Sometimes events conspire to make a ride absolutely awesome.
Was supposed to be a back to back Audax event riding 150km on the Saturday from Hobart out to Bronte Lagoon in the middle of Tasmania's hydro territory, which is all pretty interesting and then retreating the 150km back to Hobart on Sunday.
Unfortunately the weather forecast for Saturday was truly awful and Dave who was my lift from Huonville into Hobart rang me late on Friday and suggested we hop a ride later in the day in a car up to Bronte and avoid the stupid early start riding up hill in terrible weather. Since I was enjoying a late night with some Shakespeare in Hobart Botanical Gardens, it sounded like a reasonable idea at the time.
Saturday ended up being not too bad, curse you BoM, I was a little disappointed to have missed out on a Saturday ride when we made it to Bronte with hardly a drop of rain seen. Felt a bit soft but really impressed with the accommodation that had been organised at a fishing shack right on the shores of the lagoon. Not really a lagoon, it is actually a very large lake, I believe created as part of the building of the hydro and lots of fishing taking place.
Too many beers on the Saturday night and a few of us hatched the grand plan to make up for the lack of Saturday riding with an extra ride on Sunday morning into Derwent Bridge making the ride 210km for the day. Started off feeling very dusty indeed and regretted my health and lifestyle decisions of the Saturday night. It was a reasonably gentle uphill ride being pushed along by a noticably strong tail wind for the 25km from Bronte into Derwent Bridge for the turn around point. Unfortunately you don't really notice the stiff tailwind until you turn around and notice it is a positively erect head wind on the way down the hill.
Really beautiful part of the state with some amazing hills away in the distance and interesting bushland and gentle rolling hills to ride over in the Tasmanian Central Highlands.
Once we got back to Bronte, the fun really began. I am no good with town names and they weren't really towns we were passing through, just left over villages from when the hydro was being built, all seeming to end with -tina. We had some really long descents off the top of the highlands and a couple of longish sharp climbs just to keep the smile on my face.
Until we reached the bottom of the first climb I had been coasting along having a great time talking about adventures with a couple of guys heading off for another crack at PBP and some great stories and plans that they have. Blokes that if you met in the street you may mistakenly think were quiet conservative stay at home gardening types who have actually travelled some remote corners of the globe doing some amazing things. You do meet some real character on Audax rides.
The other group of riders including my lift from Hobart back out to Huonville had opted against doing the full 210 and had headed straight back to Hobart with a shorter ride and I was keen to catch up so they didn't have to wait for me for too long after they finished.
Cranked out a pretty consistent pace and in true Audax style avoided any stopped time in my pursuit of the rabbits up ahead. The one break I had in the middle was lunch break at Ouse roadhouse to have the brevet card stamped. Wandered up to the counter with my usual armful of nutritionists nightmare. A bottle of creamy soda, a custard tart from the fridge a bag of mixed lollies for the road and asked for a chiko roll. The lady behind the counter asked if I wanted salt on the chiko roll and the guy behind me kind of laughed and joked with me about "nah, bodies a temple", didn't get a rise out of the lady serving who I think thought we were being smart arses.
Ride from Ouse to Hamilton is really nice with that real temperate rain forest. A bit more traffic but all very well behaved. A long but very manageable climb into Hamilton. It was much steeper than I had recollected but nothing too challenging and any other day would have seen Tasmania's ever present westerlies pushing you along.
Finally caught up with the front runners in New Norfolk which was a bit of a relief. I was a bit concerned about my navigation from there into Hobart and they were really good guys to chat with and gave me an excuse to slow down and enjoy things a bit more. I was soft and opted out of my turn at the front of the peleton but we were making reasonable progress and I always get a bit nervous riding in groups with people I haven't done much cycling with.
Must apologise for total lack of photos again. In my haste and foggy minded state on the Sunday morning, I left my camera in my bag for the car rather than putting it in my back pocket.
Excellent ride, feeling pretty good. Should have ridden up on the Saturday, glad I did the extra distance on the Sunday.
Observations/musings for the day.
1. How good is that shower after a long ride?
2. Has anyone ever heard anything good said by PBP riders about their experience? I only ever hear miserable tales of woe. Bad weather, cyclist mistakes, things pinched, language difficulties, injuries, tougher course than expected. Yet everyone is always keen to go back?
3. If you want the custard tart at Ouse roadhouse, get there early.
