DUBBUG Ride Report
10 June 2012
Sunday dawned cold and cloudy, but at least it looked like the rain would hold off, which was important especially after last weekend’s dose of double downpours. The ride was one of the longer ones in the group’s ride calendar and out of the usual area: Urunga south to Nambucca Heads down the Pacific Highway, then west 17 km to Bowraville and return.
Because riders come from all over the Nambucca and Bellingen shires, there were different start points for many of us. Mike and Colleen drove from Scotts Head to Nambucca where they left their car and then cycled to meet the Urunga departees – Herb, Bettyanne and Dave. A small crew to start with (the 8 degrees celsius at the time might have had something to do with that) but we picked up Graham a few kilometers down the highway Alan and Deb at the entrance to Valla Beach.
At Nambucca Heads, we took a right turn and thought we’d have less traffic than on the highway, but there must have been some attraction out that way because there was a steady stream of cars all the way to Bowraville. The main concern, apart from the effect that all those hills were having on our legs, was whether our favourite coffee shop would be open that day. Not to fear – the Moroccan style place was open, the deep leather lounges inside were cozy and the coffee and middle-eastern style pastries were the highlight of the ride.
We had been planning to return the way we’d come, but the better alternative (read: less hills) proved to be to cycle to Macksville, then north along the Pacific Highway. The extra 12 km on the highway was an acceptable price to pay for being able to miss a few hills. By that time, the air had warmed up to about 14 degrees, but we all agreed that the cold took a lot of energy that you might otherwise use for cycling and everyone was pretty tired by that point.
The ride was uneventful, which is usually what you’re seeking when on a bike because most of the events are either dangerous (coming off your bike) or annoying (flat tyres). And apart from the cold, the ride was great – just enough hills to feel like we’d done something, and enough distance (about 80km) that everyone felt like they could go home and take it easy for the rest of the day.
We’re celebrating Phil’s 70th birthday on Thursday 14 June, 6.30pm at the Valla Beach Tavern, and we’re also saying goodbye to Graham at the same time – a mix of celebration and regret! We hope to see many DUBBUG riders there.
Ride-wise, next Sunday’s ride will start at 8am from Coffs Club, up Red Hill to Coramba, to Lowana and back to Coramba for coffee, then to Coffs. There will be a few hard hills. An alternate ride, led by Bettyanne, will go to Bellingen via the Southarm/Northbank route. The usual mid-week rides will leave BP Urunga at 8am.