quite a warm morning and therefore a good turnout in total numbers.  juniors have dropped off a bit after the initial surge and rob and his daughter headed off alone.  as mark mentioned previously, the few novices joined up with a few of the transitional group to form a new category, yet to be named.  a complete reluctance for anyone to head out with the fast group meant that we almost didn’t have one this week.  like lemmings though, once a couple headed out, the rest soon followed.

i was riding with main 1 this week after a week off the bike on holiday.  my first ride back was the thursday fast ride and i was dropped pretty early so i knew the saturday fast group would not be a goer for me. 

it was a decent size pack and we rolled out just behind the transitional group.  this was not intentional but meant that we had an easy couple of km’s and a chance for a good chat.  the transitional group peeled off to cross the causeway as we continued on to ascot.  no real issues besides a couple of splits at the lights and i was enjoying talking to people rather than having to concentrate on sucking in air.

pretty soon we were at the turn to cresswell hill.  some had not done it before and it looms ahead of the group as the road to the top is dead straight.  as usual the hill spread the group out well, with some riders taking it easy and others racing to the top.  i was taking it easy and came up almost dead last.  dr carl was so intent on beating davina to the top that he almost ended up under a car at the roundabout. 

a quick regroup and we were off again.  down to royal so that we can get across wanaroo road easier, then all the way to main st.  we eventually got onto the road which circumnavigates herdsman lake.  after a quick stop at the lights the pace was on and we began to get strung out.  a roll through started but it was not really that efficient as some people struggled with the pace.  a few gaps formed and soon there were only a few doing work at the front.  luckily for some, the lights put an end to the “fun”.  as we took off again there was the unmistakable hiss off a tyre losing air rapidly.  luke pulled over to the side to find that his front tyre now sported some type of growth where bits were bulging through.  davina stopped with him and waved us all on again.

the pace soon picked up again but this time instead of a consistent roll through, it was all out attacks.  we were getting closer to the end of the lake road so people knew that there was going to be a rest coming up.  i came around the front pack and took off up the road.  as i was passing, i knew that i would grab someone and when i finally looked back it was ainsey.  we had a gap and ainsey came around me for his turn.  i held the wheel as long as i could, but ti didn’t turn out to be very long.  i had burnt all my matches in the first effort.  as the group caught me, it was clear to see that most of them had used up pretty much all their energy too.

another regroup and we toddled on towards shenton park.  the pace was easy and everyone was anticipation the homeward run through dalkeith.  the pace picked up again but was defiantly more restrained than herdsman.  the rises in dalkeith strung the group out a bit, but i would say that the majority of the group were together once we hit mounts bay road.

once we were on the final stretch, there seemed a reluctance to do the work on the front.  i began to come around the group just as someone started a roll through.  by the time i got to the front, there were no more riders coming through.  fine, i thought, all good time trial efforts for next week’s team time trial.  jen eventually came around but then i got in front of him again as no-one else was playing.  as we approached the swan brewery, my resolve was starting to wane and my legs were beginning to protest.  i look back and saw a train coming up the right side and soon most of the group had rolled me.  i sat up with the final few riders and cruised into the coffee shop.  not sure who won the sprint, i was too far back to see.