Archive for the ‘Cycling’ Category

Social distancing in Croydon

Posted: June 24, 2022 in Australia, Cycling, Queensland
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I was watching the sunrise when my phone pinged. It was a photo of a positive RAT test. My friend Elizabeth, who I was here to visit, just tested positive for COVID.

Socially distancing in Croydon

We had spent the evening together (in the open air) and I had slept on her living room floor. I had 2 days visiting the poorly Elizabeth and testing myself for COVID.

Watching sunsets is a favourite pasttime in Croydon. I let the GoPro capture it while I consumed dinner at the pub.

The GoPro captured sunset
Watching from the pub
Watching from the pub

I passed 84,000km on the bike doing errands around Croydon. I celebrated it, socially distanced, with Elizabeth and a banana cake.

84,000km

An evening sunset train ride was a highlight as a German guy walked past with a trolley he has pulled all the way from Germany. I met the same guy in 2018 walking up Khardung La high pass at around 5000m altitude. This time he was circumnavigating Australia.

The Gulflander train
On the train with Elizabeth’s friend Sarah
Meeting the German walker
Meeting the German walker

All is set for my onward journey to Normanton and Karumba. Without Elizabeth. Sorry that she will miss out on our luxury shoreline apartment and our luxury sunset boat trip.

I am still COVID negative. Let’s hope it stays that way.

COVID negative

Day 9. 129km. Cumberland Chimney – Croydon

Posted: June 23, 2022 in Australia, Cycling, Queensland
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Going to bed at 7.30pm means you get up at 3.30am and start riding at 5. It’s beautiful gliding along the outback road at night under the starry heavens. Slowly the horizon turns a firey orange, the birds explode in a chorus, and the day begins.

The day begins

The sun still had it’s morning orange glow when I arrived at the sandy Gilbert River.

Gilbert River
Gilbert River
Gilbert River
Gilbert River

I reached Croydon by 2.30 – the goal of the trip. My friend Elizabeth has moved here and I wanted to see her new home. I love these outback towns – a few rows of streets, a pub, a shop and a service station. And a long way to the next town. Its time for a rest. My body is tired.

Croydon

Day 8. 84km. Talaroo Hot Springs – Cumberland Chimney

Posted: June 22, 2022 in Australia, Cycling, Queensland
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He ran to me – the long bearded road worker – waving me to stop. ‘Take this!’ He gave me a Red Bull. ”You’ll need this as you’re going out into f*ing nowhere.”

Red Bull for f*ing nowhere

Today started early with sunrise at the river and then a leisurely tour of the Tarloo Hot Springs with our aboriginal guide Evine. She told the history of the springs, including the multiple times the white fellas promoted it’s healing waters. The springs were rearranged with concrete to show for it. Now the Aboriginal traditional owners are back in control and are aiming for sustainable tourism.

Sunrise at the river
Sunrise at the river
Tarloo Hot Springs
Tarloo Hot Springs
Tarloo Hot Springs

Trying to book my tour at Cobbold Gorge, I was told they were booked out. I soon realised I actually liked this and felt relieved I didn’t need to make a mad dash to see them and be in Croydon on time. When Cobbold Gorge rang back to say they had a cancellation and that I should come, I declined. I’m up for a rest day in Croydon.

Road to Georgetown
Road to Georgetown
Not far to Croydon now

I’m staying at a lovely dam filled with birds. I’m not the only one here, though. Its pretty busy..

Cumberland Chimney
Cumberland Chimney

Day 7. 52km Mount Surprise – Talaroo Hot Springs

Posted: June 21, 2022 in Australia, Cycling, Queensland
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“Dettol will kill them. Knocks ’em over.” He then got up and slapped it with his thong. And then again. Picking it up from by the hind leg, he lay it on some flat ground and gave it one final deadly blow. I had just witnessed the death of my first cane toad.

The road to Talaroo Hot Springs

Today started with a bus ride back to where I had ridden yesterday. I joined the tour group as they scaled a volcanic crater with a nice view over the surrounding landscape.

The view from the crater rim

The group then gingerly made its way into an amazing network of cylindrical tunnels formed by lava. There are over 150km of these tubes. We had a quick glimpse of them.

Entering into the lava tube
Inside the lava tube
Inside the lava tube

These are the sort of places I would love to fossick around by myself. A huge network of tunnels to explore. As part of a group, our hour walking around the tubes was enough.

