Week 50 : The oxygen gluttony

Post 374

10/12

 

Twenty k's of serene solitude at five was the perfect antidote to insanity, thoughts off the tether, worries o.t.a. and bliss aboard the Baum cleared the cranium to start Saturday.  The déjà vu New Dookie, Boundary and Old Dookie Rd course from seven days ago, a ten degree orange daybreak with just one base layer prompted plenty of motion to work up some warmth.  Back to town there was a cheery rendezvous with Car+Mel to head south, intercepting insomniac Rocket en route to the carpark. I berthed deliberately in the left line (to avoid an early effort) as Shorty, Nick, Trav, HBK, Cougar, AvantiTrev, AvantiAndy, AvantiMat, Jen, The Godfather, Weapon, Pistol, TatPaul, BassoDan, TrekTrev, Nev, Jase, Marz and Bruce arrived for the regular social gratification (is the ride the means to the breakfast's end?)   TatPaul and Rocket guided the train tactfully out of town, I'd be lucky to score more than one turn at the pointy end with this many in the bunch.  Super stylish Pistol was in yet another cool kit and Jase was keeping a lid on a birthday, the regular social fulfilment lapped up on the anticlockwise course.   SpinDoctor and TrackStan were on a second coming at the Cosgrove silo (unable to go the distance from the starting grid?), encouraging words from Trav assisted my (eventual) go in the drivers seat at the Lemnos-Cosgrove Rd kennels, respiratory relief reaching the main eastern channel to enjoy the draft.  Shorty's puncture halted the pack in Ford Rd, sprint plans and predictions* with Car+Mel during the pause shortening the wait.  Rolling recommenced and the pace percolated to Wanganui Rd, almost perfectly to plan (*) the wattage warriors spiced the speed at DECA, I joined the up-line with 'keen-as' Car and 'motivated' Mel welded to my wheel.

Advancing up the ranks, I took stock for a moment behind HBK, watching as Rocket, Pistol and TrackStan bolted at Kittles Rd, I took the punt of rounding up Trav and HBK to hammer the hill.  Over the hump in fourth spot, my trophy was the grins from the gals gallantly glued behind.  Electric bikes, Christmas gifts and dying captured conversations as breakfasts were relished.

 

11/12

A lap of insignificance (with the significant) on Sunday, a short social spin with Weapon if only to top-up on the personalities, motivation and direction life leads us.  Southbound on Raftery and passing 3 bugs slogging into the southerly rewound the memory bank on the early days of learning the ride ropes. Round the Kialla mini-loop to gain the tail wind assurity homeward, it was a pleasant change to ride without an eye on averages, heart rates and p.b.'s.  A fitting conclusion to wallow in a long Lemontree breakfast. 

12/12

Mondays lap was to rise above the drudgery of another weeks work, finding Cate keen for a lap on the New Dookie, Old Dookie, Boundary and Channel circuit. Not a lot of chat, just down to bike business, our effort east was unspecified yet uncannily unified.  Into the rhythm, calm from the waist up, focus fixed 10 metres ahead and psyched in on smooth, the church arrived sooner than later while a big orange ball poked above the horizon, just atop the thin layer of fog.   A suggestion of a northeasterly motivated motion back to town, a crack at the ChaCha understood and unquestioned.

13/12

Perfect conditions Tuesday (14 degrees and a light northeaster) to tap a Turtle lap, feeling friskily fit to be honest (minus 8kg of ballast), but lamenting the loss of ice cream and the bliss of bakeries.   Temple, AvantiTrev, AvantiMat, Shorty, Nick, WhisperingJack, Cougar, TrekTrev, Hollywood and HBK had converged on the Turtle carpark, 5:40 tolled and the little train puffed out of town.  (Welcome back jet-lagged Wozz bravely lining up for the Hares) Shorty and I took leg one to Doyle's Rd and AvantiTrev came alongside for stage two to Orrvale (best not half wheel him or the next bike service will be expensive!)  Hollywood, AvantiMat, TrekTrev, Temple and HBK followed in the rotations, Nick and WhisperingJack reluctantly proceeded forward for Boundary Rd, the hint of tailwind should have inspired. Shorty's request to ease back was granted, I'd dropped back into zone three but silence in the ranks said all were working.  Over Melbourne Rd I was beside Shorty again for a k then a carefully controlled push to Galbraiths gate with AvantiTrev.    I'd reckoned Temple was in the box seat for line honours but Nick and WhisperingJack took tiny turns to put TrekTrev and Shorty on the front early for Conrod straight (sighting a flattened turtle into the first dip was rather ironic).  Fortune favoured Foss when Shorty rolled across, being towed for a k let me throw all wattage to the wheel to bolt the last 500 metres.  An HBK shadow lurking behind me drove even more effort, wringing out the last watts was hell at the last dip to hold the young fella off. "Good effort ya old bastard" was taken as a compliment from Hollywood (3rd) as my gluttony for oxygen occupied the remainder of Raftery.

14/12

Chomping into banana and dates for breakfast when an unexpected shower played its tune on the verandah roof, soon the WhatsApp and Messenger pings followed, many turning ride shy.  I'd almost ride-retired too at 5:20 but the crank craving called a chance when the cloud lifted at 5:30.   Carpe Diem!   Still the phone pinged as I rolled out the drive, figuring a solo lap would be best.  East on Old Dookie Rd had the benefit of a northwester behind me, little rooster-tails of water off a glossy tarmac soon subsided, but the chain groaned from the damp.  The breeze came at the right shoulder in Boundary Rd, a stormy sky retreating east as the sun tried to pierce the curtain of cloud.  I chose Mitchell Rd instead of the River Rd repetition, but the breeze had swung to WNW to torment.  Legs and lungs laboured and wattage wained, 176 bpm signalling an ease off the throttle to avoid implosion. Time forced an Archer Rd course home, a soloist ahead becoming the carrot to crank back to town. 

15/12

Thursday was cooler that PistolPete's wardrobe, "feels like 7" felt like June to me!   My ritual early lap took me to the Emu, a spin on the 17 cog putting temperature into the gastrocnemius.  Light slowly filled the sky en-route to the Toaster, quite the push into 25 clicks of chilled southerly.  Easier westbound back to town, arriving for a precision landing at Friars at the second stroke of six.  Goats Speissy, Joe, Tum, Spartacus, DeepFry, Coggo, Jen, Temple, HBK, AvantiAndy and Belly had gathered for the weekday workout, finding myself in the dream draft of AvantiAndy (akin to Kenworth) to roll out of town.  A drive to Dobsons with Andy then to pair with Joe.....but wait, he's had Hommy help, half-wheeling!   I tolerated it for 200 metres, but it was payback to Central Ave as a re-education. Boundary Rd's headwind hurt some and hungered others, turns short and long but Belly and Temple set the speed standard to River Rd.  There was a bit more giddy up west on River Rd but Tum was time starved like me to turn for a shortcut homeward via the truck route and Archer, the bliss of the strengthening southerly propelling the pace back to town.

16/12

Just Mel and me to commute to the Friday carpark, Wozz on an early FDC mission and Cate murdering mountains, but Kenworth converged as we plied south in a blissful 15 degrees.   Shorty, Temple, Trav, Boof, Pistol,Chops, Nev, AvantiMat and AvantiTrev floated in, FDC's Grumpy, Troy, Rocket, Wozz and Pelly arriving in waves, caused by a Troy tsunami I'm told. (KOM)  Turning up early, I seem destined to drive the first leg to Sanctuary roundabout (déjà vu Boof as co-driver), it's getting a little easier each time, or was it the gentle help from a weak ENE breeze? I even managed a sentence or two en-route to Mitchell Rd in the draft (normally speechless), Pistol's stylish new kit, Choppy's cheeky charm, Weapon's carbonaria (in C sharp by Zipp) and Pelly's Kialla mini-loop post-mortem supplemented the social stimuli.  I'd been slowly demoted to the back of the bunch by River Rd, the brief blur of bunches boring west, our speed slumped as AvantiTrev took the reins but was bumped back up for Boundary.  Kenworth and I scored the strengthening northeaster to battle from the Broken bridges, a moments relief pointing west in Channel till Boof wound up the expectations into the 40's.  I'd landed the best real estate of the draft from Boof, Rocket, Pistol and Troy from the S bends onward, and another 10 contributors to follow made Cha Cha chances choice. Tearing into Kinder corner at 43 and down to Hopeful, I'd reached the back of those with wattage and was summoned forward by a few sitting on. I left the door open for Boof and Troy (Rocket in retirement) to charge, but poured all into the pursuit of Temple (uncatchable) to finish fifth, 10th overall for the Cha Cha (49.4 average) made for a chuffed chap. 

