Going Down

Day 79: 6 January 2015, Tuesday.

I ended up leaving late from the camping grounds of Morton National Park as I got to talking with David and Kath again. Eventually though I managed to summon the energy to cycle off. I did not go up the super speedy hill I zoomed down on the previous two days as I was informed by another patron at the camp site (a Dutch bloke I had talked to frequently) that there was a dirt road that was much more acceptable as a cycling track.

An Easy Option To Climb Out Of The Morton National Park

It was an easy climb and soon I was back in Bundanoon. I did not dally in Bundanoon though, I had seen the town twice already so I kept on going north towards Exeter and then Moss Vale. Exeter was only a wee town but Moss Vale was much more substantial. I stopped in a park in Moss Vale and had a rest and began to dream of the road from here to Wollongong (today’s destination) as I was told back in Gunning that it was a down hill ride from Moss Vale and so far the day had involved many hills.

I was lied to! The road continued to be hilly all the way to the next town, Robinson, which was over twenty kilometres from Moss Vale. If anything I had gained altitude as a sign I saw entering Robinson claimed the altitude of the town was seven hundred and fifty metres! I had a rest at Robinson and set off and soon found out what they were talking about in Gunning, the Macquarie Pass.

Top Of The Pass

It was steep. It was downhill. It was fun. I was flying, soon I had caught up with some traffic and had to slow down to their meagre speeds. Slow cars! The air stank of hot brakes as the traffic crawled around the tight bends of the pass. It was a long drop but as all good things have to come to an end it was soon all over and it was back to the up and downs of the hills at the bottom of the pass.

I soon entered Albion Park which was where I took another break.

You Know You Are Near The Sea When There Are Sea Gulls

It was just over twenty kilometres to Wollongong from Albion Park. The road turned into a motorway and then out of the blue there was a sign telling me to beat it. I was no longer welcome on the motorway so I had to go back to the not motorway roads. As I left the motorway I arrived at a junction where there was no sign to indicate which way I should go! I decided to head to the right as that was the direction of the coast and Wollongong is on the coast so it should be the right way. Ahead was a service station which I entered and quizzed the attendant as to which was the route to Wollongong which avoided the motorway (I know where I’m not wanted, sob sob). He pointed me in the right direction and I was off again.

The down side was the local roads of the town I was it had a big ol’ hill that I had to ascend, it was a lowest gear slog to gain the summit. From there I asked a gentleman on the road side for directions and was told I was on the correct road, just keep going!

Almost To Wollongong, Definitely 4900km.

Then I was there. Wollongong. I went to the information centre but it was already closed (it was just almost six in the evening) but fortunately they had a sign telling of the free WiFi which I logged onto and using the maps application I found where a ‘Caravan Park’ was located, five kilometres north of the town centre.

The route that I decided on was along the coast, there was a cycle lane which ran all the way to the ‘Caravan Park’ so off to the beach I went.

Wollongong Beach And The Pacific.

I stood at the head of the path to the beach and had a moment of pride, I had cycled from the Indian Ocean to the Pacific Ocean (well the Tasman Sea bit) all the way across Australia. It felt like I had really accomplished something.

I set off along the cycle path, along the coast where the locals and holiday makers were enjoying the hot humid evening in the pools in the ocean.

They Look Like They Are Happy

No swimming for me though, this is Vincent’s Bike Ride, not Vincent’s Swim! I cycled the five kilometres to the area where there was a ‘Caravan Park’ and went to the reception where I was in for a shock. Fifty dollars!!!! They wanted fifty dollars for a bit of dirt to pitch a tent and the facilities to have a shower. That is truly a rip off. I would never pay that, I’d rather pay for a hotel!

I headed north massively disgruntled. As luck would have it only a few kilometres further along there was a second ‘Caravan Park’. Thirty dollars. Still very expensive but I was out of options and it was already seven in the evening. I booked in. It was a poor area for me to pitch a tent, no shade at all now or in the morning, and the ablution facilities were very average. The more you pay the less you get I guess.

I settled in and cooked my dinner and while it was cooking my evenings neighbour (in a caravan) came over for a chat. They were very nice, they even offered to do my dishes in their caravan as the camp kitchen was a rather long way away. I did not complain and after eating I handed over my dishes and a few minutes later as if by magic they were all clean and dry. They even offered me a fork to replace my plastic fork which was a bit mangled on the ends from using it to cook on hot pans but I declined. Metal implements are not preferred on a bicycle, they may puncture a pannier, or puncture me in an accident!

Another day was over, most likely the last time on this ride I will ride for over one hundred kilometres in a day. It was a hot humid evening and very difficult to get to sleep but eventually I drifted off….

102.85km 5:53T 17.4A 70.5M Total = 4917

 

Speed

Day 78: 5 January 2015, Monday.

