March 31 - to Nundle

Today was to be one tough day with a great deal of tough climbing.  It was an 80 kilometer day with 1,400 meters of climbing.  But it was not as tough as built up to be.  It certainly wasn't a picnic, it was challenging.  

We are riding through Irish horse country now.  We have seen some beautiful ranches and expansive pastures.  There have been some well manicured polo grounds in a couple of the shires we rode through.  They appeared to be as well cared for as a golf course green.  

On one of these polo grounds this morning we were treated to a great site.  There were two kangaroos at a full flat out "run".  I use the word "run" because I don't know what to call it.  They really don't run, they hop.  But these two were moving faster than a deer runs...  They were so awesome as they sped across the open field at a breakneck pace.  What a treat!  I have seen a number of Roos hopping along but nothing like these speeds.

We rode, we climbed, we enjoyed!  What a day...

    The road less traveled that we traveled.

In the afternoon we were riding along and saw a snake in the road.  It was about a four plus foot long black snake.  It appeared to be dead.  As two of us road up to it, one was on one side of it and I was on the other.  The "dead" snake was between us.  But... as the snake was right between us he came to life.  He flared his head wide like a cobra.  The bad news, I was on the business side of the red bellied black snake.  As I was told, should you be bitten by one it would not be serious enough to kill you quickly. But you would want to seek proper anti venum right quick.

    It is hard to see him as he headed for cover.

    Little homestead as we entered one of the shires along the trip today.

    This sign struck me,  New England highway?  Did I make a wrong turn somewhere?!

    Speaking of signs, this one appears to be out of colonial times.  We were riding through Crown Lands!

    And lastly,  I think this photo should be titled...  The Gate      The subtitle for it should be:  In Search Of A Purpose!

a gate without a fence...

With that profound thought I will sign off for today.  😊

    This is where we have traveled to so far...

March 30 - to Gundy

Today was to be an easy day, almost like a quasi rest day.  It was to be 80 kilometers with only 700 meters of climbing.  But as most said by day's end... What a tough easy day!!!

It turned out to be 85 kilometers with 1,100 meters of climbing.  A soft day in comparison to others but it did have an arduous feel to it.

But once again a great route through gorgeous country with sites to be remembered.

    The road was paved but a bit rough in sections.

    The rolling hills of grass dotted with trees.

At times though, we would be barreling down the hills and come upon a commanding traffic sign.  One that obviously needs to be ignored...

    Who would ever obey such a sign on a bike!?

    You can see the clouds that have become stuck on the peaks of the mountains in the distance.

    Came upon this very unique set of mountain cliffs.  They had caves and holes that dotted its face.  Stunning...

    This mountain peak had its summit shrouded in a cloud.  It reminded me of a volcano in Central America, mount Arnal.

And to end a great cycling day you need to have dinner in a pub.  So we went to the only pub in Gundy and had a great time and a great dinner.  And to crown the glorious day we were treated to this:

    An amazing sunset to cap off the amazing day.

March 29 - to Merriwa

A fabulous day all around!

It is getting kind of ridiculous how great these days are.  😊  I told Simon, our host, that the beauty that we are seeing each day, day in and day out, has been so consistent that it has become monotonous...  😉

It has been so great seeing all that there is to Australia.  The views, the sites, the towns... wonderful!

Today was a 115 kilometer day with 1,500 meters of climbing.  Not too tough of a day but a challenge nonetheless.  It started with a glorious ride along the backroads with a fair smattering of climbing.  

Then we had a break at Ferntree Gully nature area.  There was a three kilometers walk out into the wilds.  It was so amazing.  We walked down through a canyon area and seemed to have hiked back in time.  The scenery and flora/fauna was something out of Jurassic Park.  Well maybe a cross between Jurassic Park and Raiders of the Lost Ark. It was rather prehistoric and primordial in essence.

After Ferntree Gully we had a great downulating run of about 20k.  We started with a fantastic downhill run followed by a great ramble through a valley region.  We were treated to an aerial show while we pedaled through the valley.  A couple of fighter jets were doing maneuvers.  It appeared they were playing low level tag through the valley.  One of them screeched through the valley at high speed and very low level with the second in hot pursuit.  We were out in the middle of no where so I believe they thought low level subsonic fun was appropriate.  It certainly was entertaining.

Then we came upon the real climbing...  Gravel hills from hell!  They were steep with loose gravel and what was even worse... sand!  Deep sand at times that sucked your tire in and sent you in various unintended directions.  They were also of steep grades and length.  One after the other... hill, hill, hill, hill, hill...

