Oxygen overload

 Post #694

15/4 The Saturday split.

Few fronting for the shop squad thrash meant that the Sanctuary start line was soon heavy with horsepower (and some of the usual Sanctuary starters had turned up for a social spin!).   A northeaster propelled plenty of pace to Mitchell Rd under PistolPete and Wozza's wattage, my glance back noticing LiamM as an unhitched caboose.  I delivered the news to the front and the hurry was handbraked but LiamM's 100 metre deficit would be a big ask to make up (and I hadn't the horsepower to tow him back to the bunch).  News to the front again at Central Kialla was the best I could diplomatically do but the vote for velocity won. (LiamM had u-turned for home to contemplate his hibernation anyway).  40+ into the 25 km/h headwind split the squad swiftly; GiantAndy, Emil, Wozza, Graeme, Bo, Greg, The Godfather and PistolPete had the muscle to move ahead, Lance, the 5ft Ninja, BamBam, Tina and Molly had the sense to share a somewhat slower speed together.  

I'd inherited the task of towing the o.t.a. Lili, slowing when her headlight wanted to jump ship.  It was a long drive to rejoin division two a k into River Rd and a relief to find 33's was their favored pace. The FIFO factor made sense to work together to get the circuit done (no point breaking the bunch apart in the interests of self worth) so teamwork set about battling the northeaster up to Lemnos-Cosgrove Rd if only for the joy of a tailwind back to town.  A single filed format made sense but squashed the social stuff (not that there was a lot of oxygen to spare for sentences), those with the legs driving long and those lacking the lungs donating something shorter. 

 The workload on Coach Rd was no easier than River, only the angle of attack had changed.  The tail lights of division one had stretched into the distance, the red led of one (or was it two?) nearer the highway figured to be Julz going to join.  My sympathies went out to BamBam seeking shelter from the wind on the Ninja's wheel.  Julz was just ahead as we slowed for the turn east to the Toaster but she continued north (so becoming our bait to chase in Lemnos-Cosgrove later)   Tina took us to Pine Lodge North Rd where martyrdom made me aim north for a couple of k's, craving the tailwind to come.  Careful navigation was needed near the rail line to avoid bits of dead Dunlop disposed from recent burn-outs.  Sighs of relief were short-lived when the tailwind tempted more tempo west on Lemnos-Cosgrove, Lance driving long to Boundary Rd, the Ninja taking aim at Lemnos and closing in on the cruisin' Julz.  Head down in a hurry into Ford Rd, Molly needed a holler to halt when Lance punctured (wire from that dead Dunlop?)   

His fix was fast (and no reminder of time in the The Godfather's absence) and the order had shuffled, rhythm eventually restored beyond Verney Rd. Lance looked likely to labour Wanganui Rd.  He goes well for the senior of the squad, driving the distance to Mt. Wanganui while I enjoyed the bonus of BamBam's draft when he led into Rudd Rd.  I'd expected his elbow to elect me to the front for the Boulevard, just enough shelter from the northeaster with houses lining the roadside to get to Tarcoola and there, the tailwind helping a reasonable drive to Welsford.  I broke with tradition to breakfast with the gals at Eighty8, the chat on partner presumption, cronyism in contracts and the ride's review, Emil and Greg joining the banter later.  

17/4 Hey Winter, you're a bit early!

All those heroics of braving bare knees and wearing fingerless gloves didn't last long, Monday's feels lie three had me diving into the bottom drawer for some proper insulation.  So much for mild Autumn weather , Winter was being a little premature.  Kim was a surprise arrival at Tarcoola for a Monday, Emil, Tina and Jen forming five for the fresh commute to Sanctuary Drive (the lack of wind or hint of a breeze made it feel like Christmas!) Troy, Bruce, Wozza, Bo, Greg, Kreeky, PistolPete and Kel filed in from the side streets to form the grid.  

