Thursday 10 September 2009 – Clermont to Belyando Crossing
Day 6 – Ascent 204mDay 6
Clermont to Belyando Crossing.
174k of unbelievable flat straight road with nothing but 50 other fellow Smiddy riders. How good was this day going to be? After a night of over-excitement with spontaneous drink purchases and random bidding on auction items, we arose at the later time of 6.30am. My hosts Joel and Sharon had generously billeted myself and a few of the others lads in their horse stable shed for the night. They lived just out of Clermont in a place called Cheese Borough and Joel's favorite food was the cheeseburger! Sharon cooked us up a hearty breakfast as did all the other billets in town for their home stays and we, the Smiddy riders, can't thank the hospitable folks of Clermont enough for being so accommodating.
Before we headed into town Joel and Sharon, who live on 275 acres, showed us around the backyard. It was great to see what's involved to keep a few horses. The boys who have been nursing a couple of aches and pains took particular interest in some of the products to keep the horses healthy and strapping. In particular this one product named "recharge": an electrolyte liquid for horses. With another day ahead in the saddle and a sprint to finish - it was an interesting prospect.
So with our water bottles topped up we headed into town for an 8am start. During the previous days on the Smiddy ride the group had tried a new formation of riding three abreast and rotating around a number of others riders in the middle lane to help with managing fatigue. It was a bit like a cocoon of riders and had been working really well. But today we were told it was back to two abreast due to the road trains and permits. The group reacted with disappointment to the change back, none more so than David Gtye. "Gytie", a strong rider, had been choosing to ride in business class and actually managed to defy the laws of calorie expenditure and put on 4kg since commencing the ride.
After a goodbye to Clermont with thanks for the good times and we were on the road again. I'd waited 1040kms for the serenity out here and the road was good, the tailwind was steady and there was not a cloud in the sky. You know you're heading into the middle of nowhere when the residents start using 44 gallons drums as letter boxes. To everyone's surprise the pack rolled well after the festivities of the night before and the confidence was growing that beer was really quite a quality fuel source to travel 1600kms on. Although it was noted that crop dusting in the peleton was on the increase as a side effect.
Morning tea and lunch were had in the back of burke and half way to nowhere and the views rolling to the horizon were incredible. It was verging on desert out here and all the Smiddy riders were sharing the experience in a growing trance-like state of mind with the continual need to express every thought falling away as the group came to an overall understanding of this ride.
After lunch, attentions turned to the end of day sprint into Belyando Crossing. I'd been keeping tabs on how the lads were travelling on the "recharge". And apart from a couple of them lightly grassing on dry grass at lunch and looking increasingly teethy like Mr. Ed, all was in hand.
The documentary makers requested to take comments from the top five finisher prospects but, in all honesty, the result of the final day's hit out had all but been already written! For the first time in days, chains were oiled and tyres were pumped while cans of coke were slammed down.
Kev's whistle blew and the peleton was away. Since the last time when all had been pipped at the post by Phil Anderson, a new opportunity was on the table. Early pressure was applied by team "recharge" but it was soon clear this stuff is definitely designed for horses with them all pulling up lame shortly into the proceedings. The next attack came from Tony Lewis "Lewballs" at the bottom of the only hill on route. It was a good move but the peleton didn't see it going anywhere and left "Lewballs" out to burn.
The next attack came on the hill from an entirely predictable Bryn "Stuntman" Somers. But the roads out here which often seemingly have water on the horizon confused "Stuntman" and his attack was nullified with a strong working group from behind.
Rowan "Rowman" Foster took the next move forward while we were all sucking in the big ones and buried himself to see what was left in the legs but the roads out here are unmerciful and "Rowman" became another causality as the finish line 1k away came into view.
With 20 riders still in the sprint, including the girls, in was shaping up the be anyone's victory. Another surge moved forward with the likes of Mick Young and Brent Chapman and Adam Wills but with 500m to go it was Mark Russo leading out Brad "Hitman" Hartmann that looked the goods. In all this "Stuntman" was still third wheel taking it all in and providing the necessary commentary for this report.
With 200m to go the cavalierly arrived: "recharge" was back. Unfortunately not. It was actually Phil "The King" Tillotson, the great Andrew "Crosswinds" Thornton and Jas "Track Sprinter" from Tasmania in the mix.
In a three way battle "tildo" , "crosswinds" and "track sprinter" fought it out to the finish off the sprint with the Smiddy Ride once again the real winner. Congratulations to all.
Beylando Crossing greeted us with two fuel pumps and a small diner. The smallest place we had been to with not much action planned for the evening. So it was unexpected to then be hosted for dinner by a Mr Murray B. Jones, aka "Hog"; man of action, as his business card reads. This guy advertises services provided for, amongst others: revolutions started, tigers tamed, orgies organized and aeroplanes driven, amongst others things.
For sleeping arrangements the army had erected some tents for us and it was going to be a splendid night sleeping under the stars. The Milky Way was as impressive as always and it allowed all us Smiddy riders an awesome backdrop to conclude the days events with a few more drinks into the evening......which is where I sign off for the day. Thanks again to all the riders, the support crew and all the helpful people along the way who are making this a 5 star experience of a lifetime.
SCHINDLER'S LIST by Andy Schindler
Proudly sponsored by my Mum, Marg Schindler (The Librarian)
As we move into the kill zone conditions heated u and the kill count really started to kick some butt.
An early unknown and 2 birds were registered by Deputy Monaro, followed by male and female genitalia painted on the road.
A total of 37 skippies were then registered by the team.
TOTAL: 42
To view a map of today’s route visit:
http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Clermont-Belyando
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