Post #676
17/12 Ladies and gentlemen.
The pressure of pace was off when Emil sided with the shop squad, keeping up with the lad just on the commute is turning into a workout on it's own! Though thinking Wendy might ease the pace to Sanctuary Drive was wishful thinking; she's on a mission! (I guess I'd be well warmed up for bunch pace). Jen, Tina, Kim, Molly, the 5ft Ninja, Troy, Lance, The Godfather, PistolPete and Greg's arrival at the grid seems to have settled the Saturday factional division, PistolPete and Troy doing the honors of first shift south. Position in the pack wasn't of great concern with a fair mix of femmes and fellas playing fair. Fourth wheel in River Rd as Greg and The Godfather led us out of the dip might mean a bonus of scoring a tailwind on Coach Rd. if I kept my fingers crossed. The Godfather called it half time at the quarter horse stud and rolled left for Molly to face the music (though The Godfather wasn't easing the effort for anyone. Diplomacy wasn't in his dictionary).
Molly struggled to draw alongside, determination not enough to drive the legs to The Godfather's standards and that would have raised the white flag in her head. She retreated to his slipstream and Kim went into battle. She had some success in levelling wheels, but an unrelenting tempo soon wore the watts down. Kim called it quits and joined Molly in respite. Tina tried next and stuck to her guns to reach rooster corner then prepared to continue on Coach Rd if The Godfather showed a little compassion. (Yeah, as if!) Tina retreated to the draft too. There were some gentlemen in the group though.
Despite the quick succession of shifts in a kilometre, I did get my tailwind turn headed to the bridges but The Godfather was still stoic in his speed. (I guess an unrelenting tempo keeps the standards high but a little sympathy might foster some faith) I'd hoped I'd be allowed to call half time at the Broken 'cause the highway would be my limit; lucky I was given permission then had Lance alongside for part two. His standards were slightly slower (cheque's in the mail Lance!) but had expended enough effort by Channel Rd. PistolPete stayed level with Lance to the highway (nothing wrong with respect for your elders, especially when they're wanting watts) Pistol and Troy started round two on Boundary Rd and that equation of watts and wind meant pace got perkier. The Ninja seemed be relishing the standards set and jumped at the challenge to drive Old Dookie Rd to the Toaster. (She's risen a rung or three since separating from the squirrels). Molly, Tina and Kim got a proper turn at the business end, free from The Godfather's pressure, the way west helped by that fraction of easterly in the south southeaster.
The craters near the bridge on Lemnos-Cosgrove Rd have been filled at last, just the dusting of gravel on top to deal with while I got the head into gear to take on the first of Ford Rd's length.... and The Godfather's standards to live up to (Full block Foss!) The bonus for my effort was being towed along Wanganui Rd (hopefully!) The closer to town the more the excitement escalates, so by Mt.Wanganui 40's was commonplace. Several had confirmed their place in the caboose. PistolPete did a great GiantAndy impersonation on the Boulevard, stretching 9 to Indian file behind (Kim had departed for Saturday duties and Wendy about faced to clock a hundred) but by Tarcoola's roundabout, Molly had disconnected from the draft of the wheel ahead. With Lance in labor behind her, I did the diplomatic deed of serving a slipstream to keep both in touch with the team (when we caught them at the town hall0. Cospiracy theorists, Y2K and card players kept conversation on the boil over breakfast. Did a 34.9 average speed deserve a croissant? I thought so.
19/12 Somethin' like Summer.
Christmas had come early. Jen and Emil arrived at Tarcoola and I got a free tow to Archer Rd without so much as an invoice! And just as I thought Jen was about to show an elbow, Lenny appeared to pair with Emil and tow Jen, Tina and I to Sanctuary Drive! Chauffer driven to the grid and barely into zone 4 getting there. I could take this treatment anytime! (Any wonder the gals are smiling sitting in the draft most days) I might even have a little horsepower to do a decent shift today? The 5ft Ninja, PistolPete, Bo, Troy, Lenny, Rocket, Kel, Bruce, Wozza and The Godfather lined up for the second last Monday of the year, Pistol's obsessive compulsive drive to Mitchel Rd had Emil as emissary alongside.
Bruce bouncing the Bosi suggested a problem with pressure, the right left into leg two confirming a puncture would pause us. The ensuing sledges entertained us roadside while repairs righted the problem (Oddly, there was no sermon from the tubeless testament read by the Bishop of Belgium) Underway in a little over six minutes (according to the official timekeeper) the order had shuffled a little; I'd wound up on Emil's wheel as Troy headed us to Central Kialla, then became 2iC while Emil and Troy took us north to River Rd.
