Posts Tagged ‘Aussievelo’

Day 5. 95km. Manildra – Bogan Gate

Posted: October 16, 2020 in Australia, Cycling, NSW
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The scenery has changed. One side of Parkes it was still rolling hills, and the other, the scenery became flat, and although it had a rain-induced covering of purple, it felt harsher. I am approaching the outback.

Flat and purple tinged

Flat and purple tinged

Parkes is famous for its radio telescope that played a part in the 1969 lunar landing and starred in the 2000 film ‘The Dish’. I didn’t go there – it was an hour’s cycle off my route. Parkes is also famous for its Elvis Presley festival. I passed something that was probably part of that – Elvis and a rusty car in the purple field.

Elvis and the car

Elvis and the car

Elvis and the car

Elvis and the car

I am staying at a pretty much abandoned town – Bogan Gate. At the end of the Bogan Way, this old railway town had a pub and cafe that have both closed due to COVID. I called before I left Parkes and they left a door to the hotel open. ‘Leave the money on the table before you go.’ The streets of this town are eerily empty.

Bogan Way

Bogan Way

Bogan Gate

Bogan Gate

Bogan Gate

Bogan Gate

Bogan Gate

Bogan Gate

I cooked some spaghetti sitting out on the verandah out the back. The dog and the cat watched on hungrily.

Hotel cooking

Hotel cooking

Hotel cooking

Hotel cooking

Day 4. 114km. Newbridge – Manildra

Posted: October 15, 2020 in Australia, Cycling, NSW
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Today I left my planned route to head for the big smoke of Orange. It was a day of unexpected encounters, ending the day eating roast chicken with Graham and Rita.

Graham and Rita

Graham and Rita


I often forget things. I leave things behind, only to discover it when it is too late. Last night I discovered that I had left my bike lock in Tarana, and so today I needed to go to Orange, leaving my Aussievelo cycle route.

The route stayed hilly. The rolling hills are usually covered in brown and yellow dead grass. Now, after the months of rain, it is all covered in a lush, thick cover of green. At times it reminded me of Tuscany in Italy.

The road to Orange

The road to Orange

The road to Orange

The road to Orange


In Orange I made a beeline to the bike shop to buy a lock. That’s where I ran in to Kate – a cyclist who has cycle toured all over the world. We ended up having a picnic lunch on the park lawns as she told me of her trips in Ethiopia and Tibet. She was there in the times it was possible to cycle to Mount Kailash unaccompanied.

In Manildra I was about to set up my tent in the caravan park when Rita came past and invited me to dinner. I joined them in front of their caravan after my glorious shower and clothes wash. We got talking about Rita’s rheumatoid arthritis, and I realised that she wasn’t being treated for it, but just taking an expensive homeopathic medicine. I had written all about rheumatoid arthritis as part of my work at NPS MedicineWise and convinced her to see her doctor.

The road to Orange

The road to Orange

Tomorrow on to Parkes and beyond. I’m told it will get a bit flatter.

Day 3. 90km. Tarana – Newbridge

Posted: October 14, 2020 in Australia, Cycling, NSW
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It was a cycle through the dark, and then up the very well maintained stairs in the first morning light to the jumble of massive boulders on the top. Lots of gaps and holes to crawl through. Lots to explore next time.

Evans Crown

Evans Crown


Matt the cyclist I met in Leura gave me a tip. While in Tarana, go to Evans Crown at sunrise. I watched the sun poke above the opposite hill as I sat on one of the boulders perched above the valley. Spectacular.

Evans Crown

Evans Crown

Evans Crown

Evans Crown


At 8:30 I finally left Tarana and followed a creek and the train line, climbing up over hills where there train line skirted around the edge. It was a beautiful, peaceful road, super lush and green. Peaceful except for the magpies that squarked and swooped. Nothing like yesterday’s attempt at my eyes though.

The road to Bathurst

The road to Bathurst

The road to Bathurst

The road to Bathurst

The road to Bathurst

The road to Bathurst


The pub in Newbridge is being renovated. No rooms. No food. They have beer though. Had a nice chat with Bob. I’m cycling through a massive volcano crater that stretches from Parkes to Bathurst, apparently. Learn something new every day. 🙂

The pub at Newbridge

The pub at Newbridge

Day 2. 77km. Leura – Tarana

Posted: October 13, 2020 in Australia, Cycling, NSW
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When I hear a snap I know its another magpie crashing into my helmet. One even tried his best to get behind my sunglasses brushing my face with a ruffle of feathers. Today was a hilly affair through some beautiful county.

One of the hills

One of the hills

It was goodbye to my friends in Leura this morning as I headed off into adventure. Its always great spending a weekend with them chatting and sitting in front of their beautiful outside fireplace.

Leaving Leura

Leaving Leura

I had gone all of 1km when I ran into 2 cyclists on racing bikes. Being locals, they know the lay of the land, and what was before me. They warned that it was steep and hilly, and it was. I rushed down the hill to Hartley Vale and rolled through the rich green fields. You can tell that it has rained a lot and everything looks so vibrant. The local pub in Hartley Vale looked rustic and well maintained, but closed. The climb out to Lithgow was a killer for my untrained legs.

Hartley Vale

Hartley Vale

Hartley Vale

Hartley Vale

I’m camping in the little village of Tarana and having a huge meal in the pub. These hills make you hungry.

Spot my tent

Spot my tent

Sunset at Tarana

Sunset at Tarana

Day 1. 105km. Wolli Creek – Leura

Posted: October 12, 2020 in Australia, Cycling, NSW
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Kookaburras and cicadas. Starting a cycle tour from my front door rather than catching a plane to a faraway destination means the sounds are familiar. Kookaburras laughed all through the day. The cicadas chirped.

The cicadas chirped

The cicadas chirped

Today I cheated. I pulled myself and my bike up to 900m altitude. My partner took my luggage in the car. My new COVID body isn’t what it was. I don’t cycle to work every day and I didn’t want the day 1 muscle cramp I always get make me abort day 1. So I cheated.

Today was an early start, along the beautiful Cooks River bike trail in the dark, through the Rookwood Cemetery at dawn, and past the impressive Auburn mosque in the early morning light.

Cooks River in the dark

Cooks River in the dark

Rookwood Cemetry

Rookwood Cemetry

Auburn Mosque

Auburn Mosque

Then it was the main road to the bottom of the Blue Mountains, and mostly sides streets up to Leura where I spent the afternoon with friends in their beautiful garden, bursting with colour in the glorious sun. Thanks Stephen, Felix and Aaron for the wonderful end to day 1 of ‘Route de NSW’. Now the hard part starts – with luggage.

A burst of colour

A burst of colour

Thanks for the great evening!

Thanks for the great evening!

 

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