Post #554
4/7 No "hot spots" here!
I'll blame winter for the dose of can't-be-bothered's, Saturday's 1 degree was hardly the inspiration to ride. There was a hundred reasons to lay in the warmth of bed but it was the social stuff that stirred me out of it. I'd just have to cope with the cold to get a dose of it! Aboard the bike and away ahead of schedule allowed a calm commute, rushing through this cold stuff would have imploded any incentive anyway. Smoothie Steve and Tina were berthed at the grid early, Bruce, TrekTrev, Joe (not Tony), The Godfather, Superman, Col, Bo and Grumpy (hard man ; short knicks) arriving in the 2 minutes before 6.
Superman's new steed (a titanium Bosi) was in the brief limelight, but 6 bells chimed and without a volunteer for the first shift, it was me to take one for the team. They'd just have to suffer the snail-like speed to start (sympathy for Superman's faded fitness could be my excuse I suppose?). That slight incline to the Broken bridge felt like it emptied the tank, the downhill restoring the speed (and my faith) to the city's limits. A hesitant peek at the Garmin brought a surprise, the tempo wasn't too bad! That light hanging over Sanctuary's roundabout was still a distant speck, better to focus on smoothing the speed than the dramas of doing the distance. Reaching that target with a breath or two in reserve was a rare treat, rest at the rear felt earned rather than the easy way out. Smoothie Steve drove leg 2 while I positioned 2nd last, Superman was locked-down in the caboose breaking in a new bike (and climatizing to bunch speed), so Bruce's wheel became my focus while in respiratory recovery. ( 3 Ti's on the tail)
TrekTrev's been missing from the mob for a while but did his duty driving to Kialla Central, which got me thinking of today's missing persons ; where was Rocket, GiantAndy, Wozza, Boof and the regulars? School holidays may have kidnapped them. Col kept speed stoked north and Bo got greedy hogging the tail-wind on River Rd (some may have paid for that position), the Indian filed formation a little anti-social but twice the workload with two rows would have broken a few. The Godfather's sense of wind direction had numbed in the cold of Coach Rd, the team scattered behind in search of a decent draft, but Bruce bore the brunt shouldering the load from the left.
Promotion saw me at 2nd wheel over the highway, hoping Bruce could drag me to Old Dookie Rd where I'd score that tail-wind. He read my mind! It was probably too easy to spin that swift shift, guilt got the better of me at the pork palace, so I peeled off to let Smoothie Steve soak up the sensation. To the Toaster, past the church and up to Lemnos-Cosgrove Rd, thoughts turned to the headwind home, how much horsepower was needed at the front and how short would the shift be? Bo made it look easy nudging the high 30's toward the kennels but reality had dislodged Superman from the rear, Bruce delivering the "ease up" to the front. It's Saturday, social and stuck together.....until Wanganui Rd at least. Tina took over for a determined drive to Boundary Rd, The Godfather toughing it out to Lemnos North Rd (no dramas with a decent draft this time).
Bruce made martyrs meek driving a 5 and a half k shift into that wind to town, his typical spin delivering a smoothness where I could tolerate the tempo. Mind you, there wasn't much left when he finally handed over at Wanganui Rd. The old engine was misfiring by DECA, there was no option but to elbow Steve to take the troops to the hill. A 100 metres of calm in Rudd Rd recharged my batteries, enough to hang on for the hurry on the Boulevard to breakfast, the team halving toward cafes of choice. Animal encouters, polarising politics and the ti difference made the table's topics, coffee and porridge warming the internals while the Lemontree heaters warmed the exterior.
6/7 The puncture pantomime.
5:40 struck and the social stuff stopped, Wozza got down to business leading the line south, starting the working week with work. Kel, Bo, Grumpy, Col, Tina, Joe (not Tony), The Godfather, Bruce and Kreeky assembled behind, the chase on to catch Smoothie Steve rolling out ahead of us. And he wasn't making it an easy catch. From 3rd wheel back life was good for the midfielders, about to be blessed by a southwester from Mitchell Rd onward. Judging by the length of the line, they'd probably have just one appearance in the lead role and be dealt a draft home. Like real estate eh? Position, position, position.
