Where have you been lately?

[WarrenH]

G'day, country riders. Where have you been lately?

Post your shots ... and unless you have a shot, you haven't been there. Country riders have a classy heritage to uphold, so preferably no crappy low quality phone shots to posted here either, unless you have no other option.

Post heaps of shots and you guys go first and do mention how things were.

Warren.

PS, City riders are welcome here, of course. We do know that vehicle drivers don't give a flying-f- about your sensibilities or the 'one metre rule' when you're commuting ... so just get over it, and come and join us and show us what you've done, when riding out in the country. All States and Territories welcome ... including Tasmania.

[WarrenH]

It's very good that no one has posted, because it is wise for cyclists to keep off the road. A good move.

I suggest staying at home, lying on the couch, eating pastries and getting fat while reading The Bicycle and the Bush and Cadel's memoirs, The Art of Cycling.

That's what I'm doing this winter, getting fat.

Warren.

[Uncle Just]

Hi Warren saw this post and thought I'd mention a ride I did out from Moree last week. No pics unfortunately as I didn't see anything worthwhile to take a shot. (I was travelling up there to "take the waters" ie enjoying a few soaks in the hot thermal pools.) Flat as a tack with no roads other than highways leading from the town to ride on. Headed out west on the Gwydir for a quick 50kms, a bumpy road with tufts of cotton from the bales everywhere along the highway. Not much wild life only the occasional roo mob in the distance and the usual screeching parrots. What was different for this inner city cyclist was the respectful driving from every motorist, in particular the extra long vehicles carrying huge cotton bales or other agricultural stuff. All gave me a very wide berth which was much appreciated. Never did I feel threatened nor had a close pass on the ride. Pity it's such a flat, unappealing landscape to my eye at least.

[Wollemi]

A contribution, as ripped off from my own fb page.

Cycle touring.
58km, 1500m climbing

Bridle Trail - Turondale - Sofala/Hill End Rd - Royal Hotel, Hill End.

As I got ready, a local invited me to park on his property.
Later, I ran out of drinks - and then found an unopened large bottle of Coke on the dusty road - hmm... Yay! The label was rather sun-bleached.

Ran out of drinks again, and was given a tour of a 3000-head Merino Stud at Sally's Flat. By then, I was so sore in rear of upper-legs and cramping in my... glutes, I couldn't get up from base of water tank. Great - I don't see anyone out on the road all day, then seize up before an audience.

Yeah - there was some walking. Couldn't get off my MTB, couldn't get on either at times. My right leg locked out straight, too. 140km in the sea-kayak last week didn't make me cycle-fit for today.
4 locals sit in the bar. 3 single guys sat in the dining room - you had to go outside to collect your meal from a window.
Outside tonight it's going down to minus 7°C...

[open roader]

Yikes, hang in there Wollemi!

Not strictly AU but.......

I have been in the USA & Canada lately (June) 9 states and 2 provinces in 7 week over 8000 miles of driving. Saw more cyclists in the Rockies than I've seen in AU in the last 5 years - two wheels everywhere, roadies, tourers, long distance tandems, trail riders and crazy DHers all over.

Gros Ventre (= Big Window) at Grand Tetons Wyoming dedicated cycle path from Jackson Hole through part of the Tetons


Road touring through Utah's Canyonlands - here at Zion Nat. park a shared Bike and foot path up the valley floor

[Wollemi]

Hi Open Roader - nice post; did you get to cycle there yourself?

Another rip-off from my own fb page;

Road cycling. The Putty Road in a day. Singleton to Windsor, NSW.
175km with 2400m+ of climbing.
Bike is a 2016 Trek Crossrip. I somewhat frequently cycled in the highest gear...

13h40m. I am not a cyclist.

Tried last week... a new cycling shoe snapped its hard sole while changing trains at Strathfield. The other Bontrager shoe also snapped as I walked back to my hotel room in Singleton. I still cycled 93km to Putty, but waited hours at the isolated Grey Gums cafè for a lift. It was only the absence of lights that stopped me.

This week I carried new cycling shoes in my backpack and then abandoned old runners at the pub. I also booked accommodation - last week when about to check into The Agricultural - opposite the rail station, a coal train - exceeding 1km in length, blasted past. As if that mattered; The Royal on George St roared as trucks on the New England Hwy below compression braked every half-hour. I reached for ear plugs...

Two adjacent pubs in John St (The Putty Rd), externally restored to their 1870's glory, didn't do accommodation - their entire upper floors remain freshly painted but empty. Another less-tidy pub opposite said there was an error in the booking - they could put me in the store-room, if I was still keen. Three motels very nearby charge more for weekdays than weekends.

This week, the sun set as I left Colo Heights servo, 140km on from my pre-dawn start. To the west offered distant views (into a canyon) for the first time in over 100km, yet those views were still of Wollemi NP.
As light faded, two pretty 10 year olds from out of nowhere travelled with me for a short while; dancing and waving, dramatically jumping sideways and squealing as they accelerated hard away on their trail bikes, their very long blonde hair flowing behind.

Earlier at a remote (what isn't out here?) and crumbling picnic spot, K, travelling alone from Tamworth to the Eurobodalla Region, 'just had to tell me' (her words), in delighted tones - that her daughter had finally ended her false pregnancy. Both women were midwives.
In exchange for this information , I asked her to take several items of clothes I abandoned neatly at the Truck Drivers Memorial last week, but had retrieved today. My backpack was still too heavy, though I carried tools and spares on the bike, including in an old wide-mouth water bottle.

Arrived in Windsor Mall 7.40pm. I had been in darkness for the last two hours from the northern descent down to the Colo River. Although the car was nearby, Sushi Train beckoned. And then, from the other side of the glass, a kid ran off with my bicycle.
I didn't see this happen, yet had thought it would be so easy to keep an eye on it.

Had the bike returned by police less than 24 hours later. 2 charges are pending. With many sincere thanks to SC King and Detective Leach of Windsor Police.

Postscript. En-route to Newcastle, an educated young man told me I was paranoid for choosing to stand with my bike for over 2 hours in the vestibule of an inter-urban train.

[fat and old]

Went fishing for 4 days with the son at Dartmouth (Vic). Stayed at Dart town, maybe 11k's from boat ramp. Made a habit of riding to/from most times. Also a few trips to Mitta Mitta and Eskdale. Noice.

Oh yeah, and on the way home got out at the top of Lockharts Gap and rode down to lake Hume Yeah, I'm lazy....

[Peter A]

Well, the achilles seems to have slowly come good so opted in for a tour with a Melb.
based group, 17 riders and one support vehicle, pre-booked accomodation, Central Victoria.

Started ROCHESTER, didn't see Warty , then RUSHWORTH(DAY 1), then NAGAMBIE (2), then
EUROA (3), then BENALLA (4)&(5 rest day), then TUNGAMAH (6), SHEPPARTON (7), KYABRAM (8)
and final day as support driver back to ROCHESTER (9). personally rode 450km over 7 riding days
to average 64km.

Not big days, couple of longest by indirect (exploring) routes close to 80km. The day up to TUNGAMAH
was about 34C with warmish head wind, can report beer at TUNGAMAH pub goes down quite well .
Saw lots of decorated silos, liked ROCH and COLBINABBIN's the best.

Generally weather was dry/hot & warmer than GIPPSLAND in VIC,
lower humidity was good to make conditions better as you rode.

Traffic on the whole very good, one grain semi just west of DOOKIE overtook way to close and forced an
oncoming B Double grain carrier to touch the grass on his L/H side - pretty stupid.