The trip!

Okay, where do I begin?

Friday morning I set off early. As I climbed upon my bike, I almost toppled over! The weight! I had weighed my "luggage" whilst in Adelaide, but just before I was leaving the house I had quickly added all these extra things I forgot I would be taking. It all added up. I guess it would have been close to 20kg. Two rear panniers and a handle-bar bag.

Left the city (Hobart), rode past North Hobart, rode past Moonah and bam! Two flats! Had trouble, can't remember what the trouble was, but had to walk back to Moonah to the bike shop to get new tubes.


* Leaving Tassie behind, on Bowen Bridge

Set off again and rode up to Richmond. Nice small town. Bought some apricots and other fruit at the supermarket, only later to find a huge apricot farm. The irony! The apricots from the supermarket weren't very nice (imported from Victoria, non-organic), but these ones on the farm... yummo! Whilst at the apricot farm all I could think about was the injustices of the world. Well, that was my interpretation of it anyway! An abundance of apricots. Many, many trees with perfectly ripe apricots. Mountains of apricots covering the grass..... all going to waste. The lady said it happened every year. Why can't they take the apricots to the local towns to sell? Is that too hard?


* Apricot farm! Apricots - yum!!!

Friday: rode 28km.

In Richmond I stayed at the local caravan park, which was nice, as it had a real "bush" feel to it, it, it was in the bush! Was surprised to find they had a pool (seems most caravan parks do). Ate dinner and rested up, was given the newspaper by another traveller who was very interested in my riding tale.


* Camp at Richmond


* A happy me on the road!

Saturday morning set off hoping to make it to Orford, but had another puncture in the day.... and took me an hour or more to fix. Well, the tyre was so damn hard to take off and put back on. Later someone said the only way to "fix" that would be to get lots of punctures, and well, that, it happened! On the side of the road trying to remove my tyre, I think I swore a few times. Then I wrote this in my diary:

I am capable of removing a tyre.
I am confident.
I can remove my tyre.
I will remove my tyre.
I am confident I can repaire my tube.
I will be guided by God/Mother Nature to repair my tyre.

I WILL REPAIR MY TYRE/TUBE AND CONTINUE RIDING NOW!!

GOD IS WITH ME. I AM WITH GOD.

About five minutes later, I was able to remove the tyre! Phew! Fixed the puncture, then had trouble replacing the tyre. A few swear words later and who comes riding up the hill? A nice young chap offering a hand. He had a crew of four, they were riding for 5 days.

Now, this "story" is gonna talk a lot about punctures, because well, it was only a week or less before I left for my trip that a mate, Lars, showed me how to fix a puncture! Argh! I know I shouldn't have left it to the last minute, and I should have had more practice, but that's me. Every time I decide I want to wear something that needs repair (ie, sewing done to it) it happens to be right when I'm about to go out. "Yes, I must wear this! Oh, it needs to be repaired!"

I made it to a little "town" called Runnymede and slept down this side street, on the side of the road behind some trees/bushes, along someones fence. I kept waking during the night to every sound. I think that was my first time sleeping out on the "streets", ie, outside with no tent, no nothing, just out in the air. Well, a sleeping bag, yes! At one moment during the night I heard a noise, opened my eyes, and a possum was climbing the fence. It stopped dead in it's tracks when it saw me and froze. Eventually he/she scrambled away. Wow.

Saturday: 18.53km

* My bike!

* A lovely sign! Ha! The hill wasn't really scary at all!

Sunday started riding, what else? :) Rode through Orford and Triabunna. Was hoping to get to Maria Island National Park, but the last ferry for the day had already left. Damn. Spent some time at Orford beach - beautiful, absolutely beautiful.

* Orford Beach

Along the way riding up to Orford I was riding alongside a river, I think it may have been the Prosser River? Soo beautiful! I wanted to take more photos, but the rode was so narrow so didn't have much of a chance. The last part of the river came up to a hill. Love those hills!

* Beautiful river

Didn't want to stay in Triabunna, although they had a caravan park, so I kept riding. Hoping to make it to Boltons Beach Conservation Area, but never found it, so it was off to the side of the road again.

I found a nice spot beneath a big kinda pine tree. Seemed "shady" from all the branches and thought I would be safe just in my sleeping bag. Ie, safe from what appeared to be a rainy night ahead. I didn't want to set up the tent, as I wanted to stay "inconspicuous", ie, from the cars riding along the highway. Went to sleep, but a few hours later found it was raining! I quickly tried to set up my tent in the rain, and subsequently didn't get to set it up right, so contended with a very wet sleep!

* My tent and I in the morning!

