Ride Magazine (#28) had an article on joining the Noosa Bike Ride - written by Ben Johnson.  The local newspapers have also in the past written great stories. But I have to write as well - no one “guest” rider has confirmed or written until now about their awesome rides with the “Noosa-ites”.

The reality is you will feel most welcome – provided you have trained back home and acclimatised to the hot humid, sharp sunny conditions of Noosa. You have to be able to sit on 35km/hr for at least 50km of undulating road, go up any small incline at 28 km/hr and up major inclines at say 20 km/hr. You must know the rules about riding in a pack. No more than 2 wide is a must otherwise Will Van Zettan (the flying Dutchman & protector) or the ever vocal star Charmbo will say a thing or too. But to finish with the pack you must fly at 40 km/hr plus on the home straight. All through that the great riders have fun.

The Noosa-ites were given some huge prizes at their annual 2005 dinner by the “Noosa Brigade’s team iron man and motivator Robi Frey – the most prestigious being the Nossa Ride Shop’s  Life Membership to the inspiring 67 year old, back marker (so stay in front of) Ron Stamford. Some of local names I rode with and just some of the many friendly faces that have stuck in my head this year are Al, Roger, Jim, Col, the Argentinean James, John Barr and the lovely ladies Julia (3 gold medals from Adelaide, Noossa’s 2005 winner of the Golden Boot award, a great caterer/food adviser & needed in Noosa), Jo & Allison (swam the English Channel, winner of the 2005 best stack award -140 stitches).

When you join the pack you are riding alongside, being motivated and inspired by some quietly spoken humble elite sportsmen and ladies. Watch how they sit, hold the bars, tip their wrists, point their feet, hug the bar on the down hills, and position themselves in the pack.  They give you plenty of warning for a change in direction and turn back to help the last rider, give Ron or an injured Jo a push up that tough incline.

When you are riding with the pack you are amongst the most talented riders. The pack is often joined by the famous former German Tour de France rider & now TV commentator Marcel Wust (resident for 2-3 months a year) and his astro wife, Ben Johnson Noosa’s 23 year old (happy birthday) professional star rider and member of Agritubel  -being the latest team entry to the Tour de France – congratulations Ben and dad -Neil Johnson. Neil is one of the man local ‘A’ grade riders, but he has raced in Europe and is a most important friend for that quick fix at his infamous Noosa Bike shop – he is also the supplier of  either a Colnagos, Cellini, Giant & or Specialized the best birthday, anniversary or Christmas present. Quiet often the pack is joined by Brisbane’s famous trainer & representing Australia in Thailand next month Nick Formosa & his talented sports medicine wife Jo (also recovering from a broken collar bone, fractured head) rode with me. Greg Bennett 4th in the Olympic Triathlon and one of the world’s top 10 triathlon riders for over 12 years is just another of the chosen few  talents that I rode with.

Of course like all rides the conversation is as good and provocative as you want to make it. I heard from Peter (a collector of Colnagos) of Richardson & Wrench’s the property tales of Noosa, good one liners from Chambo.  From Will the farm and road building tales, the Naval life with Brian a mean fast 30 year old athlete. The now retied Qantas pilot story’s of the velodromes he rode around the world, so that he can bring back home a gold.

They all encouraged me and fellow guests to enjoy the challenge of a ride on any of the seven days a week through the exotic forests and well made roads (with narrow shoulders – be careful) of Noosa and then after for a celebrational coffee, homemade muffin and the roasting of riders.

I had the most sensational Tuesday ride. I left Hastings Street and the coffee bars for the start. At first the steam rose from the road. There were some 16 or so new faces “guests” including the Flight Centre Team in their fine white kit and 14 regulars congregating at 5.50am outside Neil Johnson’s Noosa Bike Shop. The nervous or “semi professional” warming their legs up by cycling the car park. Otherwise some had done their warm up with a brisk spin of 5-6 km to get there.

