The signature of speed.

 Post #579

26/12  The cure for Christmas calories.

Going back for 'seconds' was probably a bad idea, Christmas lunch had turned into a ball and chain by Saturday, so the first k on the bike felt like a category two climb.  Carrying top weight doesn't help with the pace but guess what? We'll probably all go back for seconds next year!  Emil and visiting brother Anth were waiting as arranged, my hopes pinned on a better turn-up than last Saturday's four.  We were early to Sanctuary Drive so rolled the tarmac in wait, headlights and led's gradually appearing as the clock ticked closer to six.  Kreeky, Tina, Bo, PistolPete, Lance and Molly assembled, Pistol our pilot (yet again) for the 3k south to Mitchell Rd with Molly in tow.  Would today be her first fronting?  The question was answered on the east leg to Central Kialla, Molly's debut driven determined (and with a good deal of bravado I'd say).   Remember your first nervous metres at the business end with a bunch breathing down your neck? Let's see when Molly next steps up to the task.  

Tina's turn took us north through Central Kialla, my opening act due for River Rd.  Bonus! The southeast breeze I faced was barely blowing a leaf out of place.  Maybe the extra serve of turkey helped the tempo 'cause speed came easily to the bridge and feeling almost reasonable beyond the channel, perhaps the extra pavlova pushed me on to reach the dip?  I handed Lance the lead and retreated rearward for respite, happy that eight would go to work before I was due to contribute again.  

Lance labored the standard shift to the Angora farm then ushered Kreeky to captain ; I wondered how much pavlova powered him?  He was still swift at River Rd's end where the slim shop squad  (Liam, Bruce, Lenny and Trav) joined in, Kreeky staying on in the drivers seat along Coach Rd (if only to burn off the festive excesses)    Bo had Boundary Rd to tow us northward, the serious wattage of Bruce, Liam, Trav and Lenny yet to unleash their labor.  Emil has quickly conformed to Couldabeens code, swift yet fair to the Toaster despite the building breeze.  Genetics were similar in brother Anth to contribute his tempo to Lemnos-Cosgrove Rd, Pistol handed the hurry west with the southeaster prevailing but capped the tempo to 40 to keep the crew together.  Lenny had positioned behind Pistol, taking the lead when Pete's elbow beckoned at Boundary Rd, but he'd labored the line to Lemnos North Rd, toasting Tina at second wheel.   

I'd been promoted to the front a little ahead of expectation.  Somewhere in the skull set the target to reach Grahamvale Rd, immediately avoiding looking at the distant speck but focusing just a few metres ahead  (less the the goal appear unreachable).  Maybe setting the bar a little higher unlocks those mental limits?  I'd usually take on a two k shift but this was closer to three.  Content (yet cooked) reaching the goal, the next challenge was hanging on while Bruce bolted into town, thanks to his sympathetic start to the shift I'd caught the draft to hang on.  Tina and Molly had commandeered the caboose.  

Trav then Liam divided duties to drag us along Wanganui Rd, still with the speed simmering at 40, but without the sting of a sprint.  The speed was swift along the Boulevard in the urge to quaff caffeine, Liam and Trav continued to clock more k's, the rest retiring to the Butter factory breakfast table, most just for coffee as appetites had been crushed by Christmas.  Focus, shoes and the Rain Man spectrum cornered the conversation with Kel, Jen and Cate chiming in. 

28/12  The festive few. 

PistolPete could do the first shift.  That south southwester was rattling the roof tiles (26-38 km/h worth) and Emil and I had 10 k's of torment to get to the grid.   But Sanctuary's roundabout was all but deserted!  Where were the dedicated?  Full of Christmas pudding and unable to throw a leg over the bike?   TatMat was the last guy I expected to see at the grid but my number one pick to join in, the perfect partner in pace and 33% less work for me!  With PistolPete a.w.o.l., I took the first torture for the team, but just a k to the truck route had almost cooked me.  Emil was given the task to tow us to Mitchell Rd.  He's younger!  TatMat set a speed at sustainable for the way east, wasn't I lucky to have that wind almost behind me when my number came up to head us to River Rd (not quite at full throttle ; there were a few more turns in store with just 3 on duty)  Emil made his move east toward the bridge and went into overtime to make it to the dip, TatMat on a similar mission of distance (just fine with me to be towed to Coach Rd with that wind still in my favor)      

Rocket, Bruce, Wozza and Giant Andy emerged from rooster corner (attendance still a little shy at the shop?) so their inclusion to our little threesome meant less to do on the front but more to do with the muscles!  I felt a certain pressure to perform when handed the reigns for Coach Rd, a whole heap of wattage behind me and I didn't want undue wear on their brakes!  40 seemed feasible for Foss to make it to the highway with a little effort banked to catch the tail when it passed, Emil now feeling the stress of the swift at his tail.  And did do good, he'd made it to Old Dookie Rd but now we had the big horsepower to deal with.   Rocket kept 40's on the menu despite the wind blowing in at 10 o'clock ('cause he can), a swift shift to School Rd where Wozza demonstrated his drive to do likewise.  Several rungs on that ladder of labor too high for me, I just fought to find the draft.  Bruce persisted with that pace and handed the last leg to Giant Andy at Dobson's bridge.  Positioning perfectly in that wake was vital to hanging on.  TatMat had the duty to drive us to SPC, slightly (but sensibly) slower for the building traffic.  Legs and lungs could calm at last. 

