The Home Stretch: Cycling Across Australia, Taree to Kempsey
My latest bicycle touring update from Australia: after cycling over 8,000 miles across the world to Australia from the UK, I’m now on the home stretch. Cycling across Australia. Taree to Kempsey. 73 miles. I had an early finish today. I’m not due in Brisbane until Saturday, so there’s no need to push too hard. It seems strange not to be under any pressure, not that I am anyway. It’s just the pressure I put on myself. Pressure is probably the wrong word, but I do like to do my eighty miles each day. And besides, it’s always good to have a target. If I didn’t, I’d probably still be in Europe!
I know what will happen now, I think I’ve got plenty of time. I’ll suddenly find I haven’t got a lot of time and be in a mad dash to reach Brisbane on the day I’ve said I’d be there. Perhaps I should have stayed in Sydney for another day or two. But I was getting itchy feet and wanted to get moving again. Besides, I didn’t want to take advantage of Jenny and Noel’s hospitality.
I was given an address for somewhere to stay yesterday. I was at a garage buying some snacks when a woman who had just filled her car came over. She said that I was more than welcome to camp in her garden if I was near her address. Unfortunately, her place was a bit out of my way, and I passed there early this morning. Even though I’m not in a rush, I still can’t seem to divert off my route and go on detours!
Tour Information
It’s been years since I took this ride, but the memories (and the data) are all archived:
- Photos: See my photos on Flickr
- The route: View my journey around the world
- Videos: Check out my YouTube videos
- Tour page: Ride overview
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