New Year's Resolution

[_Wilks]

Nice work digger, are you making a buck yet

Hahaha...nothing to see here! It’s all about the passion and an interest to share. With over 50,000 views on this Thread somebody keeps coming back for more.

No. 1 topic in General all time and you've got 4 of the top 10 all time, Obi Wan.

[Digger]

G'Day Slackers,

New Tyres and Tubes...that can only mean one thing!



Watch this space!

[Swampy]

"Digger"]G'Day Slackers,

New Tyres and Tubes...that can only mean one thing!



Watch this space!

That you wore the old ones out or they were stolen????

Swampy

[Digger]

That you wore the old ones out or they were stolen?

Swampy

That’s very funny...there are very few members of the Club who know anything about what it’s like to wear tyres out.

[Digger]

Hello Snowflakes,

Its normal for me around this time of year to be cycling some far off foreign land. I had Mauritius and Reunion Island in mind. Clearly, that is not going to happen. I was