Big rides. Big means different things to different people. It’s all comparative. Irrespective, a big ride is any ride where fatigue kicks in. The ride where you are empty, done, and yet, still hours from the next food station. Today is a day we will remember. The adventure unforgettable, an imprint on your mind, and dare I say, on your seat.
Last night riders enjoyed a night in Kooralbyn, a rural locality in the Scenic Rim Region, approximately 22 kilometres southwest of Beaudesert. Kooralbyn was first settled in the 1830s when southern timber millers sought the quality hardwoods of the lower valleys. Since then, with a population of 1,725 people, Kooralbyn has become one of the region’s most significant pastoral estates, the land used largely for cattle grazing. It does have a golf course and a few golfers among the wallabies.
It’s the morning of day four on Chain Reaction Challenge, and riders woke to clean, crisp country air and the best cycling routes the Scenic Rim has on offer. The morning was also accompanied by many aching joints, stiff legs and sore ‘you know what’s’ from the previous three days of hard slog.
Cleats click-clack into pedals, locking us into a commitment we made to Queensland kids in need of our support.
Today we clipped in to embark on a 147-kilometre commute, traversing distances people think twice about driving, for the thrill of climbing the Head road, which crosses the mighty Condamine River and torching the legs up 15 percent grades to the well-known Queen Mary Falls before rolling through to Warwick for the evening.
Queen Mary Falls. Impressive, right? The falls are located on the western slopes of what was once an active volcano. There has been more volcanic action in these parts than you might know. Because our landscape is ancient, it doesn’t always receive the attention it deserves - it is not as impressive as the Alps in Europe, but the basalt formations tell their own story from 23 million years ago when the Tweed volcano made its mark on the landscape that we are riding in. For many of us today, it was mightily impressive and riding a bike brings you close to a contemplation of the simple things - after you have gathered your breath and sensibilities.
How do you get through a climb like no other? Maybe if you are slinky Steve Minotto or an Olympian, you can do it, but mortals like me need help: and it came in the form of the Chain Reaction crew who stood on the hill in the steepest sections and ran behind pushing, pushing, pushing. Sometimes they pushed two riders at a time, and I saw one rider off his bike pushing and trying to run in shoes designed for pedalling.
Have you ever seen a mechanic, physio, ride director, CEO and paramedic pushing bikes up hills? It exemplifies the total commitment that all of the Chain Reaction support crew give and help make the seven-day challenge such a marvellous event. On behalf of the riders I want to thank each and everyone of them.
Blog written by, Kate Byrom of the Hutchinson/AEIOU Team.
On the evening of Day 4, the following Competition Jerseys were awarded.
- Orange ‘Leader's Jersey', sponsored by Pure Storage, went to Stephen Minotto the OKG + TFA Team.
- White ‘New Riders Jersey', sponsored by Sunkids, went to Peter Cottell of the MGD/TRACTION Team.
- Black ‘Spirit of Chain Reaction Jersey, sponsored by LSH Auto went Brett Schmidt of the MGD/TRACTION.
- Pink 'Inspiration jersey', sponsored by MGA Insurance Brokers, went to John Rowell of the OKG + TFA Team.
