Week 48 : Chocolates for breakfast.

Post #528
23/11 Swift Saturday.

Blessed at last with a tolerable temperature and only a subtle breeze, GiantAndy, TatPaul, The Godfather, PistolPete, Lenny, Manny, Vince, TatMat, Wozza, Rocket, Bruce, Kreeky, Laura, Temple, Trav, Bo, TrekTrev, Boof, BeerMat and MyRideTrev assembled for Saturday's sacrament. I'd braved number one grid position but a foot fumble (you'd reckon I'd have mastered cleats by now) as we exited the carpark had me suddenly second wheel to Bruce. No complaints, saved me from jumping in the deep end first.  Sure as eggs, those with wattage came to the fore, Wozza, Rocket, GiantAndy, Bo and Boof lined up to keep the speed stoked to Mitchell Rd, Manny's magnetism for marsupials soon attracting a 'roo at close quarters, the commotion short lived with all emerging vertical into Central Kialla.  With forties commonplace in River Rd, Laura had chosen a swift upgrade from the Wannabees, and like Temple and MyRideTrev, joined the advance, but sought a spot in the down line before they hit the front.

Eventually crossing from the reverse line to the forward in Boundary Rd, a long string of bikes ahead said there'd be some time before I'd reach the business end, there'd be several minutes as the draft slowly diminished and the heart rate slowly climbed to ready for the work in the drivers seat.  Rocket leapfrogged a few places to be on Bo's wheel in Old Dookie Rd, planning a bit of hurt when they paired to drive the train. Turning north at the Toaster, Kreeky and I left the lads to their own devices but Bo didn't take the bait and the gap soon closed, putting me on Rocket's wheel in time to face the breeze for Lemnos-Cosgrove Rd.  How convenient.

Despite his rapid reputation, Rocket didn't bite, most considerately staying level as tried to build up to a respectable rate of knots.  I got there, but the fuse was burning short way too soon, one more white post and the old engine was misfiring, damn it!  Less I go o.t.a., I gasped for Rocket to roll, the next half k spent attempting composure as the younger guns amplified the average.  You'd feel out classed if it weren't for some who'd chosen the caboose as a permanent position.  I'd begun to cope as the bunch barrelled into town, though the work in Wanganui Rd loomed and several had chosen to shortcut via Verney (breakfast a better bet than the battle to hold on?)

The list of those excusing themselves from the sprint grew longer, Bruce was single speed (thanks to lack of volts in Di2 land) but most had a wattage deficit to serve a turn toward the hill.  GiantAndy's was the draft to die for (if you could keep up with his tempo), the pack stretched thin to Rudd Rd with a moment given in the first few metres to catch up. On the gas again, the bolt to breakfast on the Boulevard was swift and silent (Strava trophies handed out to all),  coffee made the hurt go away, the babble over breakfast on energy use, the royals and Strava stalkers replacing thoughts of the thrashing.



25/11  Monday's mobility.

The train of peace was judged a touch too pedestrian to start the week so the Couldabeens 5:45 spin got my vote.  Rocket, The Godfather, Grumpy, Kreeky, Bo, Bruce, PistolPete, Kel, Lenny and Vince assembled, 'lil Tony and Cobbles along for the ride too (few '51's ?  Cats too casual?)       Rocket and Bruce started proceedings with pace into Channel Rd, Lenny and Pistol continuing the cadence toward the Kinder, and here's me thinking Monday's are a steady spin.  (There'd be time to harden up before facing the front Foss!)

The weekend's chat (for those who could spare the oxygen) made the familiar path to Boundary Rd pass quickly, working ever closer to a shift at the front to earn my keep (and a coffee after).  A long Goat peace train plied east as I finally faced the front beside Grumpy in Lemnos-Cosgrove Rd, my imagination told a tail breeze was assisting and that helped the hurry to the bridge (bureau said we were breeze-less), but Rocket alongside when I was half spent had the reverse effect.  It felt shy of a shift to call Rocket across early but preserving rhythm is the gospel, it saved me from going Boom! and didn't disrupt the others drive.  Pistol and Lenny crept the speed up a k or two but I'd managed to get a few extra breaths in prior, hoping I wasn't the sole sufferer. Closing in on suburbia meant the effort would soon end, a week off work meant I could share in the social stuff after, so with taste buds calling for coffee I managed a semi reasonable turn on The Boulevard to berth at the Butterfactory to feed the addiction.

27/11  It's beginning to feel a lot like Winter!

It wasn't a foot fumble but a glove glitch that demoted me from the front as six bells chimed (I'm getting good at avoiding early efforts!), Boof leading the line into Archer Rd's four degrees.  Tina, Col, Shorty, Kreeky, Trav, Kel, Bo, Rocket, Coggo, PistolPete, Bruce and Joe (not Tony) formed the Wednesday bunch to spin the usual lap, most fishing out those winter layers recently relegated to the wardrobe's darkest depths.  The pain train was starved of starters and Coggo was aboard again, Joe (not Tony) surprisingly finding form just weeks from a lengthy lay-off and Tina toughened from a mountainous weekend.

A conversation with Col on old knees protesting the cold was timely, the tempo tamed to mid thirties helped along River Rd, my turn at the front with Tina then Col to the quarter horse stud all very civilised.   A few reckoned I was in the box seat as we swept into Central Ave, I could see Rocket in fine form at the front so didn't rate my chances at all, yet the turns rolled at the Kinder then Hopeful corner, and sitting on Coggo's wheel at Prentice Rd the odds turned fairly favourable.  But with Trav, Boof, Bruce and several favourites behind I felt sure of being swamped, but with nothing ventured nothing gained I let loose with 300 to go.

