That tempo tradition.

Post #557
25/7  Fostering fastness.

The reasons to sleep-in had almost smothered me, the alarm had gone off to another wintery morning and the warm bed made a convincing argument for the affirmative, but the sanctity of Saturday's ride beckoned.  All those layers in preparation for the cold seemed superfluous when facing the outdoors, am I climatizing to the cold when 2 degrees feels bearable?  It seems others had.  Bruce, Wozza, Bo, Tina, Rocket, Boof and Grumpy had converged on the carpark, great to see Determined Dan and TatPaul emerging from covid confinement to join the clan.  The social stuff ceased at 6, speed now the first item on the agenda as Boof led us south.  I was hoping high 30's would soon settle when those of lesser horsepower hit the front, but a headcount identified few of fairer fitness. 

Grin and bear it Foss, today's tempo can only foster fastness!  Wozza demonstrated a long drive staying at the helm to River Rd, his effort rubbing off on Determined Dan to drive beyond the dip.  Better-late-than-never Shorty had short-cut to River Rd and jumped aboard, TatPaul's turn was brief and Tina seemed satisfied in the caboose.  Rocket's rush to reach Coach Rd saved me the trial of the easterly wind head-on though it was no cake-walk for me to drive to the Broken bridges.  Kudos eased the pain as Bruce spun his shift to the highway.  Now, do I try another turn or succumb to softness by hanging on?
Quick calculations estimated my next effort would have that easterly in my favor on Lemnos-Cosgrove Rd, so I joined the advance for a second slice of suffering.  Wozza made Old Dookie Rd and it's headwind look easy with his swift shift to the Toaster, my head-space happy knowing a tailwind to town would lessen the stress, even if speed was sustained.
Shorty had teamed with Tina at the rear, my legs almost adjusted to the tempo by now though I wondered about the wattage needed to make a decent contribution at the front.

Rocket's diminutive draft dragged me to Lemnos North Rd, my turn into Ford Rd had the willpower to reach Grahamvale but only the wattage to get half way, Bruce could manage the rest....and then some.  Wanganui Rd had the regular rush but was minus the sting of the sprint, Grumpy finding his red-line approaching Mt.Wanganui but the compassionate cruise into Rudd Rd allowed him to get back aboard for the dash to the Lemontree.  Those heaters helped the thawing process while words on winters' tax on Cats, slippery conditions and the popularity of burnt banana bread punctuated breakfast.  Better than sleeping-in any day.

27/7  Solitary confinement.
A lone lap was on my list for labor on Monday morning, the repetition of Archer, Mitchell, River, Boundary and Old Dookie Rd was sending me dizzy and setting my own speed would be as good as a holiday.  A southwester assisted passage along Wanganui and Ford Rd's but it was odds on there'd be a payback for the return home.  A distant red led flashed 'come-catch-me' but the temptation to chase was quickly over-ruled by the need to preserve power for the windy westward leg back to town  With abilities artificially amplified by that breeze up the bum (28 km/h worth boosted bravado) the mind wandered to days of old when the hospital bunch would bore down here at full tilt while Killer, Robbo, Bomber or TheMachine tested our worth.

Clear memories of glancing off the side of a stampeding steer one evening too.  But back to reality reaching Pine Lodge North Rd, that wind wanted to blow me across the border (without a permit!).  I'd ummed and ahh'd the course home for a while, opting for the New Dookie Rd course as the road less traveled.  Something stirs in the subconscious with a wind in your face, an "I can smash this" attitude till reality bites a few hundred metres later.  Then the angry bit kicks in.  That lasts for a while but gradually the signals from a percolating heart rate, jellied legs and bursting lungs force the inevitable gear change just to maintain a miserable speed.  Something's wrong with the Garmin,  I must be doing more than 30, surely?  Commonsense had got to me by Lemnos Rd, giving in to the fact speed vs survival had become a very delicate balancing act, contentment (albeit regrettable) that 29 k's was the speed to see me home without a hernia. Careful not to spice up the tempo when a little shelter from trees eased the pain, I took the chance to let the heart holiday from the red-line for a few moments....I might need to visit there again! More shelter in town couldn't have come sooner, the brow unfurrowed, gasps subsided and legs weren't so angry anymore.  I wondered what would it have been like with the bunch?

28/7  Oh, the woes of wind !
Taking the easy way (east on Ford and west on New Dookie) almost avoided the woes of Tuesday's southerly, those mere 1900 metres of Grahamvale Rd were ample punishment on my prologue to the 6am spin.