Sunday (Xmas Eve): 40.21km

Christmas morning arrived and I set off about 7am. I must have only ridden about 10km when I had another puncture. But this time.... my pump was broke! Ie, this rubber attachment that attaches to the valve had fallen out. Damn!!! Wasn't sure what I was going to do, but before I could even decide what to do, two ladies walked by. One lived a few km's away and said she'd be happy to bring back a pump, and if it didn't work on my bike she would bring me back to her house and work out what we could do. Lovely! So I watched her walk away, and began to take my tyre off. Upon her return, it turned out her pump was also a bit screwed, and wouldn't actually be able to fit onto my valve. Hmm! More trouble! At just the right moment a couple were riding by and asked if we needed help. "Yes, we do!" They helped us repair the puncture, and thankfully did have a pump that worked! They happily rode off and I stayed chatting with Cynthia for a while. Lovely, lovely lady! She gave me a big hug on that Xmas morning and I was so thankful for her genorosity.

* Mayfield Conservation Area, on the way to Swansea

Made it up to Swansea, where I had been told there was a shop that sold bike pumps. Alas, it wasn't open. Bought some fruit, mangoes!!!, and ate them by the shop and then decided what to do. Very, very cold!!! It's right on the beach, and that night turned out to be soo damn windy! As I rode by this information stand, trying to decide what to do with myself, I heard a "Hey!" I looked around but didn't see anyone, then a few minutes turned around again and saw the couple whom had helped me out that morning. The bike couple!

I rode up and they were also deciding what to do, ie, they wanted to go over to Freycinet National Park, but the guy who ferries people over was not going, as it was too windy that day. It was late in the arvo and they didn't know whether to begin the 50km ride over there. We all decided it would be best to do the ride the next morning, so I followed them to the local caravan park where we set up our tents.

Carl wanted to set up tent right next to the beach, but a local warned us it gets pretty windy at night. Lucky she did, and we camped further away from the beach. But still! I thought I was gonna get blown up into the air! Windy as!! Wow. I had some clothes on the makeshift clothesline and I didn't even care if they were going to get blown up into the air. Ie, it was too windy for me to go outside my tent. The wind might have taken me to the next town!

Monday: 62km

* Swansea Beach

* Swansea Beach again! We can see Freycinet National Park across the water!

* Anyone who knows me well, knows I love swings! Most are a pair of swings, but this was a first for me! 6 swings!! Heaven!

Tuesday morning and I woke up to feel soo incredibly sick. I think it was from the overdose of sunflower seeds I had eaten the night before. I got up, and felt all dizzy and queasy. I also didn't drink enough water the day before, so I was a bit dehydrated. I vomited also, and just had to lie down. Carl and Claire began getting ready and I hoped I would be ready, too, by the time they were leaving for Freycinet, but unfortunately every time I got up I would just feel awful. Even lying down I felt terrible. They left without me, and I rested up for a few hours and then packed up tent and ventured out into the town.

I finally met another cyclist who had been lurking around town the day before, a Swiss guy. Didn't catch his name but we chatted for a while. He had been riding/travelling Australia (Sydney and Tassie) for 2 months and was ready to stop! He had had enough! I told him I had been riding 5 days and felt the same. Ha! The night before all I wanted to do was go into someone's house and be in the warmth, a nice warm fire to sit by. He was riding back to Orford to hang at a guy's house for a few days and just chill out by the fire. I didn't tell him that I would have loved to have joined him, as from feeling sick in the morning, I just wanted to go "home". Any home! Just someone's home! Nice, warm comfort.

Tuesday: 22.39km

I really wanted to go to Freycinet, or at least keep heading up the east coast through to St Helens and St Mary's, but without a working pump, all I could do was head towards Launceston earlier than planned.

I slept alongside the road again, and this time was beautiful. Slept soo well. The sunset was amazing!

* The sunset!

Wednesday rode through Kalangaloo to get to Campbell Town. Bought some beautiful TASSIE (almost my first Tassie food!) olives at the local shop in Kalangaloo (it's only just being put on the Tassie map!) and was able to pump up my tyres full. Met this beautiful, black dog called Kaye. Soo adorable and loveable.

* My bike and I!

Stayed in Campbell Town that night at this lovely kinda campervan overnight parking area. Felt safe, only trouble was couldn't get to sleep for a few hours as the family near by were so loud! Ha! Playing board games, watching TV (on holiday!!) and drinking, it seemed.

