A very brisk morning, with the temperature gauge sitting between 3 degrees and 10 degrees for the first hour, made for very nice riding. There was no wind to contend with which provided a good platform to launch into the day. The first 50km of riding was characterised by climbing the longest individual hill climb – being more than 2km. They weren’t high climbs, but sufficient enough to make you work for the crest. The cold weather aided this section of the ride and I was soon removing the cold weather layers as the heat of the day kicked in.
We left at 7.30am this morning and arrived at our first major rest stop in Childers by 10.30am. Grant had gone ahead to secure a table at Childers hot bread shop, “Hot Bread Fred”. Breaking from tradition, Grant had a Curried Chicken pie and coffee and I had a sausage roll and Coke. Both pastries were of a great quality. Grant was originally wanting to have sauce with his pie, but the lovely lady behind the counter convinced him otherwise. He raved about the curry sauce offered in his pie and was glad he hadn’t spoiled it with tomato sauce.
Childers is one of those old country towns with a certain charm and warmth. All the locals were friendly amidst the busyness of their day. It has those wide country streets and character buildings which must tell some amazing stories of the past. On my way out of town I noticed the council shire office and had to take a photo. Given the bad rap the word Isis has received in recent times, I was fascinated to see that the shire office is the ‘Isis Shire Council’. A glance at the maps and we were surround by Central Isis, North Isis and South Isis. I’m still intrigued as to the background of the name for these parts of Queensland.
When passing a wood mill today, the aroma of the burning timbers took me back to my memories of sitting with my mate Doug and his son Matthew in the remote Papua New Guinean village of Naduri on the Kokoda track. My senses were very alive this morning due to the coolness of the air and the wood burning lifted me from this track (road) and took me to another. Many of the young men who fought on the Kokoda Track were from Queensland, so it was fitting to be thinking of their sacrifice as I rode through this beautiful country side. We have still been seeing numerous Australian service men and women traversing these roads, highlighting a new generation committed to the protection of this nation and its people.
The roads here are lined with gum trees and Grant and I both reflected that it was very similar looking to the South West of WA, specifically through the Donnelly River milling region near Manjimup. The air was filled with a sweet and refreshing smell of eucalypt and wattle since they have begun to blossom throughout these parts. The road has become smoother since moving further south and the resistance on Blackadder’s tyres has lessened.
Travelling the road between Childers and Maryborough today has been a dream run with a beautiful surface of asphalt with a good one and half metre edge between the grass and the white line. Having a wide edge allowed for easy passing with the ongoing stream of trucks. We eventually came upon the Torbanlea Roadhouse and grabbed ourselves a quick snack before being blessed with the smoothest roads to date. The verge was nice and the surface smooth. It made for very pleasurable riding despite the headwind having kicked in.
On entering Maryborough, I turned at the first entry into town which led me to the city centre before having to navigate my way to our accommodation for the night. We are staying at the Blue Shades Motel and the proprietors, Michael and Kelli have offered to share and cover dinner for Grant and I tonight. Michael has previously completed a charity support ride for a friend who had cancer, so we have some common talking points. We have, throughout this ride, brought to your attention the service providers who have supported the ride and, again, we want to acknowledge and thank Michael and Kelli for their generosity and welcoming spirit. The Blue Shades is a fine establishment and the rooms are turned out very nicely. Access to the washing machine and dryer has meant we have clean clothes for the assault on the Sunshine Coast and Brisbane. When you travel up through this part of Queensland, either on your way north or south, be sure to book a night at the Blue Shade Motel.
I have decided to call an end to the Find a Roadside Clothing Outfit. I found some items today; however, decided that I really would need to be kitted out with a Hazchem suit before touching them. So we will endeavour to bring other interesting items we may find along the way.
Tomorrow, we are off to Gympie and then the following day the Sunshine Coast. We are hoping to catch up with a number of the teens from Amp Camp on Thursday and then again on Saturday in Brisbane.
Please continue to support us @Riding4AmpCamp Facebook page. For those reading the blog who would like to donate to the Amp Camp program for teens living with amputation, limb loss and limb difference, please go to our donation links on the home page of www.go-mad.net or via @Riding4AmpCamp Facebook page.
Until tomorrow,
Mike and Grant