Post #639
26/3 Back to the Flat Earth Society.
Back on the flat home soil after just a week away in the hilly stuff and I was already wanting a downhill for recovery! It's only 10 k's to Sanctuary Drive but the sustained speed took some adjustment. (How quickly we soften!) Lovers of the steep stuff often ridicule the level ground as "no challenge" but there's work in both (depends what you're used to I guess) Trav, Grumpy, Bruce, Tina, Emil, Rocket, Liam, Molly, The Godfather, Kreeky, Lance, the 5ft Ninja, Greg, GiantAndy, PistolPete and Nev had swelled the Sanctuary start-line, so with those sort of numbers it shouldn't be a brutal baptism back to bunch riding. Nev assigned himself as caboose captain with not a lumen to light his way while I braved joining the advance line early behind Trav.
10 degrees felt nearly tropical compared to Castlemaine's 5 two days ago, though being properly insulated on this occasion helped. Being vacuumed along in the mid 30's made a change from last weeks solo struggle too, the company makes the biggest difference though. (Almost a week of listening to myself was getting a bit scary!) The Godfather reckoned he'd kept the circus tamed, PistolPete's style hadn't faltered a fraction, Rocket's still at an idle in the high 30's (a bit like GiantAndy primed from 3 Peaks), Greg's embraced Rule #33 and is fitter than a Mallee bull post Tour de Cure, Tina's still stressed about speed but gets in and does her turns anyway and Grumpy's chat rarely takes a holiday. (It was great to be back in the thick of it all)
Time came to face the front and earn my keep in Coach Rd with the consumate gentleman Trav, his call for a cruisy turn most reassuring ; he'd even predicted my want to roll across at the bridges (or perhaps someone had pinned 'Caution ; 3km range' to my back?) Kreeky made it considerate co-pilot number two for the drive to the highway though I was surprised he called for more calm paired with Grumpy over the highway (surely I wasn't too fast?) Back in the draft after the effort at the front is a little like the descent after a climb, though I wasn't about to get too comfortable, another shift would come due before the lap was done. The Emil and PistolPete pairing at the front was bound to be brisk, the silence in the pack confirming the uptake in velocity on Lemnos-Cosgrove Rd. (Funny how the fastest always seem to congregate).
GiantAndy took his leave nearing Lemnos and simply rode off into the distance (it'd be nice to have that sort of horsepower but then youth probably helps!) My foot fumble at Numurkah Rd dropped me a rung down the ladder so I paired with Kreeky at DECA to drive to Mt.Wanganui. I was expecting to be swamped by sprinters before we got there but those with that sort of wattage were remarkably restrained (maybe they were saving their pace for the Boulevard?) Sharing the front with Grumpy in Rudd Rd had the task of facing the southerly too but I managed the short shift to Golf Drive before admitting the tank was empty. Well, almost. I'd saved a bit in reserve for what may come on the Boulevard. Technology vs physics, wary welcomes and the J curve of heart rates had tongues tattling at breakfast .
28/3 The Emil exuberance.
Let's not get our hopes up Foss. A 10% better pace to Sanctuary Drive wasn't down to a tail-wind and topping up the tyre pressures 8 psi this morning couldn't make that much difference. I reckon it was luck rather than a freakish burst of fitness (I'll guarantee there'd be the feeling of the handbrake being left on tomorrow!) Bruce, Greg, PistolPete, Tina, Lenny, Trav, Emil, Kreeky, Rocket and The Godfather made it to Monday's grid, Corona virus and a bad back excusing three regulars from riding. There'd be a little extra work than usual, and it started early. Speed was straight onto the order of business for leg one, most unlike PistolPete's smooth start, so thankfully I had Trav's smooth wheel to draft me (and Tina) gradually back to the bunch. Emil's exuberance had kicked off early. The Godfather had calmed the hurry a fraction by Central Kialla and by luck, I had Bruce to follow in the advance with Trav behind (they do discounts for seniors!)
