Frigid Digit – a BMW ride
I spent a significant amount to time within the space of a helmet this weekend – a safe space where there is only you and our thoughts – whilst we rode from Brisbane to Crows Nest via the long scenic way (350km) and today back from Crows Nest to Brisbane via a scenic route being a total weekend of about 540km.
Over the last few weeks, there’s been a lot of stuff going on in my head and no doubt in Julian’s head too. It’s quite something to be able to spend that time with no music and nothing else, because I choose not to use the intercom system that had been suggested. I don’t have a need to speak – I quite like silence as it was something I became somewhat friendly with for the many years when I travelled this life solo.
So, we had a magnificent winter’s day to adventure out of Brisbane and enjoyed the countryside. There is something special about the smell of fresh air and truly special about the cattle trucks that travel these roads. Sometimes you can be fortunate to smell the truck but not be behind it, especially when it is loaded with cattle who need to expel waste – there is no escape on a motorbike. In a car you can switch the air conditioning and you have a lovely big windscreen as a shield. The delight of being on the road with only your helmet around your sensory organs is that you can feel the temperature so directly and smell the changes in the air smell, to smell the spring changes, the gum, the dirt/soil and the country.
We set out with the BMW Brisbane group. It was an organised ride, in the middle of winter each year known as “Frigid Digit” for obvious reasons although this year was the “not so frigid digit ride” because it was truly moderate temperatures we were riding in.
We started at Mt Coot-tha then went through the back of Brisbane, moseying this way and that, through the Brisbane Valley and back out again to Linville for lunch at the pub – a damn fine meal it was too. After lunch we pretty much set out own pace on the route to Crows Nest. Some of the roads we travelled I have been through some not. If you are heading to Kilcoy, swing through the turn off to Villenevue, it’s a lovely detour with beautiful lake area. The country appears to be a little dry and there seemed a little less cattle but they looked to be in good condition.
The backroads are the roads less travelled and sometimes they are absolutely the best roads to travel along. There is a simplicity to travelling on 2 wheels and exploring the country – slightly different but still pretty amazing when in a car although the sensory aspect is so different. The roads need to be respected as with the weather conditions and many other variables that impact upon driving or riding.
Kilcoy is changing and growing up and clearly has a lot of traffic passing through. Crows Nest has its own changes and hopefully some more businesses going into the empty shops. There were about 50 of us who ventured out for this enterprise.
We stayed at the Crows Nest Motel, some of us camped and some stayed in cabins at the Tourist Park across the road – lovely remodelled Motel and modest pricing. If we go back, we will be sure to try the spa in the bath – sometimes you are just too tired to really enjoy such a privilege. Driving 370km is one thing, riding is completely different. It is not so easy to simply stop and stretch, you cannot stretch in your seat so easily, the wind bounces around you, you feel some of the bumps through every bone in your body and its exhilarating.
Sunday was a crisp start and another truly magnificent day. The Nest Café who catered last night was the location for breakfast – great food. Then, it was homeward bound via Hampton, down through to Wivenhoe, Somerset Dam and Mt Glorious – the mountain that takes no prisoners. It would be lovely if the power rangers would respect the roads and rules, rather than simply twisting the throttle and forgetting about other road users but that’s never going to happen so we ride to conditions and respect the roads, the twisties and the conditions because there is no letting thoughts skip off for even a moment when navigating this road. Down through Samford then on to home and cuddles with the hounds was the order of the early afternoon. We are grateful to a dear friend for agreeing to puppy-sit for us.
The road temperature was about 3 degrees when we set out. It was closer to 22 when we ended the day. We smelt the coming spring along with the change as we came into the city area. It’s an absolute privilege to be able to don a helmet and keep company with your thoughts, whilst being next to the one you love, as you photograph the countryside whilst your partner rides thinking about the road, the bike, the pillion, the other riders and everything else. These are fabulous days, in gorgeous country with magnificent conditions. For the middle of winter you would think it was well into spring. There are some pretty amazing people out there on the roads. You just don’t know who is under the helmet. Until next time…
