2018 Anthem Advanced Pro 29ER 0 - First thoughts.

To say the last couple of months have had me excited about a new bike would be the understatement of the century.The anticipation of getting a super light, 29 inch wheeled dual suspension bike was slightly tempered by the fact that I have really enjoyed the 27.5 inch wheeled Anthem. It is a super fun bike can really haul (well, under a better rider it could) and has that element of playfulness that my previous 29er's lacked. Reading over the details for the 2018 Anthem Advanced Pro 0 soon had me like a kid in a candy shop. I waited patiently (not!) for it to arrive and now I have had the absolute buzz of riding it and getting together a few initial thoughts on it. My caveats as always, I've done about 100km on it, I had a short shakedown ride which proved I didn't need to change too much and so far the longest ride is just under 3 hours. Not a definitive testing regime by any means but here goes.

Yeah it is...

I won't go into the nitty gritty of the spec and numbers. It's got Eagle, it's got Fox, it's all carbon! The link below has all of that in way more detail than I could be bothered with. I figure the highlights and how it feels to ride is where it's at. Highlights for me are pretty straight forward.

https://www.giant-bicycles.com/au/anthem-advanced-pro-29er-0

Fox suspension with a dual remote lockout. Awesome. The Evol rear shock runs a very low pressure and so is supple and responsive. The Maestro suspension means there is limited bob under power and you get heaps of tyre contact when braking. The forks do as they should be expected to on a bike of this level. They track well and are smooth through the travel. Being able to lock both out on one lever means that for long climbs and sections of smooth fire road you can get every bit of efficiency through the pedals and I have to admit to using it heaps.

Evol shock with remote lockout.

Step Cast to save weight.

My second highlight is maybe a little unexpected. The saddle on the bike is the Giant Contact SLR Forward model. I have had one of these on two bikes now and they are very comfortable! I haven't had any issues and it took no time to break in. It may not sound like much but when you ride a lot.... A sore butt can really spoil your day. All of the Contact SLR stuff is really nice. It is finished well and is light and strong.
The last time I rode a 29er was 2014. It was a previous incarnation of the Anthem and I loved it. It was a great bike to race marathons on and long days in the saddle seemed made for it. In tight singletrack and on more technical descents though it was a little less capable. The 2018 version has gone a long way to making these shortcomings a thing of the past. The cockpit is longer, the stem shorter, the head angle slacker and the rear wheel tucked up more under the rider. This gives a very confident feel when ripping through rough trails and lets you turn faster than I would have expected possible. One of my favourite bits of singletrack has a long section of off camber roots and broken shale that drops following a sharp left hander. The run in always presents a moment of hesitation as the right line takes you through the roots before setting you up to launch the shale and land in a corner. The bike cruised through the roots with barely any loss of speed or control and then easily flicked the tail to get the correct line into the shale. The stability of the 29er coupled with the very forgiving suspension made me feel a bit pro as I dusted my mates through the section. So yeah, descending is good!

Contact SLR cockpit

What about going up I hear you say? The cockpit feels nicely stretched out so no worries there. Having the rear wheel tucked in tight under the rider gives shed loads of traction  whether you are locked out or negotiating tricky ascents over obstacles. My local trails are very loose at the moment with very fine dust over hard pack. While I can break traction if I stand and stomp, while seated there is great transfer of power to the rear wheel. Couple this with the lockout and you have a very fast bike when the trail goes up. I'm liking it.

Bling!!!

What more is there to say apart from a HUGE thanks to Jaaron and Fi at Giant Brisbane. Without them I wouldn't be riding such awesome bikes. Hopefully soon I can do a report after racing it!

Older, fitter, happier.

It's been a long time since I posted anything here. Life has been busy and complicated, but I guess that's why it's called "life" and not "easy". I'll try and get the energy up to post more about the last year in particular soon, but for now I have bike stuff to write about and frankly it's a lot more fun for me.
So Giant, wow. In particular Giant Brisbane. It's been nearly eight years of amazing support and great bikes to ride. The support from Cyc'd for Bikes, QBC and now Giant Brisbane is nothing short of brilliant and I can't explain how much it has meant to me over the past 7 years. This year and for 2018 I have the honor of being an ambassador for Giant Brisbane and continuing my friendship and support from Jaron and Fiona. As context, Jaron and Cyc'd for Bikes were the first sponsors I ever had and were the main reason my 2010 Terra Australis and fund raising efforts were so successful. I'm still a pest at QBC though and will continue to help out with events and the like as often as I can. So for a bloke who doesn't win races, finishes mid pack at best but LOVES bikes, I am seriously blessed. A huge thanks to you all.
Obviously I have kept riding. I have raced a couple of Epics, a couple of marathons, a bunch of shorter XCO type stuff, a stage race and a 24 hour race. I have been in essence pretty happy with my efforts and if nothing else the training is THE best medicine for my state of mind. I am still using the "Today's Plan" online system and it works pretty well for me. The flexibility to change around the sessions is critical for me as sometimes life just gets in the way! The structure does keep me motivated though and I love seeing the analytics as I progress through the program. Thumbs up.
Gear wise I am riding a 2018 Anthem Advanced 1 29er currently with some exciting upgrades due in the new year. I haven't had the chance to get enough miles in to do a review of the bike yet but my intention is to do one in the next week or so. My initial thoughts though are after coming of the 27.5 version of this same bike it feels more stable through trail chatter and the feeling of sitting in the bike rather than on the bike makes climbing very comfortable. More to follow here.
All in all, the title says it all. I'm definitely older, definitely fitter and working on staying happier than I have been for a long time. Life should be about a journey and not a destination. My goal is to enjoy that journey and live and feel the experiences along the way.

