Sunday 3 October: Bookham (71km)
Left Gundagai by climbing a HUGE hill. No wonder there have been terrible floods here. Reached the highway, cursing the fact that daylight saving had started and that it gets lighter much later in the mornings. The Dog on the Tuckerbox was 6km past the town and out on the highway, so I decided to warm up with a coffee at the servo. I stopped at the historic Dog on the Tuckerbox statue dedicated to the pioneers of that region, then started back on the gruelling head wind ride back on the highway. If I thought there were a lot of hills yesterday, I was in for a bigger shock today. Long hills, short hills - you name it - I had them all. The views were truly amazing though, especially the Cootamundra wattles and the sights of cows or plump sheep grazing around full dams. The countryside was a lush green and the sound of frogs chirping merrily in dams and creeks almost drowned out the tuneless roar of the wind. I had "Days of Future Past" by The Moody Blues in my head to counteract the wind. At times, it worked. Trucks and cars heading west gave me encouraging toots as I braved another hill with the cross wind buffeting me. Trucks and cars heading east kept a sympathetic silence until a bunch of hoon drivers attending some bash ripped their horns in my right ear, and some Lebanese idiots in a van called out some suggestive comments. I was amazed that I could actually ride one-handed while extending the middle finger on my other hand. I was blessed that the shoulder was mainly smooth, except where repair jobs had taken place. The road kept winding round to the left, then the right. There would be climbs, then descents. I only made it as far as Bookham before my legs and hips cried, "NO MORE!" so I phoned Bert and Margaret Weeks to tell them that I wouldn't make Yass that day. Margaret wanted to hitch up the van and camp out at Bookham with me, so that she could give me a roast for tea, but Bert insisted on picking me up and taking me back to Yass. I only agreed if he would drop me back at Bookham the next morning to finish the 32km stretch. I waited at the rest area at Bookham and Bert and Margaret arrived and gave me a warm hug. The last time I had seen this lovely couple was in September 2009, 15km south of Barrow Creek. That day it was 38 degrees - today, it was later in the year but much colder. We drove back to Yass, with me noticing all the hills along the way. I would have reached Yass my 7pm had I kept cycling. Instead, I had a hot shower, a comfortable bed, a wonderful dinner cooked by Margaret (under Bert's "strict supervision", of course) and warm conversation.
Monday 4 October: Yass (32km)
I always laugh when I hear people say that, compared to my huge ride around Australia, this ride must seem like "a walk in the park". not true. Each ride presents its own challenge and a solo and unsupported ride more so. Training prior to each journey helps, but no amount of training is any substitute for hauling your belongings over hills in strong head winds day after day. your hands get tired, your muscles feel the fatigue and you have the psychological barrier of pushing through that mind-numbing roar of the head wind. For me, an eternity in hell would be for me to forever hear that sound in my head - that, or the sound of drunk people singing "Love Shack" over and over again. Nah - the head wind would be far worse.
Bert very kindly drove me out to Bookham, where I resumed my journey from the day before, once again heading up the hilly Hume Highway. The wind was already strong by 7am but even stronger an hour later. At least the rain had held off. Once again, the glomps and chirps of frogs in dams made a pleasant contrast to the wind. I reached Conroy's Gap at 8:30. Conroy's Gap was a height of 2100 feet or 650 metres, much higher than Adelaide's Mount Lofty. I was thrilled at the views and even more thrilled at the descent. It took me halfway up the next hill before I even had to start to pedal. With the cross wind and the hills conspiring against me, I figured that I would reach Yass by 10am - and I was right. I passed a huge sign that advertised a McDonald's burger was only 16km away. No thanks. I couldn't imagine a car running on junk petrol. My body was not going to run on junk food. I had a blueberry muffin and a nut bar in my pannier so I snacked on those. I passed Burley Griffin Way, the turn off to Harden, then bumped along a rough shoulder and up more hills, until I reached the turn off to Yass Valley Way. A ramp led to a bridge over the Hume Highway and a steep climb past the servo and Macca's to a lovely descent followed by another steep hill to Yass. Just outside Yass, three memorials on yet another straight stretch of road did not seem to deter drivers from speeding. The sight of a police car parked outside Yass did, however. As I stopped to photograph the entrance of Yass, a brindle border collie barked a territorial welcome. I stopped in the street to photograph some of the lovely old buildings before making my way to Coronation Park where I was to have a newspaper interview with Alix Douglas of The Yass Tribune. Everybody was so friendly in Yass, except for the rude woman in the Tourist Information Centre who was giving a man directions on a map. He was taking ages and I politely asked, after 5 minutes, if I could pay for a Fruit Box. The woman asked me for my postcode, then said to the man, "I'll just serve this lady first. She's obviously more important." Nasty piece of work and a very poor ambassador for the town. She'd be hopeless working at a place that required any multiskilling.
