Off!

Sydney to Wollongong: 53 miles & 1,214m climbed

So after getting some sleep (after jet lag) and generally getting set eventually Friday morning saw me join the heavy rush hour traffic including workers and school drops.

Sydney is a busy place and it took me 2 hours and 350m of climbing alone to get out of the city and into the Royal Park. I could have stuck to the Princes Highway but it’s a dreary fast road although I was to join it the next day. There’s an unswept hard shoulder and there’s was no appeal as there’s nowt to see.

So I ventured into the park. The traffic was light but the climbing was ferocious. However, despite numerous weather forecasts the rain never appeared and in drenching humid conditions I trundled south.

Eventually I emerged on the coast and views were a sight for sore eyes. I’d had an earlier coffee ‘pit stop’ but this time I had a proper lunch, again with a sea view. Nutrition is always on mind. Frankly, you need to keep eating. You will ordinarily burn twice your usual calorie consumption by touring and so it’s all about eating what you see.

The cycle ride was fine and the legs didn’t like hills but they kept going. My road bike at home weighs c10kg. My loaded touring bike weighs over 30kg. It has more hears but such weight is immense and my average speed is a lot slower. The ride was straightforward up until they closed the road! There was an awful crash and it involved a very crushed truck at Stanwell Tops. I said to a policeman “I hope they’re okay”. He just shook his head.

As regards the diversion a lady appeared from out of a house and seeing my distress said “Aw mate…. No need to take diversion just follow this footpath”. I did and passed two grounded helicopters including an air ambulance and a selection of blocked, being ghouls, taking photos of the crash.

I seldom book camp sites, after all will I get there? However, being the weekend and the holiday season I did book one is Wollongong. This was expensive at A$50 for the night, a bit more than £25. All you get is a piece of grass and a free shower. Not much but the views nearby were special.

I have a lot to do when I arrive. Pitch the tent, shower, visit a supermarket to shop, cook, clean up and then set up my air bed, sleeping bag and clothes for tomorrow. It was dark around 8pm before I crawled inside my little castle.

However, some neighbouring tents partied until 2am. The site rules stipulate a 10pm curfew. There’s no sound insulation on a tent and I listened to an African tongue amid much hysterical laughter and raised voices as the alcohol kicked in. At 1am an Aussie visited the party and remonstrated. In fact they turned a boom box briefly then just carried on for another half hour before the women turned in and the men continued to talk until 2am. In the surrounding tents were fishermen looking to have an early start and a cyclist needing every piece of shut eye he could lay his hands on. More in the next blog!