As said in the previous blog it was raining quite heavily overnight but that didn't stop us having another great meal provided by the the football club in our rain proof marquee.
Unfortunately it was still raining when we woke up meaning we had to pack our wet tents.
The ride was scheduled for 60Km and included a ride to Meadows and then a back track back to Strathalbyn. It was 30Km to the morning tea stop at Ashbourne and I set out early. I was riding well and enjoying the ride especially when we took the Creek Road through Cox Scrub (see http://www.australianplantssa.asn.au/australian-plants/places-to-visit/43-cox-scrub.html ) I was in my home town riding area when I lived in Adelaide in the 1990s. At Ashbourne we stooped at the local hall which was one we had used for a meals stop at an event which I had helped organise.
Unfortunately after tea I began to shiver in the cold wet weather and made another decision to take a short cut to Strathalbyn. The advised route took us over two steep hills which in my old fitness would not have been a problem but I decided to go directly to Strathalbyn. This included one serious climb and a 14Km ride against two hard climbs and a 39Kmride.
During the next hour I had the best ride since my accident in 2001. The climb was about 7Km but easily manageable in my lower gears. The scenery was great but I did not stop in the rain for fear of getting cold again. The next 7Km was a swoop down into Strathalbyn and the camp site. Here I arrived at the same time as the leading, faster riders who had done the full course. Weren't they surprised!
I set my tent up and after a hot shower dressed in long pants and pulled on a jumper and was soon warm enough to explore Strathalbyn, my favourite Adelaide Hills Town see ( http://www.southaustralianhistory.com.au/strathalbyn.htm and http://www.adhills.com.au/tourism/towns/strathalbyn/index.htm ) it is worth two links!
A great thing happened later when my good friends Brenda and Lionel visited the camp site. My first Hills Ride back in 1991 was lead by Lionel with Brenda and about six other riders. We rode back from Strathalbyn to Meadows up the big hill and I was suffering. Lionel, like all good leaders, dropped back to check on me and I told him that I was OK as I still had one lower gear to go. Lionel rode behind me and replied " No you ain't!" but I made it anyway. Brenda and Lionel are both a couple of years older and me and still involved in cycling.
We had another good football club meal and were entertained by the Town Band and I went to bed happy.
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