I then rode up to Bert's and Margaret's house, where 2CC Canberra Radio interviewed me, then spent the rest of the day with two of the most kind-hearted people in the world - and, of course, Mrs. B. their cute black cat. Bert and Margaret took me for a drive around Yass and Wee Jasper, and I was amazed at all the beautiful camping spots such as Micalong Creek Reserve. Thank you so much, Margaret and Bert. I am so blessed to have your wonderful friendship. And Bert, you play a mean harmonica!
Tuesday 5 October to Thursday 7 October: Canberra (58km)
It was foggy when I left Yass, crossed the Yass River and ventured up Yass Valley Way, along a very bumpy shoulder and a new hazard - broken glass. Once again, the traffic was mostly considerate and gave me plenty of space. I reached the Barton Highway and the shoulder widened, but the surface was still rough. There were lots of long climbs followed by reasonable descents and the scenery was breathtaking.
After the little town of Murrumbateman, I struck Mitch the Menace's evil quadruplets. Now I know why Canberrans cycle with plastic ties poking out of the tops of their helmets. I was attacked in four different places and I must have looked funny to drivers passing me, hearing me threaten to lasso the little critters' beaks. The sight of wildflowers on the side of the road as I neared the capital was a redeeming factor. Pretty little pink everlastings carpeted the roadside. I was starting to head downhill now and, after passing a rest area called Ben Hall Park, I was now in Canberra, Ngunnawal Country. Canberra has sister cities - Nara, Beijing and Dili. I tried to take a photo of me by the sign but the only post available to mount the camera on had been bent, so I had to be content with my bike leaning against the sign. The last time I cycled into Canberra, my camera had been waterlogged.
I could see the Telstra Black Mountain Tower in the distance. The caravan park where I would be staying was in that direction. I reached the caravan park by lunch time.
An amazing thing happened that afternoon. The nearest shops were 2km away, so I decided to walk there to exercise different muscles in my legs. As I headed down a hill I would have to climb up later, a lady called out and introduced herself. She asked me about my ride and insisted on showing me her beautiful garden, with the crab-apple blossoms and rich shades of camellias in bloom. Then she offered to drive me to the shops as her car was in the street. Her name was Elizabeth Storrs ("like the road going up to Victoria Falls") and she offered to send a donation to Kidney Health on behalf of my ride. She, like Bert and Margaret Weeks, doesn't have a computer and uses snail mail and the telephone to keep in touch with people. She also promised to send me a letter. After filling up my shopping bag with healthy (and expensive!) food - boy, things are dear in Canberra! - I started to walk back up the hill, when a guy called Peter offered me a lift. People from the caravan park must look conspicuous.
Sadly, all the politicians are not in Canberra at the moment, so I am taking a rest day on Wednesday (I have photos to sort out and people to contact) and a visit Canberra on the bike day on Thursday.
It was great riding around Canberra without lugging a huge trailer behind me. I could actually get my speed into the high 20s and low 30s without working up a sweat. I got swooped by a few magpies, even as I waited at a set of traffic lights, and some of the car drivers were chuckling with glee. No wonder the car drivers have improved their behaviour towards cyclists over the last 3 years - they've handed the Baton of Evil to the magpies. I rode an easy 30km today, along the new bike track through the city to Parliament house, then to the National Gallery (Jackson Pollock's 'Blue Poles' doesn't look any more impressive in real life), then I checked out the Floriade display. Thank you to those people who have left comments on here. I know by the Stats that heaps of people have been reading my blog, but I'm doing all the hard work. How hard is it to type a comment? Far be it for me to take you away from Farmville, but hey - this is the real world!
