This is the story of our ride to Sydney which will start on the 14th of March. I will be riding with my friend Mohammad and support from Chris. We will start by riding out of Melbourne and catching the train back to Melbourne for two separate days (maybe the 14th and 16th). In those two days we expect to get to either Moe or Traralgon. This will allow us to get fitter and accustomed to longer rides. Mainly from the read end point of view. From Moe or Traralgon Chris will join us on the 20th with a vehicle and the from then on we will be supported. The plan is to get to Sydney before the 30th with an average per day of about 90 kilometers. The whole trip is just over 1000 kilometers.
The ride will be supporting white ribbon, domestic violence. Links will be provided soon.
We have added one extra day to the preparation. On Tuesday the 15th, Thursday the 17th and Friday the 18th we will ride a little further each day, ending up at Traralgon. Each day we will come back on the train. On the 20th Chris will arrive from Queensland and the journey will start in earnest. Lists have been prepared of all our needs and are slowly being gathered together. There is a complication. Chris has to leave for Queensland on the 29th due to family commitments and we are still looking for a replacement driver.
Last night we picked up Mohammad’s bike which has been kindly loaned by a friend of Mohammad’s. Tomorrow we (Mohammad, Mohammad’s friend and myself) will ride from the CBD to Packenham. It will be an early start. The plan is still to get to Traralgon over three days with Traralgon the start of the supported section. Chris has booked his flights and arrives on the 20th at midday.
There was a issue with the battery and the USB plug I installed to keep the gps on the phone working. The cigarette lighter USB chargers have no polarity protection so I blew two of them up before I realized that I had negative and positive around the wrong way. That silent type of destruction. The problem was in the cable between the battery and the socket. Its a very small cost to make them work either way, but they choose not to do it.
Today is spares buying day and finalizing the camping gear. My vehicle is organized with a shiny new camping box and tie downs for the gear.
Today we rode from the CBD to Packenham. 69 klms. Good day weather wise but a strong wind coming at us between Berwick and Packenham.
A small problem with Google Maps which took us along the M1 into Packenham but on the ramp just before Berwick was quite a large sign banning push bikes. So had to use the minor roads for the last bit.
We have moved Pakenham to Traralgon to friday. No pedaling tomorrow and our one day of contingency is gone. This should be ok as the weather will be a bit kinder wind wise on friday, but wet. Will now have more time to pack, organize and fuel up.
Packing.. ahh have I got everything?
Packenham to Yarrangon (58.6k) 903 Kilometers to go
Arrived at Packenham just after daybreak (7am) to heavy rain and strong wind. The good thing was the wind was in our favor. After discussing our options we decided to start. The motorway was fast and mostly flat. We averaged about 18k/h, but it was wet, windy and cold. As time went on it became difficult to keep body temperature up.. so at Yarrangon we stopped and caught the (train replacement) bus back to the city. Got in just under 60k .
Just a few things to finalize before we depart on Sunday.
Yarragon to Rosedale (68klms) 846klms to Mrs Macquarie’s chair.
Packed all morning and rung around a few bike shops to get the last few things. Picked Chris up at the airport at 12:30 and headed east via a bike shop to get Mohammad.
Arrived at Yarragon at about 4 pm. By the time we got organised we were on the road about 4:30. Just on 4 hours riding with the last 45 minutes in the dark. Good road, fairly fast.
Rosedale to Bairnsdale (99.7 klms) 747 kilometers to Mrs Macquarie’s chair.
Got away at about 8 am. Local roads onto the Gippsland Rail Trails to Stratford. Passed many diary farms and a flying fox colony. Last section into Bairnsdale straight and undulating which was tiring. Arrived Bairnsdale at 3pm. Our first 100k day (well 99.7)
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Bairnsdale to just past Orbust (100klms) 647 to Mrs Macquarie’s chair.
Long climbs out of Bairnsdale to Bruthen. Had a coffee there and a rest. Joined one of the rail trails to Nowra Nowra then back on the m
ain road as the rail trail was a bit too soft for a road bike.
Two incidents today. Chris drove into a faily large camouflaged hole right beside a side road. Got some help from the locals to get out with no damage. Mohammad had a puncture in a rear tyre which we repaired fairly quickly from the bits Chris had recommended we carry.
As Orbost was 90klms we pedaled past it by 10k and Chris picked us up. We want at least 100 per day so we can get the whole trip in while we are all together.
Planned arrival time at Mrs Macquarie’s chair is the 29th in the early afternoon.
Todays sums. Max speed 53.9!! Wha hoo.
Built 100 years ago in 1816
Orbost to Genoa (116 klms) 540 klms to Mrs Macquarie’s chair
Big day.. no incidents except for Mohammads jacket flying out the back of my carry backet. Chris kindly drove back and found it.
Pretty big hills and beautiful forests. Nice townships and friendly people. Mohammad is getting stronger and more confident, getting well ahead of me today. Tomorrow, the other side of Merimbula and next day Bodalla, hopefully.
Orbost to Genoa (116 klms) 540 klms to Mrs Macquarie’s chair
Big day.. no incidents except for Mohammads jacket flying out the back of my carry backet. Chris kindly drove back and found it.
Pretty big hills and beautiful forests. Nice townships and friendly people. Mohammad is getting stronger and more confident, getting well ahead of me today. Tomorrow, the other side of Merimbula and next day Bodalla, hopefully.
Genoa to Yellow Pinch (94 klms) 454 to Mrs Macquarie’s chair.
Yellow Pinch is just north of Merimbula. Its the middle of a big hill and that is where the day ended.
Left Genoa about 8am.
7 major hills today and some screaming downsides. One more puncture but no other bike troubles.
Spent some time in Eden.
