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02-05-08, 10:00 PM
4 months into my Australian Odesey, a tour around Australia I find myself on an unsealed road along the Snowy river, called the intersate Barry Highway: in the bush in the middle of a huge thunderstorm, camped in a picnic spot on the Border of NSW and Victoria.
It's 2 am and the heavens are pouring down and the lightning is followed by cracks of thunder which echo around the valley. this part of Australia is known for huge forest fires, 2006 saw a front of 100km ablaze for 6 weeks. My plan is to head for the river and sit in it if a fire starts.
Several hours later after a little sleep I break camp and a van turns up, it is driven by a ?Kevin who I met the day before, he makes coffee for me, then we part company.
I cycle about 60 kms and stop to make lunch at Jacobs Creek, a german Sven gives me a beer for my birthday. After pasta mixed with packet soup and some pepsi I start the 12 mile climb to 1000 mtrs, on the roughest "road" I have seen outside of South America. Carved out of the cliff, rocky in places, and then loose gravel, followed by compact earth, wet with rain.
At a lookout at 894 mtrs I stop for a look at the amazing scenery, a van pulls in and gives me a fill of water and Rob tells me the address of his friend who lives on the road I am on.
About 25miles later I am very wet and very tired and should be near Rob's friends house, but no sign, after 6 or 7 more miles of pushing the bike and trailer up every little slope I come to I finally find Hobbitt Farm. A rough track leads into fields but no house is in view. 3 fields and gates later I am at the house, then a car comes through the last gate with me,
the guy driving was Kerry Packer's chef, he is a Swiss named Olly, and he has brought a pack of 30 bottles of beer for Michael ( Rob's mate), Michael's partner Coralee comes out of the house and welcomes me with " Hi George, Rob phoned to say you were on your way. We were worried as it was getting late so I was just coming out to look for you!" Then many beers are sunk for George's birthday
A shower, dry clothes, a good meal and a warm cozy bed to sleep in finish the day
I started alone and finished the day with several new friends
What a great day!!
george
It's 2 am and the heavens are pouring down and the lightning is followed by cracks of thunder which echo around the valley. this part of Australia is known for huge forest fires, 2006 saw a front of 100km ablaze for 6 weeks. My plan is to head for the river and sit in it if a fire starts.
Several hours later after a little sleep I break camp and a van turns up, it is driven by a ?Kevin who I met the day before, he makes coffee for me, then we part company.
I cycle about 60 kms and stop to make lunch at Jacobs Creek, a german Sven gives me a beer for my birthday. After pasta mixed with packet soup and some pepsi I start the 12 mile climb to 1000 mtrs, on the roughest "road" I have seen outside of South America. Carved out of the cliff, rocky in places, and then loose gravel, followed by compact earth, wet with rain.
At a lookout at 894 mtrs I stop for a look at the amazing scenery, a van pulls in and gives me a fill of water and Rob tells me the address of his friend who lives on the road I am on.
About 25miles later I am very wet and very tired and should be near Rob's friends house, but no sign, after 6 or 7 more miles of pushing the bike and trailer up every little slope I come to I finally find Hobbitt Farm. A rough track leads into fields but no house is in view. 3 fields and gates later I am at the house, then a car comes through the last gate with me,
the guy driving was Kerry Packer's chef, he is a Swiss named Olly, and he has brought a pack of 30 bottles of beer for Michael ( Rob's mate), Michael's partner Coralee comes out of the house and welcomes me with " Hi George, Rob phoned to say you were on your way. We were worried as it was getting late so I was just coming out to look for you!" Then many beers are sunk for George's birthday
A shower, dry clothes, a good meal and a warm cozy bed to sleep in finish the day
I started alone and finished the day with several new friends
What a great day!!
george