Post #574
28/11 A faster faction.
There was once a bunch of two dozen plus assemble for a social Saturday spin but Covid restrictions and dare I say it, the laws of natural selection on speed has factioned the group into the swift, the supersonic.....and the Wannabee's. I hadn't seen several faces for a while so rolled to the shop to join the swift squad, not only for the social sustenance but to step outside the comfort zone. A little spice in the variety of life if you will. Rocket, Liam, Wozza, Boof, Lenny and Bruce assembled on the starting grid; I was suddenly feeling way out of that zone till Lance then TatMat rolled in to make the mix a little more manageable. Killkenny Paul arriving at the stroke of six giving me a fighting chance! (Perhaps Paul and I could keep company going o.t.a.?) Rocket rolled his new Trek out of the car park while I tactfully fumbled a foot to let the horsepower ahead of me, Boof's wheel chosen to climatize to the pace as Rocket then Wozza sped us into a southerly wind toward Mitchell Rd. KillkennyPaul was already missing in action.
As sure as taxes, rust and death, Liam would show us all what a long drive was when he got in the drivers seat. Considerately, the prior pace was preserved and laying on the smoothness in bucket loads, the young fella took us along Mitchell Rd to Central Kialla and beyond, up to River Rd and beyond, then the following 6k's just to underline what fitness and youth can do. It was only a 10k turn at 40. (Consult your physician before attempting this!) Lenny was given the captains job on the turn into Coach Rd, another smooth operator who made speed sufferable, though my heart rate was on the climb at 3rd wheel. Lenny allowed just enough calm crossing the highway for 9 to form a tight line before turning up the tempo toward Old Dookie Rd, handing the hurry to Boof at the bridge, me well into zone 4 now at second wheel wondering when I'd debut. Maybe Boof would give me an elbow at the Old Dookie bridge? Maybe not.... he still had those wheels humming toward the pork palace.
On to the Toaster before retiring rearward, Boof had kindly handed me a tail-wind turn toward the church. I know my limits, this short shift would suit me and my high heart rate perfectly, passing KillkennyPaul (who'd dropped off the back of the Sanctuary squad in search of something slower). Lance took over at New Dookie Rd to head the hurry north, with a similar, sensible shift like mine. We were both making small donations among the big drivers. Bruce, another long shift specialist, worked the way west on Lemnos-Cosgrove Rd, Rocket and Wozza did their usual distance at a great rate of knots while my concerns concentrated on Liam's turn to come and how I could keep a cap on my cardiac escalation. Advancing ever closer to the front didn't help!
That tactical foot fumble was employed at Grahamvale Rd to slip down the order and retreat from pending duty. Tucked into the draft behind Lance at 3rd last wheel was a more like my rung on the ladder. Wanganui Rd was sprintless but swift, the 10 seconds of respite turning into Rudd Rd a brief moment to ready for the pace along the Boulevard toward breakfast. It's been a while since seating at the Lemontree, tongues tattling on spending energy in the heat and the pre-Christmas retail hype, my legs still lamenting a rather labored lap but the reward was a 6th overall (and that eased the guilt of having a second breakfast)
30/11 A Monday motivator.
A southerly kept the head down and the effort up to make the start line on time Monday, enough wattage used on the 10k commute to search for a rather rearward grid position. Pistol Pete led the long line (Kreeky, Tina, Bo, GreatScottSteve, ChrisA, Grumpy, Col, Kel and The Godfather) into a cool Archer Rd. A few days of summer's warmth and suddenly 12 degrees feels cold! Most struggle with speed into a headwind, but not PistolPete!
Dragging us with plenty of pace to Mitchell Rd, he handed over to ChrisA for the drive to Central Kialla, I'd been cunning enough to slot into 3rd last spot to allow plenty of time to harden up for my driving task. From their idle along Mitchell Rd, Vince and the Rabbit jumped aboard. GreatScottSteve led our path with pace to River Rd, not content contributing a 2k shift he added 2 more to the bridge before letting Bo loose. The sun got out of bed as we reached the quarter horse stud, reminding me it's just 3 weeks till the solstice starts turning the days shorter (and still some have yet to emerge from hibernation!)
