Today was always going to be wet, windy and stormy. Today was my last rest day watching the rain fall, staying warm and cosy inside.
Wisemans Ferry in the rain
Tomorrow will be the final stint into Sydney and my Tour de NSW will be over.
Archive for the ‘Australia’ Category
Day 27. 0km. Wisemans Ferry
Posted: November 7, 2020 in Australia, Cycling, NSWTags: Australia, Cycling, NSW, Wisemans Ferry
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Tomorrow will be the final stint into Sydney and my Tour de NSW will be over.
Day 26. 113km. Broke – Wisemans Ferry
Posted: November 6, 2020 in Australia, Cycling, NSWTags: Aussievelo, Australia, Broke, Cycling, NSW, Wisemans Ferry
Vineyards, shady river gorges, cute little villages and motorbikes – out to enjoy the road in the beautiful sun. Oh, and there was a lot of up and down.
On the way to Wisemans Ferry
On the way to Wisemans Ferry
On the way to Wisemans Ferry
On the way to Wisemans Ferry
Vineyard in the early morning
Scones, jam and cream at Wollambi
Motorbikes day out at Laguna
The road to St Albans
The road to St Albans
The road to St Albans
The road to St Albans
St Albans pub
St Albans pub
The last 20km to Wisemans Ferry was on bitumen, but remained up and down, and I was knackered. Beautiful, green scenery.
Horses on the way to Wisemans Ferry
Tomorrow will be miserable, wet weather, so it’s my final rest day before the last leg back to Sydney. My Tour de NSW is almost over..
Day 25. 101km. Sandy Hollow – Broke
Posted: November 5, 2020 in Australia, Cycling, NSWTags: Aussievelo, Australia, Broke, Cycling, NSW, Sandy Hollow
Up and down. Headwind. Coal mines. Busy roads with coal trucks. Flat tyre. But also a side road through the hills. A taste of the national park to come.
The side road starts to climb
The main road started with a ‘good morning’ two steep climbs to Denman. I was hungry again after only cycling 16km. I decided to leave the main road with its traffic and noise, and took a side road through farmland and vineyards.
Vineyards
Farmland
With the constant headwind, the going was slow.
Then the road moved into the hills and felt more wild – no farming but just nature.
Into the hills
Back to the main road, it was noisy, hilly, hot and ugly. Huge open cut coal mines were on both sides of the road and the coal trucks plied the road at great speed.
10km out of the town of Broke, I noticed my tyre was flat. Only a slow leak, so with regular pumping, I crawled into Broke.
Changing the tyre
Everything is set for a cycle through the Yengo National Park to Wisemans Ferry, where I will stay for two nights, waiting out the rain. From there, it’s just a day to Sydney. Almost home.
Day 24. 121km. Ulan – Sandy Hollow
Posted: November 4, 2020 in Australia, Cycling, NSWTags: Aussievelo, Australia, Cycling, NSW, Sandy Hollow, Ulan
The Bylong Valley Road is stunning as it winds its way between rocky escarpments and peaks, following the Goulburn River. I cycled this road, bathed in glorious sunshine.
The Bylong Valley Way
Well, actually, I spent 25km cycling along the perimeter of the Wilpinjong coal mine. The other side of the fence was another planet. An expanse of black, plied by huge lorries, bringing the black chunks to be transported on the endless coal trains.
Coal mine
Coal mine
Coal mine
The road followed the train line full of endless trains transporting the black coal.
Coal train
But, after Bylong – a beautiful little village – the coal mines passed into a distant memory.
Bylong village
Bylong village
Bylong Valley Way
Bylong Valley Way
Bylong Valley Way
Bylong Valley Way
Day 23. 71km. Dunedoo – Ulan
Posted: November 3, 2020 in Australia, Cycling, NSWTags: Australia, Cycling, Dunedoo, NSW, Ulan
I left the main road and it got hillier. I still haven’t reached the Bylong Valley Way, but am feeling tired. I stopped early at the mining pub in Ulan. Some sleep was on the menu.
Could this be the highest point?
I continued to meet cyclists on the Central West Cycling Trail. First yesterday in Ballimore, this morning in Dunedoo and at lunch in Gulgong. It’s a 450km odd route through the area – sometimes self supported, sometimes run by a group. There are lots of cycle friendly shops en route. It seems to be taking off. I hope more of this cycle tourism becomes popular.
I took a little side road to Gulgong. It was very pleasant, but I soon realised why the kilometre tally is less in the hills. Steep up and down is slow going.
The road to Gulgong
The road to Gulgong
The road to Gulgong
The pub at Ulan was pretty quiet. They opened at 4 and closed at 8 because of the lack of people. Just a few people popped in to get a beer for the road.
