A holiday from hurt?

 Post #693

10/4 Trial by temperature.

Gloves with fingers, knee warmers and the Eskimo rated base layer were left on the reserve bench for the cold to come; Monday's feels like six just needed a little extra concrete on the Corn Flakes if I was to ride through yet another winter.  Complaints about a sub-standard summer were cancelled, true appreciation for the months since Christmas only comes when temperature drops below double digits.  As always, a wind blew to make the opening k's a chore, three days of rust build-up (from not riding) a disadvantage to start the week.  From my fear of just four fronting, a decent showing of Tina, Emil, Liam, PistolPete, Kel, The Godfather, KnightAndy, Bo, Rocket, BamBam and Greg at Sanctuary's start line was surprising for a public holiday.  The westerly (due to swing a little south later) would make most of the circuit tolerable.  

BamBam stalled the start with new Pirelli problems (not seated on the bead?) and once the team was underway, I made the mistake of leaving a gap in the left line which The Godfather quickly filled.  Visiting KnightAndy partnered PistolPete to Mitchell Rd, providing his match-with-the-wood-scraped-off aerodynamics to the advance line behind.  Engrossed in a chat at the back, The Godfather and Bo had left a big gap in the procession ahead, so I rattled the cage by jumping a rung to fill the hole. (I did resume my proper place to avoid repercussions).   A curtain of grey cloud smothered any early sunshine as Tina soldiered through the last k of River Rd with Bo.  My turn came in Coach Rd, thankful to be in the advance line and shielded from what was mostly westerly wind.  

I'd be rubbished for rolling across and doing a half block at the Broken bridges by The Godfather (behind me) but the engine would be lucky to reach the highway running at 175 already (annoying when the legs and head wanted more) but Bo got the blame.  Julz jumped aboard on cue at Channel Rd.  Greg fronted with The Godfather for Boundary Rd and promptly tamed the tempo to 33's; wished I'd have known earlier - I could more than manage that!  Mumblings of a course north to Lemnos-Cosgrove came true when the turn into Old Dookie was ignored.  The sun made a brief appearance through the wheels north of New Dookie Rd and thankfully horsepower had made it's way to the front for the westward effort into that wind toward Lemnos ; if I played my cards right and most did their full blocks' worth, I'd be spared the struggle.  

Those grey curtains turned misty in Ford Rd though I wasn't mentioning the R word for fear of being soaked (so much for the Bureau's fine forecast).  Julz had sought refuge in the left line rather than the promotion to the front but Liam and Rocket's pace was cooking her even at fourth wheel.  A diplomatic slowing of speed didn't last long.  PistolPete, Greg and The Godfather had hung back in support when Julz was being backed out of the bunch on Wanganui Rd while others unaware, continued onward.  I happily retreated rearward too, if only for moral support.  The wind in the face to Rudd Rd soon became the bliss along the Boulevard, bolstering a faster finish (I found the thoughts of hot coffee and toast was a better bait).  The chat about madness on motorbikes, touring Europe and road rage made Monday feel like a Saturday (and didn't eight degrees feel fresh afterward to head home).

11/4 The more, the merrier.

Well, that didn't last long!  Full fingered gloves came out of hibernation for Tuesday's feels like five but I played hard-core with knees exposed (makes you pedal faster under the misconception greater blood flow will warm you!)  Contrary to the testing temperature, plenty came out to play on the squirrel circuit. Wendy, Emil, Kim, Tina, Molly and Lili did the southbound spin to the shop, finding Graeme and, rub-my-eyes-I'm-seeing-things, LiamM!  Even the Ninja had returned to the ranks!  A shuffle of the grid put me at fifth wheel when Emil stoked-up the speed for the long line into Channel Rd, a peculiar placement for me when nearly always second wheel.   Graeme eased up on his usual enthusiasm to do (my usual) Doyles to Orrvale shift; quite a change to see that distance pass in focus from the comfort of fourth wheel.  Tina took us to the Kinder and Wendy to the cypress trees before I was given the drivers seat.  

36's were on the menu so I took a little time to get that on the screen, thinking that the nine behind might need some reaction time out of the corner.  Julz appeared from Hanlon Rd with news that Greg was coming too (an alarm malfunction meant missing his Couldabeens start) so Emil took on the tow truck role to get him aboard.  The Ninja captained to complete Channel Rd.  With a dozen in the clan, a two row formation made sense in Boundary Rd though Emil and Graeme together at the front was like two misbehaving schoolboys in class.  Greg kept the speed at the status quo, Julz advancing for a short sit in the drivers seat from New Dookie Rd to the rail line.  

(Face the front or fail they say, even though the heart wants to fail there!) The chance of talk is rare by single filed squirrel standards so two rows allowed plenty of chat in the pack, apart from two at the front which are usually preoccupied with oxygen intake.  Speed was still somewhat spicy into the southwester along Ford Rd but not to the point of breaking bits off the back.  Emil, Graeme and Greg were at the front for the turn into Verney Rd, all behaving well........till the last 500 metres to the Balaclava lights. Predictably, Graeme opened the throttle for the dash to the (you guessed it) red traffic light.

