Brisbane Valley Rail Trail Stage 1 & 2

A public holiday is always welcome and a good excuse to go for a pedal.  Thought it was about time I checked out the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail . I drove out to Fernvale (1hr) to start the trail  to Coominya.

Fernvale: start of Trail

1st Stage 8km:  Fernwood to Lowood is 8km and the track is a well packed gravel trail, which runs along the bank of the Brisbane River. Saw the bat colony & the bricked cuttings.  Not much else really.

The Trail

Apart from the sign at the beginning of the trail, no more signs were seen until arriving in Lowood - a rather sad oversight by the organisers.  There are a couple of times when the track is unclear and a small blue bike sign would have been helpful.

The now quiet Brisbane River

Bricked cutting from original railway line

A row of bats

Strange fruit - fruit bats that is

Old Lowood railway station, now a museum maybe

Off into the long grass - Stage 2

2nd Stage 12km:  After Lowood, the trail degenerates into an overgrown bone-rattling affair, still suffering from the flood through the Valley last year.  It tracks through farmlands, empty paddocks, few dams, nothing really that interesting.  One section is totally washed away, but I was able to walk Nellie around the edge of that area.

Eventually, I came to the heritage Lockyer River Rail Bridge - hiding in a large pile of long grass, a hum of a tractor slashing, in the background.  I parted the grass around the gate, to find a sign announcing that bridge was to be crossed 'at your own risk'.  hmmm....

use the tractor to get some scale to the height of the bridge

Taxi across the Lockyer river

The tractor driver gave a 'hoy!'  so I went over to see him.  He was slashing the grass and offered to give me a lift over the river, still running about 30cm deep.  So I followed him down the really steep bank and when he got to the river - now just a narrow channel over loose rocks - he lifted the slasher up above the water level.  I dragged Nellie up onto the slasher and climbed on myself and for a minute or two, we bounced and jounced over the river, trying not to lose balance.

Lockyer River railway bridge - closed

On the other side, I had to drag Nellie up the steep cliff, leaving the panniers on the back of the slasher, which dangerously followed me up the steep bank.  Phew!  There's no sign of any problems such as this on the website - I think it might need some updating.

The last few kms to Coominya were a bone shaking trip over the railway ballast and eventually just 2kms out of town I gave up and zinked off the trail onto the sealed road that lead into town.

Prosperous Catholic Church

Coominya is just a tiny town, but I found the park and sat down and scoffed my lunch.  I decided that I would hit the real road for the return trip.  It was a much easier, tho a tad longer. Got sworn at by a cheeky little fox terrier!  Got back onto the trail at Lowood.

rough fence

Not really impressed with the trail.  Maybe Nellie agrees with me (she had a flat front tyre the next day).  It's touted as a tourer or mountain bike track.  Generally I think mountain bikers would think it far too tame and I thought it pretty uncomfortable - the scenery was pretty bland, but having to watch the track all the time, who knows what I may have missed!

Austere Presbyterian church

Rich Brisbane Valley soil

Brisbane Valley

Stats for the ride (which include the much faster return ride):

3:04hr actual riding - 45km -  avg 14.6kph - max 34.3kph.

Climbing Mt Cotton

With quite a lot of pfaffing around this morning, I eventually loaded Nellie onto Rosie's rack and we drove out to Redland Bay - taking the long way, with a bit of zigging and zagging around!

Arrived at starting point

I had spent an hour trying to set up the gps before leaving - and eventually gave up and decided to wing it.

So from Redland Bay, I headed out along Double Jump Road.  The name should have warned me, but I straggled along climbing up the double jumps, several in fact, not just one!

Good shoulder

No Shoulder

Broken road edge

The traffic was not heavy but fairly constant and the shoulder on the road disappeared off and on.  The gps was looking good, so I continued along, dodging onto West Mt Cotton.

Nice place to stop for morning tea -

At the top of Mt Cotton

Its quite a pretty ride, lined with straggly forests of casuarinas and eucalyptus.  There is also a lot of weeds - lantana, singapore daisy, guavas growing wide - very tasty tho!

from the top 

Mt Cotton beat me tho'.  I came screaming down a hill (max speed 52.3kph!) dodging a pothole, slight corner and then faced with a wall of a road - looked like a 90% incline!!  I started to madly click down to granny gear and panicked as I was clicked into the pedals - I was quickly grinding to halt!  it wasn't going to be pretty - but thankfully, no traffic and a driveway on the right, so I zinked horizontally and was able to unclick and get off to catch my breath.  The wall was still there, so I plodded slowly up to the top, stopping to munch on the aforementioned quavas!

Cable Ski Park

I came across Carbrook on the Logan River - both places I didn't know existed - and dodged into the Cable Ski Park - another new thing for me - so had some lunch and watched the young lads being dragged around on cables, practising their water skiing skills.  Saw a couple of spectacular falls, one young lad doing such a classic belly flop I was cranky I didn't catch it on camera.  The pulling system made only a buzzing noise, so much nicer than roaring speed boats.  Logan river was a sleepy river - even a nice little house boat for sale!