A couple told me of this lady they met once who was 68 years of age, who was riding over 200km each day! Wow! They asked her why and it turned out her husband had died a few years earlier and she needed something to occupy her time with. Well, let me tell you, touring takes up a lot of time! I secretly, no, not secretly, I OPENINGLY am waiting til I'm, hmm, 151 and riding my bike every day! Yes, 151! I remember telling a friend once and he was like, "What?! That's crazy!" haha No, it's not! It's crazy not to think high and think for the best outcome possible! :)

Met a cool NY guy the next morning at the local park, who came over cos I had brought back memories to him. Memories of when he used to tour!

* Cool country side

I rode about 14km to a park stop, Conara, when.... alas! Another puncture! And no pump! So I walked 12 or so km to Epping Forest in the hot, hot, sun! I kept wanting a car to stop and offer help, yet I wasn't ready to actually ask for help. Must learn that for future. I'm happy to accept help if it's offered, yet need to be able to ASK for help when I also need it. Actually, whilst I walked to Epping Forest with practically no water in the hot sun, I was offered some help, but didn't go far! Ie, this lady was riding my way and stopped but hey, it turned out her pump was also broken! What's with women carrying around broken pumps??! :) She had never used her pump before, because she normally rode with her husband and it was her first trip alone. I advised it might be good to get a new pump, one that worked, so she wouldn't have to rely on her husband if she had a flat!

Also, at one moment, I was starting to lose hope (never lose hope! ever!), and I was sitting along the side of the road in the shade. I was looking to the ground and all of a sudden three guys on racer bikes rode by, and just as they were getting too far, one guy yelled out, "Everything alright?!" And my instant reaction was to reply, "Yeah!" BAM! Stupid reply! Before I could change my reply, they were already too far away. I would have had to have run after them. Before bursting into tears (yes, tears!) I stood up, picked up my bike and began running towards Epping Forest. I was determined to get there!!!

* The shelter station at Conara - these are mostly for mum! How beautiful!

6pm and I finally got to Epping Forest!!!!! Ahhhhh!!! Relief!!! I think I looked pretty wack with my face covered in awful zinc... my face also peeling.. sunburn :( ... all kinda puffed, no energy. Bought some water and bought a rockmelon. Looked a bit, er, wilted... but it was refreshing nonetheless!

Finally got to working on my bike, ie, repairing two punctures, and it was 8:30pm before I had finished! Ha! The sky was getting dark, not just from an approaching night sky, but because a storm was about to settle in. I was on a roll, and wanted to get to Perth or Launceston, so began riding... only knowing I was pinching my tubing with the tyre. I was willing to go as far as I could, so began riding.

* A beautiful sunset as I started to ride, ride, ride!

It began getting darker and darker, so I rode faster/harder. I kept praying and begging my bike to help me make it to the next town. "Come on, bike! We're all in this together! Every part of us! Me, to the wheels, to the handlebar, to the panniers, to the frame, the pedals - we all have to work together!" I offered to show my bike lots of beautiful Tasmania.

We rode.... we rode.... er, we rode slowly, slower.... as my front tyre began losing air.... slowly... I kept pedalling.... the night got darker, I got tired from having walked all day in the hot sun with no water. Sleeping on the side of the highway wasn't looking too appealing, as mostly I couldn't see where I would have been sleeping. I would have been lit up by cars, and well, mostly I don't think it's very safe to sleep on the side of the highway when a car could easily run me over during the night!

I knew my aunt was just a phone call away... and I didn't want to use that option, but eventually, I made the call!

She came picked me up, and it turns out I was only a few kms away from Perth. So I very nearly made it from Hobart to Launceston. Next time! In the next half hour as I walked in the cold, waiting for my aunt, one car stopped to offer a help, and also another cyclist offered help. Where were they in the day when I needed their help? haha :)

Anyway, I smell food.....

That's it for my massive story.

I will post up some photos later.


Rules or tips for the next ride:

1) Drink as much water as I can possibly stomach next tour.

You never know when an "accident" might happen and leave you with no water, so make sure you're always hydrated!! Also, carry EXTRA supply of water!

2) Actually, what helped me with the water thing was having lots of high water content food, ie fruits and vegetables, such as tomatoes, lettuce, cucumber, sultanas. So even though I was low on water, I still had lots of high water content food that I could have, that would sustain me and carry me through the hot day!

3) Stretch before and after riding! Stretch like crazy! Constantly! Always stretch! Massage sore knees and muscles, especially the calves. Even though your legs might not hurt, massage them. Show them love. Will help if later they do hurt!

4) And of course making sure you've had a good NIGHT's sleep!!


Patty just gave me a refreshing cup of coconut water. Hungry now! :) Gonna eat some fruit and go for a walk!

Stay tuned for photos!

P.