Susanne Henry

My cycling addiction started 8-years ago when I turned 40; and I’ve never looked back. The freedom, the people I’ve met along the way, the constant challenges (both physical and mental) and the discovery of the explorer within me, keeps me inspired and turning those pedals.

My family and friends have come to understand that dreamy look I get in my eyes when I say I’m going cycling – new acquaintances, unless they too have the madness – tend to look at me a little strangely. So I’ve come to explain it by simply calling it ‘my medicine’, and that tends to resonate with most.

Some do get curious and ask why? Some regret when they do, as I have no trouble telling them about how great cycling is; getting in the zone, pushing your body, achieving what you once thought was impossible, meeting beautiful people, getting a tight bum…..lots of lovely, rewarding benefits!

I’m so lucky to live in South Australia – the cycling here is amazing. But I love exploring elsewhere too, and I had my first trip to the alpine regions of Victoria in 2016. Here my partner and I (yes, he’s a cycling nut too) tackled Lake Mountain – the longest climb I’d ever attempted (22kms). Coming from Adelaide where the longest climb is around 9kms, Lake Mountain’s 22kms of constant climbing (with the first 4kms at an average of 9%) seemed rather daunting. And that first 4kms was hard work, but it was so worth the effort. As you climb, the stunning scenery, stillness of the forest, flora and fauna starts to suck you in, so rather than riding hard we took our time (no Strava records broken) to soak it all up and enjoy the alpine atmosphere. Despite our sedate pace, it was surprising how quickly the ride passed and before we knew it the summit was in sight.

But of course, what goes up must come down, and I love going downhill. The descent of Lake Mountain was fabulous fun; the roads are in good condition and well cambered and as you can imagine, some pretty awesome speeds were reached for those last 4kms. An absolute rush!

Lake Mountain is a climb that I’ll always look back on fondly. To ride my first alpine climb with my partner was very special, and I hope that the next time we visit we’ll go back and replay that climb again….and look out Strava when we do!

Photo credit to @jorgeterner