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Bellthorpe Range Road
It’s been a bit quiet on the Cormanus' riding front of late. While I’ve been getting out occasionally, other things get in the way. Those rides I have taken have not really been worth reporting. So I haven’t.
Last Monday morning (4 April) I was riding home from an appointment and decided on a whim that lunch at the Bellbird Creek Café would be agreeable. As I’m temporarily living in Brisbane, it’s no longer the 50-60 kilometre, 40 minute spin along rural roads it once was; rather 140 kms and a couple of hours. There are, however, some excellent roads between the here and there.
It was late morning and a review of the map told me it would be prudent to take the short way out and the longer way home.
If you’re really interested in the route out and
the route back, you can follow the link to the map
and turn the route layers on and off.
[url=https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=z5L5SB6CRw2M.k8HowZ3HJd1E]Link to Map
I was under way around 11.00 am and turned right at The Gap across Settlement Rd to Keperra to take the faster, if less scenic, route to Samford and Dayboro. It had been a long time since I’d travelled Settlement Road and the first time on a bike, I think. It was prettier and more fun than I expected.
Soon out of town and into the countryside
The trip north was pretty uneventful and I’ve described it here before in other posts. To Dayboro it’s pretty, flat and uneventful; after that the road climbs over Mt Mee which is prettier as the bush becomes denser and a good riding road with plenty of twisties. While it’s a challenge sticking to the speed limit, it’s quite good fun trying to hold to it through some of the tighter bends.
Entering the twisties on the northern side of Mt Mee. Downhill on the way out.
By around 1.15 I was at Bellbird Creek, listening to the bellbirds, eating a hamburger, drinking coffee and watching a replay of the Moto3. The proprietor, Peter Cusak, who has, I think, ridden every local road and then some, was able to tell me about a road branching off the Maleney-Stanley River Road that I’d seen often but never ridden.
So I set off, back through the magnificent kilometre or two of twisties adjacent to the Bellbird Creek Café and made my way to Maleny. Somewhere towards the end of that section of the ride there’s a wonderful climb up the hill to Maleny. The surface is good and there are some excellent corners. There are no photos this time as it started to rain at about Connondale and I tucked my camera away in my jacket.
Having refuelled at Maleny I headed along the Maleny-Stanley River Road until I reached Mears Lane. I turned right onto a narrow but well surfaced road leading to Bellthorpe.
The CB on the the ridge at the start of Mears Lane
The upper reaches of Mears Lane
It’s a great road and leads you up and down and around a ridge and then down to join the Bellthorpe Roand Road which was washed out in floods a few years ago. That means it’s been repaired recently and is still in excellent condition. It’s quiet, pretty and a delight to ride.
Some of the final section of the Bellthorpe Range Road
All too quickly one is at the bottom of the hill and back onto the Kilcoy-Beerwah Road. From there it’s through Woodford and back over the Mt Mee twisties to Dayboro. This time the downhill twisties of the earlier picture are uphill and lots more fun, although holding my speed at 60 kph requires great will power.
Just after Dayboro I turned left onto Winn Road in order to ride over Clear Mountain. I discovered the road on a recent afternoon out and thought it worth another visit.
The view from Clear Mountain looking east over Lake Samsonvale
It’s a pretty road winding up, over and down a small mountain, reasonably sparsely populated and with occasionally good views to the east. The speed limit nazis have been at work up here too.
I hasten to add that I’m not a peed freak. I don’t ride much above the maximum Australian limit of 110 kph, nor do I really want to. I di fin, though, that many excellent motorcycle roads are less entertaining by being restricted to 60 kph when 80 kph would be more reasonable. Cages and the police view that speed is the cause of every accident rule, I guess.
I was soon back on the road to Samford, although I’d set the GPS on to help me find a road that would help me avoid the township. It was easy and I found myself back on the Mt Glorious Road. The final 5 or 6 kilometres are fantastic as the road climbs steeply up the mountain to join the Mt Nebo Road. I’ve always enjoyed riding up it, particularly as the Mt Nebo road offers a fantastic ride back into Brisbane.
Actually on a recent ride there I was frustrated behind a car not going quite quickly enough for my taste. Approaching a right hand switchback I thought I could see far enough along the road on the other side of it to overtake. As we went into the corner I dropped into the inside lane and began to pass him. Accelerating out of the corner I realised I hadn’t been able to see far enough ahead and was eyeballing a car coming the other way. Luckily, I had plenty of room to slow and pull back in behind the car and did so safely. I doubt, though, that either car driver was impressed.
This time I encountered a truck near the top, but he was kind enough to pull over for me to pass.
Having turned onto the Mt Nebo Road, I was creaming the twisties and soon came up behind a bloke and his girlfriend on their cruiser. It’s always a big surprise to me to come up behind anyone on a bike as I regard myself as a very average rider and am normally the passee. I was feeling quite pleased with myself when the guy on the cruiser waved me past. I went back to creaming the twisties.
Not for long. I’d forgotten all about the GPS which I hadn’t stopped to switch off when I no longer needed it. It’s an app on my phone and connects to my headphones via Bluetooth. So when the phone rang suddenly shattering the peace, I got a surprise. I usually ignore it when I’m riding, but I looked down and saw it was Pterodactyl calling. If he was ringing me, I figured, he wouldn’t be riding. It was worth stopping for a gloat.
“G’day. Where are you?” he asked.
“Mt Nebo,” I said.
“You bastard! Out for a ride are you? It’s pouring with bloody rain here and has been for days.”
“Nice here,” I told him helpfully and we had a long chat about I can’t remember what, before I rang off and got back on the the bike. The cruiser had passed me and I’d given him enough of a start not to be able to catch him again.
Stopped for a chat with Pterodactyl
There were a few good twisties left, but all too soon I was back in so-called civilisation. I’ll be going back soon to ride the Bellthorpe Range the other way!
Re-entry to civilisation
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