2009 Macsim Sydney To Surfers Bike Ride

Hello again

The report below was written by Cathy Kaardal (Ken Robinson’s daughter) and the organiser of a contingent of 6 from Vancouver Island, Canada 4 of whom rode and two held as back up driver and catering assistant.

The report was written for their Canadian friends.

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Hi everyone,

Thought I would drop everyone a brief update of the Australian ride from those who went, Iam still waiting on some photos, so more to come later, but for now, WE MADE IT !!!  YESSSS..

A special thank you from Youth Off the Streets Australia, for the Canadian contribution.  I had a chance to speak to the founer, Father Chris Orielly on the last night, and told him what we had done on the Canadian end, he was very impressed, and very grateful, actually he was totally surprised, and excited that we were doing something for Youth in Canada,  bigger things to come there I can tell.

Tanya, this would be a good time for you to write to him.

It was a brilliant experience, wet but awsome.

Larry and I rode and stayed in pack 8, Jacob started in pack 7 and went up to pack 6 on day 2. Jannie was in pack 9.  Really, if you ask Larry and I the packs had little variance from 8 to 5  

Anyway, Day 1 started off just fine with a 4am start then a bus ride to the North of Sydney, by 8am we were off, the day was brilliant sunshine, about 25C.

The statistics people tell me that day 1 is the hardest day, Iam not sure, it certainly is a day of alot of climbs, rough down hills, Jacob said he has never used his break so much, the ups were harsh but with an end always in sight.  Jannie decided to sit out for day one, on dads advice, that just made me nervous.  The day finished at about 3.30pm in Morisett, it was a hard day, and took me about half the day to find my riding legs, but by now I was ready, and I know Larry and Jacob were feeling the same.
After the ride we all hung over the shower stalls, and were chomping at the bit for a nice cold beer.  For supper we headed off to the bowling club, were everyone, crew and riders met for dinner.  Thats about 250 people everyday, it was just amazing the amount of people that were involved.   162 riders, loads of volunteers, and road crew.  Just to let you know, there were 2 riders from New Zealand, 1 from the States, although several american/australians, 2 from Tasmania, 4 from Canada, Western Australia, Darwin, Adelaide, Melbourne, and a whole herd of runaways from Queensland plus NSW.

Day 2 started at 5.30am, as did every day for the next 6 days.  The day was grey and rain looming, we had all seen the forecast and we knew what was coming, rain, rain and more rain, but we mounted our bikes just the same.  We got away at about 7.30am, and managed about 1 hour of riding dry, the rest of the day was wet.  I must admit, I didn’t mind it, neither did Jacob or Larry, after all the rain was warm, and almost felt like swimming.
It only took the 2 days to realise that the Queenslanders were out of control, so dad and other pack leaders had to do some serious pack leading.  By the end of day 2 we were riding tight, rolling over, and peeling back.  Jacob and Larry totally enjoyed the efficiency of  professional pack riding, and how much faster and easier we travel when in a pack and nice and tight.  Even though for most of the time we had the spray from the back tire spiraling down our throats, it was an experience, it took a great deal of concentration, and to use Brians words, “the worst fun he has ever had”..  it was weird, you couldn’t wait to finish, but you just couldn’t wait to get back out there either.   “The Pack was Calling”.  By 3.00pm we were in, soaking wet, freezing cold, and wanting beer.
Jannie rode today for the first time in pack 9, she did amazing, considering the rotten rain.  Darlene worked tirelessly with the lunch crew, I got some inside information that the catering boss was so impressed with her, that he actually felt he could leave her all to it, and he made some frequent visits to the local pub. 
Our first casualty today, one of the ladies from pack 5 came off, first thing in the morning, after a short hospital visit, and a few bandages, she was fine.

