TOWNSVILLE, QLD, AUSTRALIA The forecast was predicting massive rains in the mountains, so we decided to head north and visit Bryn's stomping grounds in Queensland- Townsville and Cairns. Get back to his roots after about a ten year hiatus. Rain seemed to follow us all the way up the coast though, and it is now extremely hot n humid. Australia's drought is pretty much over and into flooding. Figures.

Anyway, the drive is like the same as doing Vancouver to San Diego, except on a lot of single lane highway crappy roads.  Big days, but we stopped in Byron Bay- home of the most delicious Chai tea, and Bundaburg- home of the best ginger beer:) All about the small things I suppose.

Bryn is a bit of a pinner on road trips, but I like to make the most of each place, so balanced out with stops, mini hikes to stretch, etc.

Reunion time. So after seeing the house Bryn grew up in, and all the little bike routes along the way, we also rode some of the DH trails he dominated as a wee lad. Pretty obvious why Bryn is so smooth through rough rocks, plethora here, razor sharp too. Met up the the crew that inspired him so much as a kid as well, Andrew Roberts and his wife Cass, among others. All the pieces sorta come together when you visit who you once were.

Cairns is the spot where I think he really became a dh'er though. Was once a Big scene there, sort of orchestrated by Glen Jacobs. Jacobs is there now, so we've timed it perfect. Gonna check out the '96 Worlds track, see the reef, find a minjin, live off mangos,,. Those sorts of things.

Having had a similar childhood always on bikes, there are a lot of differences between countries and how people's environment dictate the paths you choose. I didn't know anyone when I was a kid who rode dirt bikes or mountain bikes, just always BMX, but the same missions through neighborhoods, same inspirational ditches/ jumps. Guess it was no mistake I lived only 10 minutes form a track, and it's no mistake that Bryn grew up at the bottom of some pretty epic hills with a crew of dedicated xc/ dh mountain bikers.

Next stop Cairns.