Tina soaked up the tailwind on River Rd to the bridge, Joe (not Tony) relishing the assistance to the dip (no short shifts for him today!) I had speed spurred on to the quarter horse stud and rather than be greedy, handed the helm to Bruce. The Godfather punctured on the turn into Coach Rd, providing a pantomime of entertainment while the fix was underway. Among the tsunami of sledges keen eyed Kel found the offending intruder to the tube, and I got to witness the Poppa patented CO2 inflator in action. Impressive.
Underway again and up to Boundary Rd, Kreeky's light abandoned ship, so a slow regained a few breaths while he returned to re-attach (still shining bright, it wasn't hard to find in the dark). Wozza resumed the velocity to Old Dookie Rd, Grumpy none too subtle with speed to School Rd. The holler went out for a clear way around the rumble strips, a cautious cross of Central Ave and Smoothie Steve got the bit betwixt teeth to drive the last leg to town (heaven help us when a new bike goes under him soon).
7/7 Five facing fog.
Hommie, Sandy and Coggo did their bit toward Boundary Rd, a long northbound line of the 5:40's headlights piercing the fog. Belly managed a good shift south, handing me the helm a bit beyond the fig farm, my second contribution to the highway for Hommie to take charge. The usual lack of time turned me west into Channel Rd, yet another sudden snarl from Darth Vader behind the bother. Latching onto the draft from a passing westbound truck foiled his pursuit. Orchards offered reasonable shelter from the breeze to stay on agenda back to town, changing out of all those winter layers left just two spare minutes at home before employment called.
8/7 You's r all soft!
Minutes mattered. The commute to the car park was a bit behind schedule so wattage wanted for the circuit was being spent early to get to the grid by 5:40. Well, that was a waste! Not a soul had fronted as launch time ticked over. Ready to roll, I might as well labor the lap, if only to honor Rules #5 and #9. Archer Rd's fog wasn't quite pea soup, the edge of the road was visible and the next white post was in view (so long as the specs were wiped every 30 seconds) so I set sail south with a "I'll show these softies" attitude (had I checked What's App last night I would have noticed most pull the pin on Wednesday's addiction).
That 100% humidity seemed to be a ball-and-chain, feeling like I'd taken on 20kg of damp to tow around. I'd always thought that fog meant no wind, but an easterly was definitely there to erode my efforts on Mitchell and River Rd. No matter, there was only me to keep up with. That wet tarmac would roster me on cleaning duties tonight (respecting Rule #65) but work now concentrated on getting River Rd done to enjoy that easterly on Boundary and particularly Old Dookie Rd (just as well vision was down to just 100 metres, it blinded me to the 5 k's left to labor). As usual, those rumble strips seemed an eternity away. The cock crowed as I cornered into Coach Rd, the effort now eased with the nose out of the wind, and boosted by a couple of passing trucks donating a draft. Certainly helped me to the highway. West was wonderful along Old Dookie Rd, the breeze was behind and there was just 8k's left of the cold and damp. With vision vexed, caution was turned to maximum in town, so why a 4x4 drove the streets minus headlights was anyone's guess. Still asleep at the wheel? They're out there folks.
9/7 In the lap of the Goats.
Time wasn't the enemy on Thursday, temperature was. 1 degree again! This winter is really testing us. A quiet roll to Friars found Snow, Sandy, Coggo and Hommie happy to head us into the cold clockwise circuit (a later work start today allowed a complete circuit for a change). 8k's of Old Dookie Rd was divided among us all, some a tad shorter than others but who's measuring? (at least they're contributing and not cowering in their cot!) A slight suggestion of a north northeaster hassled my headspace when I fronted the business end at Central Ave, I wonder if I'd done better if I hadn't looked at the wind direction earlier? The mind's good at making mountains out of molehills. Coggo took over at School Rd and I retreated to the rear, not only for respite but to tend to a nasal tsunami that winter happens to work up. There was comfort southbound on Boundary Rd, Hommie, Sandy and Snow a little longer in shifts with the bonus breeze at the backside. Snow peeled off the front at the bridges to hand me the helm, that target 2 k's in the distance (River Rd) not such a task with favoring winds. Coggo's basic instinct was to ride River Rd's crown, a treat for the tail-end to be towed where the breeze wasn't a burden. Echelon 101 really....but so many just don't get it.
