Reader Adventure: From Sydney To Falls Creek Via Backroads

Well-known Mackay-based cyclist Evan Corry has never been shy of a challenge. A few months back, over a bunch ride coffee, a crazy idea was floated – to ride the back roads from Sydney to Falls Creek for the Peaks Challenge …. with nothing but a credit card, change of clothes and pair of thongs.

Ahead would be 1200 kilometres and more than 15,000m of climbing in a week.

Six riders agreed to take up the challenge and settled on a few simple rules for the trip:

1 – No support vehicles.

2 – No luggage other than a saddle bag to carry 1 set of clothes and the pair of thongs.

3 – No booking ahead. Dinner, accommodation and laundry had to be arranged with the barman upon arrival at each pub.

Evan Corry leads the bunch over the Sea Cliff Bridge enroute to Falls Creek from Sydney.

The challenge, Corry told us, coincided with Camp Quality’s ‘Big Ride’.

“So we also managed to raise a few thousand along the way, something the crew is immensely proud of,” he said.

“Picture this,” he continued, “Six blokes walk into a pub in Corryong at 4 pm in full Lycra …. that certainly turned some heads.”

“But after learning where we had come from, most were happy to share the bar and some even shouted the group a beer.”

WTF Corner Twice In Two Days

Even after the 6-day epic Evan Corry completed the Peaks Challenge in under 9-hours.

“On arrival from Omeo into Falls Creek on the Saturday (yes we rode WTF twice in 2 days!) we were given a few funny looks as our bikes were covered in dust and dirt from our 1000km journey to get there,” he continued.

“And competing in the Peaks Challenge, with tired legs, that was quite surreal. But it certainly wasn’t daunting, not after all we achieved in the six days prior,” he added.