Day two on the road for the peloton saw a much
more challenging journey. Yesterday’s shorter day of 135 kilometres was a great
way to break in the legs. While today’s 200 kilometre leg from Charters Towers
to Belyando Crossing, promised -and delivered- a super tough day in the saddle.
Rough roads, combined with moderate head cross and head winds, over parched and
dehydrated landscape, made it a mind numbing affair. Thankfully most of the
riders have trained hard and handled the conditions well. A couple of riders
needed some van time at various stages, but these were for short stints, just
enough to get their mental equilibrium back on track.
After the rider group rolled out at 6:30am to
the ringing of the cowbell by the local Rotarians, who looked after us for
dinner last night, and breakfast this morning, the road crew went about their
duties packing up the last of the equipment, preparing sandwiches for lunch, buying
a few supplies and getting fuel. There may also have been coffee involved... By
the time we left we knew we’d be pushing it to catch the peloton before they
got to their morning tea break 75 kilometres up the road. Thankfully the Smiddy Road Crew Express convoy made contact
at 70 kilometres. By the time we pulled up at morning tea we had 15 minutes to
do 45 minutes work before the riders arrived. Which was achieved, but we were
still working on the food side of things.
Spirits were extremely high in the peloton as
they descended like locusts onto the welcoming feast that the Smiddy road crew
are notorious for. Morning and afternoon teas are limited to a strict 20
minutes. So 15 minutes later Kevvy blew his 5 minute warning whistle and just
like that the peloton disappeared, as if swallowed up, by the long, never
ending, dead straight roads up here that travel forever.
Next set up for road crew was for lunch at 146
kilometres. Nearly all the recovery stops over the next few days will require a
full set up by road crew. Bush stops require all 3 marquees to be erected, 4
large ground tarps, foldable seating erected, 2 large foldable tables erected
for the food preparation and distribution, stretching mats and massage tables
put out, along with rollers and massage implements for the massage therapist
and physio traveling with the riders. Bike racks for 40 riders are erected at
every stop and eskies for cold drinks brought out. The huge luggage truck is
always positioned -depending on where the sun is- in a way to will provide
extra shade. Meanwhile the food prep road crew are preparing that feast we
spoke about before.
For lunch we arrived with plenty of time to
spare. Once set up is complete the road crew will then have lunch before the
riders arrive. If we don’t eat before the riders arrive then we will miss out.
Hungry road crew are cranky road crew! It is all hands on deck for the time
they are in camp, and all hands on deck for the pack up, before hitting the
road for either afternoon tea stop or for our final destination.
The Hog Cup was started back in 2010, a year
after the owner of the Belyando Crossing, named Hog, had passed away from
cancer. His partner Mandy continued to run the business and each year spoils us
rotten with enormous amounts of food and belly laughs due to her cheeky
personality. Since 2010 we have been running a 15 kilometre A and B grade race
into Belyando. A plaque called the Hog Cup rests on the wall of the
establishment and each year a new winner, male and female, have their names
engraved below previous winners over the last 10 years.
This year Cameron Habermann and Isobel Chisholm
were the worthy winners, although rumour has it Ken Woods may have gifted the
win to Habo.
Our night time activities are always done in a
light hearted fun way. Everyone works hard during the day and the night time is
our way of staying sane by acting insane. This ranges from the reading out of
the blog, to the road kill count, to the amount of food consumed in a day count
and Kevvy handing out fines for unsafe
sun protection practices. The proceedings are normally kicked off by Killer,
Pagey or Jules, who do a great job doing a recap of the day. The serious side
of the night is our guest speaker, normally a rider but sometimes a road crew
member, who tell their reasons for why they are on the Smiddy Challenge. It
brings us back to the real reason we are all on this journey. The final presentation on each night is the
Teamwork Spirit and Mateship award. Which is a Smiddy bike jersey that is handed
out to a worthy recipient. Which tonight was won by Marty Holland.
Tonight was also swag night for the second night
in a row, luxury tour this is not. The majority of riders and road crew spent
the night under the stars.
Cheers.
Sharky.
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