Wrap up of an attempt.

I didn't finish the Epic. I had all kinds of excuses that I was going to use but I thought the truth would be best. I say this because the real reason is that after a long and very emotionally exhausting couple of weeks, when I toed the line yesterday I was already half beaten. I had no nervous butterflies, no anticipation of the flowing singletrack or the long climbs. Nothing.
You need a reserve of mental toughness to push through the times that your body is tired or your plan isn't going quite right or even when you have a slower rider in front and you want to get around. You need that. I didn't.
I'll take a few positives away though. My first 50km was good. My recorded time and the time on my Garmin are at odds but it felt good and controlled. The nutrition plan worked a treat and I had energy the whole time I was on the bike. Today's Plan had my body as fit as it has been for years and I felt comfortable on the bike.
I didn't deal with the problems mounting up in the weeks before the race. I should have talked more about them and worked harder on solving them or at least coming to terms with them. I hope by saying this that someone else can feel comfortable in talking about a problem or letting the people around them know they are struggling a bit and seek some help. You are not alone in feeling down and you do not have to be alone in dealing with it.
I will be back racing in November for the Bayview Blast. I haven't decided whether to do the 100k or something less. My honest belief is that I should do the big one.

Epic preparations.

When a little over 14 weeks ago I did a race down at Jacks Ridge I had this little itch inside to have a go at the Cycle Epic. My  biggest struggle in the last couple of years has been the motivation to get out and do some miles to make sure I got the smiles. The pattern went like this. Say I am doing a race, put all the good intentions in the world forward about how I can train and how good it will be to get fit and then watch it all fall apart around me because I let everything else that is not riding my bike get in the way. There is no structure or tangible goal to meet on a daily basis. I kept looking at my performances over the last couple of years and it is always the same.
Anyway it was time to sort out the entry to the Epic. My good mates at Epic Event Management helped me out and I was entered. There was an interesting email that followed a couple of days later offering a training plan through Today's Plan. The pricing was fantastic and it looked quite good value. I have wanted to try a plan for years now but it hasn't fit in financially and if I had to pull out for work reasons of just because I was too slack it was a huge outlay. I finally decided that it was a small investment to make even if it didn't work out. I was in full stealth mode though. I didn't tell anyone. So on the 21st June I did a threshold test.
Fast forward to today. I am into the taper week before the Epic and I feel pretty bloody smug. I have completed almost all of the sessions apart from a couple of anomalies due to illness and life pressures and I can feel the benefits from consistent, focused training. It isn't anything like having rockets strapped to my calves but I get out for a 3 hour ride and feel strong and energised. I have looked after myself with recovery times and eaten better food. All in all I can honestly say this is the best I have prepared for an event since 2010 and I am excited to get on the course and see how I go.
I have kept my goals modest. The last time I raced the Epic I manged to finish in shade under 6 hours. It was a tough slog for me and I have to say I didn't really enjoy most of the day. I placed 51st in my category and was not really happy with my performance. I have never done the Epic with any real preparation much less a proper program and taper so it is really untested ground for me. I have looked over the times from the last couple of years and I have set my top end goal as top 20 in my age group. That would mean I need to drop over 30 minutes from my last time. Of course this is all speculative as I get further into the field and more fast guys make it up into the 40+ category but you have to have a goal. Why not push it a bit?
My race plan is straight forward too. I know the course really well and the first 50km has some serious climbs but some faster fire road and tarmac sections. I smashed myself hard in the tarmac last time I raced and really blew up bad so that lesson is learnt. I am going to use the road to eat and drink and hopefully get in  bunch to get some respite. I am happy to do a turn but last time a couple of wheel suckers latched on and wouldn't come around. If I can just get a good rhythm on the climbs I'll be stoked. While the last 37km is the most fun, I also think it is the hardest. There are a lot of singletrack sections that offer no rest and I always find it hard to get a groove for the Dandy's and Yowie sections. Couple that with Grinder and it can be a very tough day at the office. I am trading my usual singletrack brutality for a more composed and hopefully energy efficient approach. We'll see if that works!
The bike is only as good as the rider they say. Well, my Anthem Team is way ahead of me in terms of capabilities but it is certainly a great comfort to have it to race on. It is dialed. It got a little love over the last couple of days to make sure everything is tip top. Some new brake pads tonight and a final clean after Saturdays pre race warm up and it will be ready to rock. I can't speak highly enough of the Anthem platform.
No good deed goes unpunished and my mates at Cyc'd for Bikes, QBC and Giant know that for sure. Brent, Darcy and Jarron look after me way too well for an old wannabe. Huge props for that!
Finally, and my weakest area in a sea of weak areas, is what I will fuel myself with. I have had a nightmarish time with race foods of the pre-prepared and packaged type. I have consciously used only a small amount of electrolyte drink and otherwise whole foods during the 12 week training. They are by no means as convenient as gels and liquid food but I am yet to have any stomach issues from this course of action. If it works out though it picks up 10 minutes of the 30 minutes I have aimed for by simply not having to rush off into the bush with stomach cramps! Besides that an almond butter and cranberry tortilla is damn tasty!
Right, so I am off now. Two more rides before the race on Sunday and I am pumped. Stay tuned for the post race report which will either be Sunday night because I am bursting to tell the world how well I went, or sometime in 2016 when I get over the disappointment.......... :)

