Day 3 - Tough going in the Tablelands

Sun and a truck, in case you were wondering

Today was the day the ride got real. When planning to undertake a trip like this you have to be a bit bullish/blasé/idiotic about advice you’re given, otherwise you’d never even buy the flight. But there is always a moment when it suddenly gets serious and you realise you can’t be bullish, blasé or idiotic when it’s really on, or else this thing is going to get the better of you.

Realistically the most likely worse case that can happen is I throw in towel, thumb down a passing lorry, call the whole thing off and sit on Bondi for 4 weeks. Like to think I’d call it off before it got proper proper dangerous, but dented pride is no small matter. So today was about being shaken out of my happy go lucky stupor and starting to take the whole thing slightly more seriously.

Vineyards in the Southern Highlands

It all started in a pretty relaxed. 07:15 on the road after a great coffee and porridge with the weekly Telegraph (it was that or the Express!) in Mittagong. Bar a few sharp hills early doors it was cool, over cast and more downhill than up, cruising along the Illawarra Highway through the Southern Highlands. All wine farms and classic Aussie rolling brown countryside under an overcast sky.

Was feeling pretty confident as I hit the Hume motorway, but rapidly my piss poor planning unstuck the whole day’s schedule to make Goulburn by 11:00, pick up a couple of things (new card reader, extra spare tyres etc) and push on to Yass. Two things became very clear very rapidly. I am not out on the plains yet, it’s still hilly, and it gets very hot here. Obvious I know, but there you go.

As the minutes ticked by on sweaty climb after sweaty climb up the motorway hard shoulder, I started to question the delayed leave from Mittagong, pleasant as it was. Rapidly I clocked my time frame to complete the first proper crossing of 50 miles between Goulburn and Yass without services or shops in the afternoon was narrowing from the planned 8hrs to barely 5.5hrs.

In temperatures heading towards 40C it just didn’t seem sensible to race on, especially as my left pedal has started to make an unnerving click sound every rotation. On top of that my forearms got beasted in the sun yesterday, after months with little more than a computer screen to give them colour. The midday heat was agonising beating down on my bright red trotters and factor 50 sun cream was offering little relief.

Rocking heart of Goulburn, prizes if you spot the baby blue bum bag

At 13:30 I rolled into Goulburn, a mere 52 miles into my planned 104 miles. I was frankly a little shaken and frustratingly resigned to the fact I needed to stop there for the day.

In hindsight it’s been a good decision. The last town of real size before Griffith, Goulburn had everything I needed. An electrical shop for new plugs and readers, a Coles supermarket for my early breakfast tomorrow, a K Mart for 2 long sleeve T-Shirts to cover my arms, and a brilliant bike shop cum café bizarrely called the Greengrocers.

A good place

In the Greengrocers they looked at my pedal and gears for free. The mechanic insisted, being a cycle tourer himself. He had some good tips for the road up to Griffith, and was generally great company. And the café was also spot on, and sorted me out with a delicious lunch.

Goulburn itself is the first proper country town I’ve come across. The accents are noticeably stronger, as is the quality “bugger the rest of you” approach to life (especially regarding dress sense – Pink side split running shorts with baby blue bum bag on a 70 year old, leopard print hair on the bank teller, that kind of thing). And it’s all the better for it. It’s a gloriously sun dried version of the best of British/Irish small town eccentricity. I approve thoroughly.

I’ve spent the rest of the day getting my plans a lot tighter for the next few days, and rethinking my daily schedule, diet etc. Basically being a bit more grown up about things.

With the current heatwave predicted to break on Saturday, I’m just going to have to work round it up to Griffith. I’ve attached a new rear light for early morning riding, and have scouted stops for 12:00 – 15:00 every day, so I’m not riding in the full on heat of the day.

Let’s see how it goes, but very glad to have had the wake up call this early in the trip.

Miles: 52 – Mittagong, Bowral, Moss Vale, Goulburn

Breakfast – A banana, Porridge and coffee in a café by the post office. Very civilised, if subsequently disruptive

Lunch – Ham salad wrap, quality potato and pumpkin salad, homemade yogurt with fruit

Supper – Big bowl of veggie pasta from room service at the Comfort Inn. Surprisingly delicious and virtuous.