Thursday, February 14 -- I traveled for nearly 30 hours to get to my destination in Australia. I left my place in Edmonton at about 4 pm, Mountain Standard time, February 14th, drove for an hour to the airport, arriving 2 hours early, checked in and all that, and flew for about 1.5 hours to Vancouver. I waited in Vancouver for a little over 3 hours, then flew for 15 hours across the Pacific to Sydney ... that was a long flight! I was in Sydney for a little over 3 hours, and then flew to Melbourne, another 1.5 hours. I arrived in Melbourne at almost 4 pm Australian Eastern Summer time, two days later, February 16th. And then there was the drive to Rowan's place.

The flight to Vancouver was fast ... I felt like we were up, and then landing almost immediately. I think I fell asleep on the lift-off which is always a good thing for me. I found a quiet place in the terminal where I landed in Vancouver, and read some of the assigned reading from one of my classes, then headed for my gate where I spent the next hour walking up and down and up and down and up and down ... I probably covered a kilometer or so in that terminal. What surprised me in a way, however, was the number of people who weren't walking or stretching or something. There were only a dozen or so of us hiking back and forth and pausing to stretch now and then, and the rest of the crowd waiting to board the plane were just sitting there, and were sitting there for somewhere in the neighborhood of 2 hours ... prior to a 15 hour flight.

While walking in the Vancouver Airport, I was fascinated by the sculptures. Many of them were excellent carvings in whalebone, and the highlight of the whole collection was a piece by Joe Nasogaluak - a Flying Shaman - Sedna composition titled "Catch The Spirit" carved out of a 6' 10" wide - Bowhead whale skull. It was just amazing!! There is a completely inadequate photo of it here: http://www.yvr.ca/guide/todo/art/ise1.asp

My plan was to take a Gravol (which have the power to put me right to sleep about half an hour after I take them, and also to settle my stomach) about half an hour before we were to board. So I did exactly that ... and then I kept walking and stretching. With about 10 minutes to go before boarding, we were informed it would be at least another half hour before we would be able to get on the plane. Then I really had to keep walking because the Gravol was taking effect. I just about fell asleep standing there at one point. By the time I boarded the plane, I was feeling half out of it, and after I was seated, I don't remember the next 2 to 3 hours. I have no memory of the pre-flight announcements, the take off, or whatever might have happened next. I was out.

I awoke when they were serving supper, ate, and returned to sleep. I awoke when they were serving a snack, ate, and returned to sleep. Evidently they came through to sell duty free stuff at some point in there too, but I have no memory of that. I did wake up for a little while to watch a movie (3:10 to Yuma), and then ... yep ... back to sleep. Just before they served breakfast, I woke up and stayed awake ... and then we landed about 3 hours later. So the flight didn't seem all that long to me. I'll be doing the Gravol trick on the way back too.

Customs in Sydney went fairly smoothly ... they had to open my bicycle box and have a look, but they were very good about that, and Machak survived the flight just fine. Now one thing I do need to mention ... if you fly into the Sydney airport, and are planning to catch a connecting flight to some other part of Australia, bring Australian money with you. You'll need money to take the shuttle bus to the domestic flight section (it is definitely too far to walk), and you'll need money for the trolleys. I met a couple from the Albury area who helped me onto and off of the shuttle bus, and assisted me with my trolley at the domestic departures area. Then I met another couple in line going somewhere in Melbourne, and she had her bicycle with her. :)

My flight to Melbourne seemed long ... I think I was getting tired and cranky by this point, and wanted to get there already.

Rowan met me at the Melbourne airport with a brightly colored van, and transported me to his place out in the country north of Melbourne, where we had Australian hamburgers for supper. Australian hamburgers are huge and contain meat patties, cheese, bacon, a fried egg, lettuce, tomato, pickles, and beetroot. They are an entire meal packed inside a very large bun. I lived on them for about a month the last time I was in Australia.

It's beautiful out here, it reminds me a little of the New England area of the US, only more jungle-like with large manferns and eucalyptus trees. It's warm, the skies are clear, and I can hear a multitude of birds.

Sunday, February 17 -- We were up early so we could return the colorful rental van. This was a bit of a process. When you're out in the country, transportation isn't as easy as hopping on the local LRT. We took my new bicycle and dropped it off in a nearby town where Rowan had already stashed one of his bicycles. Then we drove into another town to drop off the van. Then we took the bus from that town back to the town where our bicycles were, and we rode home.

Before riding home, however, I had to test and set up the bicycle. I am now the proud owner of a GT Avalanche 2.0 which Rowan picked up for me so I could have something to ride on some of the gravel roads and trails around here. Machak isn't suited for such things. This GT Avalanche 2.0 (who I have to name yet) seems like a good little bike, but will need a new saddle. My sitbones aren't quite that narrow.

The ride back was 15 kms ... my first ride in Australia in over 3 years! It was a great ride though ... generally downhill, warm, sunny, with lovely scenery. In the time it took me to set up my bicycle and ride home (an hour or so), I burnt my shoulders and arms. It doesn't take long when you're as white as snow and the sun is as intense as it is here. At least I will return home with some color!

The rest of the day was spent relaxing. I had a tough week or so prior to this trip trying to get a number of assignments completed and studying for two midterm exams. In addition to that, because I live in two place, I had to pack for my trip, pack for the week up in Edmonton, and pack for when I return. I felt like I was on a Randonnee, and got just about as much sleep as I do on one. Add that to jet lag, and I don't have a lot of energy yet.

Monday, February 18 -- It's peaceful out here with no one around but two cats, a dog, several horses, a goat, some chickens (chooks), and trees full of magpies, kookaburras, cockatoos, and several other birds. I enjoy being away from people.