Tough skier

Logan River down-river

Logan River upstream

I managed to stay in the saddle for the rest of the ride, getting slightly lost as usual, but I eventually arrived back in Redland Bay, dodging around in the suburbs, finding bike tracks, including another vertical climb and eventually finding dear Rosie waiting patiently - and unlocked as I had feared!  but no worries!

Preening Pelicans

Looking over to North Stradbrooke Island

All in all, a typical ride around on Queensland roads - no shoulder, broken edges and cranky drivers.  I witnessed one young lad come flying around the corner towards me, the back wheels skidding out but thankfully he managed to get it back on track - for the time being.

This was a good ride for practising riding with cleats.  Plenty of space for just pedalling along, but there were intersections where I had to think about clicking in or out.


Stats for this ride:  2:43 hours actual riding, 45.3km (my total is now 10749), clocking up a max of 52.3kph and an average of 16.6kph.  I managed to be clipped into the cleats the majority of time, just clicking out when needing to stop for traffic intersections and the horror hill climb.  

Hippy Country

I took a couple of days off after Easter to visit my friend, Linda, who lives over the border near Lismore.

at Brunswick Heads

My first plan was to ride into Roma street, hop on the train down to Kyogle then ride 30km to Linda's home in the forests.  But thwarted by Country Line - bikes need to be boxed - and I wasn't planning on boxing Nellie for a 2 hour train journey - especially as the return trip was leaving at 420am Sat morning.  so Nellie was tucked into the back of Rosie and we set off to the border.


The country is beautiful down that way.  Rolling green hills, tufted with forest - farms along the road sides.

Linda's cottage

Morning brought bright sunshine which revealed the wonderful forest setting of her little cottage - with all those wonderful touches that Linda is so good at.

Over a yummy lazy breakfast we planned our two days together - deciding that there wouldn't really be any opportunity for bike riding.

We drove off to Nimbin for a bit of a look. Nimbin was much smaller than I thought but definitely still has the great hippy feel, happy weed scenting the air!

Nimbin Theatre - Nimbin candles around the back

The local art exhibition in the Hall was well worth a look, with some really high class art works.

We strolled out to Nimbin Candles and stocked up there. www.nimbincandles.com.au 

Nimbin street

Nimbin

Vegetarian food is easy to find there and a big bowl of pumpkin soup kept us going all day.

Nimbin rainbows

Lismore clock

On Friday we drove over to Byron Bay after stopping in at Lismore to check out the Art gallery and its portrait exhibition.  some really good pieces in there also.



Byron Bay has become a little commercial - but still has a good feeling with healthy food outlets.  But we had brought our own lunch, which we scoffed under a shady tree - until it started to rain. 

Palm Valley walk

Thankfully, the rain eased off and we walked up the track towards the lighthouse, detouring along the Palm Valley walk - a shady palm lined loop - well worth exploring, tho no-one else was.

Looking down onto the surf

The walk up clings to the edge of the cliff with great views over the sea rolling in - surfers hanging out trying to catch the waves.

Looking east

And dolphins!  there was a pod of about 20 playing in the water, catching waves, surfing just under the water and popping out and leaping around generally having lots of fun.  Pity I only had my little camera with little zoom!

Almost the most easterly point in Australia

We walked out to the point, wild water on one side, dolphins on the other!


 We topped off a beautiful day with an hour of salsa dancing back in Lismore - and as I have never done this before, I found muscles in my legs that had been dormant for years!!  Ouch!

Too sadly my visit was over and I headed back to Brisbane - and a dental appointment!  a great few days down in New South Wales.

Some images of forest living! 

A riot of colour in Linda's garden

Cosmos lining the vegie patch

Catching the rain water

Spot the paddy-melon!

wonderful bathroom

Good night!

 

Easter Sunday Pedal to Brighton

Easter Sunday:  The sky was a beautiful blue - time for another bike ride.

Nellie is now sporting new Shimano pedals and my new shoes have cleats on the bottom - and I am already sporting scabs on my elbow and knee (but that's another story!).

I really enjoy riding through the Boondall Wetlands, so I thought it was time to do that again.

I packed my thermos and container of nuts, screwed on my new Camzilla camera mount and away we went.

I didn't take any photos on the first part of my ride as I was just riding along the Norman Creek bikeway and the SE bikeway - I travel this way each day to work.  But I practised clicking out and into the clips - need a lot more practice!

When I got to South Bank, I turned east (instead of west to work) and rode along the Kangaroo Pt cliffs then up the hill to get onto the Storey bridge. 

The pedestrian underpass has steep steps at the end of it, with a little groove for bikes.  And here's my latest Gripe!!  I am definitely going to write a letter on this one!  It is far too steep!  Its OK for roadie bikes that have no weight at all, but for a tourer its almost impossible to get up.  I struggled up the first set and while trying to get up the next one, Nellie baulked and would go no further except backwards again, crashing back down the steps, smacking my scabby knee with the pedal and bending the handle bars about 45 degrees plus bending my rear-vision mirror.  Thankfully a woman came back to help me push Nellie up to the top and I was able to straighten the handle bars and mirror!  I was too cranky to take a photo - dammit!!

