Easy Tiger

Moss Vale to Goulburn – 50 miles and 763m climbed

Goulburn to Canberra – 55 miles and 443m climbed

I have in my mind’s eye, as I was thinking about my tour, what a great campsite is and this was. Reluctantly I made a leisurely exit in the mist and set sail for Goulburn.

It’s hard to get fit for a 1,100 mile bike ride. I simply try and remain fit prior to departure knowing that I’ll survive or get fitter as the weeks elapse. However, yesterday was pleasing in that I got up the Macquarie Pass but it came at a cost, my legs were now sore. Today I wanted minimal climbing. So I opted to go down the motorway!

On most motorways in NSW you can ride on the hard shoulder. The shoulder is wide, usually swept although the proliferation on bolts, kangaroo carcasses (seven seen so far) and broken bungees are prolific. Of course road builders minimise the gradients and it’s an easier ride. Less comfortable are the vehicles passing on your right at 70mph plus but they’re a long way from you.

One really pleasant bonus was motorway services. Of course a nice roadside cafe with real filter coffee and home cooking may have been more desirable but a cheese and tomato sandwich and an air conditioned seating area are not difficult compromises.

Arriving in the medium sized Goulburn I found the centre and a ubiquitous Coles store. It seems that they and Woolworths have coverage of the country and, as supermarkets go, they’re quite well stocked. I ventured in and bought a meat pie, bread rolls, bananas and peaches for dinner. I then pedalled off in search of a campsite on the southern outskirts. I made a mess of the navigation here and found myself retracing my route up some unforgivably steep hills before the entrance came to view.

From here the weather made a challenge of washing clothes. It started very hot and sunny (good), became furiously windy and blew my coat hangers off the line (challenging) through to a heavy downpour (bad). I wash my used kit every night. I carry the concentrated washing liquid you use in your washing machines. A little goes a long way in a hand bowl.

As I’m carrying out my chores in the ‘Amenities’ block Terry comes into view. Terry’s a chatty 66 year old burly former miner. With his wife he pulls his caravan to a selection of sites camping for a few days before moving on. Like many retired folk he also has a part time job and his is driving a concrete mixer. It’s not for the money he says. He’s interested by my cycling and touring and it gives him the opportunity to tell me about his motorbike touring days and his e-bike that he hauls around on his truck. As the wind picks up and I worry that my lightweight tent may be picked up and disappear like a kite and so I have to breakaway. He seems disappointed.

Washing and dinner completed I found my way into my tent before 8pm and shortly thereafter I found myself looking at the inside of my eyelids.

Early to bed means early to rise. Early departures are cooler and can get you to your destination in good time. So with this in mind I was back on the saddle before 7.30am and again on the hard shoulder. Canberra offered a rest day and the meet up with a very old friend. In fact all the way back to 1973.

The legs were better and the route easier. In line with all the thought processes of a pessimist I rued the steady descent into Canberra knowing that my eventual northern exit meant a steady climb!

Eventually I left New South Wales entered Australian Capital Territory state and entered this large open city with wide cycle lanes. As the country’s capital it looks quite grand with lots of offices, probably many of them international and governmental organisations. Tonight was a hotel, yippee!