Friday 8 September: Goulburn (They moved the Big Merino!) (89km)
Woke to a foggy and humid morning and said goodbye to the bell birds of Canberra. Headed out to Federal Highway and a huge climb out of the suburbs. The shoulder was full of loose gravel and broken glass (apparently the shoulder doesn't get cleaned in the Territory. Dave Fuller told me about a kangaroo carcass that rotted down to bare skin and bones on the shoulder for ages. I guess the crows don't need the food). I had a strange sense of deja vu as I had followed this road back in March 2007, but the difference was the greenery and the spring flowers on many of he native bushes. I had a bit of a tail wind which made the climbing easier. As I re-entered New South Wales, I was treated to those lovely concrete blocks on the wide shoulder that facilitated my riding even more. Broken glass continued to be a problem so I had to keep my eyes on the road ahead. I avoided a cute little lizard that scampered into the bush, narrowly missing my wheels. Parts of the Federal Highway had been rerouted and I could glimpse Old Federal Highway to my left. Of all the highways that needed upgrading, this was not one of them (except near Goulburn. The black cockatoos accompanied me with their sweet chirping but remained in the bushes. I passed the first of many rest areas dedicated to Australian recipients of the Victoria Cross. Most rest areas had green grass underfoot and some had toilets and tank water. After a long but easy climb, I could see Lake George on my right, and the sight of a number of wind vanes on towers. They looked majestic in the distance. I also saw a bunch of cyclists climbing up the hill heading west. Unlike Canberra cyclists, they all waved and I was able to cheer them on. They had climbed an arduous hill, because I was now enjoying an easy descent that lasted for four kilometres, crossing Nerrin Nerrin Creek and viewing the Great Dividing Range in the distance way in front of me. I was also impressed with the spectacular blooms cascading from trees and shrubs, so different from March 2007 when the vegetation was dry. Just past the 30km to Goulburn sign, I passed the 'Great Dividing Range 724m' sign and was amazed that I was higher than Adelaide's highest mountain. I enjoyed another exhilarating descent until I reached the Hume highway, 11km from Goulburn. The shoulder from 20km west of Goulburn was still as rough as ever - you'd think that in 3 years, the council could have fixed it. I took the turn off to Goulburn and was surprised to notice that the Big Merino was on the right hand side of the road. Hadn't it been on my left 3 years ago? I was thinking that I'd finally flipped my lid until Dave told me that the whole structure and shop had been moved. I met Dave and Linda on my last visit to Goulburn and they very kindly offered me a bed and a meal. At first I had declined because my original intention was to cycle through the Blue Mountains. However, this weekend the Bathurst V8 Supercars had completely taken over all accommodation within a 100km radius and I had no desire to share the road with revheads so I altered my route to the old familiar Federal Highway. I arrived at Dave and Linda's place and met little Nick who was four (he hadn't even had his first birthday when I first met him) and Alex who was two. Dave and Linda put most cycling tourists to shame. They have cycled around Australia and parts of overseas, and had only recently returned from a cycling trip along the Danube - camping with their children. Now that is hard core! You can read about their adventures: Down the Danube in a Boo Buggy (Zurich to Vienna) and well as their other Bike Odyssey adventures.
Saturday 9 September: Mittagong (87km)
Dave and Linda were still asleep when I left the next morning. Knowing how children can wake in the wee small hours and deprive one of precious shut-eye, I didn't have the heart to wake them. There was some drizzle in the air and I copped a few showers on the highway after I made a steep climb out of Goulburn. Again I made the decision not to take the back route through Exeter as the wind was now blowing in my face, mercifully only abating while I climbed a hill yet bombarding me with full strength once I reached the top. I stopped at Marulan for a hot coffee, remembering that the last time I stopped here, it was raining on that day too, although a lot warmer than today. If I was hoping to get any donations from people, my hopes were in vain. People were more interested in filling their faces and widening their already vast girths. I continued on the Hume Highway, passing under the turn off to Illawarra Highway. I was now in the Southern Highlands and, while the shoulder of the road was mainly coarse, it was wide, except when I crossed three large creeks, the first being that politically incorrect Black Bob's Creek. The shoulder disappeared altogether. Thankfully I was able to get on to the road as there was no traffic in that lane. I passed the Belanglo State Forest Road, then took the Old Hume Highway to Berrima. This road was more pleasant although steep in places. Berrima was established in 1831 and enjoyed the notoriety of famous bushrangers such as Captain Starlight. Everyone was visiting for the Tulip Festival and I saw so many people filling their jaws with food, it literally disgusted me. Not able to get any accommodation in Berrimah, I continued to Mittagong, again along the Old Hume highway. I had to climb the infamous Bendooley Hill. then enjoyed a thrilling descent for two kilometres before reaching the turn off to the Wombeyan Caves. I arrived in Mittagong, then took a lovely walk past beautiful gardens decked in tulips.
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