I finished work unexpectedly early today after a meeting was cancelled, and decided to head out on the bike again after enjoying yesterday so much. A storm had been forecast for the area today, but the most recent forecasts reckoned it would miss the Brisbane area, and there was just a slight chance of rain. The weather was much gloomier than yesterday and a bit windy, but I was still feeling good about it, and at least the gloominess kept the temperature down a bit.
I decided to follow the Kedron Brook Bikeway again, but find the rest of it this time! I followed yesterday's route until the part where I had looked for the cycle in coffee place and ended up looping round via a park. This time, instead of following the road around I crossed over, and found the bikeway continuing past a sports field and onwards.
After a little while, the bikeway became very new and well kept, with some areas separated for cyclists and pedestrians, complete with road markings and junctions painted on the ground. Very cute.
A little further along, and I saw a guy on a strange looking contraption, one large wheel with a footplate either side that you stand upon to ride it. I was curious, so I asked about it. Apparently it is an airwheel and this guy thought it was really great. I'm not totally sure of the point of it, but horses for courses!
Just a short way further along, and I saw another guy on another one wheeled contraption. This one was configured more like a skateboard with the wheel in the centre, but before I caught up to him he turned off on a different route so I couldn't ask about this one.
I continued along, passing some large roads and eventually coming to Toombul Shopping Centre. I was starting to feel hungry, but I was also curious to see where the bikeway led so I decided to carry on. I'm really glad I did, as it wasn't much further along that the path passed under some really large roads, and all of a sudden the suburbs were left behind and the scenery was drastically different.
As well as the land looking different, the brook itself was changing too. Mangroves began to appear at the water's edge, and the air took on the smell of briny water as I reached the tidal zone. The bikeway followed the edge of the river here for a while - sometimes perhaps a little too close, as erosion had caused a few bits of bikeway to fall away!
The smell of the salty water made me wonder if I could get all the way to the sea, so I carried on with renewed enthusiasm. I was rewarded a few kilometres later as I passed through a lightly wooded part of the bikeway, and a gorgeous 3 metre carpet python crossed the path in front of me. We were both a little startled by each other, and the python (pretty harmless to humans) stopped in its tracks and just stayed there for ages. I stayed too to get a good look at it, it was so beautiful.
After embarrassing myself by getting overheard chatting to the snake by a cyclist who passed me, I decided it was time to carry on... Just a couple of kms later I saw a sign advertising a shop at Nudgee Beach in 2kms. I hoped it would serve coffee, and figured this could make a good end point for my outward journey. I was in luck. At the end of the bike path I followed the road a little way, and came upon Pam's Cafe. A little place with a small shop and fish n chip counter, I ordered a coffee and some chips and sat outside. The guy who had caught me chatting to the snake was also there, and we had a friendly conversation over our coffees. One of the things I love about getting out and about is that the people you meet tend to be really friendly :)
After my little break, I took a short ride to the sea - just so that I felt I had completed my journey. It wasn't the best beach in the world, but looking out to sea always feels good.
Then it was homeward bound. The wind was kind and held its direction, becoming a tailwind for the return journey, and I was joined by another cyclist who caught me up on his electric bike. We chatted together the whole way back to where I left the bikeway to get home, and he told me there are lots more bikeways to explore - if I can just find them. Hopefully I can do some of that next week...
I decided to follow the Kedron Brook Bikeway again, but find the rest of it this time! I followed yesterday's route until the part where I had looked for the cycle in coffee place and ended up looping round via a park. This time, instead of following the road around I crossed over, and found the bikeway continuing past a sports field and onwards.
After a little while, the bikeway became very new and well kept, with some areas separated for cyclists and pedestrians, complete with road markings and junctions painted on the ground. Very cute.
A little further along, and I saw a guy on a strange looking contraption, one large wheel with a footplate either side that you stand upon to ride it. I was curious, so I asked about it. Apparently it is an airwheel and this guy thought it was really great. I'm not totally sure of the point of it, but horses for courses!
Just a short way further along, and I saw another guy on another one wheeled contraption. This one was configured more like a skateboard with the wheel in the centre, but before I caught up to him he turned off on a different route so I couldn't ask about this one.
I continued along, passing some large roads and eventually coming to Toombul Shopping Centre. I was starting to feel hungry, but I was also curious to see where the bikeway led so I decided to carry on. I'm really glad I did, as it wasn't much further along that the path passed under some really large roads, and all of a sudden the suburbs were left behind and the scenery was drastically different.
As well as the land looking different, the brook itself was changing too. Mangroves began to appear at the water's edge, and the air took on the smell of briny water as I reached the tidal zone. The bikeway followed the edge of the river here for a while - sometimes perhaps a little too close, as erosion had caused a few bits of bikeway to fall away!
The smell of the salty water made me wonder if I could get all the way to the sea, so I carried on with renewed enthusiasm. I was rewarded a few kilometres later as I passed through a lightly wooded part of the bikeway, and a gorgeous 3 metre carpet python crossed the path in front of me. We were both a little startled by each other, and the python (pretty harmless to humans) stopped in its tracks and just stayed there for ages. I stayed too to get a good look at it, it was so beautiful.
After embarrassing myself by getting overheard chatting to the snake by a cyclist who passed me, I decided it was time to carry on... Just a couple of kms later I saw a sign advertising a shop at Nudgee Beach in 2kms. I hoped it would serve coffee, and figured this could make a good end point for my outward journey. I was in luck. At the end of the bike path I followed the road a little way, and came upon Pam's Cafe. A little place with a small shop and fish n chip counter, I ordered a coffee and some chips and sat outside. The guy who had caught me chatting to the snake was also there, and we had a friendly conversation over our coffees. One of the things I love about getting out and about is that the people you meet tend to be really friendly :)
After my little break, I took a short ride to the sea - just so that I felt I had completed my journey. It wasn't the best beach in the world, but looking out to sea always feels good.
Then it was homeward bound. The wind was kind and held its direction, becoming a tailwind for the return journey, and I was joined by another cyclist who caught me up on his electric bike. We chatted together the whole way back to where I left the bikeway to get home, and he told me there are lots more bikeways to explore - if I can just find them. Hopefully I can do some of that next week...
 |
| 26kms out... |
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| ...and another 26kms back :) |
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