Grafton to Yamba - and back.

Last weekend of school hols (Australia Day long weekend.)

We got the idea from the family that was riding in Cuba. (I wonder how they went.) An overnight 'credit card' bike trip. Drive up to Grafton. (60km from here.) Park car somewhere. Get on bikes. Ride to Yamba. Stay in motel. Ride back the next day.

Why? To make ourselves do a reasonable distance as training for the Big Ride.

Logistics? Pack the bare essentials in panniers, ride along the non-highway side of the river, crossing over on one of the vehicle ferries at one point, buy snacks and lunch on the way.

So we did it; got the bikes sorted (some mechanical jobs, and a wash) on the Friday, and we did it Saturday and Sunday. It was a good trip, despite the near 40 degree heat on the Saturday. I suppose you'd have to call that part training as well.

I've marked the route we took in purple. About 32 km to Lawrence. Catch the ferry across to Woodford Island, then 12 km to Maclean, and then about 18 to Yamba. It's easy riding - mostly flat, bar a minor 'hump' just short of Lawrence (which we even avoided on the way back by taking the 'scenic' route.) It was a great ride to get into a rhythm and test your pace.

I'm sure people thought we were insane - particularly on the Saturday. In fact, a woman at Lawrence looked at us - I nodded .. and she said dryly, "Bit hot for that, innit?" I was inclined to agree, as we only about half way - or less. Still, when you tip water over your head and clothes, and then move through the air quite briskly (ie. on the bike), then you get a cooling effect.

I suppose when you have embarked on what seems to many others as sheer madness, (particularly when you appear to be dragging the kids with you on your madness) you look perhaps more intently than you might have done for all the positives.. all the good things that come out of it.

Riding through the countryside lets you experience and appreciate the surroundings in a way you just don't do in a car. The kids greet the cows... "Mooo!". The tandem travelling behind usually gets to witness the "What the hell was that?" reactions to the weird contraption that has just whizzed past them. One horse did a classic double take. And while most cows were fairly unflappable, the calves tended to react. One pair looked like they racing us as they loped along the fenceline the same way were were going. (Or maybe they were just looking for mum.)

People also talk to you to ask you about the bikes. And so you get to meet interesting people. One guy with his family in tow talked to us for a bit, and then told us he owned and lived on an island on the river up near Iluka. And invited us to go and camp on it sometime!

Anyway.. guess the pictures we managed to get ("we" mainly meaning Caitlin of 'Stoker Photography Inc' - and Beginner stoker photographer, Alison.) tell the story.

Riding out of Grafton.

Morning tea at Lawrence.

On the vehicle ferry crossing from Lawrence to Woodford Island.

[still more to add... this is time consuming!]

Lunch at Maclean.