REDCLIFFE TO SANDGATE

12th August 2013

Adele organised an away ride last week at the Monthly Meeting for the following Monday, a Public Holiday - Show Day in the Moreton Shire. At short notice a pack of 14 riders mustered at a car park close to the Redcliffe Jetty.

Assembling at Redcliffe Car Park

A beautiful sunny day with an unseasonally high temperature of 29 degrees so a perfect day for a ride at the seaside. We set off and rode along the foreshore stopping here and there for the pack to catch up.

We eventually reached the Ted Smout Bridge, a great riding surface with not much traffic, walkers or cyclists, so an opportunity for those who felt like a burn out to go for it. The first three home were Richard, Kerry and Laurel. A ceremony took place for the presentation of 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd. Prizes nothing, the winners just basked in their glory.

The Medal Ceremony (with no medals)

The next appointed stop was Doug's Sea Food Cafe for Little Lunch or First Lunch. Some had fish and chips, others coffee and a snack. The place was well patronised and people were tucking into their fish and chips at around 10.30 a.m. In fact there were lots of people out enjoying the lovely day on a public holiday.

We eventually got underway again and continued on down to Sandgate riding as far as the Sandgate Boat Ramp. After a short break here, we turned around and returned from whence we came stopping for everyone to catch at Adele's suggested mustering points. This scheme worked well.

At Sandgate Boat Harbour

By the time we got back to the car park we were well and truly ready for Big Lunch or Second Lunch. We found ourselves a picnic table and enjoyed our BYO lunches.

A return trip of 40 kms, a good exercise stint and very pleasant company. Thanks to Adele and Harry for putting on this ride.

WOODFORD TO PEACHESTER RIDE

 2 AUGUST 2013

On this, the second Woodford to Peachester ride, we were blessed with a cloudless blue sky and just a gentle breeze. A perfect day for cycling. The eight riders included John and Susan, visitors from San Francisco staying at Richard and Sandra Allan’s place for a month. We were delighted to have their company. They were thrilled with the beautiful scenery and said the ride was the highlight of their visit.

Once again we followed Old Cove Road, Cove Road and Commissioners Flat Road to Peachester where we sampled delicious coffee and cakes at the Good Old Days Coffee and Tea House. As before, we hijacked a local to take photos of the group, this time in front of the coffee house. The Peachester residents are certainly very obliging in this regard!

On this trip, two ostriches were spotted in a paddock next to the road by an eagle-eyed rider (John). Somehow we missed those on the first ride. We also nearly ran over a green snake basking on the road.

Otherwise the ride itself was similar to the last one (see my blog for 28 June 2013), except that my speedo only read 38km at the end of the ride so we lost 2km somewhere along the way…

All in all, another very successful and enjoyable ride to be repeated in due course.

Isabel Cooper

Coffee Break

Another bike ride and more caches

Sunday, June 23. 2013

As the first 'Geocaching Ride' appeared to have been fun for those who took part Joyce opted for a follow-up.  This time we had more 'takers' as my son Kevin joined in, as he happened to be visiting, and also Fiona (I think) and Leonie and Ferdy.

As neither Kevin, nor Fiona, Leonie and Ferdy had come on the first ride we made for Here (4) again.  And yes, this time some action photos...  As you can see, sunny weather and almost clear skies.  Perfect weather for a ride.

Here (4)

We moved on to Pirate Park where we had a thorough search and also had to keep some little pirates at bay, in geocaching talk called 'muggles'. If my memory serves me right this time it was Leonie who eventually discovered the cache in a more or less akward spot.  Well done!

Pirate Park

Sail Away at Bob's Pond was the next one on the list, but, as sometimes is the case, not all searches are successful.  This one too had been 'muggled' or at least disappeared.  As I had logged it some time ago I remembered where it should be, but... no cache was to be found.  After a thorough search Kevin discovered the possible lid of what had supposedly been the cache container, so a 'did not find' had to be logged for this one. Upon a check-up, the cache has now temporarily been disabled.

Sail away at Bob's Pond

While on Sunderland Drive we kept going and also searched for a cache at the Arts Centre. A tricky one, this one, but I remembered a similar one from our holiday in France, so it didn't take long for me to cry: "I've got it!"

Creative Hub

Behind the Arts Centre is another hidden cache, and the search for this one led us through a beautiful native garden...

and on to a small, quiet pond with waterlilies:

Walk the Water Hole

This one I had already done with the grandchildren, so I enjoyed the peace and quiet of the surroundings, while I left the search to the others.  Kevin was the one who discovered this one, but Ferdy wasn't far off either.

