Since I last put pen to paper or finger tips to keyboard Team BenBen has been trucking (travelling)! Fri 11th May we left our home in Coff’s Harbour and hit the tarmac for our road trip 2,200k’s north, destination: Cairns. Our journey was not being done at break neck speed, instead, 3 stints. 1st stop Byron Bay for 2 nights to race, 2nd pit stop Yeppoon for 4 nights, training no rest for the wicked then upwards and onwards to Bowen 3 nights for yes more training.
I was very excited to see Byron Bay as many Aussies rate it as a must see place to visit, the race organizer’s of course also rated it as one of the best tri’s on the calendar, let’s see what all the fuss is about!!
Yep, I agree and will go with the masses Byron Bay is worth a visit! Helping its cause was the weather, we were blessed with wall to wall sunshine for our drive and my first taste of Byron. The sunshine did not stop there it continued to scorch us all weekend. Just as FYI Cape Byron is the most Easterly point of the country, see Ben I do listen to the useful and on occasion useless nuggets of trivia you share with me. Byron Bay has sands stretching beyond your vision, a picturesque lighthouse with views of the ocean for miles and miles and a hippy vibe. Tie-die clothes are not a must, it’s relaxed anything goes feel makes everyone and anyone feel at home here. We had the chance to have lunch by the main beach and sample the local coffee before checking into our little hostel type accomodation on the beach north of the town.... then it was shut up shop for the next days Triathlon.
And what about the triathlon?! After a choppy swim, hot and pot holey ride and a twisting and turning run we had finished yet another famous tri on the Aussie calendar. How can I diss it when Team BenBen both had “smoking” races. I will cut to the chase and by smoking races I mean we smoked it, any clearer!!! We both won our age groups, Team BenBen took top honors in the 30-34 age group.
I will leave Byron with great memories of the race, images of the simply stunning sunrise oh and a gift card to spend in David Jones as our prize!!! Does that class as prize money??? Does that mean we are now pro’s!!!!
Back on the bitumen we were tackling our longest drive, Byron to Yeppoon approx 800k’s. No backseat driving, over a tank of petrol and 11 hours later after a road side sunset we arrived safely to Gumnut Glen Cabins, our home and training ground for the next 4 nights.
Cycling was like a dream, flat fast roads, no pot holes and very few cars we notched up 90ks Tues and 160ks Wed with relative ease, that’s comparing it to the lumpy Coff’s Harbour.
Swimming, well what shall I say was an early start! Our 1st day (Mon) in Yeppoon we hit the pool at a sensible hour 7 ish after a 5.45 am wake up call. Trawling up and down the lanes of the 50m pool for 5k’s gave time for us to be spotted and branded as must be keen swimmers! After a brief conversation with the wife of ones of those keen swimmers we had been invited to join the morning swim squad who kick off at 4.30am. I won’t rave about the 3.45am wake up call but having 5k’s of swimming done by about 6.30am is very effective time management.
And for some reason all the running I did in Yeppoon just hurt, I will leave it there!!!
In the travel bible, “The Lonely Planet” Bowen is described as a “classic reminder of the typical small Queensland coastal town of the 70’s, wide streets, low rise buildings and laid-back friendly locals. And that is exactly what it’s like, it does what it says on the tin! On arrival at our originally booked accommodation I was a little disappointed with the cleanliness of our pad to be, after a very reasoned and calm conversation we had been offered the sister, more luxurious appartments, result!
With the wind blowing at a force that may wobble me off my bike and play havoc with our planned time trial and run session we headed inside to Bowens only gym. Martin, the owner could not have done more for us to ensure our “inside” session was of top notch quality, he also asked his known triathlete clients where the locals ride. Just like in Yeppoon after a brief conversation with a triathlete we had been invited to join the Sunday ride with the “Bowen Bikers”. I think from Martin’s reaction to our 4 hour plus bike, run, bike, run session he had never had 2 customers that got more value for money from their casual day pass.
Saturday’s training a long run and a swim was exhilarating and exhausting, the latter being the more exhausting one. Our exhilarating run was exploring Bowen’s coastline, a walking track (or in our case running) took us up and down, up and down, up and down. It is hard to try and explain and do the walk / run justice but let’s just say I struggled somewhat in comparison to Ben who seemed to cover the technical trail and rocky terrain like a shore footed mountain goat! The swim, well what can I say it felt as though we were swimming through crude oil, Ben opted for honey as the description.
Our lasting memories of Bowen will be of the gusting wind, accommodating locals and a dramatic, un-spoilt coastline.
Just one more long trip Jazzie car (Bowen to Cairns approx. 600 k’s) and then we can leave our nomadic lifestyle in the car park for 15 days. Knowing we were spending the equivalent to a few days in the car driving and to avoid any chance of insanity, total boredom, driving each other mad with irrelevant waffle and at worst an RTA we invested in and down loaded an audio book on to Ben’s I phone. WOW I love them, no serial car traveler should leave home without one. Audio books should be part of the oil and tyre pressure pre-departure check list, (That’s for you dad!). Having not had to intellectually push ourselves into the red over the past few months we opted for a book that was in my opinion of an intellectual nature, definitely a step up from Walt Disney. The Dragon himself James Caan from the TV series “Dragons Den” talked us through him autobiography “The real deal”. What a guy, his talents appear endless, gut instinct, determination and his dam right cheekiness are 2nd to none. No one wonder he is one of the wealthiest men in the UK.
Destination: Cairns: Reached.
