We left the lovely seaside town of Robe and covered 82km to Millicent and the Sandpiper Motel where we got a room upgrade because we looked like we needed it. At our age we really don’t have to tell anyone how hard we have cycled that day. It’s more of a visual thing – they just look at us and their next sentence always starts with ‘oh my …’.  Thankfully, it’s nothing a shower, sleep and beer can’t temporarily fix. 

Leaving Millicent, we only had a short 47km cycle to Mount Gambier and finished at 1230hrs – our earliest finish to date. It actually felt like we were on a holiday so we went to the pub. Of course, as I am an aficionado (Susan calls me something else but I’m not allowed to say) of pubs we went to the oldest bar in Mount Gambier, voted South Australia bar of the year.  What a great day. Here’s a picture of our motel – nothing to do with the story but I like the picture. 

Our cycle next day from Mount Gambier to Portland was another great day for cycling. The weather was sunny 30c and we rode through extensive forests and over hill after hill. It was just like Canada. Now Susan doesn’t like hills, she hates them. She calls them … oh sorry I’m not allowed to say that either! She’s never forgiven them for hurting her knees in Canada. Oh and they make her ‘pant’ like a big dog waiting on a bone (I’m probably going to be told to take that bit out!).

We also had a problem with trucks and cars on this road. It was single carriageway with no shoulder and nobody wanted to ‘share the road’ with us. I think we held them back for ten seconds when they were in a hurry to do something important. Three times we were actually run off the road.  That said, it was lovely scenery and despite 2,500 feet of climbing and 105km of cycling, I thought it was a great day. 

As I’ve already posted a picture of myself and Susan at the border of South Australia and Victoria, here’s a picture of just me – well you get enough pics of Susan.

Susan took the picture and she’s obviously made sure my face is in shadow.  I don’t know why but it’s the same in all the pictures she takes of me 🙂 Apologies for the poor border sign that I have to pose with – Australia doesn’t do them with the same grandeur as Canada. 

Now that we have had a photo of me and the motel I think I should even it up. Susan takes lots of photos and she is our ‘nature’ photographer i.e. she takes photos of plants and animals. So here’s one of some emus. 

I know what you’re thinking – can’t really see them. Well they were closer but by the time we stopped and Susan ran towards them with her camera they were off! Don’t blame them. Now here’s a photo of some cows.

I know what you’re thinking again- they’re still small and they’re just cows! Well that’s the problem with being a ‘wildlife’ photographer -just appreciate the composition 🙂

Okay that’s enough of Susan’s photos, let’s get back to me. At times we listen to music as we cycle so here’s a short video of life on the tandem. 

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If the video doesn’t play because of some technical thing then you’re not actually missing anything. If it does play then I have two things to mention.  Firstly, apologies for the gratuitous crotch shot. I’m not trying to be Madonna and it wasn’t intentional. I was taking the video whilst steering with one hand and the car overtaking us was a complete surprise! I kind of had a wobbly moment. Secondly, the big black thing on the front is my handlebar bag. Susan calls it my man bag. It has all my ‘essentials’ that every man needs and acts as a great windshield. Countless bugs come flying out the trees and head straight for my ‘man bag’ which is soaked in DEET repellent. Bugs seem to regard it as the ‘head of the beast’ and so I am grateful it saves the real ‘head of the beast’ i.e. my face!  Did I mention that the bush flies like to go for your eyes where the moisture is? Yes you’re damn right – I should get a bigger man bag!

After Portland we cycled 99km to our present location in Warrnambool. The name Warrnambool originates from the indigenous Australians name for a local volcanic cone. The first European discovery of the area was by Lieutenant James Grant, a Scottish explorer, in 1800. Honestly, where would the world be without the Scots 🙂

We are having a rest day today because we are tired – the kind of weary tired that only old people cycling a bike can feel.  Tomorrow we head for the Great Ocean Road and some seriously great scenery and some seriously great big hills. I can already hear Susan panting!

3,525km to date. 

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