Post #640
2/4 @ effort's end.
Of course there was a struggle into a southerly toward Sanctuary's start, most of the week had a head-on to deal with so why not Saturday too? It's meant to make you stronger but it's sending me to the therapist for the nightmares it brings on! I was glad Emil was on a quiet commute (he was riding the Giro Della Donna tomorrow) 'cause I could get little more than 30 out of the old engine to get to the grid. Strange that PistolPete was absent at the roundabout, though Wozza had made a tentative comeback nursing a recovering back injury. The Godfather, Molly, Bo, TrackStan, the 5ft Ninja, Boof, Lance, Bruce, Nev, Rocket and Greg lined up behind.
I try not to get choosy when the flag falls at 6, but by chance, I'd drawn Lance's wheel as the order got sorted. Someone of similar speed (and seniority) took the pressure off with a bunch heavily biased on horsepower. Substantial speed south had Molly at full throttle (and losing grip on the wheel ahead) but Emil performed the chivalrous duty of donating a draft till Bruce, Rocket, Boof and co eased off the gas in Mitchell Rd. Tempo had already tested the water and there'd be more measuring of limits to come I'd guess.
TatMat and TatPaul jumped aboard at Central Kialla. Boof and Nev got to the front at River Rd's dip and both had determination by the bucket-load to drive to rooster corner (that's good; closer to a tail-wind turn for me!) Nev seemed to be softening Lance with labor to the Broken bridges so I took care to keep wheels level with him when we paired to the highway (Don't burn a team mate when he's toasted already!) I had some reserves left to pair with Bo to Boundary Rd's bridge and that's where The Godfather played co-pilot with Bo and the high jinks commenced (half wheeled to Old Dookie Rd, but Bo wasn't taking the bait). TatMat had the horsepower to cope with The Godfather's shenanigans to the Toaster. The southerly (17-26 km/h) was going to be a nuisance on the hurry back to town so rejoining the advance on Lemnos-Cosgrove wasn't so inviting. At least Lance wouldn't kill me. That long stretch of Lemnos-Cosgrove Rd didn't take that long to travel with the horsepower at the front, a few at the rear somewhat silent with the speed. Closer to town meant closer to breakfast where the effort could end but another contribution at the front was near.
Nev and Lance headed us into Wanganui Rd though Nev messed with the routine turning up the pace early and encouraged Lance to tuck in behind, so my turn arrived a little earlier (and a lot faster) than expected. Shortened my expectations of survival too! So a short shift it was to DECA's gate before calling for Bo's draft, the trouble being The Godfather was up to making Bo's life miserable headed to Mt. Wanganui. Mid 40's at second wheel put me in struggle street nearing Kittles Rd and a gap slowly opened, making up the deficit was judged impossible till Bo's resolve snapped 50 metres later. Only then could I find the extra oomph (lower case oomph in my case!) to get back into the slipstream. Even though legs were complaining and lungs were trying to burst, something extra was found at the bottom of an empty tank to hold onto the bunch toward breakfast on the Boulevard ; I reckon it was the thought of being dropped that provided the urge. What motivates employees, non-payers and magic wands carried the conversations over the breakfast table.
4/4 Hark! What light through yonder horizon breaks?
Darkness was still the greeting at Sanctuary Drive despite the shift to Eastern Standard Time, though a little early light should come half way around the Monday lap (well, that was the motivational factor to break my lethargy at breakfast) It felt odd that PistolPete wasn't parked at Sanctuary's grid at 5:39 so Emil and Bruce took the lead role at the start-line. Pistol arrived a moment later with Kreeky, Lenny, Wozza, Tina, The Godfather, Kel, Rocket and Greg lining up behind. Placed 2nd wheel in the left line as the order got organised toward the truck route meant I'd be the last to hit the front, so I had plenty of time to prepare for the exertion.
