ABFC Meeting - Part 2

As always when camping, I woke up early.  I had decided to have Oats for breakfast and to warm them up on my Trangia stove but when I got it all together I found that I had not brought any matches or a lighter with me so it was over to plan B.  I decided to use the microwave oven in the camp kitchen.  I followed the instructions on the oats package and ended up with the oats spread all over the inside of the microwave.  After cleaning up I tried again but cut the time down from 90 to 60 seconds and this was OK.

It was still only 8.00am and we weren't scheduled to meet up for our first ride until 10.00am so I drove into Grafton for some more shopping including bananas for lunch.  My normal Thursday shopping has a mandatory stop at Aldi's and to my surprise found that Grafton has one so I joint to queue to wait until they opened.  I bought my bananas there and also a long sleeve cycling shirt at $7.99 reduced from $29.99 which was a real find.  I also went to Sam's Warehouse, a cut price store where I bought a small folding table and folding stool.

Back at the camp site I got my bike out the Jazz's boot then changed into my cycling gear.  I wandered down to the start to find about a hundred people mostly riding little bikes similar to mine.  There were also several tandems including four being used by blind riders.  Their guide dogs were also in attendance but none were being towed in trailers this year.  Earl the trailer dog had been retired and replaced by Willoughby who although a perfect guide dog could be a little naughty when out of harness and not working.   Unfortunately I had left my camera in the Jazz so no photos to day.

I opted to do the medium ride and we all set of about 10.30am.  We rode south of Brisbane crossing over the Clarence River using the old bascule bridge. 

 

We rode on the lower level by the railway lines and the cars went on the top level.  It was great fun.  We had quite a hard ride to Couts Crossing for lunch.  There are no major hills but the route has a series of long rolling hills which were quite tiring.   At Couts Crossing we all met up for lunch and a drink at the Pub.  The guide dogs were taken to the lunch stop in one of the members vans and rejoined their masters.   They were all out of harness and just wandered among the crowd when Willoughby show his true nature by pinching somebody's hamburger.  His older companions were disgusted.

We had a different route home but just as hilly and we all stopped in South Grafton for coffee.  Then it was back over the bridge to the camp site for a shower and a nap in my tent.   I had ridden 53Km the longest distance since my accident in 2000.

I decided to go out for dinner at the Grafton District Services Club where I had a nice dinner of battered whiting, salad and mash potatoes.  Then I returned to the camp site  to join the others for a talk and more ginger beer before turning in early for the night.

Sometime during the night we had torrential rain with thunder and lightning but apart from the noise I was snug, dry and warm in my little tent.

It had been a good start to the weekend.

End of Part 2