sadsacnews2014: SADSAC: Maffra - Glenmaggie Weir 23 March

For the second Sadsac ride in a row I managed to completely misjudge the likely attendance. My estimate of about six starters turned into twenty-one. Along with a reasonable Sadsac team we had our now usual quartet from Tramps as well as Dale and Rob from Boolarra. Also new to me but not to Sadsacs was David from Stratford along with daughter, Julie. Just to make the ride a bit more novel Rob and Dale brought along their newly acquired tandem.
The day itself was cool and overcast, but this was not so bad as we had a couple of serious climbs on the way to lunch. The group had a rather easy time initially for the first twenty or so kilometres. The last three to lunch were not so easy. The first was the hardest with Rowley Hill testing even the strongest. Once clear there were a few ups and downs to the river before the final run up to the Weir gates. Luckily we had the use of the shelter shed to enjoy each other's company over lunch. One of the young girls on the ride had a birthday. Linden looked all of her claimed twenty one years. The catering officer had provided plenty of cakes and biscuits but we were advised that the two jelly slices she had recently made were for other functions. I guess we will have to just get out more.
Some of the riders mentioned that we had only covered 23 kilometres of the promised 60. As the way back looked about the same distance, I included a dog leg which also contained Stone Hill. The group were so pleased that I had managed to find another hill. The rest of the run back through Lower Newry was not too taxing with mainly a crosswind. The final test over Pine Hill spread the group out again for the last few K's into Maffra. Due to our early arrival we managed to make L attitude for coffee. Despite being well inside the closing time they seemed to be packing up. I am not sure about some of these places.