The Road to Townsville

It was hard work dragging myself out of the serenity of Agnes Water and 1770, but new adventures lay ahead!

In Rockhampton I finally returned to the tropics which made me so happy that I even closed my eyes for the celebratory picture.

Sadly the tropics also came with a cold front and I found myself facing more freezing cold tenty nights.

It didn´t take long though before I made some new friends to share breakfast with.

 

And then I met the first cycle tourer I´ve seen in Australia.

Peter just so happened to be going in the same direction and despite being a real cyclist (he even wears lycra), on a circum-cycligation, even (believe it or not) did the same daily averages as me 

It was awesome having a few days of cycle camaraderie, especially when my carrier broke and Austrian ingenuity (and wire and cable ties) saved the day.

The kilometers pedaled kept increasing and Cairns kept getting closer

 

Too close in fact, I had to start taking detours (and start stopping for more selfies)

The first sights and sounds of Airlie Beach made me feel quite at home

Outside Bowen I found (and licked) the Big Mango

And while the terrain turned harsh and arid, it was extraordinarily beautiful!

And then quite suddenly the road made me run into these too crazy souls: Joe and Josh are walking, yes, WALKING from Cairns to Melbourne. 

It´s always good to find people on a crazier mission than your own!

(find their ´`walk the Line`` facebook page)

  

No, I think cycling is about as slow as it gets for this Part Time Professional Gypsy!

I like having time to put my feet down

 

...or up

 

And even if there is that occasional (or frequent as it´s been of late) breakdown, it´s all part of the adventure!

Townsville has greeted me so warmly that I´ve delayed departure substantially!

 

Taking time off to explore (thanks to the excellent services of Fantasea) Magnetic Island.

 

There are a few more hills than my gears like on the island (I'm finally fit enough to tackle them, but I fear my gears - like my wheels - might be on their last legs)

No, bicycle gypsying is amazing.

Everyone should give it a try.

The last leg begins tomorrow and I hope the craziest adventures are yet to come@

 It´s the last leg and the final push, and if you haven´t done so already please don´t forget to get involved, donate and support www.bikes4life.com.au

And then get out of the house and off your computer and go ride your bicycle!!!

Crossing to the Queenslander Side

I was washed, I was clean, I was well fed; and I was all set for another adventure!

(Look how white that t-shirt looks)

DAY 10: Sat 20 June

I couldn't believe how sunshiny and happy life was when I finally set off from Coffs....

 Any day on the bicycle generally means a wet one!

I stopped off to lick the Big Banana (A ritual I've done every time I've passed it) and carried on into the unknown.

Google sent me into the Barcoongere State forest to avoid the highway and it was a nice break from the hum drum of traffic, and it was rather beautiful; but after 3 hours on dirt roads going in every direction I finally realised I was lost.

Very very lost!

I waved the first (and only) car I saw in the forest down and they, being lost themselves, decided it was best to throw the bike in the back and return with them to the highway; so I did... Three hours of pedaling and I was back where I started.

...And by then it was raining.

Instead of a coastal route, I ended up racing to beat the dark and make it to Grafton for the night. 

It was the second coldest night of my life - even wearing everything I owned, and cuddling the bear.

DAY 11: Sun 21 June

The day was wet, but relatively flat and filled with wildlife - most of which was the same species: dead.

I camped out at New Italy for the night and had my first bonfire of the trip with an exceptionally awesome mismotch of grey nomads.

Day 12: Mon 22 June

I was all set for an early start when I suddenly discovered I'd lost my keys... I'd chained my bike to a tree for the night and I was quite stuck.

I had every man and his dog out looking for it. Some of my new friends even had their metal detectors out. I'd checked everything I owned thrice when I suddenly realised I'd slept in a sleeping bag... and low and behold....

I carried on to Ballina

And took the long scenic tour that leads you to the little ferry

(Selfie taken while waiting for the barge to return)

And on the other side was the Big Prawn - But it was far too high to lick.

The shire of Byron Bay welcomed me with this sign

And then welcomed me with a shower and a beautiful sunset before I retired to the comforts of a friend's brother's couch.

DAY 13: 23 June

After a narrow escape from a falling plane (it crashed in the trees just next to me) and while I survived to tick "survive a plane crash" off my bucket list, the pilot  wasn't quite as lucky!!

I was expecting Queensland to welcome me with big signs and flags and sunshine, but all I got were signs forbidding me from riding on the highway

And when it stopped raining, I tried to take some Queenslany pictures, but they're not that exciting... 

I spent the night in Robina (Gold Coast) with a friends mum who served me soup and shnitty and wine and chocolate and to quote her - "Had all the food groups covered"

DAY 14: 24 June

It was the rainiest day yet and I had to laugh at the irony as I passed wet and wild.

The Queensland bike paths were pretty good, but their labeling system is a lot on the confusing side!

After a very hilly day, I finally arrived, soaked to the core, to these lovely people, and another day rest in Mount Cotton.

Day 1: Roast dinner

Day 2 : A braai

DAY 15: Friday 26 June

I stopped in at Cleveland high on the way to Brisbane because the awesome student chaplaincy committee were doing a Bikes 4 Life fund raiser. (And doing it well!)

I continued on to cross Brisbane and met up with some legendary human beings I haven't seen in over 5 years.

...and their little dog Barney

...And their daughter, Poppy

DAY 16: Sat 27 June

It was just me (and the bear) and the road again. Gone were the days of plans and knowing people along the way.

After a late departure and many random conversations and awesome donations (you'd be amazed how many people are curious about a barefoot cyclist carrying a giant teddy), I cut the day short and camped out in Caboolture.

DAY 17: Sun 28 June

The scenery was awesome, but the sunshine coast wasn't quite as bright and merry as I'd hoped.

Soaked to the brim, I took shelter in a hostel in Marichidoore for the night.

DAY 18: Mon 29 June

I guess I didn't really know what a hill was until yesterday.

I have now added three swear words to my cyclist vocabulary:

"Hill", "Flat" and "Rain"

And I have had a lot of all of them!!!

At least there were some pretty things to see along the way

And after getting lost in Yandina and having to trespass across farms to avoid going back the way I came (up a very big hill), the road became rather beautiful

And the view from the tops of the mountains was awesome

I camped the night out in Pomona and met some exceptional people before crawling into a moggy tent (waterproofing doesn't work so well when you keep rolling your tent up wet)

DAY 19: Tue 20 June

Would you believe that this morning began with sunshine???

I delayed my start this morning to drink more coffee and dry my everything. And then some  hilly dirt roads have led me all the way to Gympie

It's weird how your body adjusts to the cycling life. My butt doesn't hurt as much, the rain doesn't bother me as much and the worry of where I end up in the day has become the least of my concerns... I still have no idea where I'm staying tonight and where I'm heading next)

I used to be a skeptic about cycle touring  - but over the last few days I've realised than I'm happier than I've been in a long time - there's something about combining exercise, adventure, an amazing cause, and going slow that seems to make life that little bit more epicer!

Bikes 4 Life is right - bicycles do transform lives!