By 6am and thirty five seconds after waiting for the Captain Will, Robi the ‘iron man’ from Emergency Services leads the pack out with Peter Saphin the host of the Sheratin Hotel. Roger rode out with me and listened to my repetitive story of how I was on crutches 5 years ago, in my third year as a bike rider (doing 300 -400 km a week all year so that I am better prepared for this week) & that this was my second year and fourth week of riding here in Noosa. Roger, advised me to never get into third place (or upfront in a pack you are a guest in) as today you would be leading the pack up the first 14 turns of in famous race track hill.

The speed this morning I was told would be a slightly gentler one than Wednesdays. Well with Ben next to Nick - there was no way the pace would be slow. I now rode alongside Greg who was fresh after wining another few professional rides overseas. The warm up was over we were now coasting at 35km. Vinny (a regular Noosa guest and star “Melbourne Bay Club Rider”) was by now on the front with Ben and we entered the often twig & branch littered race track hill. Riders were flying down the hill and walkers were on the side. Fortunately, Vinny convinced Ben to go slow enough to only average 22km/hr as a pack up this tricky tension packed hill! Ben was in the big ring and on the smallest cog in front of me.

We all reached the top and the pace livened up down to Corooy. Greg was talking about his 3kg weight fluctuations between holidays and peaking in the Olympics and that his partner and he had just received two super USA built Obrea bikes with the Ergo brains set in miles per hour.

Just before the Cooroy hill, Greg and I were in front. Greg being such a smooth rider picked the pace up to 40km per hr and faster as we left Cooroy and headed out along the road to Eumundi. We thankfully peeled off the front and allowed some serious Noosa-ites to ride in front. Ron the most senior and back marker came through the guests and livened the pace up some more. At the top of the range we did a sharp left hand and the pace picked up along the Sunrise Road – I had never been on this road and it was twice as long as the Range. Alongside me came another orange Obrea with the wheels spinning effortlessly holding up this petite blonde with sculptured legs and the balanced body of a USA world champion tri-athlete, Laura Bennett – just inspirational. My lungs filled up and my legs pumped hard whilst the pack effortlessly picked up the pace by 5 km – we were now hitting undulating hills at 40-48km/hr.

We saw more tight hills and classy homes over looking the valley until we hit the famous Noosa Cooroy Range road. Then it was truly on for the dare devils of Noosa even Ron reached 80km and I hit 88 on the down hill. The next bit of flat truly tested the best, by now I have been spat out and could just cruise through Tewantin at 36km saying to myself – I made it.

Bye the time I got to Elvis’ all are seated and the first coffees are ordered. The ladies are rushed off their feet to make the ‘mugs’ just right for the “particular’ regulars and to get the muffin order right for all, is a struggle. The conversation is all over the place and I ask Geoff (nicked named LG) who made over 50% on my share recommendation last year to introduce me to the giant and newest rider\resident of Noosa – Keith from Liverpool. Keith will be staying in Noosa 3 months a year selling his retractable car tops.

Costa’s was the next place to go with Pete Charmbo from the Brigade. There we tasted the finest Australian brew, smooth & thick, aromatic coffee. In fact the second most interesting food & coffee house is the German styled “Baked Poetry” bakery in Peregian village tucked in between the tee tree and the quadrangle of other shops. Their specialty is the “BP” ice coffee where you pour a highly viscous smooth enriched coffee over creamy ice cream that is stacked on top of square ice cubes. The next great taste is the boiled egg in a glass that gets delivered in liquid format. With the tummy now lined and the head spinning from the coffee over dose I head back 8 km to Hastings Street (76km for the morning) – say hello to Sierra Bar’s infamous day manager Nathan Kine to have the best made macchiato and white chocolate and raspberry  muffin. The ride and coffees are all over by 8:58 am and layered with a fine film of sweat over my body, road dust and sand I was ready to watch the markets open with a strong rally in BHP and the banks – my favourites. By lunch time I was famished and headed back to Sierra Bar for the best stacked cuttle fish salad, fruit juices and after 3pm a sleep – well until 5:30pm when the Sierra has its best cocktail served by the gorgeous patient and inviting afternoon and evening manageress Mary Kovaks

Written by Steven Horton                                                     Email steven@wtfs.com.au