The climb formerly known as...

Since I've now done nothing for two weeks (more on that later), it's probably time for some "filler" on this blog, being a report from a ride back on April 26. I set off with Martin for a 180km ride through Northern New South Wales, knowing full well that I already had 280km in my legs from the last two days. I'm nothing if not up for a challenge, and the wind threw that at us early in the morning, with a screaming southerly wind trying it's hardest to halt our progress. As we were both already a little sore and sorry from the previous two days, we opted not to attack it, but take our time down the coastal strip, until we found the protection of the rainforest of Urliup.



The wind seemed to ease off, and the ride settled down as these things tend to do. We climbed over a couple of hills on Round Mountain road, with some great views back over Murwillumbah, before heading for the dirt, switchback climb over Cudgera Creek. While this isn't exactly a massive climb, it is very beautiful, with the dirt road snaking back and forth through the Burringbar range, alternating between rainforest and sweeping views in various directions. Maybe I should head for the Andes in South America and see if I can find a climb like this that lasts all day. One day...



After this it was time for a screaming descent into Burringbar, where a couple of stretches revealed that I felt absolutely fine, and the stretch into the wind was almost over. Did I say "almost" over? Maybe I was taking the section between Billinudgel and Main Arm a little lightly. The combination of westerly wind (yes, it was swinging around ominously), gradual climb and the worst section of chip seal in Australia slowed our progress for the next 10km or so. My progress was almost halted completely on the final descent into Main Arm itself when I totally misjudged a corner -- fortunately nobody was around to see me or hit me.



Now it was time for the climb formerly known as Mt Jerusalem -- largely because it passes through Mt Jerusalem National Park. We actually discovered the real one two years ago -- then earlier this year I discovered that it's now impossible to get through to it anymore. We now have to make do with the fake. Still, the climb over the fake is as beautiful as climbs get, at least from the southern side, with the dirt road winding through the rainforest, and a gradient that only reaches 13% (compared to 19% on the other side). I took my time and enjoyed it, and the ride through the cool forest at the top. I really need to come back here in the coming months to reacquaint myself with some of the attractions in the National Park.

We negotiated the screaming descent on the dirt into Uki, for some reason this one always scares me, even though I've never managed to crash on it (yet), and prepared for the ride home. The wind was still from the south-west, and this was promising to be only my third southern ride in two years to finish with a tailwind. The stretch to Murwillumbah was pleasant and uneventful, except that it confirmed my suspicions about the wind. Now it was time for the final climb over Tomewin, for the third time on the weekend. I actually struggled early on the climb, before finding my rhythm and cruising over the steep (11%) section.

With Tomewin safely in the bag for another day, it was now time to mop up the remaining kilometres, including another descent on which I almost misjudged a corner, and ride home with the tailwind. When we got back into Suburbia I decided to launch a stupid, crazy attack which served no real purpose other than to get the boring bit of the ride finished a little sooner (that's probably a notable goal in itself), and at the finish we were left to reflect on what had been a memorable long weekend. I hope there are plenty more like that to come.