From Ian Chant, acting as Editor: This was a note sent to me as a follow up from our KKRT and BVRT ride where Calum generously provided support for our riders.....
When I was in Wondai during the KKRT &BVRT ride, I saw the advertising material from the Gravel Cartel for their
Gravel & Flannel Festival last w/e centered on the Wondai Hotel 1903. I decided to go!
It cost a bit more than 2x 50 cent Fares of the KKRT & BVRT ride, $200 for 3 days, but it was my birthday w/e so I treated myself.
Editor's note: Calum told us while in Wondai during the KKRT & BVRT ride that he bought himself a flannel shirt - his first one!
I didn't really know what to expect not having been to anything similar before. I really enjoyed it. There were 160 riders and I met some very nice and interesting people, incl Simone and Michael Cross, long-time BBTA members I had never met. They said they had done Ian Moore's rides for many years.
Attendees were mostly couples, a good mix of generations, about 20-25% on e-bikes but about 40% on light gravel bikes.
The Fri arvo ride was on the sealed KKRT, but the Sat & Sun rides on well chosen mostly gravel detours off the KKRT. MTB park rides were also offered for single track addicts, and Trail Runs.
The Hotel did a great job with the catering and there were good live music acts (not too loud for conversation) both evenings. The Coffee Cart 4wd was able to get anywhere it was needed and the mobile Beer Wagon from Noosa was very popular. Both gave complimentary drinks.
An unexpected activity was a World Cup soccer party in the Hotel at 0330 am Sat. I went, as did about 30 others and it was fun although Australia was outplayed and Egypt deserved its win. We all stayed to the finish, extra time and penalty shootout included, fortified by the excellent coffee from the Cart and from 0630 an excellent b'fast from the Hotel. That made for a very long day as Le Tour started in Barcelona that night.
I camped at the Wondai Showground and would certainly do so again. Plenty of space, $15 a night for an unpowered site, very good showers and toilets and 15 mins walk into town. Would I go again, not sure as it was expensive, but I might do because I had a really good w/e.
Calum