One of our riders, Don M., says there’s no such thing as bad weather, just inappropriate clothing. Today, we needed a range of clothing to make sure it was appropriate for the range of weather we had. It was cold this morning and most everyone who started at Urunga BP arrived with at least two layers on.
But even before we started, people were peeling those layers off as the sun warmed the air. The cool, cloudy day must have scared some people away because there were only seven starters this morning for the short 45km ride to Sawtell Surf Club for coffee.
The only flat tyre for the day bestowed itself on Dave C before we left Urunga. He had cycled down from Sawtell for the 8am start from Urunga and discovered the flat on his arrival. The rest of the group waited for him to change his tyre, and set off just a few minutes past 8am.
The ride was a quick one, up the new Highway to Lyons Road, then along Lyons Road to Sawtell. We experienced a fantastic new on-road cycle path – a short stretch of smooth bitumen that makes riding along this busy road much safer. Congratulations to Coffs City Council and no doubt Anne Shearer, who looks after the Council’s cycleways, for making the effort – we really look forward to having more of the cycle path completed in the future.
The Sawtell Surf Club was uncharacteristically quiet, no doubt due to the threatening clouds and slightly chilly wind. With the only seating outside, even with the permanent cover, it can be a bit cold, and those people who peeled off their layers earlier were putting them back one while we sat and had coffee.
Don and Michele and Bello Don met us at the club, having come from the north and the west consecutively, so our numbers swelled, and we sat and watched the surfers in the swell of the ocean and had a swell cup of coffee. Isn’t the English language amazing?!
Our ride back was swift and we were joined by the sun coming out from behind the clouds toward the end of the ride, making us peel those layers off again.
Next week’s ride has two start places and times depending on how long a cycle people want to do: The longer ride of 105 km, will leave at 7.30am from Urunga BP and go to Coffs, where we will meet at ED’s office at 2 Murdock Street, just off West High Street. (NB: The ride program says the second start is at Coffs Homebase. THIS IS NOW CHANGED TO 2 MURDOCK STREET, COFFS – click HERE for map). Those wanting a shorter ride (60km) should meet here at 8am. After a quick coffee, the two combined groups will then cycle to Woolgoolga for another coffee and return, either to Coffs or Urunga.