Week 50.       294km.          YTD 16,203km. 

Week 49: The cyclust's psychosis

Post 373

3/12

Insomnia resurrected the early Saturday lap, New Dookie Rd was barren at 5 to enjoy the south southwesterly but the recent reseal is as rough as Trump's diplomacy.  I'd optimistically dressed for summer but "feels like 7" chilled the limbs in Boundary Rd.

20k's of serenity and mental meandering was a cranial spring clean after a week of work, the weekend welcomed with the grin greeting from Mel, Cate and Jase back in town.   Daylight and summer combined to draw a crowd to the carpark (or was it our magnetic personalities?) SuperMario, Bruce, Lenny, Lucy, Shorty, Rocket, Temple, HBK, TheGodfather, Weapon, Nick, TatPaul, Nev, Pistol, Cougar, AvantiTrev, Marz and TrekTrev lined up for the 6am launch. I'd drawn 3rd wheel in the grid lucky dip, behind the unfamiliar TatMat (Orbea) though his smooth, steady and poised position was reassuring, the fast bit was hard to match.  Nice to get to the end of my shift at blood & bone corner, quickly tucking in for the tow from Cate as a stream of others went forth to do their duty.   HBK upped the ante in Old Dookie Rd (to escape the porky pong?) just enough to cut the caboose cackle, the rubber band effect quite strong out of Toaster corner, shadows long in the grass from 48 wheels working north.   As rare as the northern hairy nosed wombat, we spotted the eastern hairy chinned SpinDoctor at the Cosgrove silo, and in company with TrackStan, they joined the lengthening bunch to point west at Emu corner. One or two headed to the business end but then created a third outside line of retreat, looked like a bunch of Browns cows from the rear.  Popgun was idling west at the main eastern channel forcing us to thread the needle with oncoming Cats, I'd been promoted to the pointy end again with TatMat in Ford Rd, pretty pleased the 'ol engine could keep up with a newer model into the southwester.   Cougar, Popgun and Marz took the effort escape via Verney Rd, eagerness escalating as we continued driving past DECA, I was positioned perfectly at 2nd last with old mate Temple smooth and predictable ahead.  Plenty were expiring as the hill beckoned a blast, I jumped out of Temple's tow, around the wilted and up Mt Wanganui, 5th the best I could hope for with Rocket, TrackStan and the real movers ahead.  Back to base camp and breakfast, little cars, language and pinched nerves took me into overtime, tempted to stay and order brunch as Tina and Trude (TT&T)  and HuggyBear filtered in to wag chins.

4/12

With a forecast fickle for Monday, Rocket called a camel farm lap Sunday, an offer appealing to keep my k's clicking for the last month's challenge.  The good old days of just jersey and knicks are back, multiple thermal layers, limb warmers, beanies and booties forgotten, all aboard at 6:30 and no need for lights either!   To the usual grid I found Rocket, Temple, Shorty and AvantiMat ready to roll, the regular rotations out Channel Rd faced an ENE'er beginning, my pairing with Rocket and the Shorty chaser ramping up the respiratories.  A brief bout of Boundary with the breeze at the portside allowed us to prepare for Bells / Armstrong Rd, 13 long straight and monotonous k's into a headwind needs a big slice of mental machination.  

Just to test the tenacity, 7k's had been resealed in Cosgrove's coarsest 20mm stone, VicRoads cheapskate specs slapping it straight on the hammered and rippled skinny stretch of black stuff some describe as a road.  The heart rate climbed the scale visiting the front, low 30's was all the legs would give into the 20k headwind, but at least it was a task shared. (serious therapy needed for anyone tackling this solo).  Cosgrove-Caniambo Rd finally appeared, no smoother but the bonus of wind off the brow and onto the right shoulder was some relief.  A few clicks were added to the cruise control as we crossed the highway and rode into the shadow of Mt Major, all anticipating the turn west at the camel farm and the tailwind reward home.  The serenity delicious, at last no noise of wind blowing between the ears, just the comforting C sharp of carbon and rubber rolling along Kellows Rd to Cosgrove.  Up to the quarry and west toward Lemnos, pace lifted into the fourties with the breeze behind, legs and lungs burned but little voices said "this will pay dividends later".

Shorty and AvantiMat were happier with the tempo just off the boil, a co-operative approach back to town kept five alive. Thankfully, it was sprint-free Sunday for Wanganui Rd, back into the breeze on the Boulevard turned it Indian file in Rocket's tow, the lure of Lemontree's menu drawing out the very last watts.   Sugar, 'The Castle' and ballet's boredom kept conversation going, Shorty turning his morning's mental bait into reality.

5/12.

A day off predicting precipitation, but not a drop fell. A sleep in till six, serene.

6/12 

A drab and dismal dawn had clouds curtaining Tuesday's beginning, the handbrake of a headwind delivering a test to turn up to Turtle time.  HBK, WhisperingJack, Nick, Shorty, Cougar, Temple, Hoges, TrekTrev and AvantiMat had assembled, wind direction debated in the minutes before take-off.   The plea to HBK for warm-up time was granted (for 7.6 seconds), usual velocity (half a bike ahead) resumed by Kensington's roundabout.  1800 metres beside HBK then 1400 metres beside Shorty had toasted me, the handover to Hoges and Temple most welcomed so I could start my respiratory rehab.  My next shift started before Boundary's Broken bridges, diverting my gaze from the the River Rd target so far ahead (a mental mountain), don't look at the heartrate display either Foss, the reality will wreck you!  Kudos to Nick and WhisperingJack having a crack at the pointy end, TrekTrav seems struck with the cyclust psychosis turning up again.  HBK and I scored the Central Kialla headwind to Mitchell Rd, soaking up every second of the 4k recovery thereafter till the next turn beckoned.  Just Temple, HBK, Shorty, Hoges and I were swapping turns in the 40's  by Galbraiths gate, my head said more but the legs and lungs reply wasn't printable at Arcadia Downs.  Conrod straight squeezed two lines into one, I drove out of the dip, Hoges took to the front of house duty and all tucked in behind. Nobody challenged the finish, all desperately waiting for the relief of crossing the finish for recovery to rule. 

 7/12

A smiley start from Car+Mel to be Couldabeens bound Wednesday, another good roll-up (with the promise of just a turn or two?) of Bruce, Marz, Rocket, Chops, Troy, Weapon, Pistol, Kenworth, Jase, AvantiTrev, Nick, SuperMario, Shorty, Hollywood and AvantiMat forming the rows in the carpark, my early arrival putting me on captains duty for leg one (again).  Weapon instigated the 2nd line on the escape from the suburbs, the FDC ritual of a leg 3 arrival seems to have faded.  Plenty of tongues wagged in Mitchell and River roads, my time spent pondering the perfect grid position to deliver some hope at the ChaCha (reckon I'd be at the pointy end near the Kinder today).  We'd collected PeteH (hereinafter dubbed BossCogs) confined to the caboose as I struggled shaking a cough that won't let go, almost like asthma at full exertion.  Fast forward to Channel Rd and sure enough, it was full steam at the front beside Shorty to the Kinder, going for the smoothest line through the corner I needed quick wits to avoid the grass heaps littering the lane from a roadside slashing.  40+ with Bruce to Hopeful corner, a sudden "car up!" causing concern, then to find the wattage to stay with Bruce when he kicked.  Lungs burned and thighs buckled, I had nothing left at Prentice Rd just as Troy, Rocket and co got off their collective seats to humiliate us all.  I was rapidly overtaken by the masses, but a grin from Car still giving 100% at the back put it all in perspective. 