That draft to the start left something in the legs to aim at the bridge as a half way point, Emil kind enough to hold off his horsepower to remain alongside (and I didn't smell a hint of burning brake pads!) Lenny was lenient with me for part two to the dip, thank heavens for that half metre worth of descent off the bridge to keep pace going. The tank was just about dry on the descent into the dip, almost doubting the legs would do the labor uphill out of it, but that bait of belonging in the bunch did the trick - I took the vow of silence for 3 minutes, praying for recovery. I could be social nearing rooster corner now that oxygen wasn't so precious, the weekend's activities compared amongst the clan while Kel and the Ninja led the way.
Tina withdrew from duty, a bad back to blame (and I reckon 40's on the speedo along Coach Rd would have confirmed the choice) Bo had booked a back seat too but I joined the advance again, only for the sake of the southeaster saving a little stress. I doubt there'd be another shift to drive with Wozz, Rocket, Pistol, Bruce and Troy ready to serve a second sentence (and their shifts aren't shy) Legs exposed to the sunshine and almost double digit temperature put a positive into the west way to town; it felt like a foreign planet compared to the longest coldest Winter we'd seemed to endure.
20/12 And long may he reign.
I was all psyched up and ready to take on the usual Doyles to Orrvale shift.....but Emil stayed on as captain. No grizzles from me; an east northeaster in the face wasn't going to make the driving that delightful and I could spend an extra couple of minutes hardening the head in the meantime. I'd score the benefit of the snooker table smoothness of the leg to the Kinder too. Through the left right chicane that's the Orrvale Rd intersection and Emil still stayed in the drivers seat. I'm sure Kim, Wendy and Tina behind wouldn't mind a delay in getting to the front either.
Channel Rd's orchards tend to funnel any wind to a head-on heartache, surely I'd be given that hurt in Central Ave? Nope. Emil wasn't budging from the drivers seat. (Far be it from me to disturb a martyr at work!) There wasn't a flinch of an elbow at the cypress trees either so this might need a pair of slippers, a cup of tea and a good book while waiting in second wheel, but those damn heart rate numbers were on the increase by the S bend. I wondered for a moment if the obstinate little bloke was going to break Joel Sellwood's captaincy record! This was becoming a shift of Ben Hur proportions when he was still heading the line into Coach Rd and heading to the highway. At least that wind was at the starboard side now.
Being handed the reigns for Boundary Rd was almost a shock (I was beginning to imagine a free tow to coffee!) but the old engine spluttered into life to set a speed something sort of reasonable. I wasn't falling into the trap of trying to match Emil's distance, an eye on Old Dookie Rd was a long enough target for me. Bang on 6am when I elbowed Kim to the front (an eye on the time was better reading than the high heart rate) I retreated rearward for respite. How timely that a passing car and truck gifted Kim a slipstream to New Dookie Rd. Wendy got the role to reach Lemnos-Cosgrove Rd, her duty done with ease with legs hardened by hills of late. With a sore back and a niggling knee, Tina was blessed with the tailwind toward Lemnos but didn't push her luck beyond the bridge (something would be needed for tomorrow) so Emil was put in charge for the 1600 metres to Lemnos North Rd.
Would this be his second epic drive of the day? Some sense of sharing had overpowered him 'cause I was given the first 3 k's of Ford to sustain the pace. With the wind as assistant, my turn could nearly be called reasonable. Kim did a Ninja-like launch toward Verney at Grahamvale Rd, quite the chase if I was to get that heart rate happier in the slipstream of survival. Wendy was given the prized position of lead to Balaclava Rd though Emil's itch was evident nearing Pine Rd. Sure as eggs, he did the take-over bid and charged to the traffic lights for a date with that pedestrian button to make the red go green.
21/12 Boys being boys.
The sorting of shop and Sanctuary squads was done in Archer Rd and only Kim, Tina and I had set sights on the southern start line and I wondered what sort of numbers would opt for the social standard. Greg, the 5ft Ninja, TrackStan, The Godfather, Bo, PistolPete and Kel answered the question. The northeaster had removed the usual stress of the southerly commute so why not take an early shift and make use of the wind's assistance? Partnering PistolPete was a bold move for me when 5:40 dictated wheels get rolling, the first 1100 metres not a problem while the bunch got into order but pace became the issue on the second leg beyond the truck route. 38's was a bit of a brutal baptism for social Wednesday! Speed standards slumped on the east path to Central Kialla and Greg did his best to hold back his horsepower beside me, but his engine was almost stalling at 36's and rolled across with just a k completed. (Funny, my elbow hadn't moved a millimetre). Hanging on to Bo and Greg's bolt to Euroa Rd was as good as a turn on the front.
