A Geriatric Pub Crawl Through the Mary Valley - Epilogue

From Wikipedia:
"An epilogue or epilog is a piece of writing at the end of a work of literature or drama, usually used to bring closure to the work."

After my ride I was a bit flat.  I think that it was due to it being much tougher than I thought. I had hoped to cover about 260Km over the five riding days but only made 200Km.  After a couple of weeks I can see that I had chosen a really hard route for my first unsupported tour in over twelve years.  I will review the ride under the following headings.

1. The route.
2. My bicycle.
3. My health.
   
   and most importantly -
   
4. The Pubs.

The Route. 

Maps for each day are in the blog.

I had chosen the route because I had ridden most of it before I broke my leg in 2000 which had put an end to my cycling until Margaret's death in November 2010.

The first day was a shock.  The road from Eumundi  to Kenilworth was a fairly narrow two lane road with a double white line down the centre.  Apart from my problems previously reported in my blog for day one I also found this road to be one of the most dangerous I have ridden in the last two years.  It is used by gravel trucks travelling from the Moy Pocket Quarry near Kenilworth to the Bruce Highway near Eumundi.  They travel at maximum speed in both directions and do not give cyclists any clearance.  I felt that I was in danger even when i was walking.

A gravel truck leaving the Moy Pocket Quarry.

I wouldn't advise cyclists to use this road when the quarry is operating which probably means only Sunday is OK.

 

Day two was a much nicer ride.  Although the roads were narrower the traffic was lighter and better behaved.  I took the opportunity to use back roads and think that my route was very pleasant even with the big climb in the morning.

Day three's route was good until I entered Gympie and I found the bridge crossing the Bruce Highway to be dangerous.  I was really tired at this point of time and this could have contributed to this.

Day four was a lovely ride.  It was hilly but with little traffic and I really enjoyed it.

Day five was another good day.

My Bicycle.

I used my Bike Friday Pocket Expedition folding mountain bike for the ride.  See the picture on day one.  I had changed the original 24 speed dérailleur gears for an 11 speed internally geared rear hub (see My Health below).  This give a very wide spread of gears from 20 to 82 gear inches.  In the lowest gear I can climb quite steep hills at 4KPH but wobble and weave a bit so  I walked below about 5KPH.  In the highest gear I can cruise at over 30KPH on the flat with a following wind or downhill.  Normally I ride about 18KPH.  The hub gears worked perfectly throughout the trip.

I carried my main luggage in two rear panniers made by a German company called Ortlieb .  These are large - too large and I should have used my front panniers and taken less luggage.  However the panniers are robust and water/dust proof and gave no problems.  I also had an Ortlieb handlebar bag to hold my wallet, glasses case, lock and camera.  This was removed and taken with me when I left the bike unattended.

I had one large and one small water bottle in cages on the bike and another large bottle strapped to my luggage rack.

All in all a nice set up for the ride and I han no problems with the bike after fixing the handlebars after my accident on Day one.

My Health

I started this ride with several health issues.

The week before the ride I had a severe  infection in my left ear which is fitted with a permanent grommet required to cope with geriatric glue ear.  I had the ear cleaned up the day before I left and used antibiotic drops twice a day during the ride.  I think that the infection added to my poor performance during the ride.

Since my minor stroke last year I have been on Calcium Blockers to reduce my heart rate which lowers my ability to generate peak energy over a prolonged period.  This coupled with an Atrial Fibrillation attack on day 1 set me back a bit.

Since my accident in 2000 I have had a tibia nail in my left leg as the break has never properly healed.  I cannot exert full force with my left leg nor can I stand on the pedals  to climb hills.  I just use low gears and walk when I get too slow.  The accident also fractured my hip socket which although healed means that i can not swing my leg over a normal bike hence my little folding bike. 

My stroke has left my left hand side a little weak and I had difficulties using my left hand to change gears but the hub gears are operated only by the right hand.

In spite of this I had no health problem at all through out the ride. I ate well,  enjoyed a few beers and glasses of wine and slept well.  I put on 3Kg over the ride.

The Pubs

Each pub was unique.  The best was the Kandanga Hotel on day 2 due to the owners Trevor and Justine.  Good company and good food.

The Good Life Hotel in Kin Kin was also excellent but the kitchen is not open on a Monday so I had to make do with a reheated meal.