8/12

Pushing 11ks to the Emu against a NNE'er was only driven by thoughts of a tailwind back to town, the mental limit of 78 rpm and 165bpm was set, reckoning I'd survive a 33k prologue before a lap with the Goats.  Well into the rhythm beyond Ford Rd, my mental daydream was suddenly awoken by a metre long goanna sprinting from the roadside undergrowth, a million goosebumps and a bucketful of adrenalin back-slapping my mindset.  Better west from the Toaster, adding 15% to the velocity (bpm and rpm remained at the prior preset) shooting for a 6am Friars arrival kept the effort up.  So many cars and even the odd bike were spearing through the pre-dawn gloom minus lights, they're obviously dim on the intelligence to match?  There was a generous gathering of Goats on my berth at 5:59, Tina, Speissy, AvantiLeigh, Heady, Belly, Phil, Sandy, HG, Jen, Spartacus, HBK, Hommy, Dipper, Temple, PrincipalSkinner, DeepFry, Coggo, AvantiAndy and Snow, was almost record numbers.  The sedate departure from town added JB to the list, still cruisy at Dobsons estate until Belly spiced the speed (HG dragging the chain in facing the front.)  That was the trigger for tempo, all stepping up a few rungs particularly pointing south on Boundary Rd.  Chat took a back seat as concentration and exertion took precedence, into the fourties down to River Rd with no sign of let up.  Great to be amongst the wise positioning for the wind, the echelon educated certainly makes the team task less testy.  Dipper's a decent driver at the front, he wore me down to really appreciate AvantiAndy's draft on the next roll-over.  I'd run out of River Rd for another turn, departing stage right for a solo to town, head down and toasting legs into the headwind home but a sense of satisfaction to squeeze in 66 k's before 7.

9/12

The temperature had halved for Friday, some of those winter layers back in service again! AvantiTrev, Boof, Pistol, Kenworth, Rocket, Cate, Weapon, Nick, Chops, AvantiMat, Temple and Hollywood assembled at the carpark as the FDC crew (Pelly, BamBam, Troy, Ralphy, Trav and Bruce) arrived from their thrash at the Kialla mini loop.  First to grid meant I played the leading role again to Sanctuary roundabout (nope, Foss hasn't learned!), grateful that Boof ran at half throttle beside me (camouflaging my performance anxiety).  I gasped a greeting to Rocket and Chops as they advanced to drive leg 3, my recuperation almost complete by Mitchell Rd.   (Me thinks I need some of that special Troy "supplement"). Craig Lotsalumens plugged west (@36rpm), Couldabeens conversations commenced as the rotations rolled; coarse customers with AvantiTrev, the Goats gallop with Temple, wavering weather with Nick, Troy's tempo with Ralphy and insufficient insulation with Hollywood.  We'd caught BossCogs and ColColnago on a River Rd reconnoiter, jumping aboard our bunch bound for Boundary.   ColColnago was cobbled by cobwebs but BossCogs moved up the ranks (a turn-around from Wednesday's shy from speed), but hedaled when he got to the drivers seat in Channel Rd.  The sprint fuse was lit at the cypress trees, all my biscuits burned beside Boof 400 metres before the Kinder.  Requests to my engine room grew more demanding as Rocket and Chops muscled to the front ;   head down, hold that wheel, check ahead (grass free), more watts, breathe deeper, caution (a freewheel), dodge the gravel, check the shadows, keep straight, more watts, some expiring, peek back, more watts, pass a few, car up!....all that for 9th place as Rocket, Hollywood and Pistol shot to the finish line (yep, a painted mark has appeared to dispel the disputes)  All pointed south in town to quaff caffiene, just Kenworth and I northbound to stay employed. 

Week 49.    315km.         YTD 15,909 km

Week 48 : The problem of premature arrival.

Post 372

26/11

Sucked socially south Sunday seeking cycling sustainance, strong southerlies stifling speed.  Surprisingly, a Couldabeens crowd had converged, the afternoons Tour de Pub was expected to cull an early lap.  Nick, Jase, Pistol, Jen, BamBam, Cate, Shorty, BassoDan, Hollywood, Mel, TatPaul, Bruce, Weapon, Troy, Temple, The Godfather, Gazzagrasshopper (from the clutches of extinction) and TrekTrev (a Nev/Kev bro) set forth, Kel, AvantiTrev and Bo arriving to get 42 wheels turning at 6.  Winters hangover (8 degrees) mixed the wardrobe between short and long, funny the variety of people's temperature tolerance.  Jen braved turn one, proving gridphobia groundless, I scored a strong BassoDan then Bo to partner for legs two and three. 9k's of Channel Rd later we steered north onto Boundary, pace pumped with the wind blowing at the backside, silence in the ranks indicating many at VO2 max.  3k's of Old Dookie Rd took us to the Toaster, the anxious anticipation of a battle against the southwester (20 km/h) homeward focussed thoughts to Emu corner.  It was easy in the draft till reaching the front in Ford Rd, a short stretch with BassoDan was soon called over to battle with Bo.  I surprised myself nudging 37 into the breeze, fitness a hard thing to measure till you're told you've gapped others.   Wind wore at the warriors in Wanganui Rd, the pack turning skinny and Indian file behind Rocket at DECA.  The flick of an elbow put Bo in the drivers seat, uh oh! I was next as Kittles Rd came into view.  Bo's elbow handed me the front, all effort shoved into the cranks as the sprinters shadows swelled behind.  I reckon the finish line is on the hill's crest, so Yay! I won! but Bruce, Gazzagrasshopper The Godfather and co (waiting in the wake of my wheel) came out of hiding to thrash to a further goal (100 metres ahead)   Peloton personalities, travels and hills vs flats jabbered jaws at Lemontree's long table, I wondered who'd do the daily double on the afternoons Tour de Pub?

A 5k prologue into the midday (35km/h) southwester summoned the Peppermill hydration to commence the annual Couldabeens Tour de Pub (coarsely subtitled Tour de Trough)  SuperMario, Kenworth, Trav, Cougar, The Godfather, BigMat, Bruce, Ro, BigRon, Weapon, Rocket, KillkennyPaul, Boof and Pistol enrolled as the draughts were dispensed, a wait for Nev's arrival seemed familiar.

Stage 1 to Pistols fronted Raftery Rd's headwind, a short 9k wind workout before beer and nibbles prepared us for stage 2.  AvantiTrev and Bo broke free of employment to join, Shepp-Euroa Rd testing tenacity as gusts to 40 grew, gasps gave way to guffaws as the Godfather punctured, a now regular occurrence for the Tour.  Repaired and remounted, there was a push to Union Rd, heart rate escalating paired with Rocket at the front, I scored some comfort from a call of "easy" to recouple the caboose.Over the highway and across the Goulburn bridge, Toolamba on the hydration horizon spurred SuperMario to stretch the bunch, the Junction hotel our pitstop. The Godfather's JD and raspberry made an early appearance, but time had ticked by to prompt stage 3 to start. Across the Mooropna-Murchison Rd and with Weapons' directional dramas done, it was west toward Dhurringile, but an explosion from The Godfathers tube brought on a special stage of sledging. Retubed and resaddled, the tailwind to Tatura put fourties on the Garmins, a thirst to quench at the middle pub with chips as the sporting supplement.

Stage 4 to Mooroopna weaved a weird BigMat course via Ardmona's finest goat tracks and  pave sections (strewn with slashed grass), just to build a thirst for the Cricketers Arms to satisfy.  Yarns, passions, past-times and philosophies were let loose by ale, a Pandora's box of personalities previously unknown. As evening drew near and a dinner date beckoned, I departed for town with Weapon, navigating the sticks and bark on the windswept bike path, one length of bark being a rather angry 3ft tiger snake when Weapon rode over it.