29/12  Flotsam and jetsam.

Feels like 5?  This is December, right?  Somebody press ctrl alt delete!   And a south southwester at 32 km/h!  That belongs in September!  Warming up on Wanganui Rd hardened the head for facing the wind but I wondered if any Goats had hardened themselves to ride?  Sandy, Phil, Hommie and Mitch proved me wrong gathering at Friars, a moments delay for Dippa to arrive and Sandy set us on the eastward exit of town.  Hommie headed us to Dobson's but stayed on as captain to Central Ave (motivated by that south southwester I'd say).  

 I'd scored the next turn but wasn't going to get greedy, to School Rd would do me and Phil could have the benefit of the breeze to Boundary.  To share is fair.   Mitch faced the windswept work south to the fig farm, Dippa doing his drive to the bridge so Sandy could make haste to the highway (her draft as useful as sitting behind a pencil).  Work could wait today, a full lap was on my agenda.  Hommie's not the smoothest of wheels to follow but his wake makes up for that, forging on toward the Broken bridges.  He'd slowed slightly over the second bridge, and without his call or an elbow, I promoted myself to the front.  Preserving pace is paramount.  Onward for a couple of k's to River Rd got the engine numbers rising but Phil called 'straight on' just as I considered slowing to turn west.  Mitchell Rd was now the preferred course since Coggo's crash. Another half k at the front had me spent (despite the pair of red led's ahead to chase) so Phil took the reigns toward the main eastern channel.  Mitch made the move into Mitchell Rd (how appropriate) with a little directional guidance as WhisperingJack and BamBam took the invitation to jump aboard. Hommie headed us west but the wind was wearing at his wattage. 

 I took his sinking speed (no elbow, no word, no glance back)  as my cue to take over.  I'd stubbornly set Central Kialla as my target 4 k's ahead, I'll admit making hibernating hitch-hikers pay a penance had a lot to do with the aim.  That south southwester wasn't so kind but getting angry with it dug up some determination to get there.  There was relief in the recovery at the rear as Phil took the tempo toward Archer Rd.  Whispering Jack cranked that big gear to Dave's dip, BamBam's aerodynamics burning him (and benefiting us) to the highway.  I was reckoning at reaching the front in Conrod straight so the sprint had my odds lengthened.  Dippa steered us through the rough of Roubaix corner, Sandy's shift spirited to Galbraith's gate and Hommie had the wind behind him to enthuse a turn beyond Arcadia Downs so, as predicted, I got the opening act into Conrod straight.  With the wind right up the Khyber and the first dip lifting the pace into mid 40's I felt it perfect time to tax the hitch-hikers again.  I'd burn out before the finish line but Phil could take the chocolates.  200 to go and I'd blown a gasket, a glance back at Phil got him off the saddle, surprisingly seeing Whispering Jack glued to his wheel.  And a whole lot of empty space behind.  A roll for the rest of Raftery Rd helped the recovery (and gather the group again) the tail-wind home a rare treat to be treasured.

30/12  Clans combined.

Lots of leds lit Sanctuary Drive, we either had a full 5:40 squad or we'd been invaded by foreigners!  Faces revealed the fitter faction had fronted, Rocket, GiantAndy, Bruce, Lenny, Grumpy and Wozza joining  the regulars Kreeky, Tina, PistolPete, Bo, Emil, Temple, Kel and The Godfather.  Shorty was an unexpected wildcard entry.  This would be a long line with one turn guaranteed.  Why I'd lined up at 5th wheel behind the fast fella's I'll never know!  Bruce set the starting shift at swift to Mitchell Rd, Lenny keeping lungs laboring to Central Kialla.  The south southeaster should have made Rocket's turn to River Rd tortuous but he restrained pace so the line didn't fracture.  Grumpy set us eastward but needed Bruce's advice to get up the road to shelter the followers from the wind.  I was pre-occupied psyching up for my turn of torture at River Rd's bridge but Grumpy threw his elbow early.  