Pistol (of course) and Emil guided our path south, a strange serenity hanging over the bunch with The Godfather absent (suffering the Saturday sting?)  Shoe covers and knee warmers had become haute couture, Bruce was testing an Antarctic rated thermal jersey and Greg had succumbed to heated gloves already, certainly signaling the seasons' shift.  Troy had the bright idea of dressing for Adelaide's temperature!  Emil and Wozz settled into a sociable speed toward Central Kialla, no doubt the icy atmosphere putting a little restraint in their pace (I guess it won't be long till the shop squad halts to hibernate and a more inclusive speed is set for all to survive.  Who wants to ride solo in this stuff?)  Daylight hours are on the retreat, the lack of light till reaching Boundary Rd now quite noticeable. I'd hoped it wouldn't happen so fast, clocks only changed a few weeks ago.  Now there's a 32 week wait!   

Bo and Bruce led from River Rd's dip but I'd chosen the soft option of last-in-line on PistolPete's wheel (so I'll bet Tina was on mine).  Kreeky had Jen and Kim in tow in the advance line at the Broken bridges but Kim had doubts of driving at the front, so sought refuge in the left line.  Jen's time in the drivers seat was proportional to having a week's holiday......short! so Tina and I served our sentence to the highway, but Tina was keen for more.  The extra metres to Pogue Rd was enough, so with me left and Pistol right, my eye was on reaching Old Dookie Rd (deja vu Friday; did it then, repeat today)   I thought I did well to keep 35's on the Garmin for three k's but achievement turned to inadequacy when Pistol and Emil dialed up 38's to Central Ave (yeah, I suppose they have youth on their side!)    Wozza put his watts into the squirt to SPC and I'd held on with the want for warmth in a coffee cup. 

18/4      7 in 7 for 40 @ 5:30

What sort of speed would be set was up to Emil when 5:30 struck; naturally he took the lead into Channel Rd for Tuesday's spin, my job to hang onto his wheel so Tina, Molly, Lili and the 5ft Ninja behind could stay in the slipstream and ready for their shift to come.  I'd expected to spend a bucket load of energy at second wheel when Emil settled into 36's and 7's to the truck route but in reality it felt like half throttle to get there.  I'd be kidding myself thinking I'd found some form of fitness though the Doyles to Orrvale shift went without a lot of throttle too. (Let's not get our hopes up Foss!)  

Tina's turn had some tempo too and there wasn't a tailwind massaging our ego's, not a leaf was stirring in the poplars on Central Ave.  Lili had braved bare knees and hot-footed her turn to the cypress trees.  Speed had sunk a little from Emil's earlier effort, Molly aiming at Beckhams bend and collected Julz as caboose. It's good to have the Ninja back in the squad, not that there's an aerodynamic advantage but it does delay fronting the line again for a few minutes.  Emil's often in the drivers seat for the way north on Coach Rd and was careful to turn up the speed gradually beyond the highway, something telling me he was in for the long haul when elbows didn't flinch at Old Dookie Rd.  37's became 39's to New Dookie Rd (when Kim's away, Emil will play!) but I'd be playing Mr Nice Guy setting 36's for my turn to Lemnos-Cosgrove Rd.   It was Tina's turn again west to the bridge as first light lit orange on the horizon, the second turn for Lili a little shorter than her first to give Julz the reigns to Lemnos North Rd.  

Ford Rd's velocity had some variables under the Ninja's lead though with a list of ailments (as long as the wait for coffee at the cafe of late) the variation was excused.  Emil scoring the lead at Grahamvale Rd had a strong smell of another long drive to Balaclava so I settled in at second wheel for overtime.  With more mud and stones on Verney Rd to avoid (might need a gravel bike soon), threading a path clear of commuting traffic has become an art form.  Arrival at Graham St got Emil keen to get 40's on the speedo though I took a punt that 37's would win the vote with the girls to lead them to Balaclava Rd.  Emil charged ahead to poke the pedestrian button (with little effect on the red lights)

19/4  Craving k's.

Regular repeats of 50 and 45 k's might turn this old bloke into a ninety minute specialist so adding a lap after the usual one might teach the legs (and the sit site) something about distance. Eight degrees almost doubled yesterday's "warmth" so I'd braved bare knees and fingers on what might be the last decent Autumn morning.  Calm conditions for the Sanctuary commute made 33's possible, though I'm not getting my hopes up of this being the new me; I'll be back to gasping at 30 before I know it!  Bo, Bruce, Rocket, Jen, Troy, Wozza, PistolPete, Gazza, Emil, Tina, Trav, Liam, Kel, the Ninja and Greg fronted the roundabout readying for the auditory assault of The Godfather's return.  