 

28/11

I had a penchant for peace on Monday but the golf course loop begged a prior prologue, at last a double digit temperature and barely a puff of wind.  Speissy, Phil, Sandy, Heady, Hommy, Tina, Coggo, Belly, Weapon, ApprenticePete and PinarelloTom (part-time Pussy) formed at Friars for a pacified peloton, JB making up a bakers dozen to egress east. Passing a cruising Straddles and Keeno, we slowly squeezed the accelerator to preserve peace, Weapons wheels playing a carbonaria with the singles singing soprano invoked velocity but.   A study of ride styles presented a mixed bag, Tina's straight and svelte course contrasted with PinarelloTom's profuse pedal pauses (as easy to follow as Jackie Lambie's logic), Velominati's rule #3 of guiding the uninitiated is needed me thinks. Shadows stretched ahead on River Rd as the sunrise warmed the gluteus maximus, long shifts at the front by Hommy and Tina set a precedent for Weapon and I to long haul a 3k stint to Central Kialla Rd.  I bid adieu to the peace train to tend to the wants of an employer, a squirt at the Crit sprint (2nd PB) satisfying an itch of intensity.  

29/11

A sneaky suburban saunter with a keen cornea on the clock berthed me at the bunch back for Tuesday's turtles, at last a reprieve from the first shift at the front!   Bruce, Cougar, TrekTrev, AvantiTrev, AvantiMat, Jase Hollywood, Nick and Temple was a good show for a Tuesday, a gentle stoke of the boiler on the first few legs to get a little train up to speed.  All cruisy till the cypress trees, Hollywood and I turned up the tempo at the S bends, stopping the jaws flapping.  AvantiMat is working the wheels well, several solo's spicing his speed of late.  Variable velocity in River Rd as AvantiTrev and Nick turned the wick down (Temple turning it up again), Jase and Hollywood tackled the breeze through Central Kialla as TrekTrev sought comfort in the caboose with Cougar. Temple made me work to Archer Rd, the pack of ten still united to the highway and beyond. I'd recovered (145bpm) in the tow as Arcadia Downs loomed near, but had a problem with premature arrival at the bunch front out of Conrod's dip.  Way too early to figure in the placings, my only option was to make the punters earn their chocolates, flogging the high fourties for 250 metres, my elbow signalling Bruce and Temple to thrash out the honours to Steptoe's.  Contentment reaching the 1250k Strava monthly challenge, I pondered Amanda Coker's current effort at the world distance record, week 28 and she's covered 72,164 km.  366k/day is commitment!

  30/11

Analysing frontphobia (drivers seat distress) with Car appeared to calm concerns en route to Wednesday's lap, it's a state of mind to brave the pointy end with the strong when most are respectful and co-operative.  Weather was wonderful drawing a Couldabeens crowd; Kenworth, Pistol, Car+Mel, Boof, Cate, WhisperingJack, Chops, Nick, Weapon, Troy, Bruce, AvantiTrev, Temple, Marz, Jase, Rocket and Trav took to the tarmac on Archer at 6, Gazzagrasshopper last out of the cot converging.  A train horn (with Landcruiser attached) passed trumpeting the tasty touché's at the bunch back, Mexican Angelo assimilated into the pack in Mitchell Rd.  A welcome back to Marz (monstering the Masi big cogs), Kenworth was keeping a birthday under cover as the AvantiTrev / Nick handbrake clicked on a couple of notches in River Rd.  A slow breach of Boundary Rd as Trav retrieved Gazza's bidon, a light tail breeze assisting our passage to Channel Rd.  Gazzagrasshopper had skipped the sequence and drew alongside me at Sellmans ('focus Foss' on the straight and smooth to divert thoughts from the young whipper-snapper beside me), stubbornness driving a long turn to the cypress trees, the satisfying sequel that Gazza called the roll-over, not me.   Kudos from Bruce egged on the ego to match my heartrate, Bruce was headed to the slaughter at the rushin' front while I mentally prepared for a ChaCha chance.  Full bore into Kinder corner and down to Hopeful, the right lane was fracturing by Prentice Rd.  Gazzagrasshopper shot past in a fish tailing thrash after Boof and Rocket , it was like following WobblyTrev on steroids while I played patience behind. Nearly out of road with Orrvale looming large, I poured on the wattage arrow-like past, snatching third with Rocket and Boof just a few lengths ahead (was good for the grandpa).

1/12

Riding random Thursday morning, soaking up 10k's of mind meandering before the 6am Goat gathering.  Belly Sandy, Brendy, Coggo, HG, Snow, Phil, Hommy, Heady, Tina, Temple, HBK, DeepFry and Bickers formed at Friars, the surging subject and its ruination on a ride analysed with Tina (Rule #88 is gospel).  Coggo and I led the escape from town, JB joining the rotational ritual, allowing me to speak steps with Sandy, bonkers blazers with Brendy, the Couldabeens crawl with Coggo and tepid temperatures with Temple.  Barely a breeze in Boundary, I paired with DeepFry (smoother than the average Adams) as a pre-cursor to Coggo down to the Broken bridges, a smooth and steady mid 30's kept the bitumen blurring, Bickers content in the caboose.   Just as I'd got into the Goat groove, the enemy of time pulled me away, into town via Archer I'd happily chanced upon Fox, Meags, Fee and Princess for a short social chin wag. 

2/12

An early berth at the Couldabeens carpark put me at the business end of a big bunch Friday, Shorty, Nick, WhisperingJack, AvantiTrev, AvantiMat, Chops, Pistol, Kenworth,  SuperMario, Rocket, Cate, Trav, Mel, Boof, Marz, Nev, Temple, Hollywood and Weapon, FDC's  Ralphy, BamBam, Grumpy, Pelly and Troy rolling in with Bruce, making a long line for me to lead (the first k calm thankfully, the exit split by traffic). Doubled up with Choppy to the roundabout laboured the lungs as a southerly started, my recovery spent socialising with the lads and lasses cranking up the ranks.  The role at the rear seems sometimes forgotten, a glance back and a call on traffic the responsibility of rear gunner, looking out for your fellow addicts. (just as passing on the message through the ranks)  

It was beaut being berthed behind, blabbing beside BamBam, breathing blissfully Boundary bound, bike bunches blurring by buoyed by bravado, breast beating and boisterousness, but betwixt our band of besties, babes and beasts, brazen brainstorming and bombastic banter bounced between the the rows while two others puffed away in the drivers seat dragging us to Channel Rd.  Two lines stretched long and thin at the cypress trees, sprintention boiling to the surface with the Kinder in view.  The ripple effect as the lads at the front let loose is a hard wave to ride if you're not prepared or concentrating elsewhere, but I wasn't in the right real estate (midfield) to mix it with the movers. 

Week 48.     317km.           YTD 15,594km 

Week47: Servants for the sprinters

Post 372

19/11

There's nothing like the warm welcome of a weekend and the shared social stimulus of a Saturday lap. TatPaul, BassoDan and Cougar had berthed at the carpark, gridphobia evident again as Boof, Cate, AvantiMat, Rocket, Bruce, Kel, Hollywood, Troy, SuperMario, Tommygun, Shorty, Bo, AvantiAndy, Jen, AvantiTrev, Temple, The Godfather, Tum, Nev and even BigMat fronted.  TatPaul and I were left to lead leg one as six bells tolled, Cate braved leg two, and like mischievous schoolboys, the Godfather and Bo created havoc with the velocity as we worked east.  KillkennyPaul and Softa joined the long line at the Pine Lodge pub, the once enforced 35 limit is a distant memory but the carpark still fills each week.  (BigMats rare appearance might just be related to next weeks Tour de Pub?) Several had doubts of hanging on as the tempo touched the fourties, the rubber band effect strong at intersections with a long line of reactions. 'Round the Toaster and up to the church, the rear order shuffled as several sought shelter in preparation for the drive west.  The southwester spread the bunch across Lemnos-Cosgrove Rd, over the main eastern channel to see Trudy driving a copious Cat pack cranking east.  Popgun appeared at the soup tin and took up residence in the caboose, Bo and the Godfather again turning up the tempo.  Cate dropped a chain at the halt for Numurkah Rd, and with the bunch driving into the distance and Jen close to expiry, I hung back to gather them, KillkennyPaul and BassoDan (the sprint cast-offs) to work Wanganui.  BigMat had pitted with a puncture in RuddRd, the bunch now broken into bunchettes, Lemontree bound. Roadside rubbish, race tactics and ride variety kept the jaws flapping between coffee and breakfast.
 

