Rowan

There is a tendency for riders to look down at the road they are riding and watch the bitumen or gravel pass under their tyres. Having the bike set up so they can sit up and look around helps a lot.

My first long tour was across the Nullarbor Plain. People used to say to me they couldn't possibly do that -- they had driven across and almost died from the boredom.

But I am much like mev, and the subtle changes, and the wildlife at various magnifications, plus the ebb and flow of traffic, and the achievement of reaching the roadhouses all helped ensure there was no real boredom.

I'm also quite happy in my own company. And that is something I gather a lot of touring cyclists have trouble coming to terms with. I can solve the problems of the world and BFs as I ride along, and then there is planning for that night's accommodation and preparing food and stuff. I can seethe in private about the jerk that has just gone by, or have private moments with swarms of butterflies winging their way through my frame. Eye-to-eye contact with a wedge-tail eagle on that Nullarbor ride made me appreciate just what I was doing.

I must say that I can get bored on a bike -- when I am on a seemingly endless flat, straight leg of a randonnee in the middle of the night. I've used a radio to get through those nights -- the Australian Broadcasting Corporation has an extensive network of stations throughout the country.

I'm also fortunate these days to have Machka along on rides as she chatters away about stuff and provides a different perspective on things -- especially with her developing interest in photography.