maintained 7 km/h at the apex, another 50 meters of 16% torture then the incline eased.  Reid Park was spent trying to calm the cardiac crescendo, the crawl to Sullman Park seemingly endless (the concrete barrier ads for the VW Amarok's 580nm of torque was just pure cruelty!) At last the hot mix flattened and fell, back to the 53 ring as Skyline presented Mt. Panorama's panorama in it's sunrise splendour.

Gaining speed quickly to the observation tower, the track suddenly falls to the Esses, 50 km/h + needing the brakes if I was to keep left (traffic travels both ways, although limited to 60).    150 meters with the aroma of burning brake pads and the tarmac drops into Forrest Elbow, a hairy hairpin that claimed Bill ('72) Dick ('83) and Chaz ('15), and it wasn't going to claim me!
Conrod straight opens up ahead and top cog is the only option, pumping pedals with the wind howling in (maybe between) the ears it's easy to exceed the limit, so I let the Baum have its way.  76 clicks was pace aplenty, besides, 6 degrees was freezing fingers.  Conrod's hump hampers the hurry to The Chase, a chicane deceptively sharp and rising rapidly, so I lunged left
then gradually right to the bridge, finally down to Murray's for a quick 90 degrees on a cool camber left, then off the seat to cross the line at 16:40:10 (only 14:36:09 off the V8 Supercar pace!)   Of course another lap is irresistible, so it was repeat as necessary (I'm sure the legs will get over it).  The second lap hardly satisfied (albeit mentally scarred from the climb) so a third wrung out the effort to do a PB 15:47:20.

30/10  The Brewongle beauty.

The last morning in Bathurst was steered southbound toward O'Connor, a gradual incline to disappoint the progress.  Vast rolling plains stretched to the hills of Wambool reserve, slowly turned orange by Tuesday's sun-up.  I pointed north east on Tarana Rd headed for the few houses that make up Brewongle, Skippy bounding alongside me for half a k as kangaroo company.

 6 degrees nipped at the fingers on a couple of minor descents, a hill full of sheep wondering what the? as I huffed and puffed the next rise.  Through Brewongle in a blink, there was a sharp rise up to the railway bridge but my planned route on Ridge Rd was scuttled by gravel.  A quick revision decided to continue on the sealed Tarana Rd to Wambool using the clock as a turn-around point.  Just a shed seems mark Wambool on the map where I about faced for the return, now with a rising sun at my back to bless the trip back to Bathurst.  Light fog still filled the dips in the landscape and it seemed there was more downhills than ups for the 25k trek to town, arriving back to delight in that heavenly hot-mix that lines the main street.

31/10 Milking the Cow-ra.

The second last day of holidays and Cowra was base camp, at least a few sealed roads joined the radiating highways from the central west city.  I set south on the Olympic highway in the early hours, those gradual inclines whittling away my worthiness of setting a satisfactory speed.  With an eye open for dead Dunlops, murdered Michelins and clobbered kangaroos on this inland route favoured by trucks, Noonbinna's dozen buildings were passed en-route, the highway empty but for two or three passing pantechnicons.  I had Wattamondara in my sights to turn left on the Morongla Rd, the rising sun now head-on but setting a super scene.  Vast sheep grazing fields spread to the horizon's hills and I soaked up the serenity to reach the Lachlan Valley highway and bear north back to Cowra. Only then did I feel the breeze behind me (explains the sloth-like speed prior) though the coarse stone pegged back some pace.  15k's following the Lachlan's weaving way appears to be favoured by bikes, some consolation finding cyclists signage and courteous cars commuting.  The sun quickly warmed the weather returning to town, but cafe's were closed so my infusion was instant, at least the cycling addiction was appeased.

1/11.  The Lockhart labour.

