Pre-dawn chill

So yesterday was to be the first century ride on the Hybrid, starting with the sunrise at the mouth of Tallebudgera creek. The Coolamon century as I call this (because much of it follows the Coolamon road near Mullumbimby) at first heads down the coast, through some very pleasant mangroves.



I don't know how much longer the mangroves will be there, given the rapid explosion of suburbia on the Tweed Coast. Still, being on the NSW side, there's a chance some of them might be preserved. The ride then heads inland through Mullumbimby, before climbing toward the Crystal Castle. This is the section that really makes this ride, sweeping views on both sides of the range, first toward the coast:



... and also the mountains...



... and that would forget the flowers that are always blooming in these parts.





The return from this route takes the old highway, through the Burringbar range and surrounding hills. The punishing hills that come in the 145-165km section are what makes this ride a challenge. The range itself is just a rhythm ride, but the ones that follow have stiffer gradients, particularly the last brutal pinch before descending into Murwillumbah.

After Murwillumbah, it was time to test the new bike on a dirt road -- for this, Urliup was always going to be the only choice.



All in all a satisfying ride -- 222.5km, although I'm still adjusting to some slightly different gearing, and have pulled up a little sore today. It was interesting to note at Burleigh Heads a car sticker: "God Save Schapelle". If one was naive enough to believe the media, it might come as a surprise that it was the only one I saw all day. We can only hope God or the Indonesian judges weren't watching as they promptly ran straight through a red light.