20/11
The sanctity of Sunday's usual day off was broken for the Goats early Christmas ride, a casual muster at Friars of Spartacus, Cindy, Brendy, Hommy, AvantiAndy, AvantiLeigh, Sandy, Jen, Dipper, Heady, Tina, Phil, Belly, Coggo and HG. It was a calm start on a route to Murchison via Tatura and Rushworth,  PinarelloMat, Snow, Jen, Lee and PrincipalSkinner forming a B team direct to Murch.  A pause at Mooroopna as Tina dealt with diabetic dilemmas, then a southwest idle (98bpm) as the turns slowly rolled in the rare warmth of Springs' late arrival. Finally at the bunch front as we exited Tatura, I'd scored the pairing with Hommy (a house ahead), but kept steady in the standards of low 30's rather than be drawn into his agenda.  Beside Jen was a different world, smooth, level and perfectly poised as the Basin drew into view. An incline or two rippled an itch through the Goat guns, a hillness lifting the tempo and relegating several to the caboose.  I'd reached the front again as Hommy hammered the rise from the Basin's western channel bridge, so all stops out to make him work for his lunch. The pack had Indian filed the rise, Coggo's steady draft relieving me of driving duty as we dodged the massive tarmac blisters of recent rains. Reprieve reaching Rushworth's edge, most lured to the bakery's carbs and calories to compensate the climbs, I'd abstained (with difficulty) in vigilance to the new diet, and to keep space for a gastronomic lunch.  Refuelled and remounted, it was east to Murchison, Heady and Cindy's breakaway soon shut down to resume a single filed battle against wind and traffic.

It's been many moons since feeling a heat nearing 30, H2O consumption and sweat on the brow well up from the woes of winter.  Turns were about as organised as an immigration policy, shared in sorts by AvantiLeigh, Dipper, Coggo, Hommy, Belly and I, almost Pain Train days revisited in the fourties on the billiard table surface of the last 8 k's.  The mass meandered into Murchison and set a course for Longleat wines, Heady couldn't help himself with a sprint to the gate. A luxurious lunch of tapas, garlic prawns, oysters, lobster bisque, mussels, pasta marinara and pavlova, washed down with Longleats' lushious liquids topped off a ripper ride, Goats prose and presentations adding the laughs. 

21/11

William Cowper called it the very spice of life, a circuit change Monday put variety into the routine.  Raftery Rd commenced a reverse Cat lap with Cate, a wind assisted passage south and a distracting dawn dragging thoughts away from the north and east work ahead.

All was well with the world till the turn into Mitchell Rd, the effort into the ENE'r (and Cate's Sunday attack on Harry's, Kelvins' and Polly's) wearing at the wattage.  Wiz and Minno worked south at Central Kialla,  Sosso solo at 'wait for David', then three long lines of stretched bunches in River Rd blasted merrily west with the wind up their seat posts while we muscled the mistrale, savouring the odd shelter of a few rows of trees.   A short Goat peace train of four then an unidentified couple were the last signs of clockwise life in Boundary Rd.  Finally relishing the tailwind homeward on Old Dookie Rd, a Dobsons estate sprint wrung the last watts out.

22/11

A verandah pitter-patter finishing the 5:15 breakfast rethought a Tuesday ride, deferring was regretted till a 6:15 downpour approved the decision. (Damp didn't defer Wozz and ChrisA scorching a lap)

24/11

Almost suffering withdrawal spasms by Thursday, wet weather finally went OTA but a "feels like" 4 degrees dragged the winter base layer out of retirement.  It was nearly nirvana aboard the Baum again, the well worn golf course loop spent reacquainting the ride routine.  A southwester massaged the ego out to emu corner but swung WSW to hammer the heartrate (175) from the Toaster to town (12k), personal progress pleasing but.  Belly, Coggo, Tum, Sandy, AvantiAndy, Snow, Jen, Tina, Hommy, PrincipalSkinner, HG, Brendy and JB were the Goats gathered, Temple and HBK a Couldabeens contingent in cross-bunch diplomacy (in light of the scarcity of Thursday turtles).   It was almost a holiday tucked into the bunch draft but I was soon blessed by a proper half biking from HBK (thinks.......the clash of the Titans if he and Hommy pair!)  Velocity varied depending on who was in the drivers seat, chat meant HG, silence meant Coggo.  Sunday's lunch got the nod though I suspect HG and Hommy were suffering the effects of excess.  River Rd's end spelt my exit, the usual short cut home avoiding pot holes and a cash filled purse speed bump (honourably handed-in but not a peep from the owner)

25/11

A golf course prologue (old habits die hard) was an attempt to warm up the old engine, a spin in the 80's loosening legs.  Down the main drag into a southerly, a cute collection of Car+Mel and Cate corralled to commute south.  Gripped by gridphobia, the early carpark arrivals sat short of the line **, the lead role left to the same old drivers^ yet again.  Trav, Pistol, Rocket, Bruce, Nev, Chops, Boof, Nick, WhisperingJack, Shorty, Troy, Grumpy, Pelly, BamBam, AvantiTrev, Cougar, Jen, Kenworth and Weapon (by the skin of her pearly whites) launched at 6, frustration (**) fuelling my 3k foray at the front, half the first leg kindly paired by Boof (^), driven to the delicious drone of Weapons' Zipp's behind.  Old Foss faired well reaching Sanctuary roundabout still firing on all cylinders, thinking the new dietary direction (and several kg's less ballast) is delivering dividends.  There was a mixed bag on my demotion down the left line, Trav's pornstar mo, Grumpy on pot-hole watch, Bruce rueing Nev's nasal annointment, Pistol's return from holidays (performance unhindered), the ladies line astern an inspiration, Kenworth keen-as for tomorrow's Tour de Trough and Cougars observations on ride technique beggars self analysis.  Six sizzled southbound on the Goat pain train as we plied north in Boundary Rd, Cate curiously curtailed in our caboose.  There was a smooth cruise along Channel Rd, the rotations rolling rapidly by the cypress trees.  Beside Shorty at the front headed toward the Kinder made he and I the ChaCha chumps, servants for the sprinters delighting in the draft to Prentice Rd.  Lucky to hold Boof's wheel kept me near the pointy end, a bit squeezy in the final metres with an oncoming car limiting the road space. An effervescent epilogue with Weapon and selfies with the quick chicks concluded week 47 on a perfect positive.

Week 47.     263km.         YTD 14,277km.  

Week 46 : Gridphobia and an antidote for Alzheimer's

Post 371

12/11

Like 125psi and a smooth stretch of tarmac, good health is only valued when it goes missing.  Robbed of riding by flu, the Saturday antidote was cafeine with the crew (Temple, Boof, AvantiTrev, The Godfather, Mel, Cate, TatPaul, Cougar, Popgun and BassoDan).  A bonus appearance by Weapon, Jase, AvantiAndy and Jen (also in civilian mode) opened the chat on peaks, going OTA and motivational company.

14/11

A brisk southwester pushed a long grey blanket of cloud toward Yabba on Monday, but it was great to be back aboard the Baum after such a long absence (48hrs). The wind uploaded a carbon chorus to tune Cate and I toward Pine Lodge church, but a tail wind out and a head wind back was akin to serving brûlée before Brussel sprouts.  With the head into the groove of the grind west the task wasn't so bad, the odd clump of trees allowing a few moments of recovery. The fading flu still had a grip on my lungs and hijacked the heartrate, the wind a little angrier in Channel Rd but the bait of the ChaCha pulled out the stops to put a peak in the graph.

