Vanderpants Oz Tour

Shit – these quotes are pretty fitting and i’m just picking them randomly. Ok so todays morning was met twith mum cooking omelettes, tomatoes toast and cheese – holy crap – YES PLEASE. I went shopping withTonnie as I need to stock up for a couple days and get some of the recipes I needed. I am using a cooking book sometimes when weather permits and I can be bothered and it’s from a couple that toured the world for a few years and I bought their cookbook as I need all the tips i can get. Bicycle touring can be pretty hard to motivate yourself to cook food at the end of a hard day plus you gotta think of recipes etc etc BUT I said to myself – i want to try to smash some recipes out and make it a bit exciting when possible. ANYWAY….. Purchased a few items and went back and spent like an hour reorganising my panniers hahaha. WTF I hear you say – well it takes a few weeks to find your groove and i’m only starting so give me a break ok 🙂

Breakfast was soooo good THANKS mum. It was time to set off (another goodbye). i didn’t think about all the goodbyes i’d be having and I won’t lie – they were realllly difficult. Especially saying good bye to Mum (love you mum). Saying goodbye to mum made me think about my youth and time with her and growing up in the house – it was so weird – you know, when i’m doing something so big – the thoughts just expand so big as well it’s crazy. It was the second emotional day of two so far.

It was forecast rain BUT i was so lucky that the clouds opened up and gave me sunshine all day with a tailwind. I don’t know if I could do these k’s so early on in the piece without wind in my favour to be honest so i’m very grateful.

I knew i had about an 80km day so i though victor was a good place for lunch. Found a spot overlooking the beach and cooked some eggs and had a egg and cheese burrito with chilli and S&P. Plus a nutella and peanut butter one too (why not – you only live once and I DETHERRRVE IT). After making one of my brews (pic below) it was time to pack up and head another 30kms to Milang. The dark clouds started to roll over a little and rain was looming. After riding along the encounter bay bike path which was soooooo frikkn amazing all the way to middleton it was time to head inshore a bit. As i was riding along the bike path i do remember feeling very lucky for what i am actually doing and watching the waves crash and the sun come out and then in my ears comes the song ‘dont you forget about me’ by Simple minds and of course i was in this awesome mood as the right moment came along – out pumps the fist as the laaaaaa laa la laaaaa starts playing (those of you from the 80’s know what i’m talking about). yup it was that cheesy – DEAL WITH IT.

As I am 40 years of age, I do suffer some ailments and this bike ride will not be all roses. I have a bung knee from football, two bulging discs (i said discs…but two would be awesome huh hahaha) and terrible hamstrings but I have learned how to deal with it all. Especially when touring…my legs want to smash a higher gear and go faster but my back says no as it shoots pain up my spine half the day … i learned to ease up one gear and take it easy. I am trying to do this tour without any pain medication as last tour i was using this stuff and it made my stomach not feel right – lets see how it goes. I’ll keep you posted.

Moving along – the day was superb and so was the cycling….I made it to Milang caravan park and feeling a bit sore still and my right knee is playing up. I played with my cycling shoes a little and moved the cleats (the metal bit at the bottom of my shoe that clips into the pedals) so see how that goes tomorrow. This caravan park is from the 70’sFOR SURE….it was funny because the as I rolled into the office I first saw what look like skelator from he-man but a female version. She looked 90 years old, drunk as a skunk, hiccuping every 2 seconds and the place smelled like cigarettes. I love it already – all the better my blog will be (that’s how I think now) – the weirder, the better, ALWAYS……anyway – then the husband walks in and they introduce themselves as BOB AND BETTY (of course it is)

Conversation went like this

Me: Hi can i please have an unpowered site for the night

Betty: how long (cough cough)

Me: One night please

Betty: (looks around to see what i’m driving)

Me: oh no i’m on a bicycle

Betty: you’re fukn crazy mate where you from

Me: oh Adelaide but i’m trying to ride around australia

betty: coughs again…..looks at Bob ……..

Bob: That’ll be 8 bux for you mate bcos you’re crazy i’ll give you a discount

Me: well thanks heaps i appreciate it

Betty: the code to toilet is xxxx and etc etc etc (then bob and betty get into an argument because the codes don’t work anymore and just open the bloody door and she’ll be right)

Me: Ok thank you i’ll work it out

Betty: I LOVE YA…YA MAD BAARRRRRRSTARD

Me: (awkward laugh) and gets the HELL outta there quick smart hahahahah

lotsa LOL.

Moving on – I cooked dinner and attempted my bean salad (corn, capsi, tuna, beans, cumin, S&P, honey) it was delish and then fried up some caramlised banana – holy shit it tasted soooooo gooooooood.

I’m now sitting in the bloody BBQ area with a million mosquitos around me (but i found an old burning mossie thingo which i cranked up – it’s helping)and now time to tuck in and enjoy my tent and mattress for the first time….seeya tomorrow peeps – Netflix and chill time for an hour and then time to zonk.

Vanderpants OUT