Up The Hill Again - The Julatten Range Revisited
Wednesday began quietly, with my dirty clothes pile reminding me that I’d been away for a week so it was time to put a wash on. No problem with getting it dry afterwards.
We were due to go to Charles and Debs later, as it was their turn to host ‘Wine Wednesday’, where a few neighbours take turns to host an evening get-together with drink and nibbles, so I fired up the Honda and headed for Port Douglas to see what I could find to take.
The first thing I discovered, before any food, was that crap car parking isn’t limited to England. Two cars were taking up most of the motorcycle spaces between them, but you can’t fix stupidity so I squeezed in at the end, locked my helmet to the bike and set off. I took a walk through town first to see what I remembered and what was new.
On both my visits to Australia I’ve noticed much reduced COPD symptoms, meaning I’m able to walk further and faster than at home.
I know COPD can’t be reversed or cured, unfortunately, although it’s progression can be slowed by medication, diet and lifestyle changes, which is what I try to do at home. So why, suddenly do I feel so much better? Is there a reason and can I bottle it?
Well it seems that my improvement isn’t just imagined. Spending October in Far North Queensland (FNQ) is apparently ideal for someone managing COPD. My improved breathing and enhanced walking ability are driven by a combination of perfect seasonal timing, geographic features, and changes in daily behaviour.
Daily temperatures in October average a warm but comfortable 27°C to 29°C, with lows rarely dropping below 20°C. This means my airways are completely free from the shocking, cold triggers of the UK. The air is warm but relatively crisp, hovering around 65% to 68% humidity which keeps it light and easy to breathe.
Port Douglas also enjoys some of the cleanest air in the world, regularly ranking in the "Excellent" or "Good" categories on the Global Air Quality Index. The surrounding rainforest acts as a natural shield, absorbing dust, traffic pollutants and regional smoke, and steady onshore sea breezes constantly sweep across the peninsula, blowing away any localized vehicle or other emissions and replacing it with pure, highly oxygenated maritime air.
What all this means is that I enjoyed a good walk through town and back before picking up a few snacks for later.
Before that, though, Conor got back from work and suggested a ride. We met Dylan and headed up the Julatten range, a seemingly never-ending series of twists and turns as you rise about 400 metres through the rainforest. I took a short video when I rode a Triumph Speed Triple up there on my last visit, so here’s the link if you want a look: https://youtu.be/LK-A0iaDwCY . Suffice to say you’re a bit too busy to admire the scenery!
I hadn’t ridden this road for 2 years, and never on the Honda, so was a bit apprehensive. However the bike handled it with no problem thanks to a smooth power delivery and flexible third gear.
Later we enjoyed a good evening marred only by me breaking a wine glass, but Debs was very nice about it. I’ll just wait to see if I get invited back!
Not many photos today. I checked out the Mowbray bridge but there were no crocs to be seen, so just motorcycle parking in Port Douglas and our bikes at Julatten.
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