CyclePower 2018 – in one post
Our CyclePower challenge is over now. We are relaxing with a drink and celebrating that we have:
- Ridden 468.7km
- Climbed 2662m
- Spent around 26 hours in the saddle
CyclePower Day 9 Ahungulla to Galle Fort
Endings are important. I’ve learned that in many aspects of life. Endings need to be acknowledged, celebrated and granted the importance they warrant. Today is an ending. Today we finish the last of almost 500km of cycling. It has been challenging – for everybody, and for each in their own way. There have been highs and lows, climbs and flats, good food and great food, and, always, great company and support in our group.
Today we ride to Galle. …
CyclePower Day 8 – Panadura to Ahungalla
When do you get a holiday within a holiday? The answer is when you get a 9am start on a CyclePower trip, when the normal start time is 8am or even earlier!
That extra hour in the morning is like gold, especially when you’re staying at a beachside hotel. And when sharing with Annette, there is little choice – off to the beach. …
CyclePower Day 7 – Gampola to Kitugala
“Good luck, good luck, good luck.”
The man hanging out his car window calling out to us must know something I don’t know. He gives a final wave and speeds off, leaving us to continue up the busy “hill country” road. We are somewhere between Gampola, our start point, and the highest point of today’s ride, some unknown distance ahead. The grade is pretty gentle, and I wouldn’t think we’d need too much luck to get through it, but you never know. …
CyclePower Day 6 – Habanara to Naula (to Kandy)
There’s a bit of quiet concern around the group this morning. The rumour is that today will be a massive climbing day. The trip notes say “mainly flat with two challenging hills” but the word is that there are steep ups and downs as soon as we leave the hotel.
Wrong! …
CyclePower Day 5 – Anuradhapura to Habarana
It’s Annette’s birthday, and we are going to celebrate by riding sixty-something kilometres to Habarana. We’ve spent three nights in Anuradhapura and now it’s time to move on, turn south and head toward the hills.
CyclePower Day 4 – a special place in Vaviniya
Don’t worry about what you don’t have; focus on what you do have and make the most of your life. (Jude, speaking to the crowd gathered at Vavuniya today.)
Today we visit a rehabilitation centre in Vavuniya. It is special in itself for the great work it does for people with physical and intellectual disabilities, but is extra special because it is the place where Jude went as a young boy after being injured in the Sri Lankan civil war. In some ways it is a homecoming for him, and he has worked hard to organise this day. …
CyclePower Day 3 – Anuradhapura Old City
Anuradhapura is an ancient city that dates back to the 5th century BC. It was the capital of Sri Lanka for many centuries, from around 4th century BC until 11th century AD. The ancient city is a UNESCO world heritage site.
We stay in a hotel in the “new city” and visit the sacred old city by bike (naturally), doing a 26km tour over the course of a few hours. Most of the sites around the sacred city are not accessible, with rough paths and many steps, so our hand cyclists are not able to visit. The rest of the group visit the Bodhi Tree and Mirisawetiya Stupa, returning with photos and stories to share, but for the remainder of the sites we stick together and just view them from the outside. Our local guide seems to be in a tearing hurry to get us from place to place, so there is little time to savour the sights. …
CyclePower Day 2 – Nikaweratiya to Anuradhapura
I curse jetlag when I wake at 3:30, then do the timezone maths and smile. It is 9am in Melbourne, and everybody is at work. I try to sleep some more, but give up eventually and go for a walk by the lake, where all is quiet and peaceful. The town is starting to wake, and the sun is rising.
I am joined at the lake by some cows, with their egret companions. You hardly see a cow in this country without its bird friends, who scavenge worms at other goodies as the cows eat, and occasionally sneak a tasty morsel from the cow’s hide.
CyclePower day 1 – Minuwangoda to Nikaweratiya: Ayubowan
I am fortunate enough to meet with Sawan, a former work colleague who is now living Sri Lanka, for breakfast. Over a quick hour we catch up on news. He returned to Sri Lanka to rescue his family’s flagging business. They run a restaurant in Negombo, not too far from our hotel in Minuwangoda. We plan to catch up again on the last day of the trip when I am back in Colombo. With luck I will get to meet his family – including his new baby – see the restaurant and maybe experience some of his mother’s cooking!
