Volunteering At Brisbane To Gold Coast Cycle Challenge

VOLUNTEERING BRISBANE TO GOLD COAST CYCLE CHALLENGE

Queensland’s biggest and best bike ride turned 15!

The Brisbane to Gold Coast Cycle Challenge is the largest cycling event on the Bicycle Queensland calendar.  The 100km cycle challenge began on the Eleanor Schonell Bridge (Green Bridge) at UQ for the 15th anniversary with an uninterrupted traffic-free 15km start along the South East Busway. After exiting the Busway the course then followed a combination of service and suburban roads all the way to the Broadwater Parklands at Southport on the Gold Coast with a couple of rest stops in between. The Brisbane to Gold Coast Cycle Challenge teamed up with Mater’s Smiling for Smiddy in 2019. Funds raised through Smiling for Smiddy support vital cancer research at Mater Research, Mater’s world class research institute.

It’s 5.30am and we dropped into the start barrier on the Brisbane to Gold Coast 100km bicycle ride to take a few photos before we headed to Southport Parklands. The sun was rising steadily into the sky, casting long shadows across the road. Riders assembled the length of the Green Bridge in their nominated speed category with the VIP’s leading the riders into the busway.

Wave after wave riders left the start and a few hundred metres were zipping down the South East Freeway busway. It’s a dedicated two-lane bus road that runs next to the highway for about 20km. The surface is amazing for cycling and it has short sections of tunnels in which we whoop and holler, creating a loud echo.

Known for being Brisbane's biggest and best one-day bike ride, B2GC is about more than just raising money. It is about reaching personal targets, sharing an experience with friends, and celebrating the wellbeing that comes with living a healthy, active, cycling lifestyle.

There were all sorts of bikes out today from  flash carbon fibre road bikes, steel framed beasts, full-suspension mountain bikes, touring machines, a kick-bike, teenagers on BMX bikes, women on step-through ladies bikes,  folding bikes and anything else you can imagine. People were wearing everything from team lycra to shorts and t-shirts with lots of feet claded in clip-in cycling shoes, many in joggers, some in work boots, and even a few in thongs.

Most of the cycle route is not a scenic one and after the fun of the busway cyclists spend many kilometres riding through industrial and residential areas. At 40km is the first rest area where the organizers provided oat, apples, sports drink and water. This section is quite scenic through the cane fields. You reach the second rest stop at 80kms with fruit buns, bananas, Honey Shotz, sports drinks and water.

The last 5km took the cyclists along the water, which today, was beautifully clear and inviting. It was fantastic to see families picnicking, people swimming and fishing, dogs playing fetching sticks and boaters enjoying their craft before finishing at Southport Parklands.

This was Kim’s forth year volunteering for this event. The past 3 years she has been with the Heart Foundation Cheering everyone home at the finish line. This year the Heart Foundation was not involved so she helped with Bicycle Queensland as a finish line Marshall. The cyclist could easily hear her cow bell kilometers away.

The event was not a race. It is a recreational, mass participation ride which aims to get more people cycling more often and raises vital funds for Mater Foundation’s Smiling for Smiddy, as well as helping to increase physical activity in our community.

Tony and Kim Outdoor Adventures want to acknowledge and thank Bicycle Queensland and all of the volunteers and services who made the event well organised and safe. Secondly thank you to every cyclist who participated in the event.  We hope that there were milestones achieved and personal bests attained for all of you.

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