3+3=FUN.

A little video of the Giant 3+3.

https://video.xx.fbcdn.net/hvideo-xta1/v/t42.1790-2/11759203_999066186791800_285019297_n.mp4?efg=eyJybHIiOjgwMSwicmxhIjoxNDY4fQ%3D%3D&rl=801&vabr=445&oh=e735e5aed09156687a01bc390ad75156&oe=55BB1406

I was just riding along and.....

There has been a bit of a resurgence in my riding of late. I got motivated and started training for the Cycle Epic in September almost by accident and now I am 4 weeks into a training plan with Today's Plan and feeling pretty bloody good. I have tried many times to analyse the reasons I stop riding from time to time but there is really no explanation other than I forget how good it is! I love it in all it's forms whether it is the roll around the river on the road bike, a quick bash through some sweet single track or a multi day adventure into the bush. I really dig pedaling my bike.
It isn't like I haven't had anything to write about either. In the last couple of months there have been some very exciting additions to the stable of bikes currently residing with me. My most recent is a cyclocross bike. A TCX SLR1 to be exact. Getting that thing out on some trails and bridleways is an absolute hoot! Around my home is the perfect area for such a bike. The Pony Trails, Mount Nebo, The Goat Track. All of these are in close proximity and I can head out on the quiet roads and then jump on the dirt from some fun and hard climbs. The 105 groupset is bomb proof and the hydraulic brakes have an amazing feel and of course will pull you up way quicker than you probably ever need. The power and modulation is boss though. I hope to get out and race a few CX events soon but we will see.

The other and perhaps most exciting steed is my Anthem Advanced 0 Team. OMG.
http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-au/bikes/model/anthem.advanced.27.5.0.team/18983/76577/#specifications
This thing is fast and comfortable. I am running mine stock apart from the usual grips, saddle and tyres. ESI Chunkies, a Fizik Gobi because I love it and some Maxxis Ikons tubeless and the whole thing comes in a touch over 9.5kg. I have become such a fan of the hydraulic actuator on the SID forks I now want the Black Box version of the rear shock so I can have the lockout there too! I took a little while to get the suspension set up right as I have been used to the Fox variants for the last couple of years but now it is really sweet. The Rockshox Monarch RL has excellent small bump sensitivity but does have the slightest hint of "Bob" when pedaling hard on the flat. Really though, do you notice it in the real world? Nope. Could it be my crappy pedaling style? Never.....If you are climbing there is no bob and the traction is as to be expected with the Maestro system. The trail chatter is dealt with really well too. The fatigue levels in my lower back can attest to that!
I have raced a bit too. There was a top trip down to Nambucca Heads for the Jacks Ridge XXX. It is a 100km race on some really awesome single track in a beautiful part of the world. Big thanks there to Pete for the company on the drive and to Warren and Leslie and the Clews's for the conversation and banter through the weekend. While the race had to be pulled up short due to a pretty serious crash I still had a blast and hope to go back next year. The meals at the pub were certainly highlights as was the cooks tour back along the North Coast. Top weekend!

