Margaret River Cycle Trek

Testimonials

I have been on several cycling tours and met Paul on one of these in Sulawesi. We met up again during an off road ride in Far North Queensland. It was on these rides that Paul spoke of his plans for a cycle journey through the fabulous Margaret River area of south west Western Australia.

It sounded great to me, and Paul has an easy going style and personality which belies a smooth level of confidence and competency, so I thought the trip would be a sure fire winner. And so it was.

Paul is a passionate whiz of knowledge on the area and has a zealous support team which turned out one of the best rides you’ll ever do. To say that I am more than enthusiastic about the ride is an understatement, and to say that I felt more than comfortable with Paul and his crew is equally true. You need both to turn out a ripper product; quality leadership and a fabulous riding environment, and Paul has come up trumps with this tour.

Chris Jones, Carnarvon WA

The Margaret River Cycle Trek was a fundraising event for a great cause and that seemed to attract a great bunch of people. The mix of mountain bike enthusiasts, local trail knowledge and the perfect time of year, made for a rich and challenging 8 days of travel and camping in a great part of the state.

People were drawn from around the country for their individual reasons, to step out of their routines of home and work to be a part of the first Margaret River Cycle Trek. Some, like me, did not give enough time to training in the weeks before the Trek and suffered for it, but I found the spirit of the group and the scenery and riding added the buzz that was needed to get through the tough bits.

I had not done much 'single track' riding before the Trek and now remember this as one of the highlights. There is nothing like the exhilaration of riding to your limit in a line of other riders, trusting your reflexes to respond to whatever lies ahead on the track. Add to this, bush roads and every type of road/track surface, and it became a recipe for skill discovery and skill improvement.

Special mention must be made of the volunteer crew that made the ride possible, from the planning in advance to the meal times and myriad tasks needed to keep the ride running smoothly. Anyone thinking that the ride would be a handy way to lose some kilos and tone up, quickly realised that the magnificent food and the strenuous effort would conspire against any sort of dieting. Food was almost always home-made, often from home-grown produce. It was delivered efficiently and with great cheer. We all knew we were on a special venture for a very worthwhile purpose. I can see the ride evolving and building on the first event, growing the Environment Centre in Margaret River as each years rolls.

Maxine Drake, Perth WA

When a friend asked if I wanted to do an 8 day fully supported bike tour of the South West last year I was unsure. I'd only bought my first mountain bike 2 months earlier so was a complete novice and was a bit worried how I'd keep up. Luckily my friend was very persuasive and before I knew it I'd signed up and ended up having one of the most fun and memorable 8 days I could imagine.

The route was well planned and on a few occasions we split into two groups and were given the option of a hard, challenging ride or an easier, more leisurely route. There were plenty of stops at wineries and breweries along the way. The scenery was varied and all of it was stunning and we were blessed with perfect weather for the whole week.

My only question: how is it possible to ride 60km a day and still gain weight? Answer: by eating scrumptious home made cakes and biscuits at everyrest stop, huge cooked breakfasts, all you can eat lunches full of local produce and gourmet dinners served with a smile by tireless volunteers.

I'll definitely be signing up for this years ride.

Tania, Fremantle WA