Cycle Across Australia!
Aussie Day #1, 11/01/98
G-day, mate...hope all is well back there in Cincy-town. Nick and I are rockin' away on our flight to Aussie!
After two full days of scrambling to get our act together and get our gear in tip-top order, Nick and I were shuttled to CVG by the world's greatest (my mom and dad, Mary Beth and Joe Wilker). Bikes in boxes, gear onboard, and nothing in our hands except some clothes and a bottle of Maker's Mark to (hopefully) get us through a hellacious flight to the land 'down-under.'
Cincy is behind us! Australian dreams and hopes are ahead! Ta!
Aussie Day #2, 11/02/98
G-day, mates! Believe it or not, this day was non-existent for us!
As we continued our airborne trip almost halfway around this great earth, we crossed over the International Date Line. The effect: November 2, 1998 came and passed right before our eyes! Non-existent!
Believe me, there is nothing great to tell about this plane ride! Ta!
Aussie Day #3, 11/03/98
Weather: Sunny, 25 C. Beautiful day, indeed!
G-day, mates! Finally! After 32 LONG HOURS, Nick and Nick have made it to Australia, the land "down-under!" Trip was draining, big time! Cincy to Chicago to LA to New Zealand to Melbourne to Adelaide, SA (South Australia).
After a quick and uneventful check through Customs, we proceeded to take our boxes right out the front door of the airport and "build" them on the sidewalk. Two hours later, after making friends with about 10 very-amazed Customs workers, we mounted our bikes and rode into the town of Adelaide via an extremely nice bike path along the Torrens River. The town reminds us of Cincinnati, OH in size and Portland, OR in coolness towards bikers such as ourselves!
TOTALLY drained and exhausted, we shoved down a couple Hungary Jack Burgers (the Aussie equivalent of Burger King, but with a slice of beat added) and rode into town to the Backpacker's OZ Hostel. A warm shower and dry bed cost only $17 AU (about $9 US) per person...not a bad deal!
We were showered and passed out by 7:30 pm.
Aussie Day #4, 11/04/98
Adelaide, SA to Maccelsfield, SA
Milage: 28 mi. (45 km.)
G-day, mates! Nothing can describe in words the comparison of the way we felt last night to now...that flight just about killed us!
Awoke, had breakfast in town at "Freddy's Cafe," walked to a computer shop and had them load some photo software on for us. We then stopped at a cool "cyber cafe" which is the latest thing here and in the UK. Cafes set up with computers online so anyone can walk in and check their email, etc. over a cup o' java! Signed up on Ozemail.com so I could stay connected to you guys.
By 2:00 pm we had gotten all of our stuff together, had a McOz at McDonald's, and started our first day of biking. A steady climb it was up and out of Adelaide, but a killer view. Made it as far as Echunga, SA and stopped by the Hagen Hotel (just a small central town pub) and had a bottle of red, a couple Victoria Bitters, and some artery-clogging burgers (complete with a fried egg on top)!
The locals were interested in our trip, but still not very impressed with the distance we had gone to this point (only 28 mi.). However, upon mentioning our intent to reach Cairns by Christmas, they said, "Impossible!" Our standard response is now, "We're professionals," which draws a blank stare at first and then an, "Oh!"
A few of the locals gave us a hot camping tip, which we gladly followed...just 10 km down the road was a football field complete with toilets and barbie...we were there!!!
Aussie Day #5, 11/05/98
Maccelsfield, SA to Wellington, SA
Milage: 39 mi. (65 km.)
Weather: Overcast, rain, 20 C.
Awake to rain on our tarp. Feeling good myself, but Nick coming down with a cold. Had a power breakfast of oats and tea, and on the road by 9 am.
Beautiful country-side here as we move closer to Victoria. Alot like England with rolling pastures, and meadows. Things flatten out soon enough as we ride along Lake Alexandria into Wellington. A light head wind, and light rain welcome us to Wellington, SA around 1 pm.