Again we finished the morning with a cuppa.  This time at the Arts Centre.

Bob, Joyce, Kevin, Leonie, Ferdy

We each went our own way after this and Kevin and I, who just can't seem to get enough of this great outdoor adventure, rode past Melba Park and stopped at the train rides.

Marion waiting patiently :-)

This place we had search high and low in January with the whole family.  None of us had been able to find this cache, but Kevin wanted to have another go too after having learned that I had been able to log it.  He did find it, but again, it is a very tricky one and a micro at that.  This is not the one, but it is the size of what is called a 'micro' and it even contains a log:

Small?  Look at the size of the log...

Does this geocaching look like fun to you?  I am sure that Joyce will organise another Sunday morning ride like this, if we ask.  There are plenty more caches on Bribie Island and I know a few on the way to, and in Ningi as well.  After all, there are close to 2.2 million caches out there and 6 million geocachers worldwide...

In the meantime, enjoy all your rides.

Marion van der Donk

Geocaching for Beginners!

Sunday, June 9, 2013

No, you are not reading the wrong blog!  The BUGs are real adventurers...  Joyce came up with the novel idea to combine our bike ride with a lesson in geocaching.  Geocaching, if you haven't heard of it yet, is a kind of treasure hunt with the help of a navigator or GPS.  If you want to find out more before you read on to see what we've been up to, have a look at the following link: http://www.geocaching.com/

As my memory is like the proverbial sieve I cannot remember all who joined in the search, although I do remember Bob and Joyce of course and Sandra who came along as the real 'newbie'.  I myself came along for the fun, because with approx. 80 caches to my name I am starting to consider myself as a more 'seasoned' cacher. :-)

The first one we went in search of was Here (4).  

This was rather funny, because Joyce will now laugh when she reads that I call myself a 'seasoned' cacher, as I had the cache in my hands and thought that I had picked up something that I shouldn't have.....

Bribie Island Lifestyle was the next one we went in search of.  As I didn't have a camera I can again only show a picture of the place where the cache was supposed to be.  I am saying 'supposed to', because the cache was never found, although at the time of writing this blog I can tell you that it is back in place again.  It had disappeared and the cache was temporarily disabled.  I am happy to tell you that I have been able to log it on the 1st of this month.

The above picture is again one I pinched from Google Earth.  It was apparently taken before the big sign was placed, at the roundabout when you come off the bridge on the Bribie Island side.

The ride then took us to the Bribie Seaside Museum and the cache by the same name.  As I had found this one before I did not take part of the search, and it was not a hard one for even beginners.

An old picture this time, from approx. 2009 when the museum was built.  I do apologise for the lack of 'action photos', but I will make up for it in my next posting.

Another one on the way was Full Head of Steam, at Melba Park.  This time I was the lucky one to find it, but I have to be honest and tell you that I had asked another geocacher for a further hint.  Not that I was told exactly, but I had a better idea and it did help.  A very tricky one indeed.  In Janyary we had searched with the whole family.  Later I went twice with the grandchildren.  So, I was very happy to get this one on my list.

As Joyce and Bob had a different membership than I had, they had a cache on their list that I hadn't, so a new one for me.  This one was called: Buckley's Hole, and guess where that was..... ;-)  This was a very small one again, but not too difficult to find.

As we had been lucky so far that the rain held off we called it a day and went for a cuppa at my place to finish a perfect morning.

See you next time around.

Marion van der Donk

CABOOLTURE LAKES RIDE

Date:  22 May 2013

Riders:  Bob, Isabel, Tommy, Yoshika, Harry, Robert, Laurel, Tami, Ted, Fiona

We arrived at Caboolture Lakes at around 8.15 a.m. after having driven through light rain from Bribie.

Twelve of us showed up for the ride at around 9 a.m. We departed to do the first circuit of the bike track.

An interesting ride which runs parallel to the Caboolture River crossing it over a narrow bridge about one and a half klms into the ride.

We got to the end of the track and then with Tami's help (local knowledge) we added a couple more kilometres along a few roads on the western side of the bike track.

We rode back to the departure site (approx 5 kilometres) and picked up Ted who had been doing his normal stretching exercises prior to riding.

Unfortunately Ted had a mishap only a short distance into the second circuit and decided to return to the starting area.  Harry went back with Ted and was able to ring Bob and let him know what had happened.  We decided later at coffee this was good way to communicate on rides with the ride leader and 'Tail End Charlie' to be in touch with mobile phones (and numbers).