To every bad there does come a good.  Once we surmounted the hills we came to a lunch stop.  At the lunch stop there was a trail, Lee's Pinch.  It took us to a lookout point that was breathtaking.  I wish these pictures were even a tenth as good as the site we saw.  Unfortunately, they are only a sad representation of the wonder that we beheld.

    You could see for what felt like 100 miles.  We looked down upon the Bylong Valley that we just cycled through.

    The view also showed us the future of what we were going to encounter.  In the distance we could see the Grest Dividing Range at its highest peaks.  They are still off in the distance, a couple more days ride away.

For dinner we ate at a pizza shop in Merriwa.  The pizza shop was closed but the owner offered to open up and feed us.  He said he would make pizzas until we were full.  He was surprised at how much hungry cyclists could eat after a day of tough climbing.  It really was a treat and represents what we have experienced here in Australia.  People go out of their way to be accommodating.  

A great place!

 

March 28 - Rest Day

What a great rest day it was.  We had an action packed, fun filled rest day...

It started with a full breakfast at a local cafe.  In line with the local habits the cafe that opens at 7:30 finally unlocked the door at 7:45.  I was in line with two locals awaiting the doors to be unleashed.  Once the door was flung open I partaked of a fantastic eggs, bacon, toast and coke delicacy.  It was just what the body was craving.

From there we loaded up on a bus and headed off to Dunn Water Swamp for a kayak adventure.  We were guided by two well informed local guides who educated us on the aboriginal history of the region and the creation of the waterway that we were floating on.  The area has large limestone deposits and was developed into the cement center for building Australia in the late 1800's.  Up until the area was developed Australia relied upon cement from Europe.  The area needed a reliable water source to truly set itself up as a cement center to build Sydney.  Therefore, a dam was required.  A group of 11 workers in the late 1800's set about creating and building what is still in operation today.  

The water way was so beautiful and serene.  Awesome!

    Our guide talking about the rock wall over looking the lake.

What a start to the day...

Next we stopped at a craft brewery for a great beer and a steak sandwich.  Then on to the wineries, three to be specific.

One was even better than the other.  We tasted a plethora of whites, reds and ports...  The result was a couple of purchases and we got them to throw in a couple of wine glasses per purchase.  The glasses were required because all we had in camp were coffee cups.  Imagine a good bottle of wine poured caringly into a coffee cup to breathe to bring forth its full body?!  That's why the glasses...  😊  

Couple of other photos of the day:

    Cattle delaying our adventure of the wineries.

    The cowboy, or as they say in Australia, the stock man moving the cattle off the road and into the paddocks.  Scene out of the old west but in Australia.

March 27 - Happy Easter

To all 

I hope you have a Happy Easter!

A sign in a restaurant last night:

    Be careful of the little brown eggs...  😳

March 27 - to Ryelstone

Today was a monster of a day.  It was 137 kilometers and over 2,000 meters of climbing.  It certainly tested the metal and was a good test to find out if my Ruta Maya leg strength was still there.  I can confidently say I survived the test and still have some semblance of the Ruta Maya legs left.  

It was tough but it wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be.  It took just about everything I had.  The day started out as the others of late, cold.  But it wasn't as cold as the past several.  Once again there was a mist that descended upon camp.  The fog lasted an hour or so into the ride.  It lay in the hollows of the valleys and created a beautiful scene.

Early on in the ride there was a glorious downhill.  It started slow but then the gradation began to get steeper and steeper.  I tucked and flew!  Wow!  Nothing better than a rocket ride early in the morning. 😊

The views and scenery as we rode through the day were nothing short of stunning.  It seems as though that is all we see, we've become so spoiled.  

    Here is a sight that stopped me dead in my cycling tracks.  Look closely...  what do you see.  Yes it is the wild dramaderie.  Here is a better look:

    Yes, camels in Australia!  Who would've thought it...

We climbed most of the day it seemed.  We descended at times but that meant we were going to have to reclaim the altitude we had just given up.  We came upon the Cherry Hill climb which brought us to the top of a ridge.  From there we descended to the town of Capertee.  It was the home of the ridges around the valley that became known as:

    The view into what is being self proclaimed as the worlds widest canyon.  

    We rode on a busy highway only for a short bit today.  Most of the time we spent on the side roads taking us out into the countryside.  That is the best.  You see, smell and feel so much more...