Kel and TrackStan led the way north while some sense of composure returned. The advantage of shelter in the advance line came on River Rd though duty would call again as shifts shortened. The Godfather and the 5ft Ninja led the lines out of the dip and did their duty to the quarter horse stud where my number was drawn again. Coach Rd was but a spec on the orange horizon which didn't help the head but I guess there'd be a whole lot more hurt with Liam leading the line of the shop squad hurtling west.
A k with PistolPete almost pickled me, the next k to rooster corner with Greg digging the depth of determination to reach it. It's hard to focus the effort amidst the pleas from the legs for rest, the heart having a hernia and the lungs fit to burst; ignoring the anguish by concentrating on other things just ain't loud enough to drown out the suffering signals. Greg and Bo faced the northeaster toward the Broken bridges and a battle of one upmanship seemed to start when The Godfather hollered "Full block!" I found 36's a battle before but these two were locked into a war of 39's to the bridges and beyond. Greg seemed to have the upper hand (and a whole wheel ahead) at Channel Rd but Bo was defiant in his drive to the highway to be at the peak of the pecking order.
Plent of huffs and puffs behind told of the toil. TrackStan seemed spent fronting in Boundary Rd, a winter lay-off and a broken wrist throwing him quickly in the pursuit of fitness. The way west on Old Dookie Rd got speed spicy now that the wind was a friend, The Godfather testing Kel's stamina to School Rd prompting Kim and Tina to withdraw from duty. The Ninja proved a powerful point partnering Pistol for the distance from Central Ave to the truck route and that saved me the torture at the front for the final dash when Pete led the Indian filed line to SPC at 43's.
22/12 Sleep finally came about 10 minutes before stupid o'clock. So when the alarm sounded, I succumbed to the softness of sleep.
23/12 Friday festivities.
Which way was that wind blowing? It's become the critical question lately, more important than the temperature or if rain is on the radar. Tactics were well underway even as caffeine went into the tank at stupid o'clock; position in the peloton to get the breeze at the backside is the priority when you're at a want for watts in a pack full of horsepower. An easterly meant hurt on the outbound and heaven back home so already the plan was a delay in driving duty till at least Coach Rd. PistolPete's wheel would be pounced on by The Godfather, guaranteed, so somewhere near that would suit. The 10 k's to Sanctuary with Emil, Tina, Kim and Jen wasn't too taxing and an early berth at the grid got me on Pistol's wheel as Lenny, TrackStan, the 5ft Ninja, GiantAndy, Kel, Troy, Boof, Rocket, Bruce, Wozza, Liam, Bo and Trav filled the parking lane west of the roundabout. Luck might just have scored me prime position!
The Godfather arrived at the second stroke of 5:40, snagging PistolPete's wheel as he rounded the roundabout. No matter to me, a field of 20 guaranteed me a late shift anyway. Christmas looming near had spirits high and 15 degrees was nothing to complain about, the conformity to kit day fairly high with just three or four out of uniform (demerit points for infringement?) TrackStan was back in his pursuit of lost fitness, young Liam at the opposite end of the spectrum cruising calmly at 38's.
By coincidence, those with energy on tap (I don't need to name them; you know the culprits!) faced the easterly on River Rd and they've got that certain something that defies the physics of wind resistance and it doesn't affect their speed (I'll have a truck load thanks!) The change from left line to right eventually happened on the turn into Coach Rd, with the standard sprint to catch the tail thrown in to make sure nobody was asleep at the back (though Bo and Wozza were sitting this one out; somehow connected to a festive hydration with the Wouldabeens last night?) TrackStan was at a want for watts when promoted to the pointy end at the Broken bridge but persevered the pain to the highway. Three in the Hurtlocker, a collection of Cats, a solitary Simon and a handful of '51's all sailed south (Summer certainly gets a few out of hibernation!) while our target to reach Old Dookie had the delight of a tailwind home as bait.
I was a little closer to the front now, though chances of reaching the front were fickle. Jen, Kim and Tina, line astern, had timed their duty with wind their favor, so minus that usual drag in the drivers seat, had a confident term at the front with less pressure on performance. Being towed for the entire lap had me with a few watts to burn, so summoned to the front when Tina called it quits at the truck route, I scored the last leg to SPC. The breeze (but most likely the expectation of 19 behind) got 42's on the speedo to Drummond Rd though by Mitchell Rd the old engine started to miss-fire, so I gave The Godfather the honors of heading the mob to SPC and beyond, forcing him to drive half a turn at least.
I trust you've all been good enough through the year to score a bit of bike bling under the Christmas tree. Hydrate well folks. And may 2023 see you all stay upright!
This week 262km
YTD 12,827km
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