Thursday 28 February 2013

Summing up

We got the bus from Robe into Adelaide which was a drive of over 4 hours or so across a really barren landscape. We were really pleased with our decision to take the bus rather than attempt the ride as the area we travelled had absolutely NOTHING to commend it at all and was very remote. To the degree that one hundred mile of road just had one building on it and all the rest was just bush. So our cycling blog now comes to it's natural end with us in Adelaide and hiring a car to gently transport us back to Melbourne via the Fleurieu Peninsula and the Grampians National Park. We have got together a few places we would have liked to have seen but could not afford the detour and now we can fill in those gaps nicely. We will miss the cycling but really do need a rest now. We may still use the bikes for local rides from our various campsites on the way back and we will continue to use our camping gear. So to stastics:
Cycled just over 2000 km
Taken just over 2000 photos
Stayed with Warmshowers hosts in their homes for 12 nights and camped in their gardens for an additional 4 nights.
Camping cabin with Kay and Ian 1 night
Camped for 23 nights so far .....
Hotel for one night
Stayed with our friend 8 nights
Guest of Sue in Orford 1 night


Did the Brompton thing work? Well we always knew that we were pushing their limits and that it was likely they would fail at some point. The idea of "Hitchbiking" worked really well however and just being able to fold them and get a bus, plane, ferry and now small hire car, has meant we have done a lot of cycling but a huge amount of travelling. Not for the purist perhaps but good "thinking outside the box" cycling , which allowed us to "cherry pick" the best cycling and fast forward the rest. 2000k is a reasonable mileage so the bikes have earned their keep. I wonder what it will feel like when we get on our normal bikes again!!
So holiday now on wind down and rest mode.
Had a look around Adelaide today and to the botanical gardens . It is very busy here as amongst other events they have the Adelaide Fringe taking place which is second only to Edinburgh it seems. We have enjoyed all the street entertainers today.
So over and out but I may add a postscript or two as the trip itself is still not over by any means.
Bye for now from T and C.

Monday 25 February 2013

26th February A restful day in Robe

After moving on every day for a good while now this is an ideal opportunity to catch up with washing and just having a rest. It also gives us time for a calm adjustment for our next holiday phase. Tony, with the help of nearby campers, managed to sort of splint the broken spoke with a wire fence tensioner thing bought from the local hardware store. (You can really tell that Catherine is writing this due to the terminology) See photos. We don't really trust it to do serious cycling but we may be able to get about locally ok when we get to Adelaide tomorrow by bus. Tested the wheel on a 5 km trip around Robe and all successful on its initial test. We are not planning to bother with a full repair here in Aus As the spoke broke in the middle (rather unusual) and it's on the rear wheel gear side and we would rather get the whole wheel respoked when we get home. So we are about done with 2000km completed on our Bromptons with full camping gear we don't think that's too bad and on 53 days completed of our trip, it's now time for more rest and a slower pace.
Despite it being our rest day we could not resist a morning cycle around the headlands.Actually if we had only called in here for a mid day break we would have missed some really good coastal scenery.

Sunday 24 February 2013

Monday 25th Feb Beachport to Robe

We had the wind on our backs and a straight straight smooth road. This area is called the Limestone Coast. It was like a cycle machine at the gym. We were sure that the scrub on each side of us was just a video loop as the road ahead just went on and on. Soon did the 30 miles into Robe where we intended just to have lunch. A ping on the back wheel told us that we have a broken spoke however so we decided to camp up in Robe. Immediately ahead of us is over one hundred miles of straight road with just scrub at the side. A daunting prospect at the best of times. We were thinking of getting the bus anyway and the bike has now made up our minds for us. The Adelaide bus does not go from Robe until Wed so we can have a day off in Robe to think fully about our options and have a days rest in a nice seaside town. We have done over 2000K now and perhaps we need a change and had enough of long stretches of remote scrub although it was a good experience for someone from the UK to experience. No pictures today as just a long straight road although Robe seems nice. The weather has turned very cool and there is talk of storms in Adelaide and Sydney so keeping one eye on the clouds.