Nick is getting feverish and tired, so we decide to call it an afternoon here...no sense in pushing ourselves too early in the trip. Found a cool camp right up the road from the Wellington Hotel...sort of a trailer camp...we're right on someone's front porch now, and under cover, which is the nicest part!
Aussie Day #6, 11/06/98
Wellington, SA (Wellington Caravan Park) Sick Day.
Milage: 0 mi. (0 km.)
Weather: Sunny, clear, breezy, 30 C.
Nick and I are under the care now of two new Australian friends, John and Di Bowers, owners of the Wellington Caravan Park. Nick's fever and sore throat yesterday turned into quite a powerful sickness through the night...I watched as Nick shook violently in his sleep, heart racing and fever burning. By dawn, he looked worse than ever. We decided a trip to the doctor clinic may be the best at this point.
John kindly offered us a ride into the nearest town that had a hospital, Tamier Bend in his 1979 Mercedes Benz Turbo Diesel (in great condition for such a car, I might add). I went along to replenish grocery supplies for us and make a trip to the post office.
Nick's status: a virus, no antibiotic will have an effect on him, get lots of sleep, etc. (just what we didn't want to hear at this point!)
Thus, Nick is now sleeping away while I spend the day with John and Di, sipping coffee, drinking West End "stubbies" (slang for glass bottles of West End beer, the choice of SA), eating artery-clogging burgers (a staple here in Aussie, thick, 1# burgers covered with onions, beets, and a full fried egg across the top). Quite a good combination, actually, but I wouldn't be doing it if I wasn't working it off on a bicycle!
I thought that now might be a good time to tell you some facts about Australia since I have nothing but time on my hands today: ---The water here isn't the best...piped water comes straight out of the rivers and lakes nearby, still with a tinge of brown in it. Drinking water comes from the sky, via the gutters on the houses, and into huge tanks that just about everyone has next to the house. ---The black flies and mosquitos...amazingly harsh and bothersome now, will apparently only get worse as our trip continues on. ---Good humour is everywhere. Australians love us (Americans) and seem to revel in our stupidity to try such a long bike trip here! ---Pubs are the heart of every town. If there is one thing that a town in guaranteed to have, it's a pub and a crowd gathered around it. ---The exchange rate here is GREAT! One US dollar buys close to two AU dollars. A fast food meal is $5AU ($3 US). A "stubbie" is $0.50 - $1 US. ---Australians don't work as long as we do in the US...try finding a store that is open before 9am or later than 5pm and you'll be hard pressed! Aussies stick strictly to the 9-5 (sometimes 10-5) work schedule here. More time to enjoy life I suppose! ---The food is very fattening by US standards. A burger (as described above) is a BURGER! A schniztal is another mainstay (a fatty slab of beef, crumbed and then deep fried...good, but I can feel my arteries screaming as I swallow every bite)!
I'm sure that I'll observe more as the trip carries on! Ta!
Aussie Day #7, 11/07/98
Wellington, SA (Wellington Caravan Park)
Milage: 0mi. (0 km.)
Weather: Overcast, rain, HIGH WINDS, 15 C.
Yes, I know, it's hard to believe..we're still here! Awoke this morning to rain, and HIGH winds...first going in the perfect direction for us, a NE tail wind, but then shifting rapidly to a SW head wind (totally in our face as we go down the coast).
After breakfast Nick still isn't feeling good enough for a BIG dose of wind in the face, so we have decided to wait here, let Nick take another couple naps. Our new friends, John and Di Bowers (the owners) have set us up with a sweet caravan (camp trailer) for another night. They aren't too surprised they say..."seen alot of mates come here for one night, end up staying for 3 weeks."
Even with such outgoing hosts, we are both looking forward to getting on our bikes and seeing the Great Ocean Road and it's beautiful coast line, which is only about 50 miles to go from here.
Cheers!
