Five and a half 'bumps'.. Sat March 31

As a further lead up to the Frank Papp Beaches & Beyond 1000km Audax ride, Tina and I, and maybe a couple of others are doing this ride next Saturday the 31st starting from Tamborine Village. It will be an early start, probably 5:00am and will require lights.
So anyone who is not doing the HPRW TT @ Closeburn and feels like a good long hitout (with climbing) is quite welcome to join us.

http://www.bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=367205

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C'mon Andrew, you know you want to...

Well that was a tough day in the saddle!
Tina and I set out from Tamborine at about 5.20 this morning on a cracker of a day and headed towards Canungra and then on to start the climb up Beechmont and then further up to Binna Burra at 800mts. The mist and low clouds hanging in the valleys were superb and you really have to go a long way to beat the views around these parts. We saw a couple of other cyclists along the way but not as many as we would have thought. A quick stop at the cafe and we were off again on the descent. Down through Lower Beechmont and Tina got her first flat of the day. Helps if you pack 'full' Co2 canisters, as opposed to used ones Tina!
Down to Nerang/Murwillumbah Rd and into the 'rollies' for the ride through Numinbah Valley and up past Natural Bridge to the Border 'cattle grid' for some fantastic photo ops!
The descent down to Chillingham is fast, and why wouldn't you speed when chocolate coated bananas are waiting at the little fruit stall there. Anyway, onwards over some more bumps to Tyalgum for one of the best coffees you'll get, served to you by the ladies all dressed in period costume at the highly regarded Flutterbies Cafe.
On to Murwillumbah and we got drenched in our only 'shower' of the day, then over the ball busting Tomewin climb! It doesn't matter how you 'hit' this climb, it never fails to bite you, hard.
Then another quick descent down to Currumbin Creek Rd and a left into Tallebudgera Connection Rd. WELL, I looked at my Garmin at one point and it revealed 25%, so I decided not to look anymore.
A drink/food refill at Mudgeeraba before heading up the Springbrook climb as I knew there wasn't anything available until the pizza shop on Mt Nathan Rd. As well as drinks at the pizza shop they also have pizzas (funnily enough), so, we had one. F**k it was good!!
Its dark by this time, well actually it got dark about 15kms before that, but Mt Nathan Rd would have to be one of the busiest outer roads on the Goldie!!
Canungra came and went and the decision not to go up the Goat Track to Tamborine and then back down to the cars was a good one I think, mainly because the bumpy descent down the other side didn't thrill Tina too much as well as the fact there might be the odd wallaby deciding to cross the road as we were descending, leading us to think we were better off TT'ing our way back around on Mundoolun Connection Rd. And TT we did. It's amazing how much you can still get out of your legs after a day like that just because all you want to do is get back to the cars!!

Anyway, got back at 20.30, 4 climbs with quite a few bumps, 4443mts elevation, 278kms, 12:36 rolling time (15:10 elapsed), 22.1 average.

You wouldn't believe how good this beer tastes!!