Day 3, kept us dry for about 30 minutes, then another day spent in the rain, it was another day of hill climbing, but not as bad as the first, the skill this day was being able to see.  The temperature was mild, so we weren’t cold, just wet.  We did lots of fast riding this day, and stayed tight in our packs.  Jacob stayied in pack 6 and came in a good 2 hours of the rest of us.  Pack 8 had a bad day of flat tires and chain drop offs, it seemed every half an hour we were stopped.
We had a great night at Laurieton Bowling club,  plenty of food and booze to warm us.  The Rotarians visited with Laurieton Rotary club, and cheques and banners exchanged.
All the pack captains gave a hillarious account of the day, and it was very clear that the rivalry had started between packs 1 to 3…   and just quietly we all knew pack 5 and 6 were chasing each other.
There was no greater thrill then passing another pack, yelling out “pack 8 PASSSSING”..  and calves burned to make that happen.  Many times we could hear the groans of pack 7 and occassionally pack 5 behind us.
We had a silent auction that night, which another $1000 or so was raised.

Day 4 was met with thunderous storms and bucket loads of rain, we stood under half shelters trying to salvage breakfast from puddles..  By about 9am the day was called off, it was just too dangerous to ride.  Dad and others organised for 2 coaches to take all 162 riders and the luggage and bikes to the next stop.  Even though the rest and a day of staying dry was welcomed, we were all really dissappointed we couldn’t ride.  By the time we got to Nambucca heads, to a beautuiful beach setting, the sun was shining, and OF COURSE, we jumped on our bikes and went for a ride, well Larry and Jacob did, I took in the perfectly good excuse for resting.

Day 5 started to look a little clearer, but after by about 9am the rain started to fall.  Today was the day of the dreaded banana hill climb.  For most, the packs race, up the hill was on.  Jacob came second in pack 6, dare I say beated by a women, but I’ll let Jacob tell that story.  The climb was great !!  it was one of those climbs that you just want to keep going because the top is in the clearing, and you know your going to make it.  And Oh yes, much steeper than General Hill, but alot more fun.   After the climb it was just continuous rolling, up and downs in the rain, when your on your bike its great, when your off its hell.  The area was very tropical and leeches were all about.  At lunch we just stood in the rain and watch our salad bread buns, turn to mush.  By this time we’de given up changing into dry clothes, going to the bathroom to ring our gloves out was as close as we got.
There were many casualties on day 5.  In pack 8 we lost one rider over a bridge, it was major catastrophe, it was the last 30klm to the end of the day, and we were going over a very old bridge, the rider got her front wheel caught in a gap, grabbed the side railing, and went over.  She fell 33 feet, right in front of me, I was the only one around, we decided to break up the packs for the last part of the ride, because of the weather, and Anne was riding just ahead of me.  It was a bad fall, she broke both legs, right ankle, right elbow, shoulder, and major bumps and bruises.  By 5.30pm she was air lifted by helicopter to the nearest hosiptal and immediately put into a induced comma.  To date she is doing fine, but it will be along time before she is back on a bike if ever.
The day was a bit of a blurrr for me, and Brian.  Luckly dad had a puncture, and Brian, ( our back up driver) was back with him, and so dad and Brian were the first ones to  find me screaming for help on the bridge.
That night we were very glad we were in a motel and not campers.

Day 6 was met with alot more caution, and finally the weather had started to break.  The day was a fast ride, much of the territory was flat, and we all got to the end much faster.   Pack 1 average was 43klm, Pack 6 I think Jacob said 31klm, and Pack 8 30klm.  Poor Jannie had developed larengitis (can’t talk) on day 4, so we all learnt sign language, IN DUTCH !!   I was so glad the weather had cleared up, I really wasn’t sure I could ride another day in the rain.  After staying dry most of the day, the rain came down again for the last 30klms, buy that time we didn’t care.  It was a great day riding, the country side was magnificant, and many kangaroos and wildlife were checking us out.
All night everyone kept talking about the hills ahead for day 7,   Jacob and Larry were ready, although Larry’s chain had taken a beating, and he visited the local chain saw dude for a new chain.  Nice one Larry lets see how that works.  heeehehee !!   Well it is the country…….
I just wanted to get the hills out of the way and I knew if I made it to morning tea I was through.
It was a great night at the club, and lucky I hadn’t managed to cancel George and Barbs room in Casino, and many of the campers would of paid me big money not to have camped in the rain another night.  So when I told them I had an extra room, it was snapped up real quick.   Originally there was 32 campers or so by day 6 there was only 12.