Rowan had to work today, and I have some homework to do, so I updated my website, then took a stroll around the property. Then I settled down in the sun to read ... only half an hour in the sun, and already I was lightly burnt. I tried to get some shots of the kookaburras, but they are elusive. Noisy, but elusive, and I patted and talked to the horses. I returned to my homework, this time in the shade. BTW - it got to about 30C today.

Have any of you ever had the joy of trying to wade through one of John Law's books? I don't know if all his writing is like this, but I can only take it a bit at a time. I guess I'm too practical or something. I like people to state what they are talking about in plain English ... but this entire book is one big metaphor.

In the evening, after Rowan got back, we went mountain biking so I could test out my new bike, and my very weak mountain biking skills. I have probably been mountain biking about 10-20 times in my life (I can't remember how many, but it wasn't a lot), and at least half of those times were snowbiking, which I enjoy. I can sort of let myself go out there with snowbiking because if I crash, I've got all sorts of layers on, and I will land in snow which is usually relatively soft. The injury potential is relatively low. However, it has been years since I've had the opportunity to do either snowbiking or regular mountain biking.

We probably only did about 3 kms, but it was a workout! We headed up into the bush toward the base of the mountain in the photo (Cathedral Mountain), cycled around some trails there, and back. I was off and walking at just about every significant (in my estimation) obstruction, but I surprised myself and Rowan by remaining on the bicycle for one particular drop ... and remaining upright and still pedalling! I'm definitely not about to enter a mountain bike race, but it was a relatively successful trip for me with my limited mountain biking experiences.

Tuesday, February 19 -- It's another sunny, warm, peaceful day out here, although there are one or two people around today. Rowan is off at work again, and in a little while I will find a sunny location where I will bask (this time with a bit more sunscreen on) and continue my wade through John Law's book.

I completed the last of my "essential" homework ... the stuff that is due while I'm on my trip ... and have sent it off. I've got a bit more I should look at before we start the actual touring part of the trip, and I think I'll do that tomorrow. The joys of being a student!

Today, I did not burn myself, but I have added to my tan. If all goes well, I should be nice and brown when I return. I am trying to be careful out here ... that sun is intense! Half an hour in the sun, and I've got a noticeable tan, anything more than that, and I'm burnt.

When Rowan returned today, we took a spin into the nearby town, Taggerty, to do a little shopping. Taggerty is a 15 km round trip away and was a lovely ride in the evening. I had put Machak together so this was a test spin for him to see how well he operated. All was good except that I need to find my computer, and I need to put the mirror on the other side. We ride (and drive) on the left here). I took care of these things when we returned. I've also got a bit of a rattle, but I'm not sure if it is my front fender (I removed my rear one last summer and haven't put it back on again), or my pump ... or something else I haven't identified.

Wednesday, February 20 -- Today is overcast, cooler, and drizzly ... but I'm used to these conditions! In fact, this is what I think of when I think of this part of Australia! The last time I was here, I spent the first two months cycling from Sydney to Melbourne, in the Melbourne area, and in Tasmania, and it was often overcast, cool, and drizzly. But cooler here means something like the mid-20s ... not the minus 20s, so it's all good!

I think I'm pretty much caught up on homework etc. now, so I can relax a bit.

We went out on the trails toward Cathedral Mountain again, and Rowan got some shots of me with and on the mtn bike. I felt more comfortable with it this time, than I did a couple days ago. As you can see from the photos, it is a bit cooler here today.

Thursday, February 21 -- Today Rowan and I decided to go to Lake Eildon for a picnic. Lake Eildon is about 35 kms away, and is a touristy area. The lake was created by a dam, and the area is used for boating, fishing, camping, hiking, and so on. http://www.lakeeildon.com/

It was a lovely morning when we set off. The temperature was pleasant, and the traffic on the roads was light. We stopped to take a photo of Cathedral Mountain from a different angle.

There are several nice little towns along the way, and we stopped in Eildon just before the lake to pick up a few things for the picnic. I noticed that all of these towns have schools in them. The schools are small, but if I were to teach in a school, I think I'd prefer a small one.

From Eildon, we cycled up onto the dam where we had our picnic. There was hardly anyone about today, but I guess the area gets quite busy on the weekends. We had one dinner guest ... a melodic magpie. Rowan made delicious sandwiches with buns, boiled eggs, tuna, cheese, and tomatoes.

And then we cycled back. Rowan took me on a route beside the Goulburn River, the main irrigation artery for the Goulburn Valley which extends right to the Murray River and is one of Australia's "food bowls". The road is flat and scenic with the river on the one side, and hills on the other.

Then there is a slight climb into Thornton. I didn't know what was going on. I had been clipping along fairly well by the river, and all of a sudden I couldn't seem to maintain my speed anymore. Rowan told me after we got home that there was a very slight climb. Whew! I thought something was wrong.

However, at some point between Thornton and Taggerty, the heat started to get to me. I guess I'm not quite acclimatized yet, despite the fact that I feel chilly when the temps drop below +20C. We sprinted from a little yappy dog (GRRRR!), and I developed a headache at the back of my head ... a sure sign that the heat was bothering me. I crawled into Taggerty where Rowan found a shady spot and got us each an ice cream ... chocolate Billabongs. I drank more there too ... I had not been drinking nearly enough. It's easy to forget. Oh, but I did get to see a red and blue parrot (a rosella) fly across the road in front of me.

And then we came home, where I collapsed on the bed and napped for a while. The ride ended up being 74.75 kms ... my longest ride since January 2nd, when I did my January century!

I have sunburnt my wrists. This will leave some interesting tan lines!