We finished the day coming into the quaint town of Rylestone.  It is a two pub town but only one was open since it was Easter.  At the one pub that was open they were having live music on the lawn.  There was a lady playing guitar and singing.  She was rather good...  I had a couple of schooners and listened.  A perfect way to end the day.

    Sunset over the pub.

Tomorrow is a rest day after the three brutal climbing days.  But resting we will not.  Our hosts, Janice and Simon have arranged for a bus to take us kayaking then to a local brewery for a tour and then to three wineries for tastings.  A packed full rest day if I must say so...

March 26 - To Oberon

Today was a better day than yesterday.  Yesterday was a day to endure, today was a day to enjoy!

The day started with a cold frost covering camp.  A dense fog had descended upon the area through the night.

    Taralga Showgrounds camp shrouded in fog.

It was cold as we climbed out of the sleeping bag.  The tents were covered in frost from the mist.  Packing up the tent was tough as it was so wet and cold.  But that is how we start our days. 😳

The group that made us fish and chips last night arrived bright and early to make us egg and bacon sandwiches.  They were fantastic!  

We set out upon the days ride while it was still tough to see due to the fog.  We rode through the small town of Taralga and out into the countryside.  It was in the 40's or single digit Celsius.  We came to a downhill just out of town.  Normally that is something that I enjoy extensively. Not necessarily so this morning.  As we sped downhill the wind increased the feel of the cold.  My cheeks felt etched by the frigid wind, my fingers began to lose feeling and my vest and windbreaker did not do the job of keeping me warm.

But the fog made the scenery eerily beautiful.

    The sun was obscured by the veil of fog that hung over the hills.  It made for a wonderful early morning ride.

As the day progressed the sun burned off the fog and the landscape popped.  

    You can see the moon just above the trees.  The moon was full and could be seen through a good part of the morning.

It was such a good day.  I approached the day as an experiential day.  Meaning... I rode to see and experience as much as I could today.  I rode not to get through the day but to be in the day.  It was quite enjoyable.  

 

    We saw a number of kangaroos out in the fields.

    Today's ride was just over 100 kilometers with 1,500+ meters of climbing.  There was one section of the ride that was 2.5 kilometers long and had grade of 18 percent.  It was a tough fight up that one.  The story for the day was updulating hills.  We would climb to the top of a set of hills then descend a bit and reclimb.  This made for some great sites.

At one point we saw a baby kangaroo just off the road in some tall grass.  We stopped and watched him for awhile. It was a great experience.

Tomorrow is to be a killer day.  It is to be 135 kilometers with 2,000 meters of climbing.  Need to rest up to be able to take that one on...

March 25 - to Taralga

Well what a day...  First of three tough days on the bike.  After two rest days the legs should have been ready to take on anything.  Note the word "should".  More on that later...

We started the day bright and early or should I say dark and early.  When we gathered at 7 it was still somewhat dark. We needed to get an early start as today was to be 139 kilometer day with 1,008 meters of climbing.  The tale at the tape was 145 kilometers with just over 1,100 meters of climbing.  Or in non metric terms...  a 90 mile ride with over 3,600 feet of climbing.  

It was a day to get through.  Just as we set out the rain started.  It rained for the first two hours of the ride.  The rain and the temperature made for a bit of a chilly ride.  The route for the day was on a major highway.  It was good Friday so the traffic was lighter but it still was a pretty busy major road.  It was different than the roads and trails we have ridden up to this point.  I would say it was the least enjoyable day.  But it was the only way to get up and over the Grest Dividing Range.  

To add to the enjoyment of the day, I got my first flat.  A huge staple punctured through the tire.  There were quite a few riders who experienced punctures today. Riding on the shoulder of a major highway exposes you to a good deal of debris.  😔

We are staying in the town of Tarangla.  It has a population of 350 people.  Being good Friday there was to be nothing open.  Simon and Janice worked with a local group who made us fish and chips for dinner as a fund raiser for the locals.  They are also getting up early tomorrow and making is bacon and egg sandwiches as part of the fund raising.   One of the ladies that is part of the effort told us the history of the area and town. She gave us the story of the aboriginal peoples and how they say the land came to be formed.  It was so interesting and enlightening.  I enjoyed it immensely.  It was the highlight of the day.

    Sunset over the campgrounds where we are staying.

    The fire hazard of electronics that need to be charges by riders... 😳

March 23 & 24 - Rest Days Canberra

The past two days have been great and well deserved rest days here in Canberra.   Did a bit of shopping to get some essentials and luxuries.  Also, ate quite a bit to refuel the engine for the days to come.  