Most recently I got on the mic to become the host with the most for the #Giant3Plus3. What a top weekend! The link is to the event organisers wrap and I coudn't have said it better myself.
http://www.3plus3.com.au/event-organisers-wrap-up/. See you at next years?
I should definitely mention this whole training plan thing. Today's Plan is an online coaching system that is tailored to your needs. It has the facility to fit around your week and gives amazing feedback with graphs and instruction on workouts and goals. http://www.todaysplan.com.au/
It works for me on a couple of levels. I have a structure. I love structure. It is realistic in the time parameters as you basically set them yourself. And lastly it gets results.
When I say results I am not talking muppet to machine kind of results. I feel stronger and on a climb I have struggled with recently I felt more relaxed and in control of my body. The plan runs through until September and I can see that if I stick with it there will be some serious improvement in my fitness and riding. Don't expect to see me on any podiums but you might be able to see me next to you on some training rides chatting away happily when before I would have been out the back blowing like a train! Should be fun right?
As always my mates from #Cyc'd for Bikes, #QBC and #GiantbikesAUS rock! I still pinch myself most mornings that I get to hang out and ride such awesome gear. Ta!

Connection correction.

It's been a busy time! I made this half arsed promise to myself a few months ago to take the pressure off and stop worrying about whether I was training and just get out and be more active. It has worked really well. There were a few struggles with early mornings, I am not naturally a morning person, and a few struggles with the initial lack of fitness but they have both settled into a nice regular rhythm that I actually look forward to. On the measurable and quantifiable scale I have lost a few kg's and can now manage a bit higher average speed across my activities. The most exciting and less quantifiable areas though are what have me most excited.
I feel really level and grounded. I am enjoying work as I feel much more prepared to deal with the stress and peaks of workloads. I have way more patience when dealing with my boys than I have had for a while. That has led to some really great times with heaps of laughs and cuddles. Alison, well we had an amazing break over Christmas and even though there has been some stress with school starting again I feel very close to her and very connected. All in all the abundance of emotional energy is transferring itself into a deep and spiritual enjoyment of exercise.
I own a lot of bikes. They are all being ridden. That statement alone is new and exciting given the last couple of years. I have a very dirty and well used pair of trail running shoes. Yes, running shoes. I now do a regular core strength workout and boy is it paying dividends. That's right folks, planking, sit ups, push ups. The whole bit. I am eating REALLY well. Lots of fruit and vegetables with very few sweet treats. No booze and lots of water. 4 kg dropped people. 4kg.
So what is it all for? No particular reason. I am just riding the wave. Sure I have entered some races and have set a couple of targets but they are there for perspective, not to live my life towards. Being healthy and feeling great leads me to want to set goals and try to achieve results and not the other way around. Do the ride, do the run, wake up early. Because you can.

Back on the horse in the Wild West!

Well I jumped back on the horse this weekend and knocked out a short course XC race. Bloody hell it was hard! The race was out at Adare as part of a great series called the Wild West Series on a course that is best described as sandy on the flats and rocky on the steeps. While the course wasn't long it had heaps of fun bits in it and the challenge of trying to keep up with riders that are much quicker than me kept me well and truly entertained.
I have never really been fast as a mountain biker, or in any sport I played really. When a short course race happens it is all hands to the oars right from the gun. Just to add a little humor to my story I left my race number in the van and had to bolt back to get it before the race. I got back to the line as my category was lining up with my heart already racing and at the back of the pack. As the race started I got caught in the back markers and had a very slow start. A few times some of the less skilled riders were walking over obstacles which created a traffic jam of epic proportions. Serves me right really. The traffic eased on my second lap a bit and I got into a group of similarly paced riders and we traded places for a while. It was really great to actually feel like I was racing even if it was at the back of the pack.
 I dropped the chain a couple of times. Again my own stupid fault as I had realised I needed to adjust the front mech before the race. There is nothing quite so demoralising as working to pass a group of riders and dropping a chain then watching them all ride past again. Oh well, live and learn.
Lap three was fun. I had a bit of clear track and I had a guy trying really hard to catch me. I got a little rush of adrenaline as I went around a corner and caught a glimpse of him. There was one last steep climb before a descent into the finish line and boy was he hauling to get to me. I ran up the last bit of the climb and then pinned it back to the finish. A great way to finish a fun race.
I should mention the likes of Jared Graves and Ben Forbes, both of whom passed me on my last lap like I was standing still. At least now I know I should be racing B grade.....

Image courtesy of Daimon Wright. https://www.facebook.com/Daimonwrightphotographer?pnref=lhc

Stripped Back and Laid Bare.

