Day 54 (December 26)

This mango care package was left on the roadside for us by an anonymous driver. The note reads, “Free mango for cyclists. Enjoy! Have a lovely day.” Thanks much, whoever you are!

Like I said in the title of yesterday’s post, expect the unexpected. That was true again this morning, when we expected that several bike shops in Goulburn would be open, so that I could buy a new tire and inner tube to replace my defective ones. It turned out that the shops were not open today, as it is Boxing Day in Australia (the day after Christmas). It’s sort of an unofficial holiday, so the bike shops didn’t open. As a result, we continued on out of Goulburn with my field-repaired tire. It was still holding well and I’m confident it will hold until we get to Sydney in a few more days.

Wombat crossing, next 6 kilometers. Hume Highway east of Goulburn.

After leaving Goulburn, we had no choice but to get back on the Hume Highway, which is one of the major divided highways between Sydney, Canberra, and Melbourne. Fortunately, it’s legal to bike on the shoulder. It’s far from pleasant, but at least it’s a faster route than the smaller, more hilly, local roads. At one point while on the Hume today, the driver of a Toyota Land Cruiser gave us a friendly toot of the horn as he passed us. We get that frequently, and it’s always good for a little morale boost while cranking up a hill or against the headwind. About thirty minutes after the Land Cruiser salute we came across a care package left on the side of the road for us. The note left with it indicated that it was a gift from the driver of the Land Cruiser. What a morale boost that was! To the friendly Land Cruiser guy – whoever you are – you made our day. Thanks much (and Mattie really likes the straw hat)!

Aussies are expert burger-makers. These things really hit the spot on a hot day of cycling!

Although we didn’t leave Goulburn until 10:00 am, we made fast progress on the highway and finally were able to leave the Hume after pedaling about 45 kilometers. Our route then took us on a local road which passed through several small towns. We really enjoy these little towns, with their nicely manicured city parks and the very friendly locals to talk to and get route advice from. After the remoteness of the Hyden-Norseman road, the Nullarbor, and the Hay Plains, it’s now one of our greatest pleasures to end a long day of riding in a small town where we can get a cold beer, a huge, tasty burger with the lot, and pitch our tents in the city park for the night. Tonight we ended up in the little town of Robertson, which is 38 kilometers from the Pacific coast town of Kiama, which is tomorrow’s destination. Our first stop in Robertson was at the local pub, where we chatted with the locals and had what I have to say is the best cheeseburger I’ve ever had, anywhere. Aussies certainly know how to make burgers! Fantastic after a long, hot day on the road.

A small pond ringed with ferns and cattails at our campsite in the Robertson city park

Tomorrow is a big day for us – we will reach the Pacific Ocean! Then it’s just a leisurely two-day ride up the coast to Sydney. Hooray!

Posted by Scott