From Goulburn we cycled 84km to Mittagong along the busy Hume Highway. The hard shoulder is lovely and wide but it doesn’t compensate for the passing heavy traffic. Not a great cycle route into Sydney but after exploring the various options I don’t think there is any ‘quiet’and safe way into this busy city. As I have said before it’s like cycling on the M6 but at least the hard shoulder gives us our own cycling ‘space’. 

The hills kept coming and it was another 810m of ascent this day. Spring is definitely here and it was a hot day on the bike. At one tiring stage we stopped for some refreshment and I downed a can of ‘Monster’ energy drink. I felt better and declared ‘I feel like a new man’. Susan looked at me and replied ‘I feel like a new man’. Haha she should be so lucky! To let you into a secret she has been like this since Melbourne when she saw loads of young workmen in shorts! If she could wolf whistle at them she would. Oh and don’t think I’m making this up!

I can’t afford to lose my tandem partner as I don’t think there’s another person in the world that would put up with the struggles of our travels and me at the same time. It’s okay though I’ve got it all sorted. All I have to do when we get home is to put my now fit tanned legs in shorts and wander the house doing diy. It’s a pity it will be December and the jobs needing done are outside! 

The following day we stayed on the Hume Highway as we cycled 75km to Liverpool which is a suburb of greater Sydney.

Yes officially in Sydney. 

We flew along as we dropped from 650m to 50m. Long gradual descents meant that there was hardly any pedalling in the first 30km. We loved it. It’s just unfortunate that the state of the hard shoulder meant I had to keep the speed below 55kph to allow me to slalom the debris. I honestly don’t know how Susan copes on the back of the bike where she is largely unsighted on the road ahead. All she feels is the bike weaving unexpectedly or thumping down a change of level. I try to call out as much as I can but it must still be a little scary when we are flying downhill. 

We reached Liverpool at lunchtime which is just as well as the temperature on the bike was 35c. We felt better after a large cola and a Magnum ice cream. 

Our finish will be at Sydney Opera House and the plan is to reach there tomorrow. We will cycle 30km to our hotel, drop off the trailer and baggage and head on to the city centre. 

Then it’s beer time. 

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