15/11

A calm and contemplative cruise to the Turtle faction on Tuesday, scenic sunrise to the left and super moon to the right as WhisperingJack, Nick, Pelly, Cougar, Jase (and an unusual appearance of MrMagnet) fronted the carpark.  WhisperingJack found reverse gear quickly, ushering me to the next shift at the pointy end before we'd even entered Channel Rd.  MrMagnet's turn at the front had lasted just 50 metres from the Kensington roundabout, so I turned up the heater to set a single file trajectory.  Seven had stretched out by leg two, so settled into a mid 30's tempo, no challenge to my position till Pelly took the helm at the Kinder.  Jase, Nick and WhisperingJack had a crack to the S bends, Mr Magnet close to haemorrhage by this point. Jase drove a strong leg to River Rd, full steam cornering west snapped off the magnetic hitch-hiker.  Carry on was the call, but it was down to Pelly, Jase and I to cart the carriages as daylight lit our course to Kialla Central.  Long turns were the order of the day, Cougar uncoupled as we ascended Dave's dip but an early ease for the highway glued the line back together. Careful on the gas into Raftery Rd I got the boiler up to steam by Galbraiths gate, two bikes ahead inspiring Pelly and Jase to crank us into the fourties.  Rising from Conrod's dip we flung a sledge or three passing KillkennyPaul and Softa (reacquainting themselves with reality aboard two wheels).  Pelly pounced to pinch podium position, all savouring a social suburban spin swept by the southerly homeward.

16/11

Grid phobia retreats some from an early shift at the pointy end, concrete drove me to jump in at the deep end for first turn Wednesday.  Wozz drew alongside at the town's limit, my mental mistake was squinting to the roundabout a thousand gasps away.  Spent, sweating and speechless, the eternity ended at Sanctuary estate, lungs still wearing the wheeze of Friday's flu but recovery in the tow of Wozz, Bruce and Bo was Christmas.  Cate, Shorty, Hollywood, WhisperingJack, Car+Mel, Kel, AvantiTrev, Weapon, Jase, BamBam, Troy and Pelly rolled through, Boof joining at Kialla Central from a prior puncture predicament.

The sun burst through the bunch on Rivers' route east, like minded cyclusts from unlike tribes toiled west, waving, whistling and whooping.  There were faces pained on the train of Goats grinding south on Boundary Rd while I was worked by Weapon to the bridges and whipped by Wozz to Channel to exhaust all energy.  Sans speech till the S bends, I was on a rapid recovery before the ChaCha appeared, inspired by Cate braving the drivers seat as the pace percolated to the Kinder.   Rotations had almost ground to a halt as Shorty reached maximum velocity at Prentice Rd, I emptied the tank just to roll past as Wozz, Troy, Bruce and the princes of pace stepped up to sprint, Troy triumphant.  The almost post coital pant and pleasure proceeded on the roll back to town, Bo's excuses (Vol 27), chuckles and comparisons on the chat agenda.

17/11

Immersed in random thoughts on an early solo tap, I was suddenly shaken by New Dookie's resurface (harsh 20mm stone replacing the once sweet billiard table tarmac) pummelling the posterior.   Smooth surface service didn't resume till beyond Central Ave, but an inspiring sunrise soothed the senses. 

A rare easterly eased the exertion back to town, a sluggish six pack then a profusely populated Pussycat peloton plied east.   Principal Skinner, Sandy, AvantiAndy, Snow, Coggo, HG, Belly, Hommy and Tina had Goat gathered at Friars, an idle out of town gathering up JB at SPC.  There was a rotational reshuffle as Coggo courted competitive company, the tame tap to Boundary taken up with talk of the forthcoming lobster lunch as part of a Goat Christmas ride.  JB and Coggo dialled up the stress in Boundary Rd, so who was I to mess with momentum? (oh what fun it is to ride beside a huffing Hommy!)  The pace slowly went off the boil till JB and Coggo returned to the pointy end in River Rd, the hint of a northeaster helping us into the fourties.  Time again turned me north, west and north from Rivers end to home.

18/11

Assisting a sting on a Stravassailant, a crack at the McIntosh meltdown pushed a heart rate hump into Friday morning (637 metres in 55 sec), I'd almost recovered arriving at a crammed Couldabeens carpark with Cate, Car+Mel.  Rocket, Boof, Bruce, Shorty, Trav, Kenworth, AvantiTrev, Ralphy, Wozza, Pelly, BamBam, Troy, Grumpy, Weapon, Jen, Bo, Cougar, Jase, Tommygun, Temple, WhisperingJack, Nev and Hollywood assembled in a cast the size of Ben Hur.   An 80 metre long train steamed south on Archer collecting AvantiMat, the up line forming fortuitously. I finally faced the front in River Rd wit Wozz (King of the Kialla mini-loop), head and heart wanted to reach the bridge but the lungs cut it 300 metres short.  There was a self imposed challenge tallying up the troop list today, a brain strain and an antidote for Alzheimers with a bunch this size.  The Goat train was on a mission of pained pace, already at the River Rd ripple strips (well done on a 40.9 average lads) when we'd arrived.  The turn west toward home and Channel's ChaCha challenge charged the enthusiasm, Darth Vader baulking barking at a big bunch.  A "car up" at Hopeful corner hesitated the back end, the big guns blazed and opened a gap, a hungry Hollywood and a bolting BamBam filling the space quickly. The calm after the storm found DocPaul rolling into town, the social dessert shared through the suburbs.

Week 46      207km.         YTD 14,014km

Hope the pictures put perspective into the prose, feel free to add a comment 'cause I'm flying blind folks!  (flattered by the Foss followers in Poland, France, USA, Ukraine and Portugal)

Week 45. The isolation sensation

Post 370

5/11

What motivates six and a half hours and 200 k's of self imposed torture? The challenge? The satisfaction to finish? 'Cause it's there? A twisted craving for pain?  The Tatura 200 was on my tick list, a Saturday substitute for the sociability of the Couldabeens.  A large amount of starters (including familiar faces) for both 100 & 200k rides assembled, a bit of amusement watching the preparation of some, even oiling chains and adjusting derailliers in the last minutes before flagfall.

Caught within the crawlers in a crowded and chilly 7am start, It was caution till Tat's exit before breaking free to pursue a bunch that wanted more than 24km/h. (one bloke who'd obviously swallowed a wombat, carried a ballast of two sets of lights, a big battery pack, a Go-Pro, 3 bidons, a back pack and saddlebag to suit an overnight stay)   The lead bunch was a k ahead but I wasn't going to burst a gasket chasing them down, settling into a comfortable rhythm with many k's ahead, rounding up and passing a few cast offs to Toolamba and beyond the highway gave some sense of wellbeing.  Union road is as rough as hessian undies, so pleasing to reach the smooth Shepp-Euroa Rd and tap to Mitchell.  I'd set a target reeling in a bunch of ten ahead in Boundary Rd (hopes of sharing the headwind back to Shepparton), k by k slowly chipping away the gap till I caught the tail at the Pine Lodge pub. Damn! It was Mr Magnet and the erratics! Sociable for a k or two then head down and tail up in Old Dookie Rd to snap them off the back, passing a large bunch stopped at the Pine Lodge church filling bidons. Turning at the Emu, the reality of the SSW'er (22-32km/h) hit hard, it was a push to catch S-WorksSteve (Wangaratta) to work with him for the long 15k leg back to town. We'd soon reeled in and recruited the solo WillierCol (my ally and working partner from the windswept Benalla 125) to make a threesome, a load shared well to reach civilisation at a reasonable rate, my native navigation leading them through town and head across the Midland highway.  The large bunch (previously filling up at the church) caught us in Mooroopna, comfort finding the gorgeous grins of Car+Mel, the big engines of Coggo, Belly, Carl and co with a gaggle of Goats, Cats and foreigners to borrow a tow.  Sadly, it was quite a surge-a-thon headed to Ardmona, I guess there's nothing like working with people you know to smooth out the pace.  There was a questionable call to cross the highway with cars rapidly approaching, only AvantiDave (Tatura) and I were without a death wish and stopped.  Off the back of the bunch, we teamed together back to Tat, a Lions lunch, bananas, coffee and cake refilled the tank, Car+Mel's motivation inspiring leg two.