PistolPete and Emil started the spin south and because of my last moment arrival at the grid, I'd scored a spot at the back of the bunch rather than the usual berth of PistolPete's wheel.  The long line ahead meant a turn at the front was some time away, time to soak up the social stuff before duty called.  Fingerless gloves had it's drawbacks in Mitchell Rd, eight felt more like five even at a somewhat social speed.  A spin on the 19 sprocket only made the legs feel warmer.  The Godfather had made up for his three days absence vociferously (a translator might have made sense of it though) 

Julz did her usual jump aboard at Channel Rd, the surprise addition of KnightMichael found beyond the highway (seems he'd missed the memo of Wednesdays start from Sanctuary so found nobody at the shop)   Jen seemed a little shy on speed approaching Boundary Rd's bridge so Tina was asked across, so I played co-pilot to her mission toward Old Dookie, awaiting the call to roll (that came a little early at the fig farm)  

A short shift has to be better than none so the demands for "full blocks" from a certain someone were treated with the attention they deserve.  The last k to Old Dookie was shared with Trav and although I was ready to extend my effort west, Trav rolled across and his slipstream quickly changed my mind. The internal battery had recharged on the tow back to town to survive the dash to SPC.

 

Today was a watershed moment, bidding farewell to the Butter Factory's Chris.  We've been blessed by this barista for five years, remembering each of our whims and wants and assisting our addiction to caffeine.  We'll certainly miss his great support to the Couldabeens crew and our causes, that wicked sense of humour too.  The Butter Factory's new owners have a lofty standard to reach. 

With the craving for kilometres to satisfy, the 10k spin with Tina east to Lemnos and a solo drive south to Channel Rd filled in 45 minutes while the sun tried to warm the day, my path back to Archer Rd to intercept the Adams clan.  

Frizzy, Dazza, Chilly, Graham, Minty, Where'sWally and a handful of others were awaiting the 8am flagfall and single filed south. Traffic was plentiful; something we go without, riding at stupid o'clock!  A relatively empty Mitchell Rd allowed two rows to form so I paired with Dazza guessing 32's would be the suited speed. Turns rolled crossing Euroa Rd for the dull distance of Mitchell Rd further east.  Calls for passing cars were absent and it wasn't long before Frizzy (presumed to be captain) called for single file again. (When in Rome......)    I'd got the wheel of Where'sWally, a little erratic at close quarters, so practiced social distancing for safety's sake. (I've been spoiled by a bunch of steady wheels and smooth speeds so I'll put this down to real world risk).  

Order seemed to shift at will till two lines reformed in Coach Rd for the journey north, DeepFry found loitering with intent to join in nearing River Rd.   Minty and Graham reached the front for a short and slower shift to the Broken but Frizzy turned it up again to the highway. The two row format stayed for a while but fewer seemed interested in duty at the front, even when the breeze was almost behind for the western way on Lemnos-Cosgrove.  The usual aches and pains from doing a decent distance hadn't shown, though legs weren't delivering the push they were asked to do closer to town. Figuring a hundred had been covered, I opted for the turn to home at the highway (passing on the Wanganui Rd / Golf Club loop) and bid my adieus.

20/4  Cold comfort.

Getting the legs up to speed on Thursday was like getting a teenager to clean up their room, they put up a lot of arguments about it! Muscles complained about the 110km effort yesterday and feels like 3.7 probably didn't help. Just as well it was therapy Thursday, they'd be going on strike at anything over 35.  Something like social speed drew Emil, Kim, Tina, Molly and Lili to lap a few k's, even dragging LiamM out from under the doona that he's had an intimate relationship with over recent months! Sheltered from the southwester in the shops' car park for 5:30 to strike took an effort to get wheels turning, climatizing to the chill on Channel Rd only helped by that slightly slower standard of speed. 34's seemed to be the new threshold for Thursday. 