There might even be a little help from that southwest breeze when I got there too? As if to fuel a feeling of inadequacy, Emil and Bruce set high 30's into the wind (I guess if you've got the wattage you may as well use it) A serve of speed first thing Monday is like diving in the deep end but none of us turn up to the start expecting a dawdle around the circuit! A little colour on the horizon in River Rd sparked some enthusiasm - wasn't it nice to see something a bit further beyond the headlight's beam. Lenny's the latest emerging from a weeks Covid isolation and despite the time off the bike there's no sign of slowness! Again spooked by speed, Tina chose to sit at the back and command the caboose when I swapped lines to join the advance.
Lenny and Pistol drove the train out of the dip while the thought of scoring a tail-wind slowly slipped from my hopeful list. A long line of lads and a lass were yet to do duty. Rocket and Wozza (there's that potent pairing again!) took charge in Coach Rd though Wozza cut his shift short rolling across at the Broken (saving something for Tuesday?) so Kreeky did the co-pilot job to the highway. Things were swinging back in my favor again, some of my turn would have the breeze behind (a miserable 4 km/h worth.....but every bit helps....)
Kel and Kreeky led from the highway though it was surprise to see Kreeky call it quits at the bridge (worn out from the weekend?) so I had the job of getting smoothness and speed up to Kel's standards to Old Dookie Rd. (just trying to copy that smoothness helped me to do the distance) Emil graciously eased his effort while I gasped to drive part two of the shift west, calling for the mercy of a draft at School Rd. What little reserves that remained were spent on the speed that the PistolPete and Emil combination delivered to Central Ave. The slow for the intersection gained a breath or two to survive the speed back home.
5/4 Partner provocation 101.
A bike just serviced seems to glide smoother, quieter and maybe slightly faster, a purring chain and hum of the wheels certainly put a positive into the ride (Now to get the clunks, creaks and rattles in the old engine fixed!) Feels like 6.5 makes you draw a bit more breath and turns up the adrenaline getting up to speed, the bonus of barely a breeze blowing probably prevented being frozen. I'd attached to the Archer St commute with Emil and Kim, Jen joining en-route to spin the streets southward where Tina and the Ninja were found at the shop. With the squad gathered and 5:29 on the clock, Emil set the path east with plenty of vim in velocity to the truck route. Not sure I'd be reaching his standards for my drive to Orrvale.
A slow build up of pace after crossing Doyles (giving the impression I was letting all get in the draft) was hoped to leave some sort of energy to go the distance, the last 50 metres running right out of steam giving the impression I was exercising caution for the intersection. Tina broke tradition doing leg 3 to the Kinder but Kim took on the tradition of leg 4 to the cypress trees. Jen had delayed her appearance at the front till now and drove leg 5 a little slower than usual (not the Jen I know) but was determined to reach Channel Rd's end. The change of order put a new perspective to the same old same old. The 5ft Ninja faced the north drive on Boundary Rd and with 1300 metres to the bridge being enough expenditure, handed Emil the reigns. Faster was the next order of business. The acceleration was spared till the 5ft one got into the draft, then he served up the huff and puff to nudge the 40's, the air seemingly charged with "What have I done to deserve this?" from some behind me. (Yeah Emil, it'll make 'em stronger....but at some personal cost to you!) His enthusiasm continued to New Dookie Rd before I was promoted to captain.
I eased a k or two for the drive to Lemnos-Cosgrove Rd 'cause my legs weren't going to match Emil's energy (and I'd be ranked as the nice guy as a result). There was no stress about speed for Tina when single filed at the front (just a couple of k's faster and paired with someone at the pointy end might be the repellent to Monday's, Wednesday's and Fridays?) setting a decent speed to the bridge for Kim and Jen to share the load to Lemnos-North Rd. The Ninja cut her shift short for Ford Rd, handing the helm to Emil just a k into it (was she privy to what was to come?) Mid 30's was ditched for a dash in the 40's beyond Grahamvale Rd, so by Verney Rd there'd be copious cussing if it weren't for the hurried intake of oxygen. Emil may have felt a burning sensation from the glares behind 'cause he'd backed off the bravado to lead the way to Balaclava Rd at a more conservative and considerate pace. (Must loan him "How to Win Friends & Influence People"!)
