Touring - I'm in OZ, anyone else?

Hi tourists,

Just giving you all a shout-out from Warnambool, I'm officially starting the "Great Ocean Road" tomorrow. After that, probably be in Tassie.

Anyone else rolling around in the southland?

Cheers,
Anna

Sweeeet. I'm jealous--happy riding and keep us posted on your adventures.

I've been there .... to Warnambool!! You'll enjoy the Great Ocean Road ... be prepared for a climb over Laver's Hill though!! :) Nice view from the top, and a little cafe there where you can get something to eat while you gaze out over the view. You can see the Grampians.

<<sigh>> I'm jealous. I wish I were in Australia right now too.

Don't forget to stop and see the 12 Apostles!! :) The first one is me with the 12 Apostles in the background, the next couple are pictures of the Great Ocean Road shoreline, then there's a shot of what the 12 Apostles look like now that one of them has collapsed, and then a few other scenic shots at different times of the day.

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Hi tourists,

Just giving you all a shout-out from Warnambool, I'm officially starting the "Great Ocean Road" tomorrow. After that, probably be in Tassie.

Anyone else rolling around in the southland?

Cheers,
Anna

nice ride ... great ocean road is a bit over-rated though ... it gets very busy towards the other end with all the development and the volume of traffic increases ... take the train from geelong to melbourne or bike across the bellarine peninsula and catch the ferry over to phillip island
the campsite at marengo is quite cool ... very relaxed and you get to go to sleep with the sound of the waves crashing over the reef just below the cliffs, awesome!

however, the west coast of new zealand is a much better ride ...

Howdy again...

Did the G.O.R. I'm in a 'burb of Geelong.

Hey Machka, I was at the 12 Apostle's visitor center, about to leave, and I saw a tourist bus with "Machka and Dave's Tours" on the windscreen! I took a picture of it for you... have to load it later though. Did you do the heli tour? Looks like it from those fab. pix of the coast. Laver's Hill was hard, but pales in comparison with the 10K into Torquay via Bells Beach... DO NOT FOLLOW THE LONELY PLANET ROUTE! three short hills... topping out at 15% grade. gasp.

Hoogie, I agree the ride is slightly overrated- oregon coast and big sur were better, particularly with respect to being on the ocean side of the road. but it IS spectacular. I won't ride to Melbourne, I got really lucky with some friends I made in Mt. Arapiles (climbers are as nice as cycle tourists) and have a phat place to stay in Wallington, followed by a pickup from another climber friend and a drive back to Melbourne.

I had perfect weather for the last 2 days, cool with a tailwind. before that, it was 43 (celcius = 110 farenheit), I had to take a layover day at Pt. Campbell and go to the beach.

TOday I saw a fellow forum member on the road! I told him my name and he told me my last name! HOW COOL!!!

Hope to roll by some more of y'all in Tassie.

g'day...

anna

Don't tell me you're not coming to the most cycle friendly city in Australia.

Here in Perth we have the highest cyclist participation rate in the country.

Hey Valygrl - -

Glad to hear things are going well. Can't wait to see the photos of your trip. Hope you are staying cool - I hear it's a record-breaker down under this year. Lord, it's even toasty in Wyoming for January. Went for a hike in Little Yosemite this weekend. I wish you tailwinds and fabulous new friends and glorious sunsets at the close of every day.

Best - J

My best friend and I are planning a tour from Sydney to Cairns in a little over one year from now. I lived in Cairns for a year and I"ve been really itching to get back there. I'll be keeping tabs on this thread, good luck and have fun.

im not in Oz now, but I was. and I'm gonna go back, I think I wanna work as a messenger in Melb. for a bit then ride to perth and work there.

I was there for a year in 2001-2002 and wished I were there again. All I can say about Tassie is bring your walking shoes because the hiking there is nothing less than spectacular and you won't see it from a bike. I have done a lot of hiking and Maria Island and the Totem Pole, by Port Arthur, made the biggest impression of anything I have ever seen on foot or bike. Hard to describe 900 high cliffs going straight down to the ocean. The Totem Pole and the Monument especially. You won't regret it. Enjoy the ride.