There is no hiding from the lack of posts here. I look over the number of drafts and aborted musings as well as the last post date and it's really pretty obvious. It may look like I have been off the planet, not riding and just not present. It's not really true though. New job, trips overseas, two very busy kids and a very, very purposeful avoidance of any means of tracking my activities just gives that illusion.
No GPS. That's the first step in my stripping back the riding I have done. Just go and ride the pace you want, where you want, when you want. No kudos or comments unless I choose to announce the activity. Most of all no self imposed pressure or goal. I just ride because it feels great.
Part 2 of the strategy, bust out the single speed. Nowhere to hide, no excuses. The lack of riding and fitness for me is just such and open wound once I hit the trails on that thing. My goodness it hurts. The pay off though is pure single track heaven with no distractions and that burning, gut wrenching joybomb that is getting over the rise, cleaning the tricky line with a rigid bike or just rolling back to home feeling honest and spent after a ride.
Part 3 of the strategy, just smash trails. I got a loan of a 5 inch trail bike. It's a Trance Advanced 1 with all the good fruit. While it isn't the bike I would choose for my goals next year it is a fun missile. I am genuinely coming home blasted from my rides on this thing because I just have to give it full gas all the time. Even climbing! There was a playfulness about riding when all those years ago, my mate Ricky (thanks mate) said to me "Buy a mountain bike mate, they are awesome!", and I seemed to have lost it. Go hit some trails and jump stuff. A water bar is an excuse to see what you can do. Get the whip on, land in the corner and gas it out the other side. Manual that section of brake ruts and go nuts out into the next section. Just get your moto back on! Man is it time to ride again yet?
Part 4 of the strategy, there are no strategies. Fitness is it's own reward. I've been trail running because it feels great and I see things I sometimes miss on the bike. I ride the bike I feel like riding. Pretty obvious really. The road bike has been neglected for a while but she'll get over it, the single speed probably feels like it's been ridden hard and put away wet. A good clean and a little love and it will be fine. The Revolt is raring to go and soon the chance will come. Whew! I am tired just thinking about it....

Just riding and smiling.

Join the Revolt!

So I have been riding around on a dirty little (not so) secret bike for a couple months now. With my growing interest in bike packing and my long term desire for a bike I could do a bit of social cyclocross racing on it seemed a no brainer that when I saw the Revolt 1 I would end up adding one to the stable. I have to thank Giant and of course Cyc'd for Bikes for looking after me for so many years now and without the support there is simply no way I could ride such awesome bikes.
So here are the specs. The Revolt is a little bit strange looking at first glance but the spec and practicality of it soon become obvious as a commuter, beginners cyclocross bike and with a few changes a very decent touring bike. I have taken the Revolt to work many times now and on the bike paths it just cruises along with comfort and ease. The larger 32mm tyres that come as standard have a semi slick tread that is easy to push but provides a more cushioned ride than narrower road tyres. They also provide better traction on our often slippery bike paths. The addition of the integrated down tube mud guard is also a welcome feature as it catches quite a lot f the road grime that comes up at you. The spec is solid. A Shimano drive train that is practical rather than flashy with Avid BB7 brakes makes for a reliable and efficient parts mix. The carbon fork takes a bit of the snap out of the road and a little weight as well. It's a lot of fun in the pony trails out around home especially if there is a bit of water around. It feels quite Euro! A set of slightly more aggresive tyres would be a good idea if you intend to use the bike for more cyclocross racing than commuting though. Full length cable outers all round. Winner.
 
Now for the changes. I was pretty keen to try this bike as a touring platform. I had an inkling that my 29er wheels would slot in the frame quite nicely giving me the option of a larger tyre and some real off road tread. Luckily Jarron at Cyc'd let me mess about with the bike on the shop floor and low and behold it worked, really well. The next part of the puzzle was the frame bags I already had made for my other tourer. While they were a little small overall for the Revolt they did fit and allow me to add a bottle cage behind them making the space pretty usefull in all. The seat bag was a cinch to fit and with a bit of re organisation the handle bar roll sat beautifully against the suicide levers. I thought they might provide problems but instead they stabilised the load really well.
All of this left me with one problem to solve. Carbon forks and no bosses to mount additional cages. In some cases a pipe clamp and some old tube will sort this out no worries. Not such a good idea with a carbon fork though. I had a Salsa touring fork from my other bike but the Revolt has an Overdrive head tube. That means standard for won't fit and there is no commercially available reducer set to make it happen. With a bit of help from my local bearing supplier though I got a bearing to fit and solve the problem. Awesome. So how did it turn out?

Fully kitted up with bags and water.

Stripped back and bare. Salsa touring fork, anything cages, monkii cage underneath and we're good to go.

Detail of the front.

Specialized Captain 1.9 does the job on the back. Just enough clearance. 

