Back to Townsville

Friday 11 August 2017

100kms ahead - so better get on the road early - a muesli bar and a cold coffee (its the caffeine that counts) helped me get moving and out onto the road.  I knew that the ride back to Paluma was going to be tough - rolling hills, climbing up to the top of the range.  These hills were much steeper this way and a couple of tough sections saw me huffing and puffing, but Hennie's gears mean that I can churn along at really low speed - 5-7kph - so I made them all without having to get off.  and the downhill bits are always exhilarating!

Ross and the tour group caught up with me not far out of Paluma - was pretty pleased about that!  I topped up with water again in Paluma and then the descent.  I love going downhill...  that's because I haven't had a decent buster going downhill, yet!!  Hennie feels much safer than Maggie - well, she's heavier and just a bit longer so more stable - I think that's the physics!  but we swooped down the range, not bothering to stop anywhere and 37mins later we were at the bottom..  wow!  a bit different than the 3:30 hrs to get to the top!! This time, I stopped at the bottom and removed a couple of layers of clothes and headed off to Townsville.

I stopped only once on the way down to take this photo!

It was already getting quite warm, but the good news was that the wind had stopped blowing and although there was some wind, it wasn't right in my face, so in some ways it kept me cool as I plugged along the highway.

I had a break at Rollingstone (at the park not the pub!) and then back along A1.  The traffic was pretty constant with a mix of vehicles with a few too many trucks tossed into the mix...  not my favourite place to ride.  Plenty of shoulder to ride along until you get to a bridge, then it totally disappears...  a couple of times I just waited for a break in the traffic before dashing across...

Low-level bridge at Rollingstone - even a bike lane!!!

By the time I got to Bluewater, I was seriously thinking of taking up Karina's offer of rescuing me.  The traffic just killed any enjoyment of cycling and the closer to Townsville, the heavier traffic.  So phone dragged out and the call made...  Meet you at Bunnings at Northshore - done!!  and we timed it so wonderfully, rolling into the carpark at the same time!!  Not many photos taken, because really - why would one want to photograph a highway!!

and so ended my trip to Hidden Valley - so many memories rekindled...  funny how 40 years can be so easily recalled...