It was an overcast day. I really wanted to have a day off, I had been cycling for nine days and felt like a rest. The problem was the hill leaving the Morton National Park where I had camped was big and I was not keen on cycling up it today and then again tomorrow. I went to the BBQ area and sat down and started to chat with some of the folks I had been talking with last night and they offered to take me and my bike on their roof-rack (well the bike on the roof, me in the car) into the town of Bundanoon so I could get some groceries and I could then roll back to the camping site. I decided to take them up on the offer and went to town.

I had had a look around Bundanoon yesterday so I did not stay long, I went and ought some groceries and then began the roll down to the National Park. Yesterday I had not known about the steep decent and had managed to get to the second highest speed I have ever achieved on my bicycle (I was point two of a kilometre too slow) so today I decided to rectify that by setting a new speed record! I got to seventy-six-point-nine kilometres per hour racing down the hill all tucked in. A new record!

With a new record set I could relax and enjoy the rest of my day of rest which I spent talking with the other patrons of the camping area, especially David and Kath a fantastic couple (they were the ones who gave me a lift to Bundanoon this morning).

Hello Little Birdy

2.59km 0.09T 16.9A 76.9M Total = 4814

Trains

Day 77:4 January 2015, Sunday.

Why is it that so many men have a fascination with trains? At the ‘Caravan Park’ in Goulburn there was a train set, I imagine it was constructed to entertain the children. I was sat in the ‘Camp Kitchen’ patio which is located beside the train set and watched as men bought their children to look at the train, the children seemed to be happy with this scenario but the men seemed a bit more excited, taking photos and smiling like the Cheshire Cat.

You Know You Want To Make The ‘Choo Choo’ Sound!

Well it was another scorching hot day, the sun beating down upon my body with an angry scowl, but I must face this and continue on my way. It was but a few kilometres back to the Hume Highway which I continued down for twenty-five kilometres to the next village called Marulan.

On the way to Marulan I passed a rest area which before had the traditional sign letting me know that there was a rest area soon and I noticed a peculiar part of the sign which I think indicated there was water at the rest area…

What Does This Mean! Does The Water There Shake Your Hand?

Marulan I used for a rest stop, I sat in a park and ate a muesli bar and drank some water, what an exciting thing to do eh? Then it was back on the Hume for a few more kilometres before I reached the junction for the ‘Scenic Route’ that would take me towards Moss Vale. The best thing about this back road was not the lack of traffic (the road was narrow with no hard shoulder so it was not so good, but there was very little traffic) nor the scenery, the best thing was that there were five little towns between the junction and Moss Vale so I would have easy access to rest stops.

The road was very hilly but there were a lot of trees also which at least shaded some sections of the road. I plodded along passing through the first village called Tallong and then on to Wingello where I stopped again and treated myself to a second muesli bar and some water from my water bladder which I had left in the fridge at the ‘Caravan Park’ last night so had still retained some coolness. I lingered for a while before I was back on the road and soon passing through Penrose.

Where I Also Passed 4800km.

I did not even slow down for Penrose and to be frank there was little to stop for instead I pushed on for Bundanoon where my map indicated a camping area. This was where I wanted to stay for the night, I am coming to the end of my journey and have made very good time so I have decided to take it easy.

Bundanoon is a quaint little town which has a novelty cafe called ‘Ye Olde Bicycle Shopee’ where it is possible to hire a bicycle (I didn’t though as I had bought my own) or have a cafe food/drink stop if you have some spare money (which I did not have and the prices were rather high). Instead I went to the little convenience store, I cannot call it a supermarket as it was not very well stocked and very expensive, and bought some supplies for dinner.

Then I was off to the Morton National Park where the camping area was. On the way I had to plunge down a steep hill (I got to over seventy kilometres per hour flying down this hill, the second fastest I have ever been on my bike) and I though ‘I’m not looking forward to riding back up that hill!’ but I’ll worry about that later. Then I was in the camping area which was not free, instead you must book via a phone or the internet, neither of which I have. I decided to camp not in the bays dedicated to cars and caravans but instead to camp near the ablutions block.

The camping area is very well provided for, a covered area with barbecues to use, running water and electricity, as well as the ablutions block where there was a hot shower.

As it was still very hot (it was about three in the afternoon) I decided to pitch my tent when it cooled down so I popped out my chair and started to read. Of course being with a fully loaded bicycle it was not long before I had a visitor whom wanted to talk about my trip (which I am more than happy to do) and then as he left I decided to erect my tent as some heavy black clouds had obscured the sun and I could detect the sound of thunder in the distance. I had just finished loading my luggage into my now erected tent and it began to rain. I locked my bike to a tree and went to the covered BBQ area and sat down with a few of my fellow campers. Then the sky opened up and it poured down accompanied by bursts of lightning and the bangs of thunder. I was stoked I had got my tent up in time!

Camping In The Morton National Park And It Is Raining.

The rest of the afternoon and into the evening I was entertained by the other people also at the camp site and just had a very enjoyable evening.

64.42km 3:30T 18.3A 75.6M Total = 4811