13/4 Squirrels in the mist.

Eleven millimeters of damp festered a fog for Thursday morning, but that wasn't hindering the roll up to the Archer St shop to tap a squirrel circuit.  Tina, Kim, Molly, Lili and Emil found their way through the mist, the standard operational procedure of Emil leading to the truck route (as if we need the guidance!) getting underway at 5:30.  

34's was just a few k's short of Tuesdays tempo but it felt like a holiday from hurt.  My contribution to the cause (that Doyles to Orrvale thing) was driven in comfort for a change.  Ten degrees wasn't bad for mid April though 100% humidity made the progress like pushing through soup.  To the Kinder courtesy of Tina and to the cypress trees thanks to Molly, Julz appeared from the darkness of Hanlon Rd to catch the train (driven now by Lili).    Epic swims have labored legs so Lili's elbow elected Kim as captain at the S bend.  

With therapy speed applied, wind direction doesn't seem to matter as much but a breeze behind for Boundary Rd was a bonus anyway, Kim happy to continue to the pub before handing the job of Boundary Rd to Emil.   Darkness and fog tested the vision north , Emil showing remarkable restraint to fix 34 as the pace to Old Dookie where I continued the standard to the New Dookie one.  Tina called a pause to pocket the glasses, others taking the chance to do the same though Julz was more intent on oxygen upload.  Riding resumed almost as quickly as it had stopped, Tina taking us to Lemnos-Cosgrove Rd for Julz to get down to business (She did well to drive 34's to the bridge where just a few weeks ago was breathless within 300 metres)   

There's always great strides in improvement when you start this addiction, where many (like me) peaked years ago and now just chase a few seconds.   Taking a turn beyond the bridge, Lili was in labor again a k beyond so Kim came to the rescue to tow us to Lemnos.  With Emil at the front for Ford Rd, a big turn to tow us to Balaclava Rd was likely, but I did get the duty to drive the Grahamvale to Verney leg.  The 1800 metres from the roundabout to those red lights at Balaclava was Tina's task, no surprise then that Emil was itching to be captain reaching Graham St! Almost as rare as rocking horse manure, those traffic lights at Balaclava turned green just as we reached for the brake levers, so Hawdon St started with a hurry.

14/4 Cool as cucumbers.

Managing 33's comfortably into a southerly breeze without blowing a gasket was strange on a Sanctuary Drive commute; usually the old engine delivers nothing till under peloton pressure to perform.  I wasn't going to analyse this strange speed phenomenon 'cause it wouldn't last! The official kit day drew some numbers to the grid, Liam, Bruce, Lili, Emil, Trav, Rocket, Kel, Kreeky, Greg, Wozza, Tina, Bo and the 5ft Ninja assembled behind PistolPete in readiness for chocks away at 5:40.  The Godfather made his entry just as the crew got seated to spin south to the truck route, all closing ranks to prevent The Godfather's intrusion into the order.  Bo tried a sneaky shift to the left line but Rocket policed his place into the advance.  

Pistol and Liam set a swift standard to Mitchell Rd but I wasn't laboring at the usual limit ; something had put some watts into the legs to keep up (wish I knew what!)  Out of the left line and into the advance on River Rd, Fridays first light showed us the horizon (and to think that won't be visible till getting home before long).   The Godfather's garble entertained the troops (from any position in the peloton), not that many could understand the dialect (Google translator even failed!) Enthusiasm had driven Lili to follow Wozza's wheel toward the business end but there weren't the watts to sit at second wheel to Rocket and Wozza's drive to River Rd's dip, ducking for cover in the left line before implosion. 

A couple of k's in the hour was discounted on compassionate grounds to aid her recovery (can't criticize her for trying!) Fingerless gloves wasn't my best decision in feels like six but it did distract thoughts on what was to come in duty at the front. Tina paired with Kreeky at the Broken bridges to do a decent drive to the highway where Julz joined the bunch. In charge for Boundary Rd, I took care to level wheels with Tina (close to toasted by her turn), so wasn't surprised to be called across at Pogue Rd.  Bruce kindly called "Your speed" when he drew alongside, though I found myself matching his 36's anyway (it's always the other guy setting the speed isn't it?)   Considering being towed for most of the circuit and this probably being my one and only appearance at the front, I set sights at reaching Old Dookie, which might even please The Godfather's demands of "full blocks".  

Half swallowing an insect en-route didn't help my hurry but Bruce's diplomacy got me to the target, kudos from Pistol and Kel helped my head but it was their draft that would do the most good.  Focus had returned by School Rd.  There's quite a comfort in the slipstream as the city's lights draw near, knowing there's not another turn of torment but the treat of a tow into town.......though surviving Liam's speed on the squirt to SPC was a wake up call. 

This week 202km

YTD 4,216km