Conditions had Cats cowering, just 2 leaving Notre Dame as I guessed what Goats may brave the breeze.  Coggo, Sandy, Hommie and Heady had assembled at Friars, the short yarn on Strava's cyber attack till 6 bells signaled a spin east.  Coggo took the task of 1st shift, the cautionary call to halt for traffic at Doyles Rd ignored by Heady (but he was happy to resume his rear seat when business resumed toward Dobson's.  Please explain?!)   Coggo handed over at the bridge to give me the shift to Central Ave, what luck to be sheltered from the 28k's worth of SSW'er by the line of trees, so I was careful to maintain Coggo's opening speed and not whiplash the back.  Heady's appearance at the front was fleeting, Hommie took the helm to School Rd then relented the drivers seat to Sandy (at least she'd be spared Boundary Rd's head wind on her first turn)   A proper caution was observed as Couldabeens cornered into Old Dookie Rd, a far more respectful display than the shame of a fortnight ago.   Sledges were swapped of course to keep the occasion sacred.  Coggo set the perfect pace south, smoothness making the draft a delight where even Heady held on.  For a moment I thought Coggo was dragging us all the way to the highway, but at the bridge his elbow suggested I take that one for the team.  I passed the drivers role to Hommie over the highway to steer my solo path home, blown about on the open stretches of Channel Rd to town but that tailwind home was heaven. 35k's of wind woes just to enjoy 6k's of tailwind? Weird isn't it?

29/7  Trial by tempo.

I'd just started warming to 9 and 10 degrees and the cold came back to kick start Wednesday with 3.  At least those wearing winds had subsided!  Bikes circled the block like buzzards, most attempting to avoid the first call of duty in the number 1 grid position.  Boof, Wozza, The Godfather, Kreeky, GreatScottSteve, Kel, Bo, Tina and Rocket were used to the temperature, Trav and Liam pondering why they returned from sunny far north Queensland.  5:40 tolled and Wozza led the 11 south but surprisingly threw an early elbow to Boof to take over the first shift duties.  My turn at the front moved up the "to do" list a bit faster than expected.

Boof drove to Sanctuary's roundabout where it became my turn in the front seat, what luck a truck broke the breeze to give me the impression of a good drive.  The slightest hint of a SSW'er was having a big handbrake effect.  Just as legs labored, a passing car helped to lift my game, reaching the truck route without blowing a head gasket.  The Godfather's turn was most manageable in the draft but I was predicting a spike in speed when certain players got to the front.

Liam proved his pace in River Rd so it was pleasing to see Tina taking on the task soon after, Bo turned up the hurry but that was just to warm us up for Rocket's rush to finish off River Rd.   That came close to the limits for a few.  GreatScottSteve did a big drive of Coach Rd to the highway and Wozza made amends for his short shift in Archer by dragging us all the way to Old Dookie Rd.  I wasn't getting out of a second turn today as Boof took the reigns west toward Central Ave, fog was closing in to vex vision but my focus was sharp on Boof's wheel in the hope of holding on. He barely flinched as a rabbit bolted across his path.  Great captaincy. The call of car at Central Ave was my savior, a moment to top up on oxygen before heading the field toward town.  I was pleased to get back to the prior pace but the old engine wouldn't take the revs for too long, handing the task to The Godfather at Dobson's bridge to take us to town, recovery at the rear an easy ending.

31/7  Frozen Friday.
Facing a frost was a fraction easier knowing there'd be other crazy ones ready to spin a lap at the Archer St shop....well, I hoped there'd be some!  GreatScottSteve, Joe (not Tony), Kel, The Godfather, Bo, Bruce, Tina, Kreeky, Wozza, Boof and Grumpy gathered at the grid, proving that cold and commonsense doesn't mix, but there was a smug satisfaction we weren't softening.

The fraction of warmth found sitting stationary at the start line was quickly lost as Bruce opened the account into Archer Rd, spinning legs and adrenaline our only heating as a dozen drove south into zero degrees.  Bruce halved the stretch to Sanctuary's roundabout, Grumpy putting the finishing touches to leg one where Wozza kept the squad silent to the truck route.  As usual the swift were in sequence to keep pace percolating for a while, Boof taking us to Mitchell Rd and GreatScottSteve heading the charge to Kialla Central.   I had faith in Kreeky, Tina and Kel ahead of me to tame the initial rush a tad so I'd have something in the tank for my appearance at the business end. 

I gained a breath or two during Kreeky and Tina's drive a bit beyond the dip, Kel adding a couple of k's to the per hour on her super smooth spin to the quarter horse stud.  That'll do me nicely, 1500 metres left to Coach Rd and without any wind, I'd reach it without bursting a boiler.  I hope!  I rolled rearward for recovery as Bo bolted toward the Broken bridges, it was only a couple of k's quicker that my effort, but it felt like warp speed catching the caboose.  Ah, the lust for larger lungs!  All had done their bit by the bridge, round two commencing for many but a few privileged by position were gifted a one-and-only turn.  Wozza's signature shift from the highway to Old Dookie Rd kept legs and lungs busy, Grumpy and GreatScottSteve continuing that tempo tradition all the way to Central Ave.  We arrived at peak hour (3 cars approaching) so the bunch's tail halted for safety's sake, the majority who'd got through cruising for a few hundred metres (a bonus to the breathless) till the pack regrouped. The Godfather toured us to town, Joe (not Tony) serving a swift finish to SPC.

This week  228 km            YTD  5,982 km