Date Published: 07 Nov 2010 3:30pm
Author:Steve Moore
A later start this morning due to the late night travelling last night. Apparently once you get to Atherton its downhill to Georgetown and then pretty much flat to Adelaide. A new pairing of Louey and Smiley headed out (Hollywood and I have run out of jokes to tell each other). Out through the main street riding in the bike lane of course up a bit of a rise past the oval and onto the Kennedy Hwy. down through some nice rolling hills a few corners and started up a bit of a hill. Down into granny gear and the thing just kept going up and up. I'm sure someone told me it was flat.
After a huge climb the boys were rewarded with a massive descent. But around the next corner was waiting another climb. The second descent for the day was about as much as you can have on a bike, steep grade, great corners and perfect surface. A hard stage but so much fun, I’ve nearly forgotten about the pain in my legs. Hollywood and Axe took off, had one little hill and miles and miles of downhill. The Caribou crew caught up along this section and next the silence was shattered by Lauren’s dulcet tones over the PA.>/p>
The change for the next pair, Sam and Conan (can’t split the Umbilical brothers) was in roadside stop featuring huge gum trees, grass and a water hole. The boys took off and we were looking around for Steve A when he appeared from the direction of the waterhole, towel in hand, not a bad way to cool down after a ride. Ted Whitten called into the stop for a quick hello before heading off to Normanton.
Myself and Louey were up for stint No.2 hoping for less hills. So of course we copped a few hills, though nothing as big as stage one but still hills. I believe this is where we sighted the first road train for the red team. No problems with them passing or overtaking so far.
The team is making up the time we lost to our late start and the next pair of riders is quickly on the road. Ant hills are starting to appear beside the road and in one section there were massive grass trees up to 1.2 m tall. The terrain and vegetation is constantly changing and things are definitely flattening out. There are Brahmin cattle all along the roadside some in paddocks but many just chewing on the grass beside the road. More Anthills but the shape has changed from fat roundish 1.5 m tall to witches hats and not much taller.
Louey and I head off for the 3rd and final ride of the day and push along a good average. Mark and Steve A cop some pretty ordinary surfaces for their ride and just before the end come across a pair of lycra-clad photographers lying in wait by a bridge.>/p>
Paul Manning has saddled up and joins The Umbilicals for the final leg. There are some spectacular views along this section as the road rises up the side of a reasonably sized hill. Down the other side and all too soon the day’s rising is complete. Cars are fuelled and the Red Team makes it’s way to Normanton for the night. Driving towards the setting sun brings its own set of problems including the Wallaby kind.
Its hard to fathom that just last Sunday we were pedalling through the rain out of Melbourne, not really sure what the trip would bring, so far it has been a great experience, we have met people all areas who have stopped for a chat, want to know about the cause and the ride, heard some interesting stories, stayed in some very interesting accommodation. I think the whole of Red Team can’t wait for week two, the journey into NT and the start of the night rides.