Kel towed us to Coach Rd where Tina took over, Kreeky and Grumpy were still to do their shifts so I had time to talk myself into the tempo. Kreeky got the reigns at the Broken bridges and I reckoned on him doing the long drive again, but Grumpy took over the captaincy as we crossed the highway and turned up the boost. This was when my work whipped up, second wheel as Grumpy stomped out 40 km/h and my heart rate ran away off the leash. Grumps showed us what he's made of for a bit over three minutes, my shift luckily a shorter one from Boundary to School Rd but with the southerly at my side. There wasn't much left in the tank as I elbowed Col to the front so finding an extra couple of k's per hour stretched the friendship to Central Ave. Vince earned his keep with an equally quick shift to town.
1/12 Goats that go (and Goats that go slow)
A pre-Goat tap around the northern roads and back into town discovered the secret society of slower Goats (HG, BrotherAndrew and Heady) congregating at Notre Dame for their slow spin. Yet another bunch being factioned by fitness! (or the lack of it) The somewhat faster fellowship of Ranso, Dippa, Snow, Belly, Coggo and AvantiLeigh had stuck to tradition fronting Friars, and following Ranso's mechanical adjustments, I accepted the lead role (by virtue of being one of the first to berth) out of town but failed to factor the northeaster stifling speed toward Dobson's estate. JB and DeepFry joined in from their usual SPC start line. The wind was taxing but it's funny how you find a bit more wattage with 8 guys breathing down your tail-light in expectation. Ranso got my elbow at the bridge, his shift short too, standing down from duty at Central Ave.
AvantiLeigh's pace (and youth) hauled us to Boundary Rd as PistolPete headed the 5:40 fling west, Rocket with the swift squad in pursuit behind. Snow took the lead south toward the highway with the breeze at the backside, maybe a little tame in tempo for Belly champing at the bit behind (it's that tantalizing tail-wind that gets him excited). Snow let Belly off his leash at the bridge, the sudden surge of speed lengthening the line to the pub. But Belly's burst was brief, handing over to JB to head us south of the highway. I thought Belly was going all the way to River Rd for a moment. But, it was time for me to turn toward town, the rare treat of the northeaster helping me along Channel Rd made motion easy.
2/12 The hump day hurry.
Eight tactically rolled along Sanctuary Drive in an attempt to avoid that number one grid position, the south southwester would spell some suffering to Mitchell Rd. Who else but PistolPete stepped up to the task, Col, The Godfather, Kreeky, Kel, Tina, Joe (not Tony) and JJ forming the line behind.
Wind has no effect on our Pistol, either that or my speedo needed re-calibration, 38 k's per hour into a 30 k headwind is for the fast freaks of this world. Col took on the side wind along Mitchell Rd so did that justify the greed to spin to River Rd with the wind at his tail? Take it while you can get it said Col! The Godfather set the varied speed to the bridge and extended his efforts to the dip (how the tail wind tempts us all!) Kreeky kept an echelon intact as the wind swung southwest, his characteristic long drive taking us to Coach Rd as the sun peeked above the horizon. There's the art of restraint when driving a new direction, perfectly painted by Kel into Coach Rd, all had a moment to get back into the slipstream before the throttle was opened wide again. Joe (not Tony) looked a little stressed by speed, JJ barely breaking out of idle behind. Kel crested the Broken bridges to find Lenny lurking near Channel Rd, a puncture had prevented him participating with the speed squad so he'd have to settle on us as second best.
Tina took over at the highway with a tempo a touch tamer, a chance for me to stock up on oxygen ready for an appearance at the front. Her subtle twitch of the elbow at the bridge signaled my time for torture but I delayed any surge of speed till Tina had hold of the tail. Proper pace-line protocol. Going ok in the high 30's at the fig farm was a positive but holding that speed for the last 500 was on the rev limiter. I'd set my own standard a little swift. Handing Joe (not Tony) that southwester to contend with in Old Dookie Rd got me guilty, but it's the luck of the draw in this game. Tenacity got him to the bridge but then JJ's spike of speed nearly delegated him o.t.a. PistolPete had come full circle to drive the final leg to town, my legs in the final stages of delivering enough drive to hang on. But, like banging your head against a brick wall, doesn't it feel great when you stop?!
3/12 Raftery Rd's reward.