It's as dry as a chip in Lockhart and for the first time in months the kit-up was quick, 18 degrees cancelled the laborious layers we've been needing for months.  I took a guess at a route to Boree Creek and back, it's that radiating rural roads ritual where the only connections to make a circuit are gravel (and I'm not crossing over to the dark side of dirt!)   A ENE'er was preparing to roast the region (38 forecast) and I was hoping the wind prediction of NE would blow me back to base camp, so I steered toward Fargunyah then worked west on the Boree Creek Rd.  It's wheat and sheep territory in these parts, vast plains of sparse stubble the scene set for sun-up (6:12)  The breeze propelled the pace on the "western run" (7th overall), seems I'd chosen a bike route again with a stack of Strava segments and cyclist signage to boot.

"Jimmy's Hill" pegged my pace to pedestrian with 30 km/h gusts to enforce Rule #5, over the peak and the tarmac turned west, a long 5k stretch aiming at Boree Creeks silos.  The creek's dry and the town's weathered, so a brief peek through the streets and I turned tail toward Lockhart for the effort into the ENE'er.
Speed was surprisingly satisfactory back to Jimmy's Hill, soaking up the delight of the downhill before the hurt of the headwind, crossing paths with two bikes northbound (finding others in this desolate district makes my madness meaningful)
The wind wore down the willpower on the inclines and just as I relented to the pace below 31 the two previously spotted passed with a grin and a greeting. My request to tag on was welcomed but matching Josh (Cervelo) and Shane (Giant), 30 and 20 years my junior, asked a lot from the legs.  36+ into the 25km/h wind was the labour to Lockhart, but it was worth working for rather than to suffer solo.  Back on the Lockhart-Fargunyah Rd and into the mid 40's, wind whipped at the port side for a k of cruelty, then up with the tempo for the mandatory sprint to the town lines. With little legs left I mistakenly eased at the 50k sign, but it was the second sign that signalled the end.  Josh and Shane slowed soon after to chat for the roll into Lockhart, and with only the newsagent open, my post ride gratification was instant again.

2/11  Back on the flat.

Back from furlough and back on the flat for Friday, the Couldabeens clan (The Godfather, Nev, PistolPete, TrekTrev, Cate, Grumpy, Pelly, BamBam, MyRideTrev, Col, Travis, Superman, Boof, Tina, Liam, Temple, Shorty and Nick)  assembled on mass at the carpark.  Summer had returned in full flavour with 26 degrees and a toasty northerly, but I was playing it safe berthing near the back of the bunch.  Two weeks absence had almost erased the memory of speed, so 40+ toward Sanctuary's roundabout came as a rapid reminder. Early loopers Rocket, Kreeky, Kel, Bo and Bruce joined on leg 2 to swell the squad to two dozen.  Driving down to Mitchell Rd then east toward Kialla Central.  A puncture paused the peloton, social updates were underway as MyRideTrev performed the pitstop protocols.  The ride resumed rather rapidly toward River Rd, my glory in the drivers seat beside Shorty beyond the dip then with Rocket to the quarter horse stud, breath (or rather the lack of it) curtailing my conversation to just a few words while the Cruisers, the Cats and '51 went westward.

 5 Goats made up the train of pain as I recovered at second wheel (Travis and Rocket with the breath to babble all the way to Boundary Rd) noticing Heady well and truly OTA from the Goats but bravely battling onward.  My effort eventually eased as I was demoted to midfield in Boundary Rd, seems my turn at the front in River Rd was to be the one and only for the morning as the big bunch worked north to Channel Rd.  A peculiar peace fell over the pack turning west, the wind no longer whistling in the ears and concentration confined to the ChaCha.  Weapon arrived from the west, I thought I'd escaped the slog of the sprint as the bunch bored into Kinder corner but the tail had broken off and I was now promoted to the pace of the up-line at Hopeful corner. The squad went skinny toward Prentice Rd and I took refuge in a gap ahead of Grumpy to survive, no view of the podium but it would be blurry if I could see past those popping off the front.  A few were m.i.a. on the roll past the school, TrekTrev had apparently broke a spoke and MyRideTrev was pit stop person again,  northerners Cate, Weapon and I slowing to collect Tina for the post ride pleasure of Lemontree coffee and chat I'd craved for a fortnight.

Week 44     235km     YTD 11,597km