On the Road

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Well Bloggees, after a bit of a stormy Yule out here, you'll be delighted to know that all is well and I'm back on the saddle where I belong. A great days' ride down to Chawang. About 100km starting out at 6 to ride the cool bit. Being as I'm now at about 8 degrees north the sun rides high at midday hereabouts and things warm up. Just had a double dose of Iran-style friendly generosity. A bike shop owner having sold me two inner tubes guided me to the local bungalows at 5 pounds/night. Then later when I returned to ask if he could just clean up the chain; ignored since Tabriz, Iran 3 months ago he spent nearly 2 hours giving the whole bike a complete springclean that I could now lick! Later in the evening he saw me here in the internet cafe and gave me a bag of Mangoustines ( the non smelly variety) This is the kind of generosity that I've really only had in Iran 'til now. The extraordinary kindness of strangers.

And as an aside to this: I had to deny myself a helping of fried cockroach , or indeed any of 4 or 5 other bugs available at the local fairground as I'd filled up on chicken and saffron rice at about 1 pound!. Still it's comforting to know that I can get this type of important nutrition if and when I really need it!.

All in all a good day. 3 or 4 more like this and I'll be in Malasia. Doesn't time ( now 7 months) and the road just fly bye whjen your having fun.

Happy New Year to all/ (both?) my readers

Nick/Cyclopath

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Comments

[Michael]

Last leg (of journey)
Nick - as one of the two readers of your blog, I am relieved to hear that all is relatively smooth for you again. I am toying - JUST toying at this stage - with the idea of joining you on the very last segment of your ride - from Newcastle down to Melbourne - about 1100km. Much depends on date of your arrival, my work commitments, the paragliding opportunities I will miss, my very delicate backside, the sorry state of my very ordinary bicycle, etc. However if I can arrange a couple of weeks paragliding in northern hemisphere during our winter off season in June or July, then I will certainly make more effort. Heck - that only gives me a matter of weeks to get my butt + legs in some sort of order. Meantime take plenty of care and maintain a spot of suspicion even at the expense of occasional offence. Michael

[CycloPath]

It's all about your bike
Mike, you're fitness to ride a few hundred miles is really not in question. What is most definitely in question is the state of your bike. If you even remotely fancy joining me for some of the ride the bike needs to be properly sorted. Everything from tyres (I'm now a world authority on this touchy subject, natch) to brakes, gears, saddle. Pretty much everything. And what about panniers for carrying tent spare knickers etc. It won't fit into a small rucksack. Infact come to think of it you may want to bring your wing! Think BIG!

[Michael]

The wing - now your talking
Nick - how right you are - shall take your advice and think bigger. Watch this space.