Looking back to Storey Bridge

Looking downstream Brisbane River

By the time I got across the bridge I had totally calmed down and I stopped to take some photos of the River.











I cut through Fortitude Valley heading for Tenneriffe and got back onto the bike-way, which comes out near Newstead House. Check http://www.newsteadhouse.com.au/ for more info.

Newstead House

 Its then a boring and somewhat dangerous, ride along a very rough and narrow foot path, as only the crazy roadies actually are game enough to ride along busy Kingsford Smith Drive.

There was a cruise ship in town and I had to dodge excited pedestrians, dragging suitcases towards the ship.

Cruise ship

spoonbills, ibis & egrets feeding

Then a dash along Nudgee Road to Schulz Canal and down onto the bike way heading for Nudgee beach and the Boondall wetlands.

It was great to be back on this bikeway.  It was high tide and I came across a little inlet, crowded with ibis, spoonbills and egrets.  A great place to stop and crack open my thermos and chew on some almonds.

I managed to get safely past the golf club without being pinged by a stray golf ball, then a quick 'sprint' along Nudgee road to the entrance of the Boondall Wetland bike way.

The first part is a board-walk over the mangroves.  High tide and a good wet season, meant there was little sign of the black-winged stilts that often congregate here.

Through the open forest - my new shoes got muddy here

 It was nice and green, though the grass land was starting to die back with the approach of winter just over the horizon. 

No quails today

It was also good to see quite a few people out on the bike way - even though quite scary dodging little kids on tiny bikes with trainer wheels.

Mangroves to Mountains sign

Calopo creeper (weed) taking over

but ever onwards - although it is nice and green, it is a bit sad to see the weeds within this reserve getting out of control - most obvious is the Calopo creeper that is beginning to smother some of the paper-barks.








It was a calming and easy ride - no hills, not too much traffic, no rain, no wind!

what more could a cyclist ask for?

Eventually I arrived in Sandgate and rode down to the Esplanade.  I rode along the whole length to Brighton, but wasn't game enough to check out the old flat as I hadn't let Sandy or Betty know I was coming out!

high tide at Brighton

I turned back and discovered that the wind was as usual blowing from the south-east and therefore in my face!





I wondered whether the local artist would have a sand sculpture for Easter - and yes there it was.  quirky and as wonderful as ever .  

Easter 2012

 

Easter Bunny's home?

Card1

  "On Good Friday I went fishing for cod,
I was provided, I thank you God.
Have a happy day, don't be cross,
Remember Jesus died on one of them.
Apparently, so the story goes, on the third day he rose.
So each year we remember Jesus and a chocolate bearing bunny.
I will give my love a sweet smelling rose
So she may think of me as her honey.
Why the rose?
Well there is one growing over the neighbours fence
                                                         So it is the one I chose
                                                         For I forgot to buy an Easter Egg
                                                         What a rabbit
                                                         Have a happy Day
                                                         Rick."

Card 2

 "On Good Friday, hot cross buns were supposed to be made of specially prepared dough, and marked with a cross.
According to tradition they are meant to keep for twelve months without going mouldy.
Some people still hang them up in the house as a protection against evil.
I hope your eater (sic) is wonderful for you, and every other day.
Rick"
 

Hot Cross Bun ornament

Card 3

 "Life is a bit like balancing rocks or a sand castle.
We may stand secure even in windy conditions.
Other time we may sway and possibly fall.
But we get back up maybe in a different position,
and smile and enjoy this wonderful life we live in.
Would you like to balance some stones and, or, write in the book.
Have a lovely day
Happy Easter
Rick"

Quite expansive - usually there is only one quirky card and the chair and book is a new feature.  I think that he is getting famous!

I stopped at the Sandgate Swimming Pool, donned my cossie and went for a gentle swim of 20 laps - down memory lane.  Its still a great pool and at 12:30, a nice quiet time - the pool was almost empty.

Seagulls & terns waiting for low tide 

I decided to check out the Coffee Club in Sandgate, as all the eateries along the front are seafood and burgers & chips - all totally overloaded with carbs!  I scoffed down a big omelette with mushrooms and was fuelled up ready for my return home.  Noticed that Hippy Chic is no longer!...

colourful jewel beetle on rough bark

Nellie waiting patiently outside of Coffee club

back thru the Boondall Wetlands

Back in the city, I stopped along the river to scoff an apple and finish my coffee.  An old geezer came along - informed me that Brisbane is just a big country town, not like Sydney.  He proceeded to advise me that he had won a silver medal in the Olympics - bike riding - but he doesn't do much more riding now.  He poked and prodded Nellie with his umbrella, checking out the pedals, gears, puzzling over the light and computer. should have asked which Olympics, but didn't want to question him too closely.

almost home - back on the boring SE Bike way

A great way to spend a Sunday - one I will probably do again one day.  

Stats for the ride:  In the saddle for 4:44hrs, 80.2km, 17kph average with a top of 38.2kph.
My computer has now clicked over 10,666km.  I am impressed!

Although the computer records actual riding time, I had left home just before 9am and got back home at 16:40, so a full day which included riding, bird watching, swimming, snacking and generally toddling along as only a true tourer can!