Sunday 24th Feb Millicent to Beachport

We were up early and on the road before 8.30 in the hope that the sun and wind would not be at it's worst if we went early. Just doing about 30K today to the seaside town up the road as it was forecast a strong wind in our face and 35C heat.
The wind was in our face and the road was a straight line which gave the impression of always being up hill. In fact it was wetlands so I think it was flat but it looked and felt up hill for the whole 30k even though we ended up at the beach.
One added advantage in starting early on a Sunday was very little traffic. Got to the site and pitched at 11.30 which was a record. This site has no camp kitchen and the barbecue area had overflowing dustbins with flies. So doing it like we do at home we sat on the grass with the trangia. Back to basics for a change. After settling in we went for a walk around this beautiful little town with a famously long pier. In the afternoon there was a good musician at the local hotel and we enjoyed a really pleasant afternoon relaxing. The expected heat of the day did not materialise at Beachport although it was still rather warm.
Remember the Yarn Bombing in Melborne? Where they Knit jackets for trees etc? Well here it had a cycling theme in places.

Saturday 23rd Feb Mount Gambier to Millicent

There ware two features within Mount Gambier that we wanted to see. So we were up at seven and off at eight thirty.
The sink hole was just up the road from the campsite. This is limestone country so caves and such like abound. You could walk into the limestone hole in the ground by wooden walkways. The sound of running water filed the sinkhole it all felt really relaxed this early in the morning. Then of to see the blue lake where lava once burst a hole through the porous limestone creating a mini volcano. The water was this blue although I know it looks like I went mad with photoshop!
We then had about thirty miles to cycle to the next campsite. The wind had shifted to come from the north however so it would be against us and hot again. It was not completely against us but bad enough and progress was slow and we got here a 2 pm in the heat of the day at 35C. At least we found an air-conditioned bar (at the Tantanoola Tiger Hotel) and a garage selling ice lollies on the way so we could at least get some respite.
Found a good campsite with a really nice camp kitchen. Too hot to even think of pitching the tent yet but we will have to honour soon and get food and get sorted.
Nearly as hot again tomorrow and the wind full in our faces so looking at a small mileage tomorrow. The good news is that Monday once again brings a huge drop in temperature and winds will come from the south then and be on our backs. The forecast seems to stay that way most of next week so looks like hard work tomorrow then getting easier going after that.
Just 55 km today but I could not have done more. It is getting really hard work now this really is the hard bit of the tour so far.
In the evening lots of parrots collected on the campsite. There must have been thousands and all making an incredible noise as dusk fell. Then they all took to flight and flew off into the distance and silence returned. At dawn the opposite happened. They looked like white parrots but like sea gulls with swept back wings in flight. I must ask a local what that was all about.

Friday 22 February 2013

Friday 22nd Feb Portland to Mount Gambier

We had a good night although there were thunderstorms over the sea most of the night. At dusk lots of birds flocked to the trees in the site. Once the sun was down the incredible noise they made eased. The lightning however must have disturbed them because every flash then created screeching in their wake.
We were on the road for 8.30 and we packed frozen bottles of water we had placed in the camp kitchen. It was 66K to Nelson and we did not want to get caught out without water.
The wind was on our backs again although it was just a breeze having reduced a lot from yesterday. The going was undulating and our six gears could cope easily.
We arrived in Nelson which was on the coast at the mouth of a river estuary. We visited the tourist information and the kiosk which sold a few food basics. It was only 2pm and we had a decision to make about whether to go further or to stop at the camp site in Nelson. In the end we decided that as cloud had come over and it had cooled a little for the middle of the day, then we would carry on. It was about 33km to Mount Gambier and some of it up hill. After cycling on from Nelson for 4km we crossed over from the state of Victoria into South Australia. At this time there is a formal time change of 30 minutes. So Tony was ahead of me on the road but 30 minutes behind me as he was in South Australia and I was still in Victoria.As soon as we crossed we lost the metre wide hard shoulder on the road which in Victoria we had used as a cycle lane. This pushed us out into the narrow road sharing it with logging trucks and lorries with massive trailers. We hope this is not typical of a South Australia State road!
It started to rain and thunder just as we got to Mt Gambier and the wind changed direction to a head on strong wind . We managed to find shelter before doing the last 2 or 3 km to the campsite. Wow we managed an all time best today on the Bromptons of 104 km. Ready for a sleep now after our meal and a shower in our en suite
bathroom next to our tent. Our exclusive use bathroom is bigger than our tent!!
Photo one our tent with en-suite
Photo two resting in the shade at Nelson