Took the bike to a local bike shop to get the rear wheel back in true and readjust the brakes.  I had to loosen the brakes so that they were not full on most of the time.  That helped the riding prior to the rest days but it did increase the danger level as the rear brakes were not very responsive.  It was the lesser of two evils.  Now that the wheel is true I can have the rear brakes back to the level of safe stopping.  😄   Yay!

Went to do a bit of site seeing as well.  Saw an early settlers farm cabin and did a tour of the war museum.  It was very interesting hearing another countries perspective on the wars.  They had a guided tour of the museum with a more personal take of the impacts of the various conflicts.

Canberra has a great system of biking paths throughout the city.  There is a lake which runs right through the heart of the city.  They designed park system on both sides of the lake which gives the city a good feel.

Here are some photos of Canberra:

    The lake in the center of town.

    Looking from one side of lake back across to gov. buildings.

    View from war museum down ANZAC Way to the Parliament.

Tomorrow we are back on the bike for three very hard days.  Hopefully the legs are ready.  Even if they are not, going to happen, right!?

March 22nd - to Canberra

Today we awoke to a very cold day as well.  It was a brisk fall day here.  Yes, it is fall here in Australia.  It was 8C or 45F when we set out upon the day.  A crisp morning in the sheep shearers quarters to be sure. 

    The sheep shearers quarters.

We were treated to a kangaroo exhibition though.  There were kangaroos in front of us, kangaroos to the right of us, kangaroos along the fence line and kangaroos over the ridge.  We had to have seen a mob of kangaroos.  See I'm getting this Australian speak down... Mob, mate.  😉

We set out for the day but first did a detour to explore a cave near the sheep farm.  We were given a tour of the cave by a quintessential Aussie.  He spoke in an Australian accent that he played up.  You had to really focus at first to pick up what he said.  He gave us a great tour of the cave and explanation of the history and structure of it.  Quite fascinating.

    Here is the guide broadening our spelunking knowledge.

 

    The morning sun shining on the hillside

As the sun shine down upon us we got on the road after 10:00, since we did the cave adventure.  Quickly upon pedaling we began the climbing.  This was day four of climbing and the legs were feeling all the previous hills they were demanded to ascend.  The complaining from them was non stop and relentless.  But then again, cyclists rule #5 is called into play.  (rule #5 is HTFU or as a good friend said, take the skirt off!)   So with this rule in mind I began the mental speak...  shut up and keep pedaling!  As the hills begrudgingly began to melt under the leg power, the scenery opened itself up to the great beauty that I have come to expect from Australia.  It truly is a unique and awesome place.

    The rolling hills of grazing land.

    The picturesque back roads that we travel.

    The unique animals we encounter.  

If you don't know why llamas are in Australia you will need to refer to one of my previous blogs for the details.  That way you have to read them...  😉

We encountered some pretty challenging and potentially spirit crushing hills today.  There were a series of hills going into lunch that were once again Ruta Mayaish in quality.  The grades were steep and the road was rough with loose gravel.  That made climbing them a challenge and a half.  That and they dropped some fresh gravel on them to make it easier for the logging trucks.  Which in turn made it even worse for the cyclists who had chosen to ride up these monsters.  

It was to be a 70 kilometer day with 1,300 meters of climbing.  It turned out to be over 90 kilometers into Canberra.

Canberra is the capital of Australia.  We rode into Canberra along a scenic route of bike trails stopping periodically to check maps and ask for directions.  Canberra is a beautiful town which is very well laid out with a waterway cutting through the center of it.

We all ate at a pub right up the street from our apartment abodes.  It was a great pub where you pick out your steak and cook it yourself.  I had a ginormous T-bone steak.  I was so hungry that I couldn't wait til it was cooked to medium and tore into prior to being finished.  That and a basket of chips (French fries to us Americans) that could have fed a family of four...  It was so good.

The evening at the pub took on one of those evening at the pub that everyone hopes that no one takes pictures of kind of nights life to it (rather long run on sentence that truly captured the essence of the evening kind of things...)!

But a couple of pictures were taken none the less. 

    And finally the evening event where Joe the Baaaastard (affectionately known as) plied his ways at the pub.

Tomorrow I need to find a bike shop to give my chariot a bit of tending to.  I tried to jump a cattle grate but the rear wheel seemed to take a bit of a hit and is now out of true.  So much so that the brakes were rubbing through most of the day.  It added just that much moe fun to the climbing...  😳