Bit chilly this morning, but there is the sense that spring is upoon us. The sun is up when I get to the carpark these days which is a good sign that things are getting warmer. Of course with spring comes the wind… the next excuse to stay in bed.
When we were ordered out nobody seemed to budge. I had promised myself I would try the fast group today after missing last week with hydration issues. It was a small group that ended up rolling out of the carpark. It was an odd number, 7 or 9. Not sure. Nico and I jumped on the front and took the group all the way down to Shelly. I think we were thinking the same thing. Do the first pull, then conserve on shelly. As we hit leach Nico noticed that Ryan had joined us. An ominous pink blur at the rear of the group.
Shelly got the heart pumping immediately. The group rolled through very smoothly though with no one missing a beat. We sat on around 42km/hr through Shelly. I was unsure of where the finish of shelly was, having never ridden it reverse before. But the climax was quickly signalled by a distinctive woosh woosh of carbon wheels under a distinctive pink blur.
I sat on the back down leach with Daniel in tow, and vice versa, trying to get the heart rate down before the rollers down at Freo. I’ve been popped on those rollers before, but today I felt I had a chance of making it. Managed to stay with the boys over the rollers and even took a turn or two before the turn onto Stirling.
From Stirling I just I had one thing in mind. Survive Mosman. I did, only just. Turned myself inside out through the speed bump section of mosman to stay in contact. The pink blur disappeared up the road, far enough to show us that he could.
Dalkeith/Nedlands was rather tame. The headwind has that effect. A few surges along the way but nothing too serious.
I had a blast playing cat and mouse with Ryan along Mounts Bay, tried to hamper his surpriseattack tactics, but to no avail. The pink blur took line honours, woosh woosh, a fitting end to his birthday ride.
Thanks for the write up Toby…. I enjoy the route we did, especially the rolling hills in Mosman Park, unfortunately the lights at stirling Hwy held Jerard and I up for a fair while so there was a complete regroup and we did not get a chance to be rabbits…
I could see I would have to out fox you on Mounts Bay road, the sprint did not go the way I like it (I prefer a faster wind up for a longer distance but it is good to learn how to sprint over a shorter distance :-).
Ahh yeah, my Birthday was on Sat 11th September, not Sat 12th Sept 😉
Being 45 now, the young pups will be yapping at my heals soon I am sure…
Toby
You missed the bit about my miss timed sprint point in Nedlands (nowhere near a sprint) and the useless breakaway at UWA.
But hey, I can’t complain about your first person narratives or average speeds being comparable to Main 1 (lets look at the terrain). Last time on the same Mosman reverse course I had to ride along the long hall of mirrors by myself after popping at the water tank.
I do agree with Mr Flying F$#% on his other post that a whole battalion of well credentialled young(er) men and ladies should come out with the fast group to join the sound of exploding heart rate monitors.
But, Mr F$#%, if you are 45 I must be in the 85-90 year category. I still think the club motto that was “where are we riding today” should be changed to “where the *hell* did ryan come from”.
N.
good work Nick….you always lay it on the line and are prepared to blow the doors off if required! I can see some real merit in the reverse group handicap idea that is being floated at the moment. Will certainly give people a safety net to try sticking with the ‘fast’ group and build confidence. Sounds like a few people enjoyed the absence of traffic lights out the back on Jandakot Road as well. Maybe Pete could play with the timegaps between groups so people dont have to wait to long if they get popped.
45……… your not talking to the handicappers now Ryan.
I had the date wrong. For Ryan to have his birthday on Sat the 12th of September it would have had to be 2020. Hence the age reference I assume….
Ok ok, I may not be 45 just yet… I just wanted people to think I look good for my age, rather than think my 25 years have been all hard lived…
Mr Churchill, your efforts are always noted, be they ill timed or not.. Better to have been off the front at the wrong time than never to have been off the front.. 😉
As for looking for the next Saturday the 11th being in 2020 making me 45… I am not that cerebral unfortunately (but I can lift heavy things.. shh don’t tell James as he wants to use me to lift his heavy thing)…