By River Rd's dip Bruce had rolled across to the left and that's when the east northeaster made it's presence felt.......fair in the face! I could cope with high thirties but my shift would be shorter under the circumstances ; not quite to the quarter horse stud I called half time to Bruce for Trav to pair for part two. It was hardly a gale force wind to deal with, it had barely rated as a breeze, but with my limited legs and lungs the tank had drained fast. Another k and I called it quits, recovery was the want to rooster corner where I might feel human again and have some energy to catch the rush into Coach Rd. It's said you only really miss something when it's gone, so I really did miss that breeze when we;d swung north (missed it like a bout of anthrax!)
Rocket and Trav were on tow truck duties to the bridges, Kreeky captaining to the highway while a light globe flickered in my head (that east northeast wind meant there'd be a tailwind home....and odds on Pistol and Emil would be driving it!) Kreeky did well to take on part two to Old Dookie Rd while I saved the few measly watts I had for the work to come. With all pointed west and the breeze at our behinds, the Emil and Pistol show got underway. Most would be doing the 7 k's back to town like falling off a log but a few (me included) were getting close to maximum effort. We're lucky to have a team tolerant of varied velocities. Of course we all made it back to town as a team, but few were talking on the way!
29/3 Southern comfort.
It's the same old recipe. Emil to the truck route, me to Orrvale Rd, Jen to the Kinder, ,Kim to the cypress trees and then Tina takes over. But consistency is a good thing. Satisfies the o.c.d. within. And predictability is what's wanted when you're line astern in the high 30's concentrating on the derriere just a metre in front. Tina was in for a longer drive today, still steaming along at the S bend, but barely to Sellman's and her elbow said enough (What the head wanted the legs wouldn't deliver eh Tina?) The 5ft one (including cleats and helmet) extended her shift to Boundary Rd's bridge so as Emil turned up the tempo (blame the breeze behind) I'd settled in at second wheel reckoning he'd go to New Dookie Rd. Wrong! I was handed the reigns at Old Dookie for the 1400 metre effort to the New one. Jen would get the leg to Lemnos-Cosgrove so Kim and Tina missed out on the tail-wind treat (they did a great job taking us west to Lemnos North Rd though).
Consistency was back with the Ninja doing Ford Rd's first leg while Jen and I played the shock absorber to get Kim and Tina back to Emil and the Ninja's eagerness to keep the pace up. Emil put his rubber stamp on the west drive to Verney then south to Balaclava so to balance the contributions, I took on the lead toward the Butter Factory (clearly not fast enough for Emil who bolted to the High St lights.........to have it change red).
30/3 Social Wednesdays.....remember them?
'Ol mate PistolPete just loves a head wind. Nearly every morning he's the guy to face the first shift and nearly every morning there's a southerly for him to drive into. And it does nothing to slow him down! I'd suffered 10 k's worth of it to the starting grid so wasn't about to challenge him for the lead role. Bruce had the muscle to match him while Rocket, Greg, Tina, Emil, Boof, The Godfather and Kreeky lined up behind waiting for the relief steering east to Central Kialla. Convincing Tina to follow me in the advance line on River Rd was mission impossible, speed was a bit too spicy for her liking (mine too .....but I was counting on the wind being behind when my turn came due) She'd convinced herself she couldn't and that was the end of it. The minds' resolve is often unshakable (some call it stubbornness!) Yet we've all taken a dive into the deep end sometime....and have lived to tell the tale, more often than not with reasonable success. Overcoming the defeatist inside is harder than the task itself! (Tina will, one day).
I'd followed The Godfather being promoted up the ranks at River Rd's dip, my turn at the business end coming at the quarter horse gates with a side wind to fight. But if I applied Rule #5 to rooster corner there'd be a tail wind for part two. I'd ignored The Godfather's wheel staying ahead, I was doing this at my speed. Emil had eased his enthusiasm (for Tina, worn by wind) which became my bonus ; I could reach the Broken bridges before I burst! PistolPete paired with Emil for the drive to the highway, a red led ahead (a red flag to two bulls!) providing the bait for more pace......as if the tail wind wasn't tempting tempo enough. It took a couple of k's to catch Jen (arriving from an alarm malfunction) even with 40's on the menu ; so much for the social Wednesday thing! Well, at least we're not dropping bikes off the back and leaving them to find their own way home. There's some compassion in the crew (note; does not apply to Tuesdays from the shop!)
