OCT 2, 2004
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It was still coming down in sheets when we got up in the morning and we
made the decision to pass on the Central Western Tour. There were supposed to be 8 riders on
this event, but 3 had already backed out in the last week, and one, who had said he would ride
some time ago, hadn't got back to the organizers recently, and wasn't there at the start (there
was a mention a few months back that he might ride all or part with us from Sydney to
Melbourne, but we don't know where he is).
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| Despite what was said on the internet, we found out that the Central Western Tour was not going to be supported after all ... so we would have ended up having to fend for ourselves in completely unfamiliar, and very remote, territory. With the weather as it was we couldn't sleep in the ditch (way too wet and cold, never mind the poisonous insect and snake-life here!!) and it was miles between places where we might have been able to find some sort of indoor accommodations, let alone food and water. The two riders who decided to do the ride were both Australians, they had support, and they had family in one of the towns along the way, so they should be OK as far as that goes; but neither of them has ever done anything nearly as long as this, so we hope they will be all right. We saw those two riders off, and returned to the Inn. |
| I am a little disappointed about missing that ride, but part of me is somewhat relieved too. I have been feeling quite disoriented ever since I got here and have been rushing around like mad trying to get things together, and get settled, and get my body's clock onto Australian time. I've also discovered that I am sadly out of shape as far as hills go!! Now I can just relax and ease into cycling in this country ... and learn how to climb hills! |
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| A little later we contacted Kevin who cycled over to the Inn and we cycled back to his place
where he offered us tea, and helped us out with maps etc. (a big thank you again!) We plan to
make our way to the coast later today ... it is supposed to become sunny and warm ... sometime ...
After we left Kevin and Hornsby, we went to Colloroy (~25 kms) on the ocean and I saw the ocean for the first time since I was a little girl, I think. It was quite beautiful. We stayed in a hostel there and had quite a hunt for food that night. There just isn't anything in Collory so we ended up with beans on toast from a 7-11. |
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