Wednesday 20 February 2013

Thursday 21st Feb Yanbuk to Portland

It was very windy when we pitched the tent last night and when we walked on the beach it was a sand storm. The tent was getting very rattled but seemed ok. Thankfully it calmed over night and it was a peaceful site and we got a good sleep. We must have both been asleep by 9PM and awoke at 7AM feeling refreshed.
It was still windy but the good news was it would be on our backs. We had a quick breakfast. Like most remote areas the water was a problem at the camp site last night. There was bore water which was salty and good for little. The only other water was run off from the roofs which was stored in big tanks. Catherine had boiled and reboiled the run off water but I still did not fancy it. So it will not surprise you that our first stop was at Yambuk village stores to buy a bottle and have a drink. Lesson learnt again that we must forward plan a bit better for remote sites and take plenty of water with us.
So it was top gear all the way and we had a 55km ride along one long coast road. We got here about mid day and had a look around town. Portland is a nice seaside town, but the other side of the harbour has a aluminium smelting factory with the port harbouring big ships which service the smelter.
We pitched the tent early and the site has non stop WIFI so we can plan ahead, check weather etc. The wind has got stronger and stronger. We went for a small ride along the clifftop this afternoon and we were almost blown off our bikes. It is really good luck that it should calm a little tomorrow and still be on our backs. The forecasts say the wind direction will turn over the weekend however and be against us on Monday.
We pitched the tent and a pole snapped. I think last nights buffeting had weaken the pole. We had bought four repair sleeves for the poles and we have found what I hope is a sheltered site for tonight. We are in the outside kitchen area now and bits are being blown off the trees and crashing on to the roof making us all jump. I hope the same is not happening to the tent. So the weather keeps us guessing. One day extreme heat then a twenty degree drop in average temperature and then really high winds. There is rain in the forecast which would really surprise us as we have had so little in our trip so far, but also temperatures are quoted as 32C.
We are on our way to Nelson tomorrow which is a good 70km trip with few towns or places to stop on the way. It is time to load the bikes with lots of food and water as with the weather always changing we cannot be sure we will get all the way, so some wild camping may be needed.
We could do with a rest soon, but we are having to go with the weather so much and have long days when the weather is on our side and shorter days when the weather is against us. As the winds should be against us on Monday we may have to wait then for the wind to ease off.
Lots of nice coast today and yet another small red and white lighthouse. Someone in Melbourne said to stop at Port Fairy as "there was nothing after that". Certainly it is a little less touristy and more remote and this will continue as we go on. For the moment however we think we have time to cycle all the way to Adelaide. We are on a bus route however so with preplanning we can always just get the bus, although the timetable is rather restricted and the stops few and far between, 'so as I say if we did do that it needs a plan'. For the moment it is still great cycling and the easy thing to do is keep on pedaling.
No photos today as I thought I would spare you another lighthouse. So perhaps the guy in Melbourne was right and there is nothing here.
I suspect camping with no running water or WIFI tomorrow so updates may get a day or two behind.

Wednesday 20th February Warrnambool to Yambuk

Had a brilliant day today after a good nights sleep. We were keen to get going on the well advertised rail trail. All started well but the trail surface soon deteriorated and although we could continue on the trail it was slowing us down so much that the flies were catching up with us easily. So we did about 10km on the trail and then got back onto the highway. This was a good decision as the wind was with us and we just sped along to Port Fairy by lunch time after having a morning stop at 'The Pantry Door at Basalt'. We had a good look around Port Fairy and went to the lighthouse on Griffiths Island just off the coast, via a wooden walkway. Then after a quick trip to the tourist info and a spot of lunch we decided to make our way about 20 km further on. We have set up camp on a lovely little site in Yambuk. We went for a stroll to the river mouth and the ocean and found a slide that we both enjoyed amongst the dunes. See photo.