Back in Mount Surprise, after a quick lunch of their famous vanilla slice (raved about by many) and a sandwich, I was off again on my bike into the Australian bush.

The main road
Einasleigh River
Einasleigh River
Einasleigh River

Destination was Talaroo Hot Springs. I have only heard good things about them. It is an immaculate, new setup. I only had time for a glimpse of the river tonight. Tomorrow I’ll have more time as well as a tour of the springs.

Day 6. 149km. Woodleigh Station – Mount Surprise

Posted: June 20, 2022 in Australia, Cycling, Queensland
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Plans change, and I am surprised I ended in Mount Surprise. Tours to the lava tubes only run out of Mount Surprise, so I put my foot on the accelerator and was blown by a tailwind downhill to Mount Surprise.

My surprise welcome at Mount Surprise

It was slow going in the overcast weather, undulating landscape and headwind to Mount Garnet and then Pinnarendi Station.

New information. I don’t want to cycle to Einasleigh due to horrible corrigations. I do want to go to Mount Surprise tonight so I can join a tour to the lava tubes tomorrow morning. This required a speedy 71km which I did in under 3 hours. Thank you tailwind (after the road changed direction) and gradual downhill slope.

Mount Surprise

Day 5. 85km. Millaa Millaa – Woodleigh Station

Posted: June 19, 2022 in Australia, Cycling, Queensland
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Today caution won. I didn’t risk the slippery ledge alongside the waterfall, to the leech filled caves at Souita Falls. I didn’t try to sit on a mossy ledge in the middle of Pepina Falls. I did, however, find a very photogenic Little Millstream Falls, and am happy.

Little Millstream Falls

Today is the last of the low km days, meandering around looking at the sights. With only 50km to my next camp, I took some side trips.

Souita Falls was at the end of a dead end road, and right off the tourist radar. It is meant to be unspectacular unless you jump over the railing and make your way upstream to the upper of the two falls. With caves surrounding the pool under the waterfall, I was prepared to risk the leech infested waters to take some amazing photos. When I got there, I realised that the first 10m after jumping the railing was along a mossy, narrow ledge directly above the waterfall. This looked too risky, so I headed back.

Souita Falls
Souita Falls

The next waterfall was Pepina Falls. I have found a cool picture with a guy sitting on a ledge in the middle of the falls. I wanted to try that. Arriving there, I found the only way to get there was to scale the slippery rocks from below, or clamber down from the top of the falls through the tumbling water. I decided not to. I did get a leech attached to my foot for the effort.

Pepina Falls

The final falls were Little Millstream Falls near Ravenshoe. The little brother of Big Millstream Falls, unlike the brother, you can access the falls and the water for a swim. You can actually get close to the falls and sit and watch the water tumble down.

Little Millstream Falls

I’m camping at a beautiful spot on a river at Woodleigh Station near Innot Hot Springs. With a massive lawn under some gum trees, it’s a beautiful, quiet spot.

Woodleigh Station

A quick late afternoon swim in the hot spring pools was pleasant.

Innot Hot Springs
Innot Hot Springs

Tomorrow more haste than today.

Day 4. 71km. Millaa Millaa – waterfalls – Millaa Millaa

Posted: June 18, 2022 in Australia, Cycling, Queensland
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The sun was rising behind the thick cloud layer and the world slowly came to light. Noone around as I stared at the base of these amazing waterfalls. Today was waterfall day, and I ticked them off – Ellinjaa, Zillie, Millaa Millaa and Nandroya.

With tripod and phone I potter around at the base of the falls. Its a solitary and very satisfying activity, trying to get the best photo. Ellinjaa Waterfall is right in your face – very close. The spray envelopes the space at the bottom of the falls. The dim light meant for a longer exposure and a beautiful effect on the water gushing down to the pool below.

Ellinjaa Falls

Zillie Falls is my favourite – and amazing. A huge rush of water behind a line of massive boulders. Again, the air was swirling with spray.

Zillie Falls

Cross Millaa Millaa Falls off your to do list. It is the most popular and well known waterfall in the area, but I thought it was very underwhelming. Why is it popular? Near the main road. Easy access. Can’t think of any more reasons.