I'd forgotten to reset the speedo's backlight from yesterdays spin in the sun so I spent the Doyles to Orrvale shift mostly in the dark about pace.  Sting in the legs was my new benchmark but I must have got it reasonably right, nobody swore at me when retreating rearward for Tina's turn to the Kinder. Kim's luck had the southwester to deal with on Central Ave so the eastward leg to the cypress trees would have been heaven.  The headlight near Hanlon Rd was missing as Lili took on the drive toward the S bend, so Julz arrival at the last moment portside prompted a relaxation of speed so she'd get aboard.  Lili called it quits at Beckhams bend but I hadn't expected Emil to front again so soon (seems Molly and LiamM had taken command of the caboose!)  In Emil's draft to the highway, I again guessed the tempo of my turn by complaints from the legs.  I've scored this shift for three out of the last four days; looking forward to some different tarmac to tap next time!  Lungs haven't been so happy having icy air drawn into them, so some relief came handing the reigns to Tina for the Old to New Dookie bit.

A short shift again from Lili to the rail line put Julz in command to reach Lemnos-Cosgrove Rd but she'd chosen an extra effort west, right into the southwester (Likes a bit of labour this one!)   Open fields exposed Kim to work into the wind and just to keep her busy, a blast of wind blown from oncoming cars came for good measure.  Understandably Emil was shown her elbow soon after.  That wind was a bigger workload than I'd imagined when the comfort of second wheel was replaced by the lead into Ford Rd, a k and a half of hurt before some comfort came in the shelter of trees and an orchard roadside.  It took some effort to catch Tina's rush toward Verney and no surprise to find Emil had jumped the queue to lead the line south to Balaclava Rd's red light.  The vote for caffeine at Stellar was unanimous- maybe the wind of change is blowing?

21/4  Friday farnarkling.

What luck to find Wozza and Rocket at the Benalla Rd lights, a free tow to Sanctuary Drive was Friday's win rather than face the head wind to the start line (though wouldn't it be good if Wozza got on the cakes and pies diet; he's got the aerodynamics of a pencil!)  The uniformed mob of The Godfather, Troy, Bruce, Emil, Tina, Gazza, the 5ft Ninja, Kel, PistolPete and Bo converged on the roundabout.  The standard set by PistolPete and Emil south sent silence (and a few huffs and puffs) through the squad (I shouldn't complain from the comfort of third wheel should I?)   A south southwest breeze became obvious turning east, a little less effort and a little more speed applied to the leg toward Centra Kialla.  36's felt fast through feels like 5, or maybe clocking a few more k's this week was telling me something?  

I should be thankful (for the most part) social speeds were being observed (Spoke to soon Foss! The Godfather galloped into the 40's when he was promoted to the business end. Spurred on by the south southwester no doubt)   Gazza's tenacity to brave bare knees probably made all others in "longs" feel warm, though a complaint from a crook calf dropped him rearward at the Broken bridges for recovery.  I'd hoped Kel and Tina ahead in the advance would turn down the tempo a tad from Greg and Bo's keen 38's to the highway, banking on the Ninja too to show some respect for the elderly.  There was no trouble to slow for the truck westbound on the Midland (bigger always wins ;) trouble was building back up to speed in Boundary Rd. (So much for that want for a different stretch of tarmac to tap eh?)   I'd got my wish for 36's when Kel and Tina set a sustainable speed to the bridge and was only too happy to ease a little off the gas for Tina's part two of her shift (the last half where you regret your enthusiastic first half!)  The holler for "full blocks" was ignored.  

Tina called time out a bit before the fig farm and I was pleased to back off the throttle a little more for the Ninja to come alongside. (she seemed concerned by the standards expected by others but I'll hold to the theory that those on the front set the speed, those behind can like it or lump it!)   She was in oxygen overload reaching Old Dookie Rd, so could understand the Ninja's need for PistolPete to roll straight over to tow her west, her struggle to hold Emil and Pistol's hurry to Central Ave not the easiest respite.  Julz had risen through the ranks from joining near Channel Rd and had a relatively safe seat at 4th wheel on the drive to Dobson's bridge, but her headlight mount was trying to dismount. The retreat rearward for repair had Greg assisting, so with traffic filling Old Dookie Rd and not a safe place to stop, continuing to caffeine was the safer bet.  Greg and Julz could navigate by nostrils to coffee from there) Obviously with a crook calf cured, Gazza's dash to SPC spiked the heart-rate to test the end of a busy week, the boisterous banter at the Butter Factory the comical conclusion.

This week 370km

YTD 4,587km