I took the rare chance to ride a full Goat circuit Thursday, if only to recall the Raftery route and be a little more sociable with the squad. Coggo, Snow, Dippa, Belly, Hommie and Sandy fronted Friars and with Heady defecting to the dawdle division, Coggo steered our path to exit town at sun-up. Rubber stamp JB and Deep Fry joining in at SPC. Coggo certainly knows how to set a standard, a glance back to check all carriages were connected then carefully applied the accelerator toward Dobson's bridge. It was sublime at second wheel, a subtle south southwester at our side. I wasn't a fan of the "feels like 5" though, I thought we were meant to be into Summer? It was my turn to tempo at the bridge, ever so sneakily spicing the speed to Central Ave and skirting the rumble strips en-route (and this is the shift that hurts when westward on Monday, Wednesday and Friday) Snow fronted the 8 toward School Rd, handing the task to Sandy a little shy of the target, her shift shortened too as the long line of Couldabeens bolted toward town.
Hommie drove the last 1500 metres to Boundary Rd but appeared to have done several rounds with Mike Tyson when he rolled rearward. Belly made an effort to tow us to the fig farm where Dippa was promoted to captain. Deep Fry took his turn over the highway , the speed not so swift by the time we'd crested the Broken bridges (saving himself for the sprint? Already?) Coggo was back in charge of the charge to River Rd and hadn't I positioned perfectly avoiding the south southwester?! The way west was in my job description, gradually building up to high 30's till Snow hollered a halt for a mechanical malfunction at the quarter horse stud. A dangling watt-meter was secured with a high-tech rubber band.
I resumed the shift slow and waited to see the shadows line up behind, so with no yells to the contrary, built up the pace again. Seems all weren't on, so the effort eased again at the dip. A reshuffle of the order put Hommie at the front and me on Deep Fry's wheel. Snow had short-cut to town, Dippa driving us to Central Kialla. DeepFry turned us into Mitchell Rd and did a k before handing over, Belly behind me giving me the incentive to keep it quick to Dave's dip. My place in the pack now looked perfect for Raftery Rd, sitting second last with 6 ahead to do their duty. Coggo dragged us to Arcadia Downs and percolated the pace in preparation for Conrod straight, turns now shortening dramatically. Dippa had the big job of towing us out of the dip and soldiered on for 200, DeepFry just reaching the front when I hit the 'ol boost button. 400 metres blurred quickly, that slight SSW'er the bonus. The sound of silence behind told me I'd opened a comfortable gap. I can't remember the last win at Steptoe's finish line, using the oxygen intake to the skinny bridge to bring things back into focus, the conversation with Coggo rolling into town resolving anyone else but DeepFry makes a good win.
4/12 That tempo trance.
Straight into that groove Friday. On the drops, relaxed grip, shoulders slack, jaw dangling and focus almost trance-like, fixed firmly on legs spinning and those few metres of road ahead. Not on the trend of the FTSE100, the car's spark plug gaps or what Martha's estranged son gets up to on Home & Away (I had to Google that!) That sole purpose to pedal blurs the k's away, even if it's not at a record pace, it's an escape from what's weird in the world. And there's plenty of weird! With 10 k's soon behind me and two minutes spare, the roll along Sanctuary Drive was time to ponder position, pace and the players in Friday's 5:40 fling. You guessed it, PistolPete commenced play and turned up the hurry to Mitchell Rd, Kreeky, Col, The Godfather, GreatScottSteve, Kel, Bo, JJ, Joe (not Tony) and Tina following in his wake. Vince arrived from the south and tacked onto the tail. It's that same old circuit at the same old time, just a change in the order of suffering is different. Kreeky's calmer approach to Central Kialla restored the respiratory system but Col cranked up the gasps again with a spirited speed to River Rd. It's that treat of a tailwind.
I sat in The Godfather's draft as he drove to the bridge; it had been a while since I scored the shift to the dip and there weren't any nightmares associated with it. I was still conscious at the downhill into the dip so a little extra to Trevaskis Rd was added, or was GreatScottSteve behind me about to fall asleep? I'd just caught the tail after handover when the pace spiked into the 40's, legs and lungs weren't happy but the shame of going o.t.a. extracted the extra energy to hold on. Kel smoothed our path to the Broken for Bo to carry on and there was no epic drives of distance or putting most of us on the rivet ; hasn't he been restrained of late! Did someone buy him "How to Win Friends and Influence People"?
JJ scored the shift north of the highway and he's getting this driving task polished, but a diet of donuts might fatten him up so he'd at least deliver a decent draft! JJ finished his swift shift at Old Dookie Rd and had finished Joe (not Tony) on his wheel too, but to his credit, Joe soldiered on to School Rd as his contribution. Tina had the second last drive to Central Ave, Vince making sure there was little chat reaching the truck route, Pistol guaranteeing nobody was late for coffee (and that I wouldn't be late for work either).
This week 285 km YTD 10,550 km
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