The calm after the storm

It is very rare that I write about mid week rides on this blog these days. It seems I can't write anything without adding a picture, and I often don't bother to carry the camera on a quick 45km jaunt before work. For all that, however, I try to remember the camera if I'm going on a pre-work ride to Little Nerang Dam after a storm the previous night. On those occasions, there's probably a 90% chance that something spectacular will appear.



These pictures were taken at 5am, before public access to the area was even officially "open" that day. It makes me wonder just how many people are even aware of what happens out here at these times, but I also wonder how many people even care. I really believe that people are losing touch with nature, and that it's generally to their own detriment. Just take a look at the number of people living in large cities who rely on alcohol or various drugs (whether they be hard drugs, legal drugs or even anti-depressants) to get through life and you'll see what I mean. If these people put the same effort into escaping concrete as they do into obtaining their "fix", I think many of their problems would be rendered inconsequential by the sense of perspective they would gain.



On days like this, however, I have little concern for what other people are doing. I'm more interested in beholding the sight before me. On this particular day, I thought about the perspective I might get from a post-storm ride to the summit of Mt Nimmel. With the storm season in its infancy, I may get that opportunity in the future. On this day, however, I was more concerned with the beauty before me. The world is an amazing place.

Le tour de Tomewin

Believe it or not, I didn't ride last weekend. I had a nasty chest infection that effectively put paid to any riding plans I had. As bad as that was, it has now given me a chance to catch up on a few blog entries that I never quite got around to writing on recent weekends. The day after the Springbrook/Mt Nimmel climb in the previous post, I decided to seek out the dirt roads on Tomewin Mountain. The showers that were around promised to add a bit of spice to the ride.



I started off with a ride through the rainforest at Urliup to commence the Tomewin climb from the south. It was perhaps a little ironic that the rain should stop as I ride through the first patch of rainforest, but there was plenty of that to come later in the ride. The rain did return for the climb of Tomewin, which allowed me to take nine minutes off the previous week's time on the 6km climb. More importantly, the rain brought out the mist on the top of the mountain, which made some of the views even more interesting.



I took the detour along Garden of Eden road, taking in the sweeping views and the rainforest. Astonishingly, the rain that fell earlier in the week (the first in four months) hadn't cut up the road at all, which made the whole thing easier to negotiate than I'd expected. The most exciting thing that happened on this stretch was reaching the end and realising my sunscreen was still at home. Fortunately, it was only a half-day ride and it was raining -- maybe I could escape the ride without any more melanomas.





After that it was time to head out along the old Glengarrie Road. Up until a few months ago, this road used to skirt the top of the range, before winding it's way back to the coast at Bilambil. The rich boys have moved in and now the road at the top of the pass is impassable, but much of the road from the western side is still rideable, and still beautiful. I followed it across the top of the range, taking in the views until I reached the really rough part, before returning to the main road. I realised on this stretch just how much I miss the ability to ride the full circuit.





On the final descent on the ride home there was a final surprise. One of the old mountain houses was being raided by peacocks. One of them was sitting majestically on the front gate when I arrived, but didn't hang around for long enough to take a picture. Still, it was an interesting way to finish the ride, and gives me the opportunity of another half-day ride to add to my list.

Back to the mountains

Last Saturday I made good on my promise to return to the mountains as quickly as possible. I had also hoped for a little rain, but I would have to wait another day for that. Still, the temperature did cool a little when I reached the higher parts of Springbrook, which made it all a worthwhile exercise. It's always interesting to observe the way that each mountain has it's own character, and Springbrook is no exception. It's one of those things you have to be there to experience.





What has been intersting about this part of the world in the last month or so has been the colour in the scenery created by the blooming of the flame trees and the jacarandas. This, of course, won't be around much longer, but the little picnic area at the bottom of the mountain had turned almost completely purple as a couple of grand old jacarandas started to drop their flowers. On the other hand, the blooming of the red flame trees six weeks early explains why it's been so bloody hot lately.



I couldn't help but have Mt Nimmel for desert on the way home -- a slight detour, but worth every one of the 8km extra. Oddly, the steep gradients didn't bother me in the heat, and there were even a couple of locals hanging around to cheer me on. Most of my rides up this mountain are either at night or early in the morning, so it was interesting to take in the different appearance of the views slightly later in the day. Absolutely beautiful.