6/4 Don't ya just love the serenity!
PistolPete was awol and that made the start line strange. Rocket and Wozz had occupied the drivers seats so thoughts of a lap at social speed seemed doubtful. Ah, but I was a bit quick to judge, the pair were most diplomatic with the accelerator to the truck route and fair setting the cruising speed to Mitchell. Maybe a Wednesday social spin was back on the agenda? (Let's not get too excited Foss, the sight of SPC seems to incite speed!)
River Rd had a red skyline as I'd reached the rear, Bo and I convincing Tina to join the advance finally getting a nod. (fingers crossed the social speed would stick) With the sedate speed came plenty of chat, all swiftly silenced by The Godfather's retorts of course. It sounds like a calamity unfolding but we've learned it's just crying wolf (and it's given the same credence as his calls at intersections!) The sky lit up as Kreeky and Bruce led us to rooster corner, Trav and The Godfather keeping some calm toward the Broken. It felt odd to have a view in focus and be able to speak a sentence or two close to the business end. Crossing the highway, the combination of Kel and Jen together at the front across could have spelled hurt, but they'd conformed to the Wednesday protocols too.
The turns rolled in favor of Tina having assistance from the southerly breeze to Old Dookie Rd and I took care to keep wheels level for our pairing west toward School Rd, but Tina's tank was empty just a few hundred metres later (well, almost empty, just enough left to keep pace in the draft) Emil stuck to social specifications too for a while till the speed was slowly dialed up beyond Central Ave. Clear of traffic at the truck route, the pace got spicy to SPC (of course!) , but all were safely slimmed to single file to stay clear of the cranky commuting in cars.
7/4 Thrash therapy.
(Single file would have let me set my own pace at the front but that's taking the easy way out.....now I'd have to match someone else at the pointy end! Thankfully this is a considerate crew ; they do concessions for the aged!) High 30's and low 40's got the engine temperature up but hopes weren't up of doing a turn as long as this lot ; I'd just try the tempo at the front till the engine spluttered in protest then call for a draft before the meter expired. There were a few still to serve time so I could sit back and enjoy the show (and do a lot of oxygen stocktaking). The Godfather and Bo measured each other to the quarter horse stud, Kel then Kreeky rolling the rotations to reach rooster corner where I'd face the front. Mid 30's wasn't hard to reach out of River Rd and into Coach but getting three more k's out of the legs really emptied the tank. I wasn't shy in admitting my shortcomings to Kreeky and rolled the turn at One Tree Dam, the hard part was part two trying to reach the bridges before the boiler burst.
Emil was kind to apply his handbrake for a while but I couldn't ignore the signals of stress a bit shy of the river. The heart rate was still on a high as Emil and Pistol made the 40's to the highway look easy. Pistol and Wozz kept the pace percolating toward Old Dookie Rd and as Wozz rolled across for Boof to front, the dead rabbit on the road wasn't seen. Emil and I whacked it, kicking my front wheel a few inches sideways, as if the heart rate wan't high enough! (I might need a tyre lever to get off the saddle?) Staying upright was a bonus. There was some consolation to be nearly last in line on the turn west into Old Dookie, full gas was needed to catch the bunch but there'd be no more punishment at the pointy end for me. Legs and lungs wanted the suffering to stop but the challenge of surviving the Thursday thrash was therapy in itself, though finishing with the bunch would be the big test as Greg turned up the torment with speed to SPC. How lucky was I that PistolPete had hung back a few metres from the pack through the streets toward the Butter Factory where I could use his slipstream to survive.
8/4 Rain stopped play Friday, and I'll admit the sleep-in felt like Christmas on a stick!
This week 266km YTD 4,186
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