The Kenilworth Hotel was the biggest but was very quiet for a Friday night.

The Railway Hotel in Gympie was full of character but its shower and toilet facilities were a little primative.

It should be noted that none of these hotels have air-conditioned accommodation and the rooms were stuffy during the warm nights.   The rooms are basic and none had a chair to sit on.

This wraps up my pub crawl. 

A Geriatric Pub Crawl Though The Mary Valley - Day 5

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This the route of the final day. The first four kilometres are s steady climb over the range between Kin Kin and Pomona at nine kilometres.  Then there is a gradual climb to Cooroy followed by a little hill before it swoops down the final range at  Tewantin.

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The hotel provides the makings for a continental breakfast so I had weetbix  and three slices of toast and strawberry jam before setting out.

This stairway is the is lnk between the breakfast area and the pub entrance.

I rescued my little bike from the barn and was on my way just after 8.00am.

 

The start of the first climb over the range.  The yellow sign warns that the will be school buses on the range up to 7.45am so they wont bother me.  After climbing for a little while I got off and walked as there quite a lot of traffic and my speed had dropped to wobble status.  It was a leisurely 2Km walk and the scenery was very nice.

At the top I got this glimpse of Mount Eawarh next to  Eewarh Vale which I rode by on the first day.

I had a pleasant coast down the range to Pomona  passing Mount Cooroora on the way.

 

I stopped at the Pomona bakery  for an orange juice and a fruit scroll.   Details of Pomona are on wikipedia at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pomona,_Queensland

The Majestic Theatre.

 

Earlier I included a picture with a Poinciana tree.  This is a much better one in Pomona.

Then it was an easy ride to Cooroy and along the range road to Tewantin passing Mount Cooroy on my right.

 

The final run down.  The view from the top of the first climb last Friday.

One and a half kilometres from the bottom I was home.  I shall post an epilogue to the ride in a day or so.

A Geriatric Pub Crawl Though The Mary Valley - Day 4

Last night I reviewed my options for the next two days.  I had intended a 52Km plus day for today, Monday, but found a more direct route of about 32Km shown above.  The original route is the road looping around the north.  The new route shows a steady climb all day and it is a minor road with no stores to buy any supplies.

I left the Railway Hotel about 8.00am and rode into Gympie's main business area Mary Street and bought myself a big breakfast.  Actually it was too big with three fried eggs, five rashers of bacon and four slices of toast accompanied by a glass of orange juice and a pot of tea with the promise of more toast if required.  

With this large meal inside me I head south from Gympie looking for the East Deep Creek Road which lead to today's destination Kin Kin.  When I arrived at the Noosa Road I thought I had missed the turn off.   At the time I was being swooped by an irate magpie which is a big problem at this time of the year. See living with/magpie_safe.html  . 

I braved him again and retraced my route back to the previous intersection but it showed up on my map as too soon.  I was back up the road pass the magpie and another series of swoops to the next intersection which was again called the Noosa Road. That's right two of them.  It was back to the first one and my attendant magpie and 200 metres down this Noosa Road was East Deep Creek Road

 

This is a mainly quiet country with regular rolling hills resulting in a steady climb. I was riding well and only walked for safely reasons on the narrower climbing sections.

 

This is the view back to Gympie at about 7Km which is just visible in the distance.

As I got higher the countryside opened out and I could see across  to the range of hills I had ridden two days earlier.

My only sight of any community on the way was the Cedar Pocket Community Hall and Regional Fire Service HQ'

 

I was headed up over those hills but was still enjoying the ride.  The temperature climbed into the 30s (85F+)  so I stopped every 5Km for a long drink of water.  I was carrying three large bottles and had nearly finish them all by  the end of the day.

I crossed over three of these one way bridges on my way.  I had right of way as you can just see the Give Way Sign for traffic coming the over way.  Note that the bridge had a wooded plank road surface running along the bride direction.  The gaps between the planks are great trap for unwary cyclists.

Just before the highest point of my ride I came across this little dam this was being serviced by South East Queensland Water Supply workers.

Behind it was this pretty little reservoir.

I now had reached the top of my final big climb and saw this wonderful sign.  Yes that's 15% downhill .

 

A the bottom was this sign was this sign.  I an glad I came the other way!

 

Now it was a gentle ride a few kilometres to Kin Kin which is stock horse country.  He just trotted up for a feed as I rode passed.