Day 22. 134km. Narromine – Dunedoo
Posted: November 2, 2020 in Australia, Cycling, NSWTags: Aussievelo, Australia, Cycling, Dunedoo, Narromine, NSW
The warning was for potential extreme thunderstorms. I missed them, although I did have a race against pelting rain. I wheeled my bike into my Dunedoo hotel room 5 minutes before the heavens opened.
The black sky
It’s nice to have roads with bends in them. Bends and crests. The farmland has started and the rolling countryside. The weather was cool, with the odd spot of rain – mostly when I was undercover. A handy tailwind made it all the more pleasant.
25km to Dunedoo
I stopped to replace my hopelessly scratched sunglasses in Dubbo, and for a bite to eat in Ballimore. Nice pub.
Some research has popped up the Bylong Way. I’ll be heading there tomorrow.
Day 21. 128km. Nyngan – Narromine
Posted: November 1, 2020 in Australia, Cycling, NSWTags: Aussievelo, Australia, Cycling, Narromine, NSW, Nyngan
Wind can be frustrating and wind can be joyous. 60km without a bend in the road and a side/head wind is arduous. The same wind as a tailwind brings joy. All in the set of dark clouds and blue sky.
Side/head wind
Nevertire
There was a hailstorm while I was in the pub at Nevertire. Post-storm, and after a slight bend in the road, I got a slight component of tailwind. As the day continued, this turned into a full-on 100% tailwind. My crawling at 12km/h turned into a cruising 30km/h. My frustration turned into joy.
The same place – the view in front
The same place – the view behind
Day 20. 133km. Cobar – Nyngan
Posted: October 31, 2020 in Australia, Cycling, NSWTags: Aussievelo, Australia, Cobar, Cycling, NSW, Nyngan
Today I rode through showers of grasshoppers. Constant streams blew with the wind, and when I had a tailwind, I rode with the grasshoppers.
The grasshoppers
I have left the outback. Big trees were everywhere. I even passed my first wheatfield in a long while. After some initial undulations, the road became flat and dead straight – as far as the eye could see, and then some. Running parallel was the train line. I regularly went to check for trains.
Check for trains
Check for trains
Not sure where to next. My mad dash out of the outback is over. I’ll probably head to Dubbo tomorrow.
Day 19. 161km. Emmdale – Cobar
Posted: October 30, 2020 in Australia, Cycling, NSWTags: Aussievelo, Australia, Cobar, Cycling, Emmdale, NSW
Today I felt tired. Tired until the final sprint. I turned around and there it was – the thunderstorm from hell. And the tailwind to go with it. 60km in 2 hours to Cobar.
Thunderstorm
The wind was meant to be a tailwind, but it didn’t know what it wanted. The road undulated, climbing slowly towards Cobar. I didn’t have the energy to fight the wind, so I crawled along. I slept for half an hour at each of the rest stops.
The road to Cobar
Afternoon nap
The last rest stop was 62km from Cobar. I wanted to get a bit closer, and headed off around 5 to do a few kilometres before setting up camp.
Before long I turned around. Behind me was black. The friendly sky in front was not reflected behind. A big storm was rolling in. Suddenly the wind picked up. The air smelt of storm. The wind was 100% in the direction of Cobar. So I took it.
Travelling at 40kmh, I realised that Cobar was reachable this evening – and looking at the storm – I really should reach it.
For 2 hours I rode the wind. The undulations made no difference. The wind blew me up anything. I arrived in Cobar at 7. With all hotels booked, it’s airbnb for me.
Day 18. 102km. Wilcannia – Emmdale
Posted: October 29, 2020 in Australia, Cycling, NSWTags: Aussievelo, Australia, Cycling, Emmdale, Wilcannia
‘I grew up here and now live in Newcastle. I’m here to buy the house I grew up in,’ said the lady camping next to me in Wilcannia. ‘Properties with derelict houses sell for $600 – yes – less than one grand. Ones with good houses go for $10,000.’
My jaw dropped.
The road to Cobar
After pushing through 200km to Wilcannia yesterday, today I was lethargic. I only had 100km to do and was in no hurry to do them. The road climbed a hundred metres which was slow. I stopped at the nice reststop half way for ages.
More trees today
I walked in to the Emmdale Roadhouse.
‘I hate it here,’ said the owner. ‘I’ve been here 4 years and my wife 10. Can’t wait to get out.’
He looked at me perplexed with my bike. Not in an amused way. In a way, like, this guy is crazy but as long as he pays, I’m ok with it.
‘We’re making shitloads of money here,’ he said.
On talking to them I understand why they’re so frustrated. Legal disputes with the neighbour so they can’t sell. Stuck a long way from the grandchildren.
The wind is looking good, so Cobar may be on the cards for tomorrow.
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