Sometimes the smallest ideas inspire great days

Dave suggested Berry for lunch. Innocent enough, right? It turns out, he had a hidden agenda, a sugary scheme that would leave us all drooling and scrambling over warm cinnamon donuts on a moving train.

It started a few weeks back, fueled at a post-ride coffee - optimism and excitement for a great day riding and not working. Seven of us decided to lock calendars, ditch work for Friday and embark on a pilgrimage to Berry, fueled by the promise of a hearty pub lunch and a civilised train ride home.

05:30 rolled around, and we were off! The early pace was crackin', so much so that we entertained the delusion of pushing for the 11:30 train. Only joking…before we made tomorrow’s MC Classic Tempo roll at recovery speed, we settled into a steadier rhythm. Frank was decked out in his Audax jersey, and Jules promised to only 'spin easy'.

I noticed a suspicious bulge in his jersey pocket. "Rain jacket?" I inquired innocently. "Nah, mate," he grinned, "that's my musette for the Berry donuts!" Ah, so lunch was merely a pit stop on the road to sugar. This was a donut-driven mission!

We hit Bald Hill at 07:30, for water and breather and testing how tame the Currawongs really could be. Stage 2 saw us rolling into Diggies at North Wollongong, perfectly on schedule, despite a minor detour to replace a lost cleat screw (Dave, you gotta tighten those things!). Thankfully, a local bike shop came to the rescue, channelling their inner MC Cyclery with top-notch service (though the retailer refused to touch Dave's sweaty shoe – can't blame her!).

This adventure also marked a milestone for our mate Tim. Last time we ventured south, Wollongong was his frontier, the furthest point south he had cycled. Today, he boldly pedalled beyond, a true pioneer of the southern cycling lands!

And what a day for it! Glorious sunshine, a gentle breeze, and those rolling hills through Gerringong and Gerroa – pure cycling bliss. Fast descents, stunning views, and the sweet anticipation of lunch... life is good.

We rolled into Berry at 12:03, victorious and starving. Jeff made a beeline for the chocolate milk, while the rest of us contemplated the pub menu. Dave, however, was already in donut nirvana. He returned, musette overflowing with sugary goodness.

The 13:25 train was here with time to spare, but the battle for donuts had begun. The group was dispersed amongst the carriages, while Dave, as cunning as a fox, was somewhere on the train. James, unable to resist the call of donuts, launched a train-wide search, determined to claim his share of the spoils.

I asked James how his second donut felt. He replied with “going down fine…just like an extension of the first, one big donut.“

The Stats:

• 144kms, 1570m of elevation gain
• 0 real mechanicals, 1 cleat screw replaced
• 7 warm donuts demolished

And for those who don’t know, it was surely Newton who said that gravity can help you go up hills (only if you have a downhill to prepare).

Until next time, keep the wheels turning and the donuts coming!