Vanderpants Oz Tour

Distance: Two days riding and one rest (yesss) – 135 km’s –
TOTAL = 3,230 km’s

Avg Spd: 17 over two days

Max Spd – 50

Saddle Time: 8hrs on the nose – Total Saddle time so far – 210:44

Elevation: 1,250 mtrs – AND HOT HOT – felt like 50 degrees coming from the road

Quote: The important thing in life is not the triumph but the struggle’ These are where we learn our lessons right?? I’ve always said that who I am through my toughest times really defines me and shows my true character. Reflecting back on tough times I think is really important and not to avoid it….that way we get to move past them and get stronger.

Song of the Day: Volcano Choir – Byegone – Just sounded so hopeful and flowy whilst riding along….check it out – Bon Iver is in it



Album of the Day: No Albums today – was mainly audiobooks and a couple songs and this one below kicks ass….

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Howdy readers,

It’s been a couple days and few hot ones at that (and more hot ones to come – some up to 43 so early starts and early finishes. This means 3-4am STARTS) blergggggg…..Anyway, I wanted to start by talking about that fact that this blog is becoming less about ‘i did this and I did that’ and more about the people I meet…they are really what’s been the most memorable so far. Well the things I see PLUS the people I meet and their stories. For instance, I was riding from Gundagai and Temporarily I was not in a good headspace e.g ‘i’m getting sick of this damn heat’ (i swear almost every day has been super super hot OR bucketing down with rain), ‘why can’t I get a place to sit down and relax (Flies or ants or something biting me)’, ‘damn my legs are sore’, ‘my feet are burning up from the heat on the road’, ‘these flies…..i’m a About to crack a fruity’ hahahaha so these are temporary things right but day in and day out they can get to you if you let it HOWEVER…..it seems as though someone always picks me up right at the right moment So far in this trip for instance, meet Paul and RJ….

I was starting to get a bit down then I saw this man lying down on the side of the road so of course I had to stop and talk to him and see what’s goin on. I was blown away with his story. Paul’s daughter committed suicide In Nov 18 at the young age of 32. Paul said he felt helpless and didn’t know what to do so he made himself a cart, grabbed RJ (short for ‘Real Joy’) and started walking. He said to me that he lost faith in humanity and over the course of his trip he is gaining some of that faith back due to all the great people he has met along the way who have helped him and it has also helped to the clear his mind more. People who have helped him improve his cart, give him water, help his cause, make a sign for him etc etc’. It is ironic that I was talking about this on my last post about ‘r u ok’ and having that conversation with the person next to you and to not be afraid to delve into what seems like a difficult conversation but really it isn’t……use those ears and mean it……life is short people. As I woke up and took off that ‘R U OK’ was still in my head from the blog before and then I meet Paul and RJ. Paul and RJ are walking from Adelaide to Canberra (parliament house) to raise awareness for suicide prevention (And mental health in general) and hopefully change a few things regarding awareness and prevention…..Thank you Paul for sharing your story with me…I felt quite emotional for some time after that and pedaled in silence and no more stupid thoughts were in my head about trivial problems we all have. There are three things that shut my mind up cycling from the day to day problems and they are…….Stories like this……..hills…….rain….Nothing makes my mind quiet and feel more greatful than keeping the positive things in life on the forefront of my mind. Paul said ‘it’s all about the what you choose to look at doesn’t it?’ – yes mate – 100% correct – i’ll continue to practice that thanks buddy.

If you want to see what he has been up to or sign his partition to stop suicide across the board visit here

Check out an article on what he is doing –
https://www.mamamia.com.au/paul-murcott-petition/

Sign the petition
https://www.change.org/p/austrailian-government-stop-suicide-across-the-board

My riding the last few days have been a mix of highway and small quiet roads. Learning from the things i’ve been reading – The Murrumbidgee River (meaning ‘big river’) 1,500 km’s – one of our biggest rivers And one in which i didn’t know much about has been a real little sneaky suprise for me – Gundagai have had a few floods In it’s history and i think it was 1852 when Gundagai was swept away and 89 people died (a third of the population). At times up to 12 meters.

It’s been amazing to cycle next to it for a few days and get a sense of how many people have relied on this for thousands and thousands of years. From Gundagai onwards, I look to my right and I see a dry deserted landScape and I look to my left and i see the lifeblood of the river running through the valley and like blood through veins I see a greenery that hugs the river and trees popping out everywhere it’s quite amazing to look at whilst cycling along in my own world on a minor road with hardly any traffic to speak of. Quite beautiful. As I said it was like looking at the lifeblood of the land and the veins of the country. You get a real good sense of how farmers rely on the water when talking to locals and seeing it first hand and slowly too.

as it’s so hot and the land is so harsh, stopping to cook a meal seems very unappealing and I feel like a bushman just pulling a packet out or a can of food and just eating straight from the tin e.g tuna, baked beans, beans in general, raw veggies to crunch on hahaha it’s now becoming just getting the nutrition in and not caring about the cooking factor hahaha. When I am in comfort I find myself cooking a nice meal and keeping some for the next lunch in bread or a wrap.

In Gundagai A couple came over and had a chat and asked if I wanted to spend dinner with their group and of course I was happy to a) have a chair to sit on haha and b) meet more people and eat food hahaha. A lovely group of people from Canberra and sharing stories again and having a few drinks and filling myself with food so thanks guys – had a great night but that 4am wakeup was pretty hard the next morning hahaha thanks again.

The next night was the same – Great convo – a group of caravanners who go to small towns who need the tourism $ and they were trying to get on the waiting list to go to Kangaroo Island to help out with fencing and cleanup…how cool is that…I helped him with some computer issues and before you know it…i’m in the group and laughing along and having a merry old time hahaha

we have some amazing people in this world people. There’s so many out there…I just have to remind myself to keep those glasses on as often as one can. i’m meeting so many people who are just ‘helpers and carers’ it’s been brilliant. Amongst the landscapes and the small towns etc, the people trump everything…..until i’m ready to escape for a bit of solo time on the bike again of course hahaha. It’s called a touring balance.

The things that stand out for me are the amazing little towns with such a life in them..you wouldn’t see it looking on the map. The old buildings, the stories that are now and was before, the locals, the chats, the pubs (7 of them in Cootamundra who knew haha) – I think 7 – there was 12 at some point haha. It’s been a very challenging adventure but I wouldn’t change it for anything – the pro’s far outweigh the tough times.

So the last few days have been a mix of hopping between towns, seeing some beautiful places and landscapes, meeting lovely people, suffering on the bike, loving the bike, stretching, eating, drinking, seeing where Don Bradman was born (great little museum in Cootamundra), waking up to beautiful sunrises and much more…The next few days will be around 38-43 degrees so I had to plot my water, towns and elevation carefully (with a mudmap that only I can understand hahah on the back of a napkin)

I was saying on Insta on Australia day that can one get any more Australian than an Australian riding his bicycle through Australia on Australia Day heading towards Gundagai, reading bushranger stories along the way (signboards) with a fly net on in the middle of summer – I THINK NOT.

I’ve also been outrunning smoke and fires and one started up again not that far from (far enough but a reminder that shit is still hitting the fan) me so I headed more north but still seeing smoke 100km’s away.

Had a great lunch at the RSL and now just chilling back in the caravan park prepping for tomorow e.g fixing bike (Rotating tyres, cleaning rims and brakes, chain clean, fix pedals etc etc) it’s amazing what this weather and road surface does to poor Thor – he is doing great though – I tell him that a lot when we talk.

This post was a bit allover the place but so is my mind and you just have to deal with it hahaha – see you soon peeps

Vanderpants OUT!!

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