There was movement at the station, for the word had passed around
That a long ride in the hills was on today.
It was going to be unbelievably hot and smoky
So all the cracks had gathered to the fray.
All the tried and noted riders from places near and far
Had mustered at the station in the morn,
For Audax riders love hard riding where the wild roads are,
And anticipate these outings with delight.
It’s been hot, really hot, and the country has been on fire. Significant smoke haze blankets the trees in the distance and the sun as it rises is a dim red ball surrounded by a red sky. Under the circumstances the longer rides have been cancelled, and the starting time moved forward an hour. Nonetheless, a good number turned up to tackle the 50, 100 and 150km legs of this ride.
The route would take riders from Ferny Hills railway station, along the rail trail to Samford and onwards to Dayboro and for the longer ride, Mt Mee. From there riders would turn off at Winn Road, Dayboro Road or Campbell’s Pocket Road to commence their return trips. All great rides, the difference being how long one was prepared to stay out in the heat.
I had elected to just do the shorter ride with a ride in and ride out which ended up being 50km for the brevet and another 60km commute. I also took Frank, which I’ve built for Audax rides from this point. Frank is a fairly distinguished fellow, relaxed and with long legs. Hills are of no concern to Frank, and we seem to get along just fine.
The 50km was dispatched without incident and I took time to take some photos and dive into the bush at the side of the road – to observe a koala rescue first hand. The keen eyed will notice Frank only has one bottle cage and so I stopped more frequently for water than I otherwise would also.
It was a fairly pleasant morning on the road, but the temperatures did rise sharply from 0800. I elected to ride home along the Kedron Brook bike path which for the most part was in the shade. It was a longer journey but far more preferable to riding back through the hills in the heat, chicken that I am.
Looking forward to doing all four distances this season, but when the weather calms down a bit for the longer rides.