The majority of the members of the mountain bike fraternity are already well aware of the firey demise of the inaugural Hellfire Cup 2013, and the associated destruction that struck the Tasmanian Peninsula earlier this year, but all is not lost, this much anticipated event has been rescheduled November 21-24th 2013. Herein lies a ‘second chance’ opportunity to all those mountain bike riders keen to head to Tasmania for a multi-day event but unable to get their shyte together for the original January date, Mike and I have already recently rescheduled our flights (FYI: flights to Tasmania in November are very very affordable), so check out the Hellfire Cup 2013 site and get yourself down there.. HFC 2013 will be EPIC … no more excuses!
So no trip to Tasmania but a week off work, what is a gal to do? I spent the last week training with Colnago Team member Nathalie Schneitter IN THE RAIN.
Flooding with Nathalie Schneitter. Photo By Naomi Hansen
When I heard the news of The Hellfire Cup rescheduling, I encouraged Schneitty and her brother (Michael) to come to Noosa and train, it seemed like a great idea at the time, I had some days off work and boy Schneitty needed to check out the sun, surf and some beach babes. I remind you that at this time, Noosa had not seen rain for several months (last real rain September 2012) so the trails were primo and Osawald was not even a fog on the BOM radar, I had no reason to believe the weather would be any different.
…Well the Schneittys arrived, and not dissimilar to those Swiss before her (Xterra queen Renata Bucher) they bought the rain, I blame them but really it is not possible that they bought the rain as Oswald came from the other direction. We had two perfect days, the boy hit the beach, we rode primo trails in Parklands and Wooroi, life was dreamy, then cyclone Oswald happened, the skies opened and we saw two days of solid rain. Tropical cyclone induced rain is unlike any rain experienced in temperate or cooler climates, it is escorted by ferocious winds, watery tornadoes and extensive flooding. I believe if this kind of weather pattern and associated destruction was to happen in the land of the Swiss it would be cause for national concern, but in Noosa it just happens. During this storm period, the local members of our cycling community go into lock down, time to drag out and dust off their stationary trainer… but the Swiss… they are not like us…they throw on their Vaude rain pants, get on their bikes and ride, no excuses!
I was in awe as one day the weather was truly diabolical and I resigned myself to my trainer, that same afternoon the Schneittys embarked on a 4 hour trail ride with no real clue of where they were going, unperturbed by the sideways sheets of rain.
The truth is that we are a little spoilt here on the Sunshine Coast and the ambient temperature never drops much below 25C this time of year so despite the rain it is never cold. In the last week I rode in the most remarkable environmental conditions and I managed to conquer my fear of wet slippery roots, overcome any aversion I may have had to riding when there is any form of precipitation and have a great time on two wheels with some friends from far far away. The truth is that riding mountain bikes it is all about getting outside and enjoying yourself, travelling and seeing things that only you will see because you are the only one there at that particular place in that particular point in time and riding with people who you would never have meet if it wasn’t for your bike. Life is finite and too much time can be wasted being precious over the weather. Rain is just water and if you are ever considering the stationary trainer over a jaunt in the great outdoors think again as there are mountain bike enthusiasts all over the world enjoying their bikes in the wind and the rain and the snow. Get out there and get dirty!
All that said, I really am hoping Victoria turns on the charm in a fortnight when we all front the start-line at The Kona Otway Odyssey in Forest as the Swiss are bred to race in the rain and both Schneitties and one Bucher are here for the Otway experience.
West Cooroy flooding post cyclone Oswald. Photo by Naomi Hansen