Day 7,  Here it was the day of the great climb, the weather was sunny and fine, not the best day to have heat, but it was good temperature.   Dad was staying very reserved about the magnitude that layed before us, I gave up asking, I didn’t really want to know anyway.  Larry and I stayed close, and I saw Jacob overtake us after the first 10klm.
Each day the packs lead off at different times.  Pack 9 leads off first, then each pack about 15 to 20 minutes later, so Pack 1 last, so if they are over taking your pack, you know your waaaaaaay slow.  Iam pretty sure pack 1 passed us, every day…   oh well.
I had already decided I was going to take the hills slow.  These hills were unbelieveable, they make The General look like a pimple.  I might tell you, they only call hills, “HILLS”, when they have grade of 8 or more, everything else is a roll.  28klms of straight up, we were travelling over the Great Dividing Range, the cruel thing was, just when you thought it was over, another sat in front of us, I kept asking dad, “is that the last one” ?  all he would say is, “a bit to go yet”.  The first 15klm weren’t too bad, and I thought I’de gotten through the worst of it, I even decided to power ahead, but then there is was, the ugliest looking hill i’de ever seen, I backed right off, I thought, save everything you have.  This hill was so steep my front tire was lifting off the ground, I really didn’t think I was going to make it, there was another girl in our pack, Larnie, she was around 25, at this point all I wanted to do was stay on longer than her…..   I did ?   she got off and walked, she was very gracious and cheered me on, it was just what I needed to stay on.   this hill was brutal, at the top some riders were sprawled out on the side of the ride cramped up.  I was fine, very slow, but fine… Larry’s chain saw, chain gave him hell, but I’ll let him tell that story, Jacob just sat comfortably, don’t you hate that, should I mention the granny wheel  :)    okay okay, we all know he is a great climber..
Luckily the rest of the day was a breeze, and the last 35klm we rode through beautiful Queensland, with beaches on our right and the sun beating down on us…. it was just great.   All 160 riders met up just 5km out of Surfers Paradise, and our final destination.  What an awsome sight, we were all in our 2008 Macsim yellow and black uniforms, and we travelled through the streets of Coolangatta as a stream of riders, it was totally an experience you wouldn’t want to miss.  We all stayed together as one big pack, and traffic was stopping, people cheering and clapping, it was really cool.

Local television stations followed us from Day 3 to Day 6, Prime TV I believe.  National TV covered the ride, but mostly for the accident on day 5.

The pubs and clubs that we had dinner at every night, were fantastic, the food in abundance, and the booozze  was cheap cheap… it was just great, and every night very entertaining.

I should mention our great back up vehicle for pack 8..  Brian did a great job, and I think in total the pack had a total of 30 or so punctures…. NONE for meeeee  :)   and several chain problems, breaks, gears, wheels.   Its not easy driving between 25 and 35 klm an hour for 1,000 klms behind cyclists in the pouring raining.  But he did so very well, in fact it was hard to get him to drive faster after the ride.

Darlene also did a great job, and helped with lunches, morning teas and anything else riders needed.  Every day up early, and serving often in pouring rain.

It was a great week, and we were all sad that it was all over.  We made some great new friends, and lots of promises to come to Canada to ride were made.

Jacob, Jannie, Larry, Darlene, Brian and myself all lapped up the sun and sat on the beach the next day to recover, it was perfect.   Jacob and Jannie, just couldn’t leave the beautiful beaches and weather behind to board their scheduled flight, so Jacob move all his flights and arrangements to leave 4 days later, which was perfect, and plenty of time for us to do lots of sight seeing, and travel back down south by car and enjoy the beaches along the way.

Well thats it for brief,….. WOW  imagine what detail looks like.   Iam sure we will all be talking about it for days to come.   I’ll send some photos as soon as I have them.

Cheers for now.

Cathy