This sign is for the Noosa Trail Network for horse riders and walkers and runs near my home in Tewantin.

I made it.  It had been a hard slog but without the dramas of yesterday.  The climbing was long and hard but I never once felt that I was overdoing it.  Where necessary I walked and enjoyed the scenery.

When I reached Kin Kin I checked into the Country Life Hotel whose web page has some great pictures.

My room after unpacking.

My outside balcony.

The communal bathroom facilities.  There are two for 11 rooms.   I was the only guest.

After having a shower I had a couple of beers in the covered outside area.  being Monday it was quite deserted but I am told that it gets packed on a Saturday and Sunday afternoons.

 

My little bike is parked in the barn.

I had meal specially prepared by the publican as the dining room is shut on a Monday.  It was a great roast but about three times as big as I could eat.  I had a few glasses of white wine with the publican and another regular before going to bed at 9.00pm.

A tiring but great day.

A Geriatric Pub Crawl Though The Mary Valley - Day 3

Once again I was awake about 6.00am and reviewed today's route.  It was to be the shortest day - just under 30Km and the elevation profile had no real clims but I expected to walk a bit due the narrow roads early on.

 The Kandanga Pub doesn't provide breakfasts but has an area set aside as a guests lounge where you can make tea or coffee.  I made do with a couple of nutrition bars and a cup of tea before wandering around Kandanga and taking a few photos.

The Kandanga Pup - a great little place to stay except for no breakfast and it only serves evening meals Thursday to Sunday inclusive.  There is a little cafe but it doesn't open until 9.00am.

 

The  main street

The main store and petrol pumps - I should have bought some supplies there.

The War Memorial - the town dates from 1914 and still managed to do it's bit.

The view of the pub around the back.  My room is third room the left and the next two rooms are the common room.  I sat on this veranda with Matt and Rhianna drinking beer for three hours.

 

I finally got on my way at 8.00 am and passed under the railway bridge which used to carry the Rattler to Imbil.

 

 The ride was very pleasant but a bit hillier  than I had expected as I was never  far from the railway line.  It, however, had a nice graded track but the road followed all the original natural contours which resulted in a series of rolling hills.

This doesn't show up too well but the tree in the middle is a bright fed Poinciana.

and these are a group of Bougainvillea gone mad.

 

After 9Km I reached Amamoor  where the Rattler track looks deserted and derelict.

By now I was getting hungry but the Amamoor general store doesn't do much food at 9.00am on a Sunday morning so I made do with a Kit Kat and a diet Coke - not really cycling fare.

I continued to ride through some beautiful rolling country but was getting slower and slower.  Now I realise that I was suffering from lack of food and in the old English cycling term had the bonk.  This is also known as hitting the wall.

About 4Km from Amamoor I rejoined the Mary Valley Highway and turned left to Gympie and I was beginning to struggle.

The Rattler travelled over this trestle bridge and it is the cost of maintaining this and the other track which has driven it broke.

My last picture of the day.

I struggled on and on the outskirts of Gympie climbed Jones Hill hill which finished me.  I stopped and had a large chunk of fruit cake and an Iced Coffee but it was too late the only remedy to the bonk is a long rest and some easily digestible sustenance.  Although I have always considered them a fad perhaps it is the time for easily digested energy gels as used by triathletes .

By the time I got to Gympie I was walking and didn't even take a last photo of the Mary River as I  crossed over it.

I was too early to check into my hotel so sat in a local park for an hour and read my Kindle where Fantine is having an even tougher time in Les Mis!

Just after 12.00 noon I walked into the front bar of the Railway Hotel and bought myself a beer before checking in for the night.  I needed food and after a shower went into the hotel's dining room for steak, chips and salad.  I only managed to eat about half of it before I had to go back to my room to sleep for two hours before getting up and posting yesterdays blog.

Then I felt hungry and as the hotel doesn't serve evening meals on a Sunday I went and got some Fish (Barramundi) and chips and ate them with a bottle of orange juice in my room.  After another beer in the bar I went to bed at 7.30pm

I woke up at 2.00am and started preparing this blog.

While walking to get my fish and chips I took this picture of the grand old Gympie Railway Hotel.  It has seen better days but the staff are friendly and the bed comfortable.

 

My evening meal.

Now it is gone 3.00am and time to go back to sleep.