Northbound from Tatura, I was baulked by traffic again at the highway, detached from the big guns Eggman, BigBen, Dion, 'lilTony etc driving the lead pack.  Repeating the mornings steady grind in the hope of collecting a small group, I'd passed a few offcasts en route to Ardmona and Mooroopna, even a few still toiling the 50k event.  Nearly within reach of a dozen in Mooroopna, highway traffic lights forced my two minute stop, all hope of sharing the load with a bunch was lost, 32k of headwind was all mine!  Frustration at the relentless WSW'er (32-44km/h), fighting the gusts coming in at two o'clock, annoyed being unable to bridge the gap (27 was all the legs would give) and fumbling to peel an energy bar wrapper invoked growling out loud. On and on trying to reel 'em in, the eternity finally ended at Murchison, finding the bunch (Tina, Clive, Jodie, CitizenCain, AvantiDave, 2 Brunswick LaPierre's, a 15 y.o. and a handful of other foreigners) berthed filling tanks at the drink station.   It was sheer joy to join in and share the fight west, the pong of dead roo's, an incline or two and our ever present enemy the wind, 18 k's of teamwork reaching Rushworth to welcome the long awaited tail wind home.  Twas heaven with the wind up our cassette, the sweet sound of wheels humming in the fourties with just a touch of over exuberance on a few rises toward the Basin.  A steady slog on the little cogs to Harston, my right knee creak forced a back seat for relief. On the outskirts of Tat I hit a small hole, rupturing the rear tube, a niggle so close to the finish but it's just a part of the bike riders tax to pay.  Repaired and resaddled, the Garmin showed 194.4 km, my OCD urging a couple of town laps to ensure 200.02 ticked over at the inflatable finish arch. 4227 calories to compensate, a big feed was enjoyed, even a complimentary ale!, hats off to the motorcycle guides (even stopping to point out the larger road craters), the organisers and caterers for a great event, just turn the wind off next year!  Steps 78,447

The pedometer challenge finally finished, a 28 day total of 1025826 steps tells me I need new shoes.

7/11

Rice bubble legs had stopped their Saturday night snap, crackle and pop and by Sunday arvo the posterior had stopped glowing like Chernobyl's reactor.  Now all remained was the cognitive aversion therapy to treat my wind terrors.  Mountain machine (and Vets vixen) Cate was keen to keep the Monday habit, an easterly effort on New Dookie Rd comparing hills, distance and racing, another delicious dawn distracting us from pushing into the northeaster.  There was restitution turning at the church for a few moments till the speed instinct took over, felt more like summer with a tailwind helping the trip back to town.  A long peace train of Goats were approaching as we swung south into Boundary and made good ground to Channel Rd, company drives you a little harder than solo (meant to be beneficial), the twang in muscles murdered on Saturday sent conflicting messages. The lure of the ChaCha summoned yet more pace, a lap well spent to shake off the distance dramas.

8/11

Turtles were an endangered species on Tuesday, only AvantiTrev, Temple, Nick, HBK and Cougar fronting the carpark for the early off.  Feeling fairly primed, I had no hesitation pairing with HBK (well, alongside in rather loose terms) for leg one, silence from the bunch indicated a maximum had already been reached.  Temple fronted leg two and AvantiTrev tackled leg three, but that was the sum total of contributors to the pointy end.  By Channel Rd's end just Temple, HBK and I were taking the helm, so it turned Indian file rules.  Temple to the bridges and HBK to the turn west left me the front-of-house for River Rd, gently on the gas for a hundred metres to gather the tail then squeeze the accelerator to guess what was acceptable.  By the 2nd k I had the isolation sensation, a glance back finding a 100 metre hole between engine and carriages. I backed off for a bit to recouple the train, then slowly back onto pace (but a considerate k off the previous per hour).  An eastbound Wozz was in search of the Hares as I handed the helm over to Temple to take us to Rivers end, HBK dragging us to Mitchell, my turn again west to the highway.  Temple's tempo was tamed for Raftery's first k so we didn't snap off the tail, but the drive to Conrod straight soaking up an assisting breeze busted bits off. I wound up the wick out of the dip, but HBK lay in wait for a short victorious burst in the dying metres, a decent lap done for a small pack.

9/11

Short knicks (to defy the winter that won't let go) didn't raise the temperature to double digits, but a warm and welcoming Couldabeens commute with Wozz, Cate, Car+Mel helped.  Chops, Shorty, SuperMario, Nick, Cougar, Rocket, Nev, Kel, Bo, AvantiTrev, Bruce, Boof, Grumpy, BamBam, Pelly, Troy, Weapon and Jase almost set an attendance record, but  the likes of KillkennyPaul, Softa, BigMat, Fisky, WhisperingJack, Lucy, Gazzagrasshopper, HashBrown etc are extinct.  Wozza steered the ship south at six, AvantiMat (fresh from Nevada) joining on the town's exit.  My sandpapered tonsils sent a no no to the head about a turn at the front, good on 'ya Cate for mixing it with the horsepower driving to Mitchell Rd. A reunited HurtLocker straggled south at Kialla Central, our flu full Rocket sitting quietly in the rear stalls as two long lines of cyclusts rolled east in varying velocities.  Hallelujah! The Boundary Rd chasm has been patched, a bitumen Band-Aid to ease the concerns of murdering wheels or those propelling them.  I'd almost reached the front in Channel Rd when begged to fill an enlarged hole in the bunch's left lane, not troubled to sit this one out.  Eventually called across to the up line at Prentice Rd by Mel (an ulterior motive me thinks), I wound up the tempo behind the long lean legs of Weapon.  The FDC's had the box seat with Grumpy, Troy, BamBam and Pelly line astern in the final 100, but it was Boof who snatched the honours from Bo, the recovering Rocket in a rare repose.

10/11

Ctrl-Alt-Delete the regular ride routine with a long lap Thursday, reckon it's good to break the ritual 30-40k circuits and teach the head and legs to cope with something different.  A New & Old Dookie loop was an aperitif to a gallivant with Goats, the intention to tap to the church thrown out with a SSW'er as an ally for pace.  A calm at Boundary Rd to cruise to the church, at the Toaster it was pleasing to be faster than predicted into the headwind but the piggery perfume was particularly pungent.  Joey was limb limbering at Friars for my early arrival, Brendan, Tina, Phil, Coggo, Belly and Snow rolling in, HG and JB the latecomers joining on the exit.  Coggo and I set the cruise control on Old Dookie, JB dialling up the effort aboard the squeaky MrSheen clean Pinarello to Dobsons. Joey's and Snow's go was abbreviated, Tina, Phil and Belly in good form, Coggo taking me out of my comfort zone and into the high 30's for River Rd.  Speed see-sawed on the 6k way west, minutes mattering for me to early exit via the deserted truck route and soak up Archer D's tail wind home.

11/11

Cate, Car+Mel were the social salve Friday, pushing (165 bpm) to reach the carpark with a lashed larynx.  Me thinks the flu is nigh, but legs craved a thrash.  Kenworth, Boof, Chops, SuperMario, AvantiTrev, AvantiMat, Nick, Kel, Weapon, Bo, Temple and Jase formed a grid, even WhisperingJack appeared from the obscurity of hibernation!   Early FDC's Troy, BamBam, Pelly and Ralphy with Wozz and Bruce rolled in from a Kialla mini-loop,  Car+Mel's manoeuvre to mid grid was scuttled by lining up behind, but Boof braved the front for leg one, Bruce taking the trek from fourteenth to form the up line as we gathered Shorty on the town limit. I was the bunch trailer today, now regretting not embracing the doona for a sleep-in, hanging on with WhisperingJack as company and squeezing a slice of sociability as Couldabeens changed over to the up-line. Bunches galore hummed and hollered on their way west, an expired skippy to dodge at the Boundary Band-Aid.  My throttled throat made it hard to call the punters across to the up line, hand signals sufficed in Channel Rd. By the cypress trees it seemed half the bunch were sitting on, Bo skipping duty but hatching a sprint plan for the ChaCha. Surprised to nudge 50 and finish mid field in my state, but the tank was empty on the commute to reach home.