Millaa Millaa Falls

A big concrete slab in front of the pool is ideal for setting up tripods for photos. My phone suffered from this concrete slab. The tripod lost balance and came crashing down, causing the phone screen to hit the concrete.

The road to Nandroya Falls was a longer one. The falls are 500m below Millaa Millaa and the road had some long steep descents (which were ascents on the way home). The path to the falls goes through some beautiful lush rainforest, and, to my surprise, was perfect for cycling on.

Nandroya Falls
Nandroya Falls
Lower Nandroya Falls

A few more falls tomorrow and then its into the outback, and more kms to be covered in a day.

Day 3. 88km. Atherton – Millaa Millaa

Posted: June 17, 2022 in Australia, Cycling, Queensland
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“You can’t go there. Forensic are there laying tags. They took out a body.”

Road block

Usually you can cycle or at least push your bike through road closures. This time it wasn’t happening. This was a crime scene – a nasty car accident. It just meant turning around, going back where I had come from, and riding further up and down and up and down through the (beautiful) hills.

Millaa Millaa is really not very far from Atherton, and I wanted to stay overnight in Millaa Millaa. Soooo, I had lots of time on my hands today. This meant I followed signs to things that sounded interesting as well as taking a beeline to Lake Eacham and Lake Barrine – two volcanic crater lakes.

I did some bird watching at Hasties Swamp.

Hasties Swamp
Hasties Swamp

I marvelled at the curtain fig tree.

Curtain Fig Tree
Curtain Fig Tree
Curtain Fig Tree

And I swam in the (rather pleasantly warm) waters of Lake Eacham, followed by a loop of the lake.

Lake Eacham
Lake Eacham
Around Lake Eacham

I had Devonshire Tea at the famous tea house looking out over Lake Barrine. I sat perched on a beautiful balcony looking out over the glistening waters of the lake.

Lake Barrine
Lake Barrine

I was glad when I arrived at Millaa Millaa Hotel. I was knackered.

Day 2. 99km. Turtle Cove – Atherton

Posted: June 16, 2022 in Australia, Cycling, Queensland
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Today was snake day. I passed a snake lying on the road, warming itself in the sun. Another slithered away from the side as I passed. From then on I heard rustles of leaves everywhere. It’s good having snakes around. It means the road is not busy. Quaid Road from the coast up to the tablelands was closed to traffic, and I was the only one there, cycling through the forest.

Snake number 1
Cycling through the forest

Thanks to the Cairns Cycling Group Rides Facebook group for recommending Quaid Road to climb out from the coast. It was a beautiful bitumen road passing through the dense rain forest which, over time, opened out into savannah landscape.

It joined the main road at a beautiful swampy lake, and from there was a rather uninspiring main road.

Quaids Dam

Five km out of Atherton I was looking at my map when a young lady came up to me and said she was also a cyclist. She recommended I take the Atherton Rail Trail into Atherton which followed an old train line. It was much quieter and pleasant.

Atherton Rail Trail

At dinner I met some more people that like cycling. I have a nice lunch option for the day after tomorrow at a bio dairy.

Day 1. 60km. Cairns – Turtle Cove

Posted: June 15, 2022 in Australia, Cycling
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In French the word for clumsy is maladroit (bad with your right hand). I told this to a friend once in France. He said I was malagauche too (bad with my left hand). It took me two hours to assemble my bike from the bike box. The configuration of the baggage carrier and mudguard flummoxed me. But now the bike is in one piece and ready to go. Croydon and my friend Elizabeth – here I come!

Kilometre 0 in Cairns

I have known about Turtle Cove Resort near Cairns for a long time but have never been. Cycling out to see my friend Elizabeth, Cairns is the obvious place to start and so Turtle Cove – although a detour – was on the itinerary.

Palm Cove
Palm Cove
Palm Cove
Palm Cove
Palm Cove

While watching out for the crocs.

Croc warning

And stepping through the cairns of rocks.

Rock cairns

Locked into the resort as the iron man competition closed the road, it was a time to chill before the start of the bike trip proper. Some photos at sunrise and a scramble over the rocks exploring with a couple of Canadians.

Turtle Cove at sunrise
Turtle Cove at sunrise
Turtle Cove at sunrise

 Thanks to the amazing team and guests at Turtle Cove Resort. A lot of fun was had – quite a contrasting experience to the rest of my upcoming trip. I doubt I will be doing any pole dancing further west on this trip.

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