Ride magazine Noosa Review continued...
I'll put it plain and simple. If you can't keep up with our great 'Ronaldo', whose age I assume must be approaching triple figures these days, you just can't come along for the ride.

Just outside of Tewantin is the infamous Noosa Range climb. It's a three kilometre winding road that rises gradually at four or five per cent and poses the first real challenge of the ride. It used to be the old highway and is now closed to traffic. You'll see the names of local cycling heroes scrawled in paint on the way up. In a somewhat glorified way it resembles a climb in the Tour de France. The Range is a relatively easy climb which is basically as hard as you make it for yourself.

The boys are usually keen to cruise up and are more interested in talking about the previous night's footy match than breaking any records. But you can make it difficult and for the frivolous or frisky, there is always somebody up for the challenge. The group waits and regroups at the top so there's no need to stress if the pace is pushed, as long as you can match it with ol' Ron!



After you pass through Cooroy, Sunrise Road offers some testing short, sharp climbs. The Bill Lawrie Memorial Classic was held on this exact circuit. 'Half-Wheel Neil', my old man and the proprietor of the local bike shop, is the resident king of this domain. He is one of the few able to roll the big ring over the rises and forever has the young guns taking a step back and questioning their own ability as a 50-year-old flies by.

When you complete the circuit it's then back onto Noosa-Cooroy Road for the final 10km of the 50km loop. This ride is enjoyed by experienced and novice riders alike. Tuesday's adventure has something for everyone. It's a course on which you can really gauge your form or personal progress.

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WEDNESDAY'S RIDE is ONE OF THE HARDEST OF THE WEEK'S SCHEDULE but I think it's also one of the most enjoyable and rewarding. After tackling The Range once more, we take on a climb called Black Mountain. It does sound a little ominous, although I can assure you it's definitely worth the struggle.

The hinterland of the Sunshine Coast is simply breathtaking. And this ride slices riebt through the heart of it. I have lived here all my life and, not one to take things for granted, the beauty of the place never ceases to amaze me. At the top of this climb someone once joked that the area must be sponsored by Kodak; everywhere you look there's a picture postcard setting.

Your little chainnng takes you up a tough two kilometre climb to this special pan of die <rodd- So despite your heavy breathing and weary legs, yool in \\m\ the accomplishment of cresting Black Mountain. At the top look east towards Noosa and you can trace your route all the way back to the beach, before the bunch regroups and drops down Ac other side into Cooroy.


run home along Noosa-Cooroy Road is essentially on the Noosa Triathlon course. Due to the increasing traffic the bunch thins out to single file and the pace heats up. Boys will be boys, and Wednesday's ride is the day to test each other's limits. Now nationalised ex-pat Geoff Oliver has been a Noosa resident for over 20 years and he knows that it's the taxing false flats on this road where the game is won or lost.

Geoff comes from a running background, competing at an international level. He's a sheer joy to watch on two feet. He has also travelled the world cyclo-touring through India, China, America and Africa. I don't think there's a continent he hasn't crossed with his lovely wife Patsy. Geoff is a gifted athlete with a natural, effortless elegance on the bike.

With a regimented healthy lifestyle, Geoff must be one of the fittest people in Australia for his age. He's also one hard man to shake on the run back home. He is a true gentleman with a wealth of knowledge from his experiences, very welcoming and certainly has a yarn or two to tell about his travels... if you can keep up with him. But surprisingly enough, Geoff has never had a cup of coffee in his life! Despite the peer pressure, he aspires to keep that record intact; he's a tea drinker, through and through!

Some just ride back at a regular pace and let those who are in a rush order the coffees as the group rolls in one by one. The height of excitement and most talked about part of Wednesday's ride is not the toil of Black Mountain climb, nor who got dropped where, but how fast you went down the Noosa Range. The highway side is a steep, straight and very quick descent. It's not for the faint hearted. The record currently stands at 105.6kph and only a select few have broken the elusive lOOkph barrier. For those who have that need for speed, this is always a bit of fun!

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