Mike and I were racking our brains and perusing every map we could locate for dirt rides around the neighbourhood that we had not experienced previously. Lo and behold we found Mountain Rd. Cockatoo. It joins the Wooori Rd. and Ure Rd. (sort of) and is a road the Alt. Thursday group have ridden downwards many times, yet never upwards. Nothing ventured, so we gave it a go. It's steep, long, looks daunting yet is just manageable, so much so the Helen blizted her way up it a week later. However what that ride did reveal was another means by which we could get to Ure Rd. from Woori Rd, viz Amphlett Ave.
I was dubious but Mike was insistent. Amphlett Rd. was an unknown quantity and to Mike, that was like a red rag to a bull. So, Emerald to Avonsleigh, down Phillip, head past Cockatoo, turn left into Amphlett and "oh sh..t!"
As for me, I was ready to about turn and seek coffee then and there, but Mike had already launched himself onto the Avenue.
Instantly, we encountered 4232 meters of uphill (a rough estimate of distance I will admit), sufficiently steep that one quarter of the way up we had to zigzag the rest of the way.
At the top, a welcome flat section of 50m, then a relaxing near vertical descent for 1km or two, followed by what always follow a descent ... a climb.
Not to be outdone, this second climb was as steep and long as the first and necessitated us calling upon our zigzagging skills once more. Mike was not my favourite person at this point.
"That's it for climbing is it Mike?" I begged.
"Yes, ........ almost".
The third hill. The third recourse to zigzagging.
Finally, the top. I laid over my handle bars, hoping the bike would turn into a bed, or a taxi. A local stopped his car to see if we were ok or did we normally look like this. Mike replied politely, thanking him for his consideration. I was still prone on the ground.
So onwards along the beautiful Evans Road, then a short cut through an unmarked fire track, a quick chat with a bearded, check shirt local with no bango in sight until we got to Stillwell Deviation, which, in comparison to what Mike had just put me through, was a breeze to ride.
A Werner ride I think. Should the Alt. Thursday group want to do it, I'll get Mike to lead the way. Moral support only will come from me.
Jon
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