Lake Manchester

Earlier this year I rode to Lake Manchester. Today I thought I’d try it again, but with a riding buddy.

I’m really glad I did – riding with Mike today had some major advantages:
1. Better photos (it sucks trying to take photos of yourself)
2. It’s safer (if something happens, someone else is there to help out)
3. Better performance (Mike is a better rider than me. He rode up hills that I’d normally walk up, so I tried riding up instead, and I made it!)

The first leg of the ride out of Samford led us up the Goat Track, home of some wierd and wonderful rock sculptures. Some of them have been knocked down, so some bright and budding artist decided to build their sculpture in a tree. Art knows no bounds 🙂

After our 10km climb, we rode down Light Line Road, which is a 10km descent down to Lake Manchester. Along the way we passed this camping shelter. I think I might come back here with Harrison one evening and try an overnighter 🙂

Some of the views on the way down are fantastic, and we had to stop and take the photos. Mike commented that you can never capture the magnificent panorama with one photo, and he’s right. There are some magnificent views of the lake.

Once we reached the bottom there were (what felt like) dozens of Creek Crossings to ride through and one or two beautiful Bilabongs.

I think this Bilabong on Cabbage Tree Creek would be great for a swim in summer!

From there we started the long climb up Creek Road to South Boundary Road. Then a quick run down to the creek crossing on Centre Road, and another long slow climb up Centre Road to the bitumen on Mt Nebo Road. We then rode down to Bellbird Grove, before one final long steep climb up Link Road in Camp Mountain before rolling, exhausted but happy, back into Samford.

Check out some of those hills!

The GPS got it wrong. We did almost 56km, with about 1,800m of vertical ascent. I burned up about 4,500 calories, which is the equivalent of about 10 Big Macs.

On the tough-o-metre I’d give this one nine out of ten. The three climbs up Creek Road, Centre Road, and Link Road were tough. Yes. I’d definitely do it again.