BRIBIE BUG BLOG: Adventure Ride from Woorim Beach to Camp Site P

Present:

Riders:

Bob Stutter (Leader)

Lauren Tucker

Adele Fielding

Louise Beckingsale

Sandra Allan

Richard Allan

Support Vehicles

Dave Vale

Keith Tucker (with Jacinta Lilly Tucker, aged 4)

On Saturday 1^st September we cycled Woorim Beach for 21 kilometres starting at 3 p.m on a low tide. It took us approximately an hour and a half to reach camp site P (about 5 kilometres short of Caloundra) stopping here and there for drinks and short rests, a fairly easy ride, bright sunshine, blue skies, a cool tail wind blew behind us helping our progress.

On arrival to the camp site, Dave and Keith had settled in, Keith having already erected their tent. While the rest of us chose a tent location and began to build our home for the night, Laurel put the kettle on and we were very soon having a welcome cuppa. Tents erected, we assembled at the designated eating spot for happy hour which was followed by dinner. Cooking facilities were provided by Dave and Keith and we did not go hungry. A convivial evening followed until sleeping bags beckoned by those lucky enough to have a beckoning sleeping bag.

Disaster Number One became apparent at the Allans' quarters. Their borrowed blow up mattress had deflated. 'Perhaps I didn't insert the pump properly', said Richard hopefully as he set it up again. Disaster Number Two: Sandra was so busy packing esky and ensuring that bellies would be filled that she forgot some vital equipment. No pillows, sheets or doonas! Towels became the sheets and a borrowed car rug became our doona. Before long the mattress had deflated once again. An extremely cold night ensued (8/9 degrees) sleeping on the cold ground with not much in the way of warmth. Richard wrapped a towel around his head at one point and as dawn slowly broke Sandra very much felt as though Yasser Arafat had reincarnated and was lying next to her.

Bob (aka Lawrence of Arabia, so named because of bandana wreathed head and face) our next door neighbour, greeted us through our paper thin walls:

Lawrence: 'You two awake yet?'

Yasser: 'Bugger off, my first doze since going to bed.'

Lawrence: 'Bloody cold night, I woke up every hour.'

Yasser: 'Half your luck, you actually woke from sleep? I had no sleep to wake from. My toes are dropping off and can't move my fingers.'

And so the banter went on. At least we were laughing!

A welcomed cuppa helped to thaw our extremities and a hearty breakfast of eggs and bacon eased the pain somewhat.

Some energetic people went for a beach walk, they admitted to thumbing a lift back to camp though. Some less energetic people took chairs and books to the beach to continue the thaw in the sunshine, some threw a line in the sea, others made sand castles.

We had an early lunch (as if we needed more food) ready to be on the beach at 1.30 as soon as the sand was hard enough to ride home. One of our number who was very sleep deprived and suffering from neck and back pain hitched a ride with Dave. The rest managed the ride backed up by Keith in the 4WD and a sleeping Jacinta somewhere behind us.

A strong south easterly gusting up to 30 k.p.h was in our face for the ride home. It took us approximately two hours to traverse the 21 kilometres and reach the exit at Fifth Avenue. Could be well described as 'hard yakka'. Our rendezvous was the coffee shop at Woorim where coffees and hot chocolates went down very well. After refreshments and a rest, yes, we had to get on that blessed saddle again to ride home.

The Good News: Between 750 and 1000 calories per hour are burned when cycling dependent on speed, hills, weather conditions. Due to the strong wind and effort required, I am sure the 1000 calories plus per hour would be a fairly accurate estimate.

All in all a good weekend and a challenging ride, at least, on the homeward journey. Thanks to Bob for organising this ride.

Recommendation: We all agreed that if/when we do this ride again, it would be desirable to start the ride on a suitable day with low tide in the morning.