Reflection
What’s in front of me?
Where to from here?
Don’t forget what’s behind you.
Use it and grow……..

Me noggin
Today is the first day of my weeks long service leave.  The tires are pumped up.  I have a full tank of fuel. I need to clear my head and the Gillies range is calling.  Just south of Cairns Queensland lies a road reminiscent of a strand of spaghetti laid out with all the precision of a hula dancer in a cyclone.  It is one of the favorite stages of the FNQ Targa for good reason, 263 glorious switchback corners.

Precision
A perfect day.  Crisp winter chill in the air and a dry sun baked path to motorcycle heaven.

You may see corners …… I see.

• drop it down two cogs
• hard on both brakes
• tip it in/release front brake
• trail a little rear brake, rear suspension compressed
• touch the apex
• ease on the throttle (responsibly…hee hee…yes mum)
• ease off the rear brake and open the throttle
• repeat

Clarity
Dalai Lama has been known to preach…..Nothing raises your spirit and soul like riding a bike, be it motorcycle or bicycle.

Mountain bike, touring bike, road bike, trail bike or cruiser, whatever takes your fancy.  You can’t multi-task.  You have to focus.  You have to use your entire body.  You have to disengage from everything else and you must centre your thoughts. You do engage with your environment.  You do feel the air change.  You do feel the humidity change.  You do feel the temperature change.

You do….
very much……
feel……
ALIVE.

errrr…..quote has dubious authenticity.  I, recon he would say it.

Biking sprit
Along the way I found a beautiful tribute to a lady who often rode the range.  Community sprit is very strong here.

Why did the cassowary cross the road?
Just a bloke, his bike and the occasional cassowary.  Around half way up the range the rainforest starts to thicken.  Fallen trees, snakes and now cassowaries turn up the awareness meter.

Explore
Every time I ride this road, I think of the original settlers.  Cutting a path, then a trail up the side of the mountain by hand.

The backdrop of dense rainforest, dwarfs me and my little bike.  Light only makes its way a metre or so into the scrub, ink blackness from then on.  The canopy, wait-a-while vines, leaches, slithering and furry animals awaiting the explorer.

Take your RID.

The end is nigh
Mixed emotions…..

Winding road:          YAY
Ends 3Km:            Sad face
Coffee is close:       YAY

and I do get to do it all again on the way back down.