Port Douglas to Cape Tribulation Jungle Ride
90K and back 180K
Fundraiser for Whitelion – supporting youth at risk.
Ride along where the rainforest meets the reef from Port Douglas to Cape Tribulation and back A truly spectacular experience. Sealed road all the way, a 90 k trip to Cape Tribulation or 180 both ways.
October 30th saw 89 riders including Sue from Nautilus Holiday Apartments take on the grueling challenge of riding from Port Douglas to Cape Tribulation! And what a ride it was!
Our pre- ride briefing included the following:
• It would be a good idea to have breakfast so you have some energy onboard and fluid in your water bottles. Drink bottles will be refilled at all stops, and fruit, muesli type bars and muffins at the Daintree Ferry.
• The first stop will be Mossman where bananas, pineapple, water and muesli bars will be provided.
• Rolls will be on offer along with Powerade at P.K.s at Cape Tribulation.
• Lunch will be waiting for you at Cape Tribulation on completion of the 90 km ride.
• For those of you not up to the ride back to Port Douglas a bus will be provided to transport riders to Port Douglas around noon. Bikes will be bought back by transport to the Port Douglas Surf Club.
• Unless you are very used to riding in a group, single file is most definitely the safest. Please warn the riders behind you if you’re going to stop at any time. Remember it isn’t a race, and enjoy the experience.
• Be aware of the cane train crossings so your tyres don’t get stuck in the tracks. Best to cross them at an angle. If you don’t feel comfortable riding your bikes over the bridges after crossing the Daintree river, just get off and walk them across, lot’s of participants did that last year.
• Some parts of the road are not so wide, and we need to be mindful that vehicles don’t want to get held up behind us. Drivers are mostly very courteous, and there’s not a lot of traffic on the way up.
• Both bike shops in Port Douglas have generously offered to do a free safety check on bikes for participants, but bookings are essential, so the sooner the better.
Once the pre ride briefing was over it was all go!!! We were sorted into 3 groups and set out 10 minutes apart for the ride of our lives. The first section to Mossman was a leisurely 20 k’s which was thoroughly enjoyable. I was in a group of about 40 riders, we all stuck together and got to chat and get to know one another. We had a 10 minute stop at Mossman to fuel up on bananas and pineapple and then set out for the ferry crossing at the Daintree River.
The landscape and nature of the area all added to the overall enjoyment of the day, there really aren’t too many places you can ride where a ferry takes you to the most beautiful part of Australia, Far North Queensland’s Daintree Rainforest.
All the fun stopped here though, from the Daintree it was mostly up hill ! Those who could rode like champions and those like me walked their bikes a good part of the way up to the next stop at beautiful Mount Alexander Lookout. That part of the trip really sorted the men from the boys!
From Mount Alexander Lookout it was a pretty hairy trip down hill for a few miles until things evened out once again and riding became a pleasure. The cool of the rainforest along with the wonderful atmosphere was such a joy it was a shame when it all ended, although I didn’t have to think for one minute about riding back, that just wasn’t an option for me!
My challenge for next year is to be able to ride the hill up to Mount Alexander and then consider riding back to Port Douglas. Watch this space!
If you love riding and enjoy a challenge, join the Port Douglas Jungle ride to Cape Tribulation next year.
Combine this with great Port Douglas accommodation at Nautilus and recoup in style.