Day 139 - is this the ultimate red tie day? - Unfinished Business

September 16, 2023

Day 139 - is this the ultimate red tie day?

I was up early for what I assumed was the last day of my ride; I had about 90 km to home - less than 1% of what I had done. Nothing! My old friend, David, had given me a batch of muesli for the trip home and so I loaded it with yogurt and bananas, until I had a ridiculous pile that might fuel me for the distance.

I was staying a stone's throw from an Australian icon - Goulburn's big merino. That deserved a red-tie photo. And 21 km from Goulburn I would reach 10,000 km for the ride. Not far from home I'd cross my last border as I passed from NSW into the ACT. And, of course, there was the biggest red-tie photo of all - arriving home. It seemed obvious to don the red tie at the start and to remove it at home. Otherwise I would be wasting a lot of time; tying ties, I am proud to say, is not my forte.

It was just a short distance to return to the Hume Highway and then another ten to the road home - the Federal Highway, to Canberra.

I know the road well and throughly enjoyed the ride. The niggling norwester might have been annoying on any other day but was insignificant today. Alas, I assumed it might be of assistance for the run along Lake George. I got into a good rhythm and stopped only for photos.

Tree of the day - Eucalyptus mannifera, brittle gum.

Downhill from here - Canberra is 578 m above sea level.

Classic tablelands sheep grazing. I think that I have also photographed a wedgetail eagle!

10,000 km! This includes the Darwin correction - 100 km cycled in Darwin that I did not include in the blog.

It wasn't much further to another familiar landmark - Rowes Lagoon.

Rowes Lagoon - flush after three wet years.

A roadkill shingleback - one of the blue-tongued skinks.

Cattle grazing in the Lake George basin.

It holds a lot of water now, making a joke of the windmill. Things may soon change because current predictions point to a hot, dry period.

It's about 13 km along Lake George before one ascends from the basin. When I last rode from Sydney to Canberra after my ride in Central Asia in 2019, I stopped at a rest area because I was hungry. I stopped there today just to sit back and enjoy the view before the final 30 km, although I did toss down half a dozen mandarins. I was oblivious to what lay ahead.

As I ascended from Lake George I noticed Cora and Graham at the lookout. Photo from Graham Smith.

The view from the lookout to Lake George. Photo from Graham Smith.

I knew that Cora was off-colour but thought also that she was running Saturday errands. I had no idea that she had mustered the energy to cycle with Graham to Lake George via Graham's shortcut that turned a 60 km round trip into 77! Very exciting!

A little further down the road we met Robin, who had ridden out a little later and decided to park himself near a very-dead eastern grey kangaroo. It takes all types! From there we cycled to the border.

This is just a dead eastern grey kangaroo.

The most exciting view - the first sighting of Black Mountain tower - a tiny, distant shard.

We all stopped at the ACT border for a few photos. It's little more than 10 km from home.

It looks like we had chocolate too. Photo from Graham Smith.

I can't deny feeling a little triumphant. Photo from Graham Smith.

Cora and I joined Graham for a coffee in Dickson before cycling home. Photo from Cora Shiroyama.

Where it all began on that rainy morning of May 1.

They started with a hole in the right toe and after another 10,069 km they have that tired look.

It's always strange getting home and this time was no different. It seemed as though I had been away for much longer than 139 days. I had missed the entire winter. Canberra looked splendid and I realised how lucky we are to inhabit such a place.

I tried to return immediately to normal life and so the next day we cycled to the rally in support of the indigenous voice to parliament in the upcoming referendum. We bumped into a few people that we knew, which somehow reinforced our feeling that this is where we belong.

A couple of days later, I was cycling home late at night when my chain dropped from the chainring and the rear sprocket. It came off five times in the next three km. My bottom bracket had finally died 107.45 km after arriving home. I didn't break another spoke after eight suddenly gave way over a few days in Sumatra. And, of course, I have already mentioned my shoes. How can I claim that I don't plan my rides?

Today's ride: 90 km (56 miles)
Total: 9,968 km (6,190 miles)

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Graham SmithAn excellent conclusion to an extraordinary ride and top journal Ian.

And especially great you are home in time to vote in the referendum.

And dust off the Dawes if the Thorn is broken.
Meet at the usual Comm Bridge rendezvous point at 9am Fri for an unepic treadle to a Greek Cafe in Torrens. The views will include a Hindu temple.
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7 months ago

John SaxbyGreat stuff, Ian -- good on yer, mate! Great photos and a splendid tale. And on critical details: I'm esp impressed by the finely-judged balance you struck between your colossal distance and the j u s t r o b u s t e n o u g h bottom bracket.
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7 months ago

Ian WallisTo John SaxbyJohn, always nice to receive an encouraging comment. I'm pleased that you enjoyed the blog, what I hoped was a record of my ride be it good, bad, ugly or attractive. I'm amazed by the bottom bracket and the spokes. I had not broken a spoke on that bike. I broke 8 in the rear wheel and had 8 spares. As I said somewhere, the bottom bracket lasted 107 km after I got home. I'll dissect it when I get a chance. Ian
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7 months ago