CYCLING JACOBS WELL LOOP, QLD. AUS. via Coomera and Calypso Bay

Jacobs Well

As I was to lead the ride, my wife and I decided to drive the route prior to our proposed ride to assess the suitability and above all whether it was safe. We found that there was to be a lot of on road riding and that the roads were narrow in parts with quite broken edges. On the positive side, the traffic appeared to be light and although our group were used to riding paths, trails and in dedicated cycle lanes, I thought that they were experienced enough to undertake this ride.

 

On approaching Jacobs Well, I received a call from one of our riders informing me that two of them had arrived minus pedals..... always a good start.

 

 

Our first cup of coffee for the day

 

At the mention of coffee, there would have been mutiny had we not agreed to indulge our caffeine dependency before we departed. Resolving the dilemma of bikes without pedals was not so easy even though we do have some bright and resourceful members within our group. The said couple although disappointed having driven here with the express intention of riding, decided to do the tourist bit by car instead and then meet up with us for lunch.

 

 

 

 

Due to my inability to navigate, which I put down to my genes, I elected to lead from the centre of the group and appointed another to act as navigator. Five minutes into the ride and I sensed that we were heading the wrong way and a look at the map confirmed this. A quick about turn and we were heading for our destination, Coomera along the Pimpana - Jacobs Well Road.

 

The weather was fine with opal blue sky and  a few scattered clouds,  the road surface was relatively smooth and the group was happy and relaxed. Having travelled approximately 5 km we turned left onto Werkin Road where we continued for another 5 km before turning left into Amity Road, a couple of kilometres further on we turned left into Foxwell Road. The ride so far had been pretty much flat and unspectacular but as soon as we turned into Foxwell, there was a distinct change. The area became more densely populated and started to take on more of a coastal appearance. The district of Coomera runs from the Pacific Motorway which joins Brisbane to the Gold Coast, to the southern part of Moreton Bay bordered on the south by the beautiful Coomera River.It is the home of the theme parks of Dreamworld and Whitewater World and within a few years, with the amount of development going on, will become a small city and I dare say heralding a spectacular lifestyle for those into boating, fishing and other aquatic pleasures.

Due to the extensive development in the Pimpama/Coomera areas we encountered a lot of earth moving trucks whilst riding on the roads which didn't make me feel particularly relaxed at the time. I will say though, that the developers appear to be putting in extremely good quality shared paths in and around their developments which makes life a lot easier for the recreational rider.

Apart from the trucks, the ride went well, although it did take us a lot longer than we anticipated to reach Calypso Bay and unfortunately, we couldn't catch up with our friends.

Calypso Bay Marina

Calypso Bay Marina and small shopping centre

Calypso Bay

The beauty and lustre of a pearl is no accident, it takes a lot of nurturing to bring it to maturity and the same can be said of Calypso Bay, perhaps the pearl of southern Moreton Bay. There is not a lot here at the moment, but the potential is enormous.

 



The Drift Inn

It's always desirable to have a watering hole to relax in at the end of a ride. On this occasion we stopped at the Harrigans Drift Inn  http://www.harrigansdriftinn.com.au/ and as it was lunch time, we could think of no better way of quenching our thirst than with a pint of the dark stuff (Guinness), followed by a little upmarket fish and chips.

 

 

THE END

Cheers and safe riding,

 

Jimmy Bee