The Godfather's sledge on Grumpy's shy shift certainly put the pressure of performance on me. Out of the draft that wind felt tenfold, the (expected) turn to the dip needing all the muscle I could muster.  Right at the red zone on the downhill into the dip, I elbowed The Godfather to take charge, happy he'd stuck with the speed 'cause any acceleration would have me o.t.a.    And it wasn't just me, others seemed spent as they rolled rearward after facing the front, it's only that faction of the fitter that don't seem to wilt.  PistolPete made his first appearance at the business end in Coach Rd, keeping the line swift and silent.  The big wattage was rising to the top (funny how they're always concentrated in 3's and 4's, never evenly distributed among the lower ranks!)  GiantAndy's torque towed us to Old Dookie Rd while I distracted thoughts of labor to the post ride coffee I could enjoy after.  A mid-week day off  was almost like Christmas again.   There was a rare respite in place of the usual fast finish, Kel and Tina calming the final k's to town, the icing on the cake, the chat and coffee with time of little concern.  The arrival of Wannabee's Jase and Weapon kept the social stuff flowing, so more caffeine flowed.

31/12  Another year over.....

Thursday had yet another southerly to suffer toward Sanctuary, at least the temperature was a little closer to Summer.  I'd fight for 5th wheel or further back today rather than face that 24 km/h wind. Pistol was up to it of course, seemingly faster to reach Mitchell Rd with Kreeky, The Godfather, Col, Grumpy, Emil, Temple, Joe (not Tony), GiantAndy, Kel, Rocket, Tina, Grumpy, Wozza and Lenny tucked into the draft behind. (those fast fella's were back to make sure we didn't sleep on the job!)   Vince and the Rabbit joined the procession as Kreeky headed us to Central Kialla, the wind now at the starboard side.  With The Godfather, Col and Grumpy yet to serve their speed it was likely my turn would be in River Rd suffering similar side-on stress. The Godfather (alone? never!) scored the tail-wind to River Rd and Col paid his Christmas pudding penance to the bridge, my turn due when Grumpy threw his elbow somewhere near the dip (if I could distinguish it from that little shoulder thing he does)  Me being captain was clear as crystal when Grumpy swung off the front out of the dip, so I drove like an American to shelter the 15 behind from that southerly.  

Keeping up the prior pace went well for a k till alarm bells started to ring ; not sure which was the loudest among legs, lungs or the lofty heart rate that convinced the head to hand-over.  I'd wanted to reach Coach Rd but buckled with a k to go, handing the hurt to Emil (he'd given me the heads up of his half turn today (wisdom tooth out yesterday).   Wozza's work north had the tail into the mid 40's to get back aboard, the line appearing longer viewed from my 2nd last wheel position.  With new found mojo, Temple made good speed to Channel Rd, Joe (not Tony) a brief donation to the highway.  

Not quite sure who took the reigns next, it was all a bit blurred by speed (and a dozen bums ahead blocked my view), though I should have recognized that signature of speed as Rocket driving us to Old Dookie Rd.  

Kel then Tina expended their energy west and were probably hoping their successors spared the horsepower home (funnily enough there's always that little bit more found to catch the draft, despite the exhaustion peeling off the front). Who did the last turns I can't say, I had the head down hanging on and hoping the hurt would end. Soon! Clocking the second best time for the circuit should have made things feel better!  

1/1  ......and a new one just begun. 

There'd be several sore heads this morning, suffering the effects of excess New Year's Eve hydration, so I'd already resolved to ride solo for New Year's day (only the real addicts eh?).  Starting the year with a sleep-in till 5 seemed a little luxurious (I could grow accustomed to it though!), rolling the bike out the driveway at 6 most civilized.  Forecast showers were south of the radar so opportunity knocked to tap a Toaster circuit to break-in the new year.  Wanganui Rd's empty tarmac gave a feeling of freedom but headed straight into an easterly required an effort.  Out Ford Rd and onto Lemnos-Cosgrove, I'd hoped that wind better not shift, I may need help homeward if I emptied the tank too fast.  I'd found the suitable spin to sustain speed yet keep a cap on the cardiac numbers, sun-up under a curtain of dark cloud an inspiration to reach Pine Lodge North Rd without too much delay.  That God of cycling was kind today keeping the wind fixed, the spin south to the Toaster was most therapeutic.  Dark clouds and lightning looked ominous over Meipol and something was brewing above Dookie.  Skies over Lemnos weren't that inviting either.  A spot or three from above tapped the helmet in Old Dookie Rd back toward Boundary, but there it ended.  

I'm not a fan of getting soaked on the bike so eyes analysed the skies while the head planned a few short-cuts (if need be) to stay dry.  The tarmac was damp south of the Midland but the skies seemed to be behaving, so harden-up Foss, press on with the plan of a full lap!  The feel of a little northerly had crept into the easterly on River Rd but the feeling of knocking over a few k's when others were dozing pumped up the performance.  There'd be bike cleaning on today's roster as the damp did it's best to sully the cycle, the road still wet down to Mitchell and across to the highway.  First car spotted for the ride.  'Round the rough of Roubaix corner and on to Galbraith's gate the tarmac was now dry but Raftery Rd slowly swinging north put that wind back at the brow.  Just a bit of effort and Conrod was complete, the Butter Factory's fruit bowl my temptation for tempo into town.  I'd berthed for breakfast just as the heavens opened.....what timing!

This week   307 km    YTD 11,632 km