It felt foreign to turn south toward Kialla Central (so often time turns me to short-cut home) but time was a treat today where I'd get to contribute a fair share (rather than one or two token turns) Mitchell Rd marked my 3rd shift, to PitolPete's with pace but I really felt that inconspicuous incline to Archer Rd in the remaining 300 metres. Relieved to be at the rear while Coggo captained to the highway, I could sense already (if other's turns went to sequence) I'd be the scapegoat in Raftery Rd. No matter, I was in considerate company. I can't remember when last riding Raftery Rd but the familiar pot-holes and bumpy bits soon jogged the memory (literally!) Hommie hurried to Galbraith's gate, Sandy sped toward Arcadia Downs and Snow stuck to the standard of reaching the kink into Conrod. Yep, I was the sacrificial lamb of labor for that 1200 metre leg to the finish line. Despite the breeze now at the right brow the old engine was running ok, out of the dip and along that long plateau I'd already decided on flicking an elbow to Coggo with 300 to go. Snow and Hommie were salivating for a sprint but they couldn't contain Coggo's craving for a win. I'd dropped back for a bigger serve of oxygen and found Sandy ota, and as she'd made the effort to ride (unlike others who'd dived under their doona's) it was only decent to donate a draft to regain her place in the pack for the commute through town. Ahh, the memories of those post sprint gasps taken on that k to the highway!
10/7 The fast that lasts.
Steve's new steed was the sensation at the start grid on Friday, a sparkling new Scott in red (they always go faster) replaces the Felt, forlorn. Boof led the parade south into Archer, a north northeaster assisting us division 2's (names withheld to protect the pedestrians) to keep pace with the fitter. TrackStan, on his once a week real bunch ride (ie; not an electronic gathering on Zwift), drove to the truck route, Steve setting speed in the lead of leg 3, but the sleek new Scott needed caster adjustment to track left (to give the tail a chance at a draft). Joe (not Tony) inherited the the lead in Mitchell Rd, that wind his worry working east. I kept a keen eye on his elbow. I'd noticed the headaling nearing Pistol Pete's (the bobbing action of the skull brought on when legs fail to provide sufficient power to the pedals) so that flick was moments away. He'd had enough sooner than expected (two flicks suggesting hurry up, I'm dying?) so I took the job to reach Kialla Central. Keeping speed smooth was the struggle while wind whipped at the left flank. A dozen passing as I retreated rearward seemed to take forever, catching Joe (not Tony)'s wheel given milliseconds as Bruce bolted to River Rd.
I'd been banking on recovery by the turn east but Kel had a driving determination to get to the bridge, Tina with equal enthusiasm aiming at the dip. Recovery was on hold, Bo took to the front with the bit being bitten. Col served up his speed, The Godfather's trajectory putting most in the gutter in varied velocities but Wozza's work at the front in Coach Rd ironed out the ups and downs. It was up, then more up! I could leave the brake levers alone now. Smooth and swift to Channel Rd, I could prepare for the pace to continue when Rocket took to the drivers seat. And his is the fast that lasts! All the way to Old Dookie Rd if you don't mind. Boof repeated the rapid rate west to Central Ave, a few seconds spent stocktaking oxygen while the group gathered helped, though TrackStan was kind enough to keep speed sustainable to town. Steve had faster ideas through the streets toward coffee, incurring a new "GreatScottSteve" nickname.
This week 282km YTD 5,331km
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