The sun's rise behind helped casting shadows of those who'd follow and with a hundred to go just one was in pursuit.  A glance back found Boof was on the hunt but he'd joined the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Fossils and thrown it into neutral, coasting in second to let me taste that rare flavour of Couldabeens chocolates for breakfast. Resuming high thirties to the truck route was torture and the bolt to the Butterfactory was a big ask but a long black and social discourse to finish the ride was the perfect recovery tonic.



28/11  Position, position, position.
Weather was favourable and the breeze was negligible yet attendance was down to the bare bones of Goats on Thursday, one wonders where the enthusiasm has gone!  Coggo, Belly, Tina, Dippa, Heady, Snow, Deep Fry and AvantiAndy made up the dedicated total, the Stalker hitching a ride as he'd missed the 5:50 Cat train.  Heady and I tried a two row formation with a sedate start (and I'd reckoned Indian file would be favoured with a slim attendance).

Coggo paired with me for leg two as we guessed a tempo that would test rather than torture.  Two rows of five meant appearances at the front would be regular, AvantiAndy and Heady making brief appearances in the drivers seat while Dippa and Belly cruised in conversation in the caboose.   Eastbound seemed an effort compared to Boundary's southern course, it was one of those mornings where wind direction was as vague as a HG comeback.  Heady was now overloading on oxygen at the back but Belly came forward (briefly), the reshuffle putting me on DeepFry's wheel (perfect placing for a plan hatched for later)

AvantiAndy's steadily gaining speed and the Stalker played ball with tempo (as you should when gate crashing a peloton un-invited), Snow continues his smooth style and Tina just turns over the k's nobody can match.  Three bikes ahead laid a bait of extra effort as we breached the Broken bridges, closing in as we turned into River Rd but DeepFry made a momentary lone charge, forgetting the team he'd need to catch them.  A steady squeeze of speed had caught them at the Angora farm,  a whiskered bloke aboard an ancient Merida, a young dude on a Giant and a lass in full winter kit.  In contravention of Rule #19, they'd jumped aboard and joined in the rotation with lips zipped, probably enjoying the tow but young lass was in way too deep nearing the business end..

Snow sensibly preserved the pace avoiding a sudden tsunami, Dippa came to the fore and the ride was soon restored to it's former smoothness. We'd lost the three intriders at Archer Rd, thoughts turning to position and who'd be doing turns as Raftery Rd drew near.  It's been many moons since pedalling this path.  The plan was to fry DeepFry at the front (he has a penchant for pouncing a podium position), the huffs and puffs telling me a long turn was testing him at Arcadia Downs.  I'd reached the kink into Conrod as Coggo rolled across, hoping the turns would quicken and get me back in the advance line.  Back onto DeepFry's wheel as Snow drove out of the dip, my position was perfect as the metres wore away, waiting for the moment to jump.  Full gas as DeepFry rolled across put a mental and physical gap between us, enough to ease off the throttle in the closing metres with Coggo closing in for second.



29/11  Crowd control.

Quite a crowd converged Friday, was it weather? The weeks' end? Convivial company?  Whatever the reason, the roll-call tested my recall.  The Godfather, Kel, Shorty, Kreeky, Tina,  newbie Vaughan, Coggo, Bo, Trav, Wozza, Boof, PistolPete, Bruce, Determined Dan, Rocket, TrekTrev, Col, Grumpy and Lenny set south at six, broad daylight once craved now commonplace.

Savour it folks, summer solstice is but three weeks away! This would be a one-turn-at-the-front circuit. Unusually Boof and I were toward the rear of the bunch as the pecking order of pace got sorted for the advance line.  Akin to grandma's curtains, The Godfather's kit caused a cackle or two (a consultancy on class with PistolPete may be the cure), newbie Vaughan climatizing to the characters while Determined Dan made the best of a day off shift work.  By chance I was in Coggo's smooth and certain draft, comfortable hearing Kreeky behind as I advanced  along River Rd for duty.  Conversation toward the front thinned to three or four word replies from those who'd done their bit, unless you're Wozza, Pistol, Bruce or Rocket who seemingly have oxygen by the bucket load whatever their peloton position.  It was my time for effort in Boundary Rd when Coggo rolled across near One Tree Dam, the bar set fairly high now from the days of low thirties averages.

By the Broken bridges doing the distance told me to roll, Kreeky would be kind but Channel Rd (the usual shift distance) seemed a world away.  Convincing myself I had a tailwind (and refusing to peek at the heart rate) got me to the target, a couple of compliments relieving some of the sting in the legs.  Quite the fight to catch Kreeky's wheel as the bunch bored into Channel Rd, the relief knowing that was the one-and-only turn sped the recovery as others faced their donation to the pace.  Caution was called for a slow car (towing a fruit bin) ahead as the ChaCha loomed near, the unpredictability of morning motorists not troubling most but set off alarm bells in others.  Mid forties to Prentice Rd and a few backed away from close company with the car, luckily when it suddenly slowed to turn off.   A handful blew off steam in a sprint, the remainder slogging it out to the school for the reformation.  Ready (but not raring) for the rush to coffee, I'd caught Wozza's wheel for the Wilmot Rd sprint (scoring a trophy in the tow) Rocket and Pistol giving us grief with a bolt to the Butterfactory but that feeling finishing made up for the flogging.

Week 48      220km         YTD  12,204km