43% gravel/off-road
An early alarm paid off. With Belair forecast to hit 35°C later in the day (well above our 33°C cut-off), four riders started at 7:30 in the cool of the morning and made the most of it.
We climbed up to Stirling for coffee via the shady Belair National Park, tackling a solid 333 m ascent over 8.5 km, mostly on gravel. From there we took an exploratory shortcut along Cox Creek. It cost us time (over an hour, in fact) thanks to one rider tangling with brambles (no harm done) and a couple of punctures, but it was absolutely worth the detour.
The route continued through Heathfield, then through the rather lovely Mark Oliphant Conservation Park, before returning along the Warri Parri Ridge Track. The opening section was fine, though beyond the turn-off to Valley Road via Kaloola Track it’s probably not one to repeat. Two riders enjoyed the challenge, two opted for a fair bit of walking. Sensible choices all round. You can’t please everyone, and staying upright always wins.
Despite the hiccups, it was another cracking ride in great company, finished before the real heat arrived. Summer riding done right