Being able to put my 29er mountain bike wheels on and add the Salsa fork makes this a very versatile bike. I've loved doing a bit of cyclocross riding and commuting with the Revolt in standard configuration so it really meets the requirements for me of three different bikes. There are a couple of things I will change before my next bikepacking adventure though. I will look towards putting an all mountain XT crankset on to bring the gearing down to something that my chicken legs can handle a bit better and probably remove the suicide levers completely as they are surplus to my requirements. Other than that though, a 15 minute change over makes the bike my tourer or my commuter and cyclocross bike. I love it.

Scenery for the Soul.

For me there are few pleasures greater than the feeling of cresting a hill on a bike. Call me mad, it's just the way I am wired. When the hills are tough and the scenery is nothing short of spectacular that feeling is amplified and takes on a near euphoric level.
Rients and I took off on another little bike packing expedition over the weekend. The plan was to head out from Lake Moogerah and trek to Koreelah Creek camp ground in the Koreelah National Park. The park sits just in the New South Wales side of the border ranges. Resting there for the night we were then to set out for Queen Mary Falls via Spring Mountain and then back through the Condamine Gorge and on to Moogerah. The clues were there. Main RANGES, Spring MOUNTAIN, and a bunch of other mountains that while we wouldn't have to crest them, the foothills and spurs would provide plenty of additional vertical meters.

When we set out the pace was relaxed and very moderate. The lessons from my first experience of bike packing still sat at the front of my mind. The extra weight of gear and the need to back up for a couple of days means that conservation of energy is a sensible idea. I haven't weighed my bike and gear but I think that I would carry an extra 12kg or so. That's about 4 litres of water (which incidentally wasn't enough) and the rest in tent, food, cooker, clothing and spares.

Rolling out.

Yours truly just outside Maroon.

Rients on the Muru. 

The Revolt in full riding order. 

 The route headed through Mount Alford and toward Rathdowney skirting the township of Maroon and then along the edge of Lake Maroon. The scenery along the first part of the route was pleasant but once we hit Lake Maroon it turned spectacular. There had been some tough climbing already to this point but it was only a hint of what was to come. We stopped for a lunch break on Burnett Creek. A pretty little spot with shady trees and an area to get off the road and relax. As usual, it was a gourmet stop. Fresh coffee and a hot meal.

Burnett Creek.

Break time.

The chef at work.

Things got progressively tougher from here though. We headed up through the valley created by Burnett Creek until the start of a climb up to Carneys Creek. This was brutal. I was able to manage anything up to 12% gradient on the gravel but after that my high gear ratio meant burnt legs and loss of traction. A surface of blue metal interspersed with red clay hard pack made for very slippery conditions. I walked a couple of the pinches as the climb went on. The heat and humidity had also built up to a very uncomfortable level as well. I had lost sight of the scenery and adventure for a moment and focused on the discomfort in my legs and back from pushing the bike up a kilometre of gravel road in the heat. There was finally a flattening of the way and I could pedal again and it didn't take long for the peace and quiet of the area and the beauty of the surroundings to calm my unrest.

The Scenic Rim.

The top of the climb was also the border with New South Wales. I felt pretty chuffed to be there and that feeling only grew as I embarked on a long descent to a cross roads that Rients explained we would return to the next day. 

Elated but shattered.

Finally we were on the old Koreelah Road. It was a roll down to the camp ground with little to no excitement other than great company and more gorgeous scenery. I looked forward to setting up camp, taking a dip and eating some food. My water was low but I thought I could fill up at the camp ground. This turned out to be the only flaw in an otherwise perfect weekend. The water in the tank was green. The creek was low. I was starting to stress a bit now as the day had been hot and I had used a lot of water. Fortunately a fellow camper was interested enough to ask what I was up to and then to offer to share some of his water with me. I am forever grateful. Rients had offered but that only promised to leave us both short. Anyway, all good. Tent set up, meal devoured and I was a new man. Well,  I felt pretty good. Rients outdid me though. He had a meal and a red wine. Now that's travelling in style.

Rients' home away from home.

Two little orange beacons of comfort.

Koreelah Creek

I should mention at this point as a sort of caveat that during Saturday I had received a text from Alison reporting that Rohan had fractured his arm. He was fine but she just wanted to let me know. I was a bit stressed about it but really there was nothing I could do.

It rained for some of the night which meant packing down wet tents for the return trip. No great issue, just a bit of a pain. We were soon on the road though with the day dawning cool but humid. It made for very cold descents! There weren't too many descents though. Head Gate Road was stunning. The forest changed from open eucalypt to lush rainforest and then the rabbit proof fence cut through it and almost immediately we were back in the eucalypts. A short descent took us to the base of Spring Creek Road. From there things got really interesting.

...or bikes.....

Our destination is the escarpment on the left at centre top of the image. Up.

