It’s after dinner and I’m due a turbo session. I just can’t face it though, really not in the mood to grind away on the “nowhere bike” in the garage tonight. Instead I chuck on a helmet, grab my bike and head out the gate. An impromptu night ride!

I’m out tonight in jeans and a hoody, riding a 29er hardtail. It reminds me of what riding a bike is all about. No fancy Lycra, no checking my average speed or riding to power. Right away I’ve got a massive grin on my face. I’d forgotten how much I love riding after dark, the simply joy of pedalling away under a star filled night sky.

Even with the full moon it’s eerily dark around my area. There are no street lights along the gravel back-roads and single-track here. That’s okay, I’ve got 1200 lumens from my Lezyne front light to show the way.

There are no cars to bother me, only the wallabies bouncing alongside the trail to keep me company. Every so often they dart out into the beam of my front light. At full-on road bike speeds it’d be too dangerous to venture out at night, but on the mountain bike it’s alright. The crunch of my cushy 2.2 inch tyres rolling along the gravel gives the wildlife a heads up too.

There’s a constant rustling in the bush either side of me. It could be more of those cheeky wallabies, or perhaps a possum scuttling up a tree, or an inquisitive aplaca, or maybe one of the locals out protecting their hidden meth lab. Either way, I keep those pedals turning.

I stumble across the gates to an old abandoned quarry I never even knew was there. There’s a few steep tracks on the other side of the gate, but it might be a bit sketchy after dark (plus, you know, meth lab). I make a mental note to come back and check it out during daylight hours.

I could ride all night like this as it’s damn near perfect, but I’ve got to turn for home. It’s getting late and there’s work in the morning. What a bonus though! There’s nothing quite like a few unexpected miles in the saddle, plus I’ve truly rediscovered the joy of cycling under the cover of darkness.

How bloody fantastic! #keepcycling