Vanderpants Oz Tour

Distance: 55.87 k’s

Avg Spd: 14.1

Max Spd: 20.2

Time in Saddle: 4hr : 02 mins

Elevation Gain: bout nuthin -all flat

Quote: Change your thoughts and you change your results – So true – what you project is often what you attract isn’t it.

Ok wellllllll here we go. First of all I want to explain last night a little more as i don’t think I gave it justice. it was 38 as i arrived into campsite last night and OMG it was a stinker. There were no more towns for another 4 hours of cycling and I didn’t have that in my hammy tank so this little section off the main highway was it. There was no shade for ages (only little shrubs). As I stopped, the flies and ants were everywhere and the heat was intense and there was no way i was setting up my tent and sitting in it so all I could do was put a tarp over a shrub and crawl under it and do nothing for three hours – i swear i heard a lot of rattling around in that bush but i didn’t care haha. I waited for the sun to create some shade and i moved all my gear to it and setup camp – it was fine in the shade. I ended up cooking my calzone and I wouldn’t say it was a failure but i’d give it a 5.5 out of 10 but with the mozzies, flies and ants plus my sore hammies and exhaustion i’d give it an 8 :-). Base too thin was the problem and hurried the seal hehehe

Slept under the stars with no fly on the tent and it was nice not to have flies around me as I have been dreaming about them. Woke up at 5:30am and packed up my gear and without breakky (because i wanted to get out of that HELL HOLE of a place haha) and started pedaling. That wind – I know I harp on it but in all my years of cycling and touring these three days have been the hardest for sure. Lucky i planned my food and water (plus the hotel along the way) as I likened it to the nullabor. If you have a tailwind sure no problems. But i was speaking to a few people before this stretch saying there has been many rescues here from cyclists as it’s very unnasuming but nothing in between, no shade, no water – anyway – that aside – I cycled along until about 40 km’s when i looked into the air and thought there are no birds. I know why….Because they aren’t as bloody stupid as me. I saw ONE bird ….trying to fly against the wind – was not going anywhere and decided to head back (smarter than me) 🙂

My hamstrings were screaming at me to stop at 40 and that last 15km’s felt like 100. I had to stop every 1km and rest a bit. I was looking at my speedo and it said 43.1 then i thought surely another 2km’s has past………43.5 hahahahaha. God that was hard.

I finally made it to Kingston and had the compulsory photo

Fact of the day: Apparently the lobster was for sale and a WA company wanted to purchase it but a local philanthropist who owns a lot of salt creek farm purchased it as well as funded the hospital re roofing – there you go – fact (or gossip) o the day for ya.

PS – don’t sing with your mouth wide open like an opera singer whilst cycling because two bugs will fly down the back of your throat, hit yr gag reflex and make you vomit 🙂 hahaha true story.

So I found the nearest bakery and smashed some food and a delicious coffee and was just so happy to be there and was on the phone to karina (i needed a voice of reason to help me keep going thanks gherns xoxo) when a lady come up to me and said – ‘excuse me are you that long distance cyclist that i been hearing about along the coorong – you looked like you were suffering out there – would you like a hot shower, some food and a place to stay instead of that caravan park’ – i was beaten today and once again – the kindness of humans – along comes this stranger and offers me GLORY hahaha. I was like HELLLL YESSSSS!! Anyway it turns out we know someone in common in Adelaide (this world is a small place) I had to stock up at the supermarket first so I said i’ll be over in a minute. I quickly stopped at IGA and this old man in a gopher rocks up and i said ill look after it whilst he goes in. and then we’ll swap…..Anyway we both did our shopping and i said ‘did you find what you needed’ to which the reply was ‘yeah mayte but never what i wanted’ He asked where I was going and I said tomorrow is Robe and he says ‘HAH good fargin luck’ I said ‘ i know right – i’m hoping for a wind change’ He goes…..’I been hoping that for fargin years mayte hah fat chance’ as he rides off cackling to himself at 4 km’s an hour (faster than I can cycle against the wind these days lol). Anyway …..

So here I am – waiting for my dinner to be cooked, beer in hand, showered (first one in three days) – and chatting away about everything under the sun. Denise and Terry – you bloody legends – you made my day and gave me a reason to debunk the myth that aussies are not as tourist friendly as europeans – amazing end to one of the hardest couple days.

Vanderpants OUT

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