Spring Creek Road was a necessity for us to get water and food. The plan was to go over the mountain and get to Queen Mary Falls and the caravan park there. The first 2k's were a very pleasant  7 - 10% gradient on tarmac and I got a nice rhythm going on the climb. I had been warned it wouldn't all be like this though. As I turned a corner the cliff wall that was 17% gradient awaited me. Discretion being the best part of valour, I got off and walked. It felt like forever going up that last kilometre. 

The top of the climb. 

I was getting worried about how long it would take to get back to Moogerah and home to check in on Rohan. The Spring Mountain Cafe provided a rest, great food and coffee (mmmmm, coffee...) and a chance to assess our plan. Rients very kindly offered to cut the ride short by excluding what promised to be a highlight. The trip through the Condamine Gorge. Oh well, next time.

Spring Mountain Cafe. Great food and coffee.

We ate, refilled water and generally recovered for a time. Then came the descent back down to Teviot Brook Road and the detour back towards Moogerah. 

The obligatory selfie from Rients.

It was spectacular. Massive granite boulders and lush forest following the brook for 10 kilometres. 

The view towards home. 

We eventually hit Carneys Creek Road and then onto Croftby Road. If there was a perfect way to finish a ride, Croftby Road would have to be up there on the list. It rolled through farmlands at a gently descending gradient. The odd small hill was there just to keep us honest but in the main it was easy to maintain 20kph without much effort at all. All around the ever present mountains broke the views with granite bluffs and cliff lines. Gorgeous.

The long and winding road.

The turnoff to the caravan park at Moogerah came up quickly and unexpectedly. We had been cruising along nicely for the past hour or so and when it appeared I wasn't ready to stop riding. I wanted that can of coke, but I wanted to continue the adventure too. I had been torn when we made the decision to cut the ride short but it was in truth the best idea. After a hot shower, a can of coke and some time off the bike I was feeling very satisfied. A roadhouse burger along the way made for the perfect finish.

So I crested the hill. I feel the achievement still in my legs and more importantly in my soul. Sometimes my descriptions don't do them justice but the hills were tough. I never wanted to give up though. I wanted to see the next amazing scene laid out before me. 

Optimism.

Merry Xmas to all!
There goes another year for me. As a brief recap for the year it went something like this. I changed jobs 3 times. Yep, 3 times. I have had some niggling health issues that have made life a bit ordinary too. My anxiety and depression issues returned to a point where I sought help again in order to get them under control. Sounds pretty bleak? Well surprisingly not.
As much as each of the moments in themselves were a bit scary, or concerning or just downright annoying there was never a time when I felt alone. I always had support. The anxiety reared its head in January but Alison was there to talk it through with and my friends and family showed concern but tempered it with support for my decisions and understanding for the behaviors and moods that had been a precursor to it. I'm travelling along swimmingly again now.
Jobs. Just wow. I had a contract that was coming to an end and was stressed that it might mean I was unemployed for a period of time following that. At the last possible minute I was snapped up by a company in the same industry and immediately dropped in the deep end. It was hectic and somewhat stressful but I survived it and learnt a bunch along the way. I loved my work mates and really appreciate the opportunities that the position gave me. I would still be there if not for an opportunity that arose out of nowhere. I have been out of the arts industry for nearly 2 years and each time I have contact with it again I see what I am missing. Sure it can be hard work and often thankless but there is still nothing like seeing a performance come to life. It's a bit special. So a position as a Production Manager came up for QPAC, the Queensland Performing Arts Complex. I applied with no expectations as there was a strong field of applicants and the reality is that these positions are rare. I interviewed well and walked out thinking that if someone else got it, they were going to do a good job. I'd given it a red hot go. I can't tell you how happy I was when I got it. Stoked.
The health issues really were a speed bump as it turns out. After having things prodded into places I would really rather not have things put, it seems a couple of small issues were giving me grief in a long term way. Sorted now though with a bit of simple day surgery. Et voila! Here we are.
What has any of this got to do with my adventures? Well life is one great adventure isn't it. There have been some moments along the way but all in all 2013 was OK. My family is happy and healthy, I have great friends and I always have the potential for some really cool adventures. This year it's about converting the potential into reality. No promises but it could be a great 2014.

Have bike, will explore.

