CQ18 - Day 3 - a day of firsts

This is my 8th Cycle Qld.  You’d think that I’d be pretty much an old hand at this by now but this ride has been a day of firsts for me.   

First first - this year I am being more social - sitting in the marquis for dinner, making conversations with other riders and introducing myself to people and showing interest in their experience on the ride.  This has made the ride so much more enjoyable and I wish I’d done it earlier.  Don’t get me wrong, I still love to spend quiet time in my tent, and I still ride solo, but surprisingly more people know my name as I walk through camp.  I am also making sure everyone gets a smile and a greeting as we pass on camp - it really does make for a nice environment.

Second first - today I rode a 7km climb up the Rex Range.  It was slow, but it was continuous, I didn’t stop and I made it to the top within the time limit and avoided the SAG wagon.  For those of you from Brisbane, the climb is about the same gradient as the Gateway Bridge, so think 14 continuous gateways winding up around a mountain and that’s today’s climb.  I have to pay tribute to Belinda from our Cairns ride in 2013 who gave me a great tip for the hills work - that technique has worked every time and was definitely effective today.  It didn’t hurt having my pump play list playing through my Coros helmet too - I had plenty of distractions to take away from my burning legs.

Third first - a new masseuse this year.  Jeff used to work on Hayden when he was on CQ, so I chose him to work on me today and he was awesome - working out the knots and getting me prepped for our longest day of riding tomorrow.

Fourth first - I stopped at the pub before I went to lunch today.  There is an unspoken rule that cyclists meet at the first pub on the left for a drink when they enter town.  Normally I would go and set up first but today I decided to hang a left and hit the verandah of the National at Mt Malloy.  It helped to have a friendly face in my corner - Gillian is an absolute champion who is so inclusive.  She was sitting with another new friend from last night, Pam, who gave me some great tips for riding in Vegas.

I am loving this so much that I’m already planning next year’s ride, perhaps with a volunteering element in the mix.  I’m already eagerly anticipating where the ride might go and even thinking of activities we could offer to give different experiences on the tour.  I want everyone to have the chance to experience the fun and sense of achievement that a CQ event gives.  I want them to meet the awesome BQ team, the fantastic vollies who work tirelessly for us and the sense of comeraderie that is felt with all of the riders.

So with my heart a little lighter and a smile on my face, it’s off to brush my teeth and lay in my tent listening to tonight’s band.  The weather is cooling down and it promises to be a night of snuggling into my sleeping bag and enjoying the cool night air under a blanket of shining stars.