hehehe, just be glad i didn't put the one of you in the nightgown up!! Part one: Swansea to Cranbrook:
Flat, speedy, sunny, happy
Part two: Cranbrook to end of dirt road before Royal George:
Dirt road take 2. Beautiful! Well maintained. Big hill climb, but pleasant. Hardly any traffic. Seas of trees!Part three: End of dirt road to Avoca:
Headwind + stomachache = sure-fire way to ruin a miraculously flat, traffic free 30k stretch of road. KiloMike miserable! Though this little bus shack made it into my top three highlights of the day for allowing me a 10 minute rest from the wind!Part four: Avoca to Rossarden :
Dirt road, just a little. Then pavement. And with only about 15 Ks to Rossarden to go, the absolute last thing any exhausted, seriously in pain cyclist wants to see:
Steep, wahh.All in all, a very painful ride. But lucky perhaps, because if I had stuck to the east coast, I would have reached the infamous Pancake Barn on top of Elephant's Pass with a stomachache, the horror! Instead, I arrived at Phil and Margaret's home just as it turned dark, exclaiming to Phil coming out to greet me, "I have never been so happy to be somewhere in all my life!" After trying deliriously to hold up a conversation, I had a magnificent shower and some eggs and toast. I hadn't eaten since 12 when some combination of normally ok food items did me in. So even with a stomachache, though it was better, I was hungry. I fell asleep the moment my head hit the pillow. And this morning - gone! Yay! My legs were so tired last night that I had trouble even sitting down on the toilet! But they are feeling good again this morning, amazing how bodies work. I do like my rest days, though, so Rossarden - rest here I will! Phil gave me a lovely walking tour of the town, detailing where the old tin mining area was and all the accompanying barracks and buildings. And Margaret just stuffed me full of soup, homemade macaroni and cheese, and apple pie.
I told Phil and Margaret (originally from England) that I was a vegetarian. And Phil says, "Hmm, vegetarian. Do you eat bacon?" "No." "You eat chicken?" "No."
Swansea to Rossarden
Total K's: 87.02
Avg Spd: 12.8 k/hr (gotta love it!)
Max Spd: 53.9 k/hr (in the near dark, in the cold, praying that a wallaby didn't jump out spastically on the road)
Hours on bike: 6:46
KM Scary Hill Rating: 5/7 (only two hills, but that 2nd one... killer)
KM Scary Wind Rating: 4/7
KM Scary Stomachache Rating: 4/7
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