31/3 Wind woes.
Thursday's wind would have me stay in bed if it weren't for the lure of a lap with the squirrels. The sound of 37 km/h gusts was hardly the stuff of motivation. Still, suffering is better shared than solo so joining the development squad didn't need a second thought (I can sustain their speed a little longer anyway!) It was a surprise to find the Ninja at the shop, I'd be second guessing a 16k solo into a southerly to the start (7 k's of it in company with Kim and Emil was work in itself) Rolling the customary block around the Archer St shop had us to Channel Rd right on 5:30 so in a shuffle of protocols, I got the first drive to the truck route.
It's 900 metres longer than my usual Doyles to Orrvale effort so the htfu factor needed to happen in a hurry. Steering a straight line against the wind pushing at the port-side was far better than the hurt of it head-on! I took a guess at mid 30's being kosher (that's about all this old engine was going to give for the first shift anyway!) I must have set the pace right, Emil took over to Orrvale Rd at a similar speed. Jen's absence put Kim in charge for the turn to the Kinder, Tina having the hurt in Central Ave for 600 metres till the turn east toward the cypress trees. The Ninja was next up to perform east and lucky me had her dismal draft! (pleased she wasn't pushing 40 to Channel Rd's end though) Turning north onto Boundary Rd was Christmas come early with the wind now behind but I set the shift a bit short to the bridge to share that tailwind among friends. Emil did likewise to end his turn at Old Dookie, Kim enjoying the help to New Dookie and Tina with no complaints to Lemnos-Cosgrove. The Ninja missed out ; and after the toil to the start line too! Maybe next time?
It's hard to predict how long someone's shift will last unless the body language gives the game away ; the Ninja didn't go noddy headed or go grabbing at gears when the legs went licorice, the pace didn't falter either, but an elbow at the bridge confirmed enough was enough. A couple of k's to Lemnos North Rd would do me, the wind was starting to hamper my hurry and I could nearly smell a tow back to town from there. Emil was next to drive west and Kim was given the leg to Verney. Tina braved the work into the wind south toward Balaclava but Emil took pity on her toil and took on the captaincy for the 2 k's into town.
1/4 Foolish Friday.
Bo & Kel had made a comeback from Covid to lift the numbers for Friday's get together, Grumpy on his occasional visit as well offset the Lenny, Rocket and Wozza absence. PistolPete's practice of leading to Mitchell Rd had Emil join as co-pilot (so hang onto that wheel folks!), feels like 7 kept the cadence up too! A sigh of relief could be breathed turning east now that we weren't at war with the wind and I'd found myself among the gals at the back as the rotational order got sorted. Seeing the pace on the Garmin had spooked Tina, she'd bowed out of joining the advance. And that became contagious, Kim caught it too!
I had the aerodynamic advantage of drafting a matchstick with Jen ahead, so having the wind behind in Coach Rd was a bonus. Maybe I'd get lucky and get a turn done before the west way back on Old Dookie Rd? Kel and the 5ft Ninja led at the Broken bridges but the the Ninja's earlier 16k solo into the southerly to the start had worn away the watts, her pace fading near the highway. Jen played considerate co-pilot toward Pogue Rd but was called across as the Ninja's watts evaporated. So Jen and I felt the weight of expectation of the pack behind ; to be towed at a reasonable tempo toward Old Dookie, of course! Commonsense (and limited resources...like horsepower!) told me my turn should end at Old Dookie Rd, so I called half time to Jen near the fig farm to take on part two with Greg. (I'd missed the hard yards of Old Dookie and it's wind, Greg, PistolPete and Emil were better equipped for that. As if Pistol and Emil didn't provide enough pace to the truck route, The Godfather stretched the line long with a hurry-up to SPC.
This week 300km YTD 3,654km
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