watt price tully's wonderful bike riding adventure:

[watt price tully]

So in Septmebr had a brillant 9 day ride (rest day after 4, rode about 560 km's) min Souhern QLD and Northern NSW

The plan was to train when I got back for "Aroind the bay in a Day" next week raising money for the Smith Family in the process.

I think you can ride: 40, 50, 90, 100, 150, 210 & ? 230 km's

I'm doing the 210 km ride through my local Gym with one of the trainers & 3 others. The plan is to average between 25-30 km's / hour.

However I got the flu & have been out of riding action for 3 weeks apart from a 45 min spin class.

Today the 5 of us rode about 120 kms (my forst ride) to Mornington & back. Great day, ws doing 68km's per hour coming down Olivers Hill Frankston
but now I'm stuffed. More magnesium. Hd a great time & we averaged about 27 km's. One of the riders is the trainsers wife so we all shield her as she is relatively new to distance riding. I was stuffed in the last 10 km or so.

God & I have to do another 100 on top of that next week. I'm so under-prepared. I'm sore (lactic acid & the seats don't get any softer the longer you stay on the bike).

[HAL]

It may take longer than 33 hours.

[think positive]

It would take me about 333 I reckon Hal. Enjoy WPT, sounds like hell to me!

[HAL]

Tell me more about it.

[watt price tully]

[stui magpie]

That is some friggin beautiful country you're going to be riding through. That road from Cape Trib down to the Daintree river is brilliant. Never in your life will you see so many different shades of green.

God to see you're going inland from Port Douglas rather than going down the highway to cairns, that highway is narrow and was designed by boy scouts (1 good turn deserves another) so your whole group would get taken out by an irate driver for blocking the road.

If you're able to convince them, an hour or two walking through Mosman Gorge on the ride down to port is well worth it .

Make sure you carry plenty of water. It may only be 29-30 degrees but riding in the open in the sun, you're going to melt like an old fashioned twisties packet in a slow oven

[watt price tully]

That is some friggin beautiful country you're going to be riding through. That road from Cape Trib down to the Daintree river is brilliant. Never in your life will you see so many different shades of green.

God to see you're going inland from Port Douglas rather than going down the highway to cairns, that highway is narrow and was designed by boy scouts (1 good turn deserves another) so your whole group would get taken out by an irate driver for blocking the road.

If you're able to convince them, an hour or two walking through Mosman Gorge on the ride down to port is well worth it .

Make sure you carry plenty of water. It may only be 29-30 degrees but riding in the open in the sun, you're going to melt like an old fashioned twisties packet in a slow oven

That's why I'll be leaving at the crack of dawn (well ur not allowed to start till 7.am. We have police escort and paramedics). Start early and finish early to avoid the heat.

Last year in Northen NSW at one point I really did tear up in the sheer beauty of the scenery. Gods own: There was a river next to the road, the hot bright sun was filtered by trees providing a mottled light with a little wind causing leaves to fall as you were riding. At that point I was on my own for a stretch and it was simply breath-taking.

(I might ask for advice re travel tips as I'm going to stay for a few days up there ? Port Douglas - before flying back.)

[stui magpie]

If you aren't gobsmacked at the ride through the Daintree, I have questions about your soul.

If you're staying in Port, I recommend staying somewhere close to Macrossan St which is the main drag. Easy walk to the beach and all the shops and restaurants.

The Peninsula is my fav, right across the road from the beach, go to sleep to the sound of waves and wake up with the morning sun coming through the balcony doors ( I get the ocean view apartment).

Mantra is a cheaper option, there's 3 choices in the main drag, I've stayed at mantra on the Inlet which is a great location and cheapish, but that ocean view is worth the money IMO at Peninsula. Get up at sunrise, walk or jog along 4 mile beach, have a swim, exercise equipment in the foreshore park if that grabs your fancy, then back for a shower and buffet breakfast

[watt price tully]

If you aren't gobsmacked at the ride through the Daintree, I have questions about your soul.

If you're staying in Port, I recommend staying somewhere close to Macrossan St which is the main drag. Easy walk to the beach and all the shops and restaurants.

The Peninsula is my fav, right across the road from the beach, go to sleep to the sound of waves and wake up with the morning sun coming through the balcony doors ( I get the ocean view apartment).

Mantra is a cheaper option, there's 3 choices in the main drag, I've stayed at mantra on the Inlet which is a great location and cheapish, but that ocean view is worth the money IMO at Peninsula. Get up at sunrise, walk or jog along 4 mile beach, have a swim, exercise equipment in the foreshore park if that grabs your fancy, then back for a shower and buffet breakfast

I want a decent sized swimming pool (my usual request) when I stay. Cheers for that I'll look them up. Did you do any organized trips / tours?

[stui magpie]

You don't need a pool, you have the ocean right next to you. Peninsula has a better pool than Mantra Inlet, but you aint gonna get a lap pool anywhere.

I rarely do organised tours, but you can get plenty of brochures at the hotels. My top few things to do up there would be.

Snorkel the reef. I prefer the Reef Sprinter which leaves from the marina. Just goes to the low isles, a lot of the coral got hammered by the cyclone a couple of years ago, but it's only a 2 1/2 hour cruise. 15 minutes out in a speedboat, 2 hours to snorkel around, then back for lunch or arvo tea depending on when you go. If you want to do a full day on the reef, go Wavelength.

Walk Mosman Gorge. You just have to

Hartley's creek croc farm. About half way between Port and Cairns. Spend half a day there easy.

Sunday market (if you're there on a Sunday) down opposite the courthouse hotel is a must do.

The Tin Shed. Get down there around 3:30 weekdays, pull up a pew out the back and watch all the tour boats come back in from the reef. Not bad tucker too. The view of the sunset over the mangroves is special.

Damn, I'm getting nostalgic writing this, if I don't get a job soon I may have to just go up there.

[think positive]

Take a gap year Stu!

And WPT take your camera! Sounds amazing

[stui magpie]

Take a gap year Stu!

I'm mentally a lot better than I was for a while, even a few weeks back.

It is what it is, I'll look for work but if I don't get any I have options. Some of them aren't preferable but I can live with them. I'm just gonna try to ride the wave and see where it goes and not get worked up over shit I can't control.

[watt price tully]

You don't need a pool, you have the ocean right next to you. Peninsula has a better pool than Mantra Inlet, but you aint gonna get a lap pool anywhere.

......

Couldn't get into the Peninsula. Mrs WPT found a place (forgot it's name ? the Meridian) & she's coming up on the Saturday, hire a car (maybe) , pick me up on the Sunday in Cairns when I finish the ride. We'll both fly back on the Thursday.

We've booked a day tour (? half day tour) -Skyrail at Kuranda region.

Still checking out where to snorkel and who to go with etc

and will defintely go to daintree and cape tribulation.

They've changed the starting place for the ride from Cape Tribulation to Mosman which is disappointing & not sure why at this stage.

Anyway, cheers for the suggestions.

[watt price tully]

Howdy. Currently on the rest day after 4 days of riding.

Facts:

505 riders
Oldest is 88
Youngest is 3
Some EBikes
1 unicyclist. ( I can

[stui magpie]

I'm trying to follow that.

You started at Mossman and went on the gorge tour (utterly brilliant I agree, I've done it 4 or 5 times), then went north to the Daintree, then headed back south again? Did you cross the river and go through the forest or just got to the river and turned around?