{"id":20161,"date":"2021-01-18T04:48:22","date_gmt":"2021-01-18T04:48:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.longrides.bike\/?page_id=20161"},"modified":"2021-01-18T04:51:19","modified_gmt":"2021-01-18T04:51:19","slug":"colt-50-10-january-2021","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.longrides.bike\/?page_id=20161","title":{"rendered":"Colt 50 – 10 January 2021"},"content":{"rendered":"

The annual FNQ Audax Colt has traditionally been a time to explore.\u00a0 New tracks, new venues, new pubs……this ride has it all.\u00a0 The 2021 version headed further into the wilds with the happy discovery of a network of dirt trails around Ravenshoe.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

And despite the multiple threats of wet weather, COVID and a long drive, over 100 riders took the plunge and signed up for the new adventure.\u00a0 Thanks to Kim, Herbie and Mundi for volunteering throughout the ride, and to Kaylene and Jann for jumping out of bed early to help at check-in.\u00a0 Yep, we were ready to roll.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Cyclists started to descend on Ravenshoe from Saturday and proceeded to explore the tracks and contribute to the town’s economy.\u00a0 The pub was overflowing on Saturday night but managed to provide great meals and good service.\u00a0 Those who tackled the early morning drive were well rewarded by a spectacular sunrise.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

And those of us who kept the faith basked in the early morning rain-free sunshine.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

From here, the story is told by Sue P (one of the 80-something dirt riders) and Ian J (a stalwart of the dozen or so road riders).\u00a0 Many thanks to them both for providing their persective of the day in a Ride Report.<\/p>\n

The Colt 2021: Tailenders\u2019 perspective (Sue P)<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

We stayed the night before the ride at the gorgeous old Ravenshoe Hotel, one of those early double storey timber buildings with big verandahs, where we had cups of tea and shared cheese and fruit.\u00a0 We had dinner in the dining room, which is decorated with antique furniture.\u00a0 The owners were very happy to have a full house of merry cyclists.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

We set out at 6:30am the next day on our mountain bike ride under a benevolent sky.\u00a0 Rain was forecast, but fortune favours the brave.\u00a0 Sometimes you just have to do it.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Just out of town, Lorraine\u2019s chain came off, so then the three of us were well and truly at the end of the first wave of riders.\u00a0 That first section through the Ravenshoe State forest was quite tricky, as we are not experienced MTB riders.\u00a0 There were some steep sections into and out of gullies.\u00a0 It had been raining so there were some slippery bits and there were some running creeks, so we did some walking and got our feet wet.\u00a0 In a long section of muddy water, we came across a rider who had hit a thick stick in the mud.\u00a0 She had come off and hurt her ankle, so Gayle came to the rescue in the vehicle. We hope the rider has made it home safely and is recovering.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Lorraine and I had the route downloaded onto our phone and Garmin, so we managed not to get badly lost this time, which is a first for our Audax rides. Gayle provided some wonderful photos to help at the tricky turnoffs but\u00a0the track looked different due to the rain and not quite like the brochure.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

We made it out of the forest and onto long lanes of huge eucalypts, past orchards and beef properties.\u00a0 We had been debating whether to do the whole distance. The food stop was in the bit we could have\"\"\u00a0chopped off, and I really wanted some watermelon and a packet of chips.\u00a0 And the other two sounded like they wanted to have a go.<\/p>\n

We even made it all the way to the East Evelyn Pioneer War Memorial, which was at halfway.\u00a0 At this point, we weren\u2019t last, as a group of riders had taken a wrong turn and done an extra 10km.\u00a0 They were looking tired.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

After the food stop, we were on the tail end again.\u00a0 We headed for Tumoulin and then off into the Tumoulin forest reserve, where it started to rain.\u00a0 Margie was in the lead as we came up to a creek \"\"crossing.\u00a0 \u201cGo for it Margie\u201d, I yelled and she did, but it was deep and sandy then rocky and she just saved herself from going for a swim.\u00a0 Lorraine and I quickly decided to walk it and we all washed the mud off our bikes in the creek.\u00a0 The rain got heavier, so Lorraine and Margie transferred their car keys to a waterproof bag.\u00a0 Imagine how much fun it would be, at the end of a long ride, to get back to your car and not be able to start it. Then Margie picked a careful line for us down the muddy hillside, through the running water and the ruts and we suddenly popped out on the main road at the bridge just on the western side of town.\u00a0 We rode past the pub and got a cheer.\u00a0 I yelled to my husband, \u201cWe did the whole thing!\u201d.\u00a0 We had arrived at 11:30am, after being out there for 5 hours, and riding 48km.\u00a0 He\u2019d been back since 9am.<\/p>\n

Thank you to Gayle, Kim and all our wonderful Audax volunteers.\u00a0 Thank you to Audax for showing us new places and allowing us to challenge ourselves.\u00a0 We will be back again next time to make some more new memories.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

AUDAX Colt 70 Cycle Ride, 10 January 2021<\/strong><\/p>\n

Ravenshoe, Far North Queensland (by Ian J)<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

At 6:30 a.m. sharp an expanded baker\u2019s dozen road cyclists, complete with scanned QR codes, headed out from Ravenshoe\u2019s Grigg St. park onto a softening-up circuit, prologue to a modest 70km excursion.\u00a0 It was roughly 17\u00b0C, stunning pale blue sky after the previous day\u2019s drenching.\u00a0 The world sparkled as we rode by a delicate Millstream Falls and back through Ravenshoe village, passing by the Top Pub<\/em>.\u00a0 Yes!\u00a0 The highest pub in Queensland, boasting adjoining dining rooms that overflowed the previous evening with cyclists and fellow travellers.\u00a0 Its genteel character recalls a near forgotten nineteenth century era, but its chefs served up delicious country-style meals \u2013 ideal for cyclists.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Our route took us roughly NNW through Tumoulin to Check-Point #1 where sanitized hands and virally distanced QR code checks sent us on past Queensland\u2019s highest geographical point (1 143m), all the while absorbing the freshness and breathtaking beauty of a spectacular Tablelands morning. \u00a0No rush.\u00a0 Lockdowns and dreary stuck-at-home TV repeats never crossed our thoughts.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

A major turnaround was the lookout towards Millaa Millaa, down a hill called Gentle Annie<\/em> (\u2018Gentle\u2019 being a wry misnomer).\u00a0 It overlooks Malaan National Park, but revealed a vast, mist-shrouded valley. \u00a0(We could imagine ca<\/em> 1 500km south there might just be a town called Brisbane \u2013 or so we believed).<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Then an equally hilly journey homeward via<\/em> those famous windmills and an idyllic, rural diversion along the Old Palmerston Highway and on to Ravenshoe.\u00a0 By then our blue skies were covered by massive \"\"cloud as we headed into solid, cascading rainfall \u2013 hardly unexpected, of course.\u00a0 While driving wet season rain hammered down, my tropic-centric perspective was corrected by co-cyclist Mary, originally from chilly Co. Cork, Ireland.\u00a0 She declared herself invigorated, cycling in a drenching downpour at 20\u00b0C, having not long before ridden 100km \u2018back home\u2019 in temperatures hovering between \u20131\u00b0C and +1\u00b0C!\u00a0 Warm rain was an absolute joy.<\/p>\n

Oh yes!\u00a0 The QR code at 1.5m to finish.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

And of course – Jimmy’s video of the ride.<\/p>\n