Haven’t worked out tomorrow yet but we will not be getting to Bodalla as we will be having part of the day off. Recovery day.
Found a little friend a bit tired and weak on the edge of the road. Somewhat like myself. So i picked it up and stuck him/her in my carrier. It jumped out when we were passing a very bushy and quiet place which i thought was pretty good.
Yellow Pinch to Bega plus 48 klms (Peter 23 klms Mohammad 71) 375 to Mrs Macquarie’s chair.
It was the three “p” day.
Pedals, artist (painter) and Peter.
Lets deal with pedals first. Mohammads pedals were nearly broken (sorry Mel) so Chris replaced them with the spares.
We met one of Mohammads friends, a gifted artist, who supplied a terrific breakfast at Merimbula. Much appreciated change.
Peter (thats me) got to Bega and I’m afaid that’s it. Old muscle need time to recover. 600 kilometers from Melbourne to Bega and am proud to have got that far. Now Mohammad has two support people to do the last and most important bit.
8k south of Cobargo to Bodalla (62 kilometers) 312 kilometers to Mrs Macquarie’s chair.
Slow start at the Bega catavan park, packed and drove to the start point just south of Cobargo. Mohammad rode for 4 to 5 hours to Bodalla where we are staying with friends. No incidents except for some minor adjustments to the geering.
Peter did not ride today.
Bodalla to Termeil (84 kilometers) 248 kilometers to Mrs Macquarie’s chair.
Spent a restfull night at Fran and Johns place with some expert bike tuning from John.
Headed off to the start at 8:30.
Mohammad rode from Muruya via the beach to Batemans Bay and on to Termeil. The last 30 k Chris pedaled with Mohammad.
Starting to plan the detail for the final stages. Chris leaves the day after tomorrow. So it is probably going to be past Nowra tomorrow and then Wollongong the next and then Sydney. The last stage from Woolongong will be returning on the train.
Termeil to Gerroa (113 klms) 134 kilometers to Mrs Macquarie’s chair.
Mohammad rode the full distance. Chris rode about 60k, some in the morning and some in the afternoon. Peter is not riding. Passed Batemans Bay and Ulladulla. Traffic to Sydney was intense, but safe as everyone was travelling slowly.
We are camped Kendals on the beach caravan park in Kiama and can hear the surf.
Chris leaves us tomorrow morning and we are still planning the details of the last days.
One separated tread, which ended the day at 113 kilometers. The second longest distance. Two small businesses to mention. The bike shop owner came back to his store for a new tyre and a little shop along the way supplied free fruit anf buscuits to the guys.
Gerroa to Bulli (60 kilometers) 75 Kilometers to Mrs Macquarie’s chair.
Dropped Chris this morning early at the station, packed up and dropped Mohammad at Gerroa.
Today was the Mohammad solo day through some of the most complex road systems around. After 5 hours he happly rode up to the camp at Bulli announcing that it was a “pxxxx of pxxx”. Chris must have taught him that description. It was a pretty impressive effort considering it was raining most of the time and having a navigator on was not possible.
Tomorrow is the day we have been working toward for about a year. The massive Bulli pass and a cruise down to Mrs Macquarie’s chair.
Bulli to Mrs Macquaries Chair (75 Kilometers) That’s it.. the destination.
This day was about Google maps and the positives and negatives of life.
Mohammad and I (Peter) would be riding for security and navigation (ha). Left the vehicle and camp at about 7:30 am. I like google maps. They string together the various bike trails with quiet streets and fairly accurate times for the distances, but on this day google maps nearly undid us. The Bulli pass is massive and I knew it would be difficult and the google map path took us up what looked like a bike path. We came across some steps but kept going until we were carrying our bikes.
We then came across the negatives of life in the form of a man I called “Charlie”. We had made a grave error in Charlies eyes and he didn’t know how we were going to get up some of the track up further, but with a shrug of his shoulders indicated “why would I care”. We kept going until we hit the base of a series of steel structures half way between steps and ladders. I went ahead to see how far the structures went and I counted seven flights of stairs/ladders. We started to figure out how to do this and along came the positive side of life in Alicia. With talk of nothing but getting to the top we were organised with her carrying the gear off the bikes. We carried the bike up while Alicia advised, encouraged and photographed. Eventually we got to the top of the structures and she left us to resume her daily ascent up the mountain.
After 2 hours we got to the top and the virtual glide to Mrs Macquaries Chair and the Opera house.
Got the train back to the station next to Bulli and rode back to the camp. Job done!!
: to Mohammad. A great effort to go from 0 kilometers per day to 116/113 per day in a week and a half. And a great idea… lets pedal from Melbourne to Sydney. Rolls off the tongue quite quickly.
: to Chris. for the encouragement, support, expert advise and organisation. Plus the proof that he can still push out the K’s.
:to those who came with us in spirit. I will most certainly miss someone if I try for a list. Your interest kept us going.
:to those who thought we couldn’t make it. You were half right. I got to Bega which was 600k. Mohammad did the full bit.. every meter from Fed square to Mrs Macquaries Chair.
: to Mel Taylor. Thanks for the training. I was thinking of those step ups yesterday morning.
:to Toni. Thanks for letting me do the second crazy plan.
:to Melanie Christiansz for lending your bike to Mohammad. A more worldly bike will be returned.
:to those who donated to White Ribbon. Domestic Violence is a very important issue in our society and it deserves more attention.
: to John and Fran for the hospitality on your farm
:to Anne and the delightful breakfast.
:to the Kiama Cycle and Sports shop for opening for us after hours.
:to the Shoalhaven Tuckerbox for one of those special moments of generosity.
This shows the camping places between Melbourne and Sydney.