Tuesday 19th Feb Peterborough to Warrnambool

Although the campsite yesterday was fantastic we did not get a fantastic sleep. Late on a car arrived and despite an almost empty field they decided to camp within feet of our tent. So we had all the noise of them erecting their tent and making a meal. Then there were two tents with a couple in each so they spent the early hours having a conversation by shouting from one tent to the other. We eventually asked them to shut up and they did at once. I think they were just thoughtless regarding how far your voice carries in a camping situation.
We went to bed and lay naked on top of the sleeping bags but it still felt like an oven even with the door fully open and just the fly screen zipped. The weather was changing however and at about twelve we had a big thunder storm. By the next morning I was fully wrapped in my sleeping bag. The temperature had dropped from 39C yesterday to a high of 21C today . An amazing 18 degrees drop from one day to another. So we could cycle with ease today, it was just like being at home.
We went past an area called Bay of Islands so more coastal features . As we looked from one of the viewpoints I heard something hit the decking but could see nothing. As we got on our bikes just minutes later Catherine worked out that her loose lens in her glasses was missing. We ran back and found it on the viewpoint decking. Twenty people must have walked over the viewpoint but nobody had stepped on the lens. Today we will get to the end of the coastal road at Warrnambool. We were near to the coast for most of the route today. We managed a lovely stop at the cheese factory and had a tasting session and then enjoyed a refreshing milkshake and ploughmans lunch before continuing on. At Warrnambool we found a Specsavers which is the place that Catherine got her glasses from in the UK. So she popped in and within minutes they were repaired and cleaned free of charge - another little problem sorted.
Camping in Warrnambool tonight at the very start of a rail trail that goes 37K to our next stop at Port Fairy. It should mean that we are at Port Fairy early which is good because it looks like a nice seaside town which is worth a look around.
The forecast is for temperatures to rise again and hit low thirties at the weekend but the winds should be with us until Monday.

Sunday 17 February 2013

Monday 18th Feb Port Campbell to Peterborough

We were up just before seven and breakfasted and on the road well before nine.
The ride was a short one today in fact just 12k although we had a few detours to see coastal features. It peaked above 38C yesterday. Today the wind is coming strongly from the north west so of the hot innerlands and it could reach over 40C. We are glad we opted for some easy days and took in the advice from our hosts who have much more experience of serious heat.
We visited the coastal features of The Arch, London Bridge and the Grotto and once again they were all well worth seeing. Again far less tourists on the road just after nine and we sat at London Bridge for some time just enjoying watching the waves crash in.
When we got to Peterborough at 11am it was really really hot and we found a bus shelter to get out of the sun. It reminded us of the times we have ended up in bus shelters on other tours but that was usually to get out of the rain. The wind blew like a massive hot hairdryer. As we sat in the shelter, dust and tumbleweed rolled down the highstreet like a western on TV. We have pitched the tent in the hot hot sun and run to the camp common room and kitchen to get out of the heat. No air-conditioning today but we have made six litres of squash and put the in the freezer to chill.
The good news is that the wind reverses tonight according to the forecast and temperatures should be about ten degrees lower tomorrow and the winds on our back. Let's hope that is not wishful thinking. We need to keep a good eye on the forecasts now because we are getting towards hotter regions and if the wind is from the north then it will make our cycling really hard.
Great day though and glad we planned it as we did but looking forward to lower temperatures.

Saturday 16 February 2013

Sunday 17th Feb Princetown to Port Campbell

We only came about 20km down the road today but what a road it was. We went passed the 12 Apostles that we walked to yesterday. We had got up at seven this morning as the heat was already high and set to peak at 33C. This meant that the light was low and good for photos and as it is early Sunday morning there were few cars on the road and fewer people at the viewpoints.
Travelling west from the apostles we passed Loch Ard Gorge where a ship called The Loch Ard went aground many years ago. There were tarmac narrow roadways to a series of viewpoints and it said to allow three hours to walk them. We were able to potter about with our bikes however and see all the natural arches and stacks which, as yesterday were fantastic.
At Port Campbell we had a decision go on to the next town and have a long day in high heat or finish early and relax a bit. We enquired at the campsite. And the facilities are very good with free WIFI and an air-conditioned kitchen and sitting room. So at 3PM we are escaping the heat of the day after going shopping to get our tea and update our supplies.
It is forcast to be even hotter tomorrow but we get back to peaks under the thirties after that we hope. We have travelled a good way north since our days in Tas and the weather is forcast to be mid thirties tomorrow. The plan for tomorrow is to get up early like today and be on the road before 9.00 and before it gets too hot for serious riding. We are really excited about tomorrow's ride as it is to Peterborough, a small coastal town rather than a city that is well known for it's lift factory.