A few of us did the third circuit with some of the 'bigger kids' riding the BMX track as well.  After completing three circuits of the bike track we had all had enough.

A great coffee break was enjoyed by all and as we were loading the bikes back onto the cars it started drizzling again.  We were indeed lucky to get this most enjoyable ride completed without getting wet.

Lunch at Caboolture Lakes

Refreshment Time

Posted by Bob Stutter

WOODFORD TO PEACHESTER RIDE – 28 JUNE 2013

We awoke to cloudy and rainy weather but, despite initial concerns that this ride might have to be abandoned, nine riders assembled at the start site just beyond Woodford and were rewarded with a rain free ride through beautiful scenery which was just made more interesting by the constantly changing cloud patterns chasing across the blue sky. We saw a fair bit of that as well along the way.

The route followed Old Cove Road, Cove Road and Commissioners Flat Road to Peachester. We passed picturesque paddocks with cattle and horses and numerous large dams, surrounded by wooded hills with, occasionally, good views of Beerwah in the background. A short forested section beside a muddy brown creek added variety to the scenery.

The roads were mostly flat or undulating and, despite the earlier rain, the unsealed sections did not present any problems. At times, there was a bit more traffic than originally anticipated but on the whole the roads were fairly quiet.

A few of the hills proved reasonably challenging and certainly got the heart pumping but it was generally agreed that this was a good thing and made the ride more worthwhile. Some rode up and others walked up but, as predicted, the downhills were worth the effort.

At the characterful Good Old Days Coffee and Tea House at Peachester we sat outside in the garden and enjoyed coffee or hot chocolate artistically decorated with both chocolate powder and chocolate sauce which was a novelty. Several riders also partook of some yummy quiches or cakes and cream and a good time was had by all.

Louise's beautifully (to be gazed upon) decorated coffee
Apparently it tasted as good as it looked

The well-deserved coffee break

At The Good Old Days Coffee Shop

After morning tea, we gathered in front of a board map of the Peachester area and a hapless lady quietly minding her own business in a little garden nearby had her reading interrupted when she was hijacked into taking photos of the group (which she did with a very good grace). Her comment that she never had time to herself anyway as she had kids struck a chord with several of those present!

Ready for the Return Ride to Woodford

We returned via the same route which nevertheless looked a bit different in the opposite direction. According to my speedo, we had ridden 40km in 2 hrs 35 mins (excluding the long coffee break). Following the ride we eschewed the wonky picnic table in the park where we had left the cars in favour of lunch at the covered picnic tables in the centre of Woodford, where we successfully disturbed a gentle man quietly minding his own business (and his dog).

The ride was unanimously voted a success and will certainly be repeated when memories have faded somewhat (we can then take advantage of the loyalty cards liberally dispensed by the Good Old Days barista!). As for me, the ride lived up to all expectations and I would be happy to lead it at any time, subject to demand.

Isabel Cooper

29/6/13

Great ride and organisation, Isabel.  (Sandra)

SPINNAKER SOUND TO BEACHMERE

 MARCH 22 2013

An interesting ride today starting from Spinnaker to Beachmere with a good group of 12 cyclists taking part.

The group rode on the Ningi Bike Path as far as the Ningi Esplanade where we cut across Ningi to Bestmann Rad and then Bribie Island Road before we turned left ino the housing development which took us to Peel Road and on to Beachmere. 

Leader Isabel and long term resident of Beachmere ably provided a commentary at various stopping points which included interesting and informative facts of the area.

Our routes and stopping points were:

Bayside Drive Lagoon (with many black swans)

Beachmere Beach (from several vantage points)

Clayton Park (and bowls greens and Club Beachmere)

Beachmere's new War Memorial in Clayton Park

Moreton Terrace Park (where people exercise their dogs on the beach at the end of Biggs Avenue)

Biggs Avenue Lake (where the fish kills occurred some time ago)

Trinity Waters Canal Estate and Caboolture River

Beachmere Tavern and Beachmere Village Shopping Centre (built by the developer who is building the resort complex overlooking Pumicestone Passage at Sandstone Point)

Burnt trees showing how close the bushfire came to the Shopping Centre and houses last December

We also sang 'Happy Birthday to You' to Dawn, an elderly friend of mine who was entertaining friends at her beachfront home next door to the park where we had stopped to look at the beach (and erosion).

Wild Life at Beachmere

Black Swans

The cyclists

The morning finished with a lovely morning tea provided by Isabel which we enjoyed on her cool balcony.

Then it was back in the saddle for the 20 kms back to Spinakker. A good ride with a total of 40 plus kms covered.