For a while now I have been toying around with the idea of doing some touring or bike packing style adventures. I guess it was a grasp at getting some passion for riding my bike back and a chance to combine riding my bike with camping, two of my greatest pleasures. A couple of things happened to align that meant I was able to both get my bike ready for such shenanigans and kit myself up with a few necessities like some bags and a bit of kit. In later posts I will go into more depth with the set up and what has and hasn't worked but for now the sheer joy of the weekend is what I want to write about.  In the most part I want to let the pictures do the talking. Maybe just a few words here and there to express the thoughts and feelings captured in the moment will be enough to get my message across.
My first (and at this stage only) trip was a ride from Esk in the Brisbane Valley to Blackbutt at the foot of the Bunya Mountains. Over the two days there was about 160 kilometres of riding on old rail lines and back via farm roads and part of the Bicentennial National Trail. The route formed a loop with the first day being the easier, gently climbing path along the  Brisbane valley Rail Trail. It's scenic, it's peaceful, it's relaxing.

The former station at Toogoolawah.

The riding is easy with a gradient of only 2-4 percent. It does go on for a long way though.

The easy riding made for a lot of chatting and planning of rides in the future. I can see how this kind of riding gets addictive. 

A snack on the rail trail.

Just below Linville on the Brisbane River. 

The totally relaxed pace of the first day and the increasingly fantastic scenery quickly made the woes of the world disappear.The salve for the soul that is cycling is only heightened by connecting with a journey rather than a destination. We had let the pace slip a bit and the goal of reaching Yarraman really looked like a trudge. It didn't matter. We had shelter, we had food, we had water. As it turns out we also had a pub with cold beers when we reached Blackbutt. Day complete.

Blackbutt Showgrounds. Not exactly roughing it but a great place to stop.

Some shelter for the bikes and us. There's even a bar!

Chillaxin'...

Camp gourmand. 

The morning was foggy and cold. My sleep had been a little sketchy as I left my sleeping mat behind to save space. Lesson learnt. I still felt great though as the reflections on the day before left a warm glow and the thought of my home made porridge with cinnamon and a hot coffee really stoked the fires for another day. The simple pleasures of some tasty nourishing food and that black gold that is coffee were all I needed.

 By the time we had struck camp the fog had burned mostly burned away. It would make a comeback as we entered the valleys on our trek back towards Esk but the sunrise over the camp was still pretty awesome.

Packed and ready to roll.

The highlight of the trip was yet to come. The ride through the Emu Creek gorge was stunning. The pictures will tell the story much better than my words.

Heading out of Blackbutt. The fog returned

Rolling farm roads and great views.

Heading down into the gorge at Emu Creek.

A last photo before the drop proper. 

Emu Creek Gorge. The view was truly beautiful as was the creek itself. This area took a beating in the floods of a few years ago.

We started the climb out. We climbed a lot. The views on each side made it easier but it was still hard work. Massive granite rocks stuck out at us and the hillsides were covered in Grasstrees.

A rest about half way up

More stunning scenery.

Still climbing though....

...and still climbing....

...but still smiling!!

....until finally we got to the top and were greeted by this.

 When I reach the top of a truly challenging climb and can see the road stretching out in front of you with no cars, no houses and no people it just stirs the adventurers soul in me. Rients and I just took a few minutes to take in the view and the reflect on the ride so far. I was genuinely sad to leave the gorge but the possibilities ahead beckoned.

Farm roads and gates. Leave 'em as you find 'em.

Lunch was at the community hall in Anduranbah. The last of the dehydrated food was consumed with great gusto. My bolognese was just the ticket for a hungry rider. We ate and drank to fill the holes and just chilled in the quiet sunshine. This was much to the amusement of some passing locals who looked at two cyclists in the back of nowhere with no small amount of scepticism. You could see the "Crazy bastsards!" written all over the faces.

 

We came across a bearded dragon in the middle of the road. This little guy was not moving for two crazy guys on bikes. I waited for him to scurry off as I approached but in the end he won the stand off and I went around. 

We just rode then. The roads were quiet and the two of us just pushed along at our own pace. We would regather at the intersections or tops of hills Sometimes we rode together and talked of future trips, we talked about gear and we talked about what we were about to complete. We also talked about the meat pie and chocolate milk we were both about to devour when we got back to Esk! The rail trail into Esk was a fittingly relaxed way to end the ride. The 3% gradient climb on the way to Blackbutt turned into the slight roll home towards Esk. Even the magpies who had been so ferocious on the way out took pity on us. After the food and drink was consumed at the bakery and we had a rough wash down it was time to drive back to Brisbane. The chatter all the way home was of the places we passed and how we could explore them. Every little dirt road was a possibility. Endless possibilities.

Mission accomplished.

I have to add a very special thanks to Rients. Not only did he plant this little seed of bike packing in my pea like brain nearly two years ago but he also helped endlessly with gear selection and bike set up. It is such a boon to have a person who has used the gear, made the mistakes and learnt the lessons and is willing to pass on the knowledge. My bike and gear were nearly perfect on the trip and I owe that in no small part to his help. Rients also set up the route and and provided the means to get to Esk for the start. And lets not forget the burgers at his house to finish!! Cheers mate.