Week 45.        407km.           YTD  13,807km

Week 44 : A pot-hole pucker and a kanga cadaver

Post 369

29/10

Sudden brake lights, a loud thump, and a clobbered kangaroo was flung from the passing Navara's bullbar straight into the bike lane, twitching with an express ticket to heaven....just another thing to dodge on Saturdays early lap. D shackles, big bitumen blisters, steel strapping and stones littered the highways edge on a 17k solo, better on the well worn track of Mitchell and Archer to rendezvous with the Couldabeens at the shop.  Kel, TatPaul, Cougar, Shorty, Trav, Cate, SuperMario, Mel, Rocket, Pistol, Ralphy, Wozza, Troy, Nev, HBK, Bruce, Temple and a thousand uninvited murderous mosquitos filtered in for the 6am off.   TatPaul and I had the honours of dragging the bunch up to speed on leg one (the resplendent Godfather gracing us with his presence) the pack settling into the social schmooze till Orrvale Rd when a vehement verbal was hurled from a ute driver, inconveniently forced to stop at a stop sign, just for 19 lives on bikes.  Unperturbed, the journey east continued, a holler to caution Darth Vader's appearance sharpened eyesight and wits.  The sidekick decoy Rottweiller lay at the roads left edge, Darth barking and bolting from the right (without consequence).  Deviations and distractions over, bike business resumed for Boundary, steering east into Old Dookie flagged the day's scenic solar start.

Words with Wozz, banter with Bruce, guffaws with the Godfather, rhetoric with Ralphy and cackles with Cate make for a satisfying social start to the weekend, oxygen usually used for gasping on weekday rides and the race to reach work usually stealing any post ride interaction.  Headed homeward in Lemnos-Cosgrove Rd, my turn two arrived at the kennels with TatPaul then with Bruce from Boundary, heart and lungs coping admirably, mental detours distracting leg objections to reach Ford Rd.   Pussycat pack #1 was well populated, BassoDave back in the bunch a welcomed watershed moment.   Sprinters and stayers shuffled the sequence in Wanganui Rd, Rocket unusually taking a back seat as Wozz, Bruce, Boof and the sprint starved wound up the boost to the hill.  Picking off those jettisoned from pace, I'd led a string of tailenders (motivated by magneticMel on my Mavic) up the hill to reconvene rolling in Rudd.  The Lemontree's table tattle on nana's recipe's, sports doping and peloton positioning kept the head occupied, taste buds tied up with breakfast.

Steps 35,211

31/10

The Cate collaboration Monday works well, reacquainting the legs to turn after a slack Sunday (24 hours seems an eternity off two wheels). New Dookie Rd is rarely spoilt by traffic and a WNW'er for propulsion made an easy tap to the church. More a niggling breeze than a tough wind west in Old Dookie Rd, enough though to brew an angry crank to crest the main eastern channel bridge and get it over with to Boundary Rd. Being slowly drawn closer to the summer and its solstice (by two minutes a day) the sun peeked atop the clouds at the fig farm.  Back to town via Channel Rd and the mandatory charge at the ChaCha tuned up the engine and the head for the working week. 

Steps 38,975

1/11

My mules and stallions concept for a Melbourne Cup day ride found favour (an anti-clockwise Toaster lap left A Mart at 7 for the mules, the stallions at 7:15  to chase) Kenworth, TatPaul, Shorty, Temple, HBK, Cougar, Ralphy, Car, AvantiTrev, SuperMario, Jase, Kel, Weapon and Bo fronted, long-time-no-see Lucy, Aimee, Jen and AvantiAndy too,  ring-ins MeridaAndy, GiantLen and ApprenticePete put the starting gate at 21.......the biggest collection of self appointed Donkeys ever!   Shorty and I set the pace at 'no chat but not flat chat' for leg one south on Conrod straight, silencing the troop talk and setting a precedent of pace to make the stallions sweat. My recall was rusty on MeridaAndy and GiantLen (from the distant days of the hospital and library bunches) while two long lines of hopefuls worked east. Helped in Mitchell and River by a light WNW, ApprenticePete and Weapon, AvantiAndy and Jen commanded the caboose, as the pack hovered in the high 30's. Lucy's a tough nut to match as we worked north in Boundary Rd, last weeks pot hole dramas now disasters from a vehicular pounding.  

GiantLen has taken a half wheeling leaf from the HBK book, MeridaAndy reacquainting himself with the Merida, good to have Jen (with her mojo) back, the usual verbal nonsense swapped with HBK, but no hot tips for the afternoons race.  No sign of the 7:15 stallions (Hoges, Trav, Bruce, Nev-bro-Kev, ChrisA, Boof, Wozz, Pistol, Rocket and Cate) as we turned into Old Dookie Rd but ApprenticePete was missing in action (taking a shortcut of recovery with Weapon riding shotgun).   Heart and lungs ran well for my 3k turn at the front in Lemnos-Cosgrove Rd, the diet direction and 4kg less of ballast has the old engine coping better.   Word of stallions approaching in the rear distance enthused the drive to Wanganui Rd but I'd been caught within the survivors as rotations froze at DECA, no escape till the fragmentation nearing the hill.  Tailenders were collected in Rudd Rd as the pack drove toward the base station, euphoric stallions catching us at Tarcoola,  hoot'n and holler'n a fine 39 average. Seemed like Saturday all over again with breakfast and banter at the Lemontree's long table.

Steps 35,321

2/11

Still we wait for winters weather to wane, the warm layers out yet again (15 degrees this time last year). Numbers were down from yesterday's peak, Wozz, Cate, Rocket, Boof, Shorty, AvantiTrev, Pistol, Weapon, Bruce, Ralphy, Troy and Jase the die hards on Wednesdays grid.  Spearing south out of town, FDC's were absent from leg 3, my turn to huff and puff with Jase from the bridge to the dip in River Rd, but next up AvantiTrev trimmed 10% off the pace.  It was almost a holiday in the draft of a dozen, time spent pondering position of the next turn with a wary eye out for Boundary Rd's archeological dig.  Into a light headwind on Channel Rd, the ChaCha arrived all too soon, the ever so slight downhill to Hopeful corner was no help to me, on the front again in the mid fourties cooked me by Prentice Rd. Still pleased to finish within sight of the sprinters, the social roll home a tasty dessert.

Steps 36,390

3/11

Rear wheel rebuild #2 (replacing a well worn hub, correcting the crooked cassette) and a slick new pair of Michelin Pro4's were easier to roll, there's a measure of comfort on fresh rubber replacing the treaded (but thin) Michelin Grip's at 6,000+ k's.   A solo Toaster was tapped as a prep for the weekends Tat 200, I was away in 77rpm la la land on Lemnos-Cosgrove Rd with a delightful dawn arriving.

An earlier westerly had fizzled out to nought to make the turn back on Old Dookie Rd a pleasure, south in Boundary Rd the distant strobe of turtle tail-lights pierced a low fog.  By River Rd's third k I had Hare headlights in hot pursuit, but was sticking to my resolve of a tentative tap to tackle Tat's 200.  Hares had caught me by Kialla Central, the invite to climb aboard their track turns train to great to resist.  Pistol, Rocket, Wozz, Hoges, Bruce and Trav swapped 30 second turns in the 40's, but by Dave's dip thoughts of Saturday's distance threw me into a conservation cog, dropping off the back at the highway to cruise back to town. 

Steps 51,832

4/11

Kenworth, Bruce, Rocket, Weapon, Pistol, Cate, Shorty, Hollywood, AvantiTrev, Kel, Bo Chops and Boof made up Friday's happy clan, FDC's Grumpy, Pelly and Ralphy joining in at the grid instead of an out-of-town rendezvous. A pacy spin south in the 6 degree chill warmed up the muscles and the heartrate, Kel, perfectly perched, prompted a sit study, so many with a unique seat stance.   Kenworth positioned behind Ralphy in the bunch must rate as a B double draft.  Into River Rd, the oncoming Cat pack was longer than a BigMat absence, our velocity east pegged for a bit by AvantiTrev but reinvigorated by Ralphy.  So keen to avoid the chasm of Boundary Rd's pot-hole, I missed and struck a fist sized rock, kicking the front wheel sideways to prompt a proper posterior pucker. Plenty of daylight to navigate Channel Rd, the speed built steadily to the Kinder, Hollywood reckoning he had just 3 seconds worth of sprint. Yet again I scored the front out of Hopeful corner, way too soon to figure in placings I sunk all investments into stretching the bunch long and hungry.  Grumpy wound up the boost at Prentice Rd but Boof appeared to have the Avanti advantage for the ChaCha honours. 

Steps 38,162

Week 44       273km.        YTD 13,400km