Day: |
001 |
Date: |
Monday, 8 November 2004 |
Start: |
Copacabana, NSW |
Finish: |
Kurrajong Heights, NSW |
Daily
Kilometres: |
170 |
Total
Kilometres: |
170 |
Weather: |
|
Accommodation: |
|
Nutrition: |
Breakfast: Muesli Lunch:
Fish and chips Dinner: Bread and peanut butter |
Aches: |
|
Animals Seen: |
|
Pictures: |
Here |
GPS Track: |
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Journal: |
We were woken up early (4:30am) by a phone
call from Keith and I decided to stay up and finish the October
financials. Alicia wanted to go to school on the busand I took
her down to the bus stop at 7:30am and this delayed my departure.
Then it began raining and I postponed departure till 9:00am, later
than I would have liked. Barb clearly thought I was crazy and
was worried about my safety. It was still spitting with rain
as I left and as soon as I began riding I realised my heels were
going to hit the pannier. I stopped and adjusted them in Copa
and then tackled "the hill". It was OK and I stopped at the
top and took off my Goretex.
Progress was steady to Gosford
where I decided to go up the Pacific Highway hill instead of
tackling Dog Trap Road. I made it up without stopping and
continued to Mangrove Mountain. It took longer than I expected
and I stopped for a snack at 11:30am. The weather was still
very threatening but it hadn't rained again. I then continued
on to Wisemans Ferry which again took longer than expected. It
was, however, a pleasant ride and I enjoyed looking down on the
Hawkesbury River where I had been paddling only a week earlier in
the Hawkesbury Classic. I crossed the ferry and found a
take-out place in town where I had fish and chips sitting at a table
outside. I wasn't sure whether I could make Kurrajong (and the
next shop) by nightfall so had a look in a small supermarket to see
whether they had any bread rolls, but they didn't.
I set off
along the River Road towards Lower Portland Ferry. It was a
lovely ride with no big hills and lots of views over the river and
farms. After the ferry I began climbing towards the Blue
Mountains. It was steady up to Blaxlands Ridge and then
relatively flat along the Ridge to Kurrajong., firstly through bush
and then hobby farms. I got to Kurrajong at 6:30pm and stopped
for an ice-cream and some groceries. I hoped to get past
Kurrajong Heights before stopping for the night so that I had the
biggest climb behind me. I began the climb and ended up
walking much of the way. I thought of stopping in a motel if I
could find one as it got darker. I put on my lights and
continued on looking for somewhere to pitch my tent, but it was hard
because it was now dark. In the end I stopped in a lay-by
right next to the road and set up camp in the dark at 8:30pm.
I had a quick dinner of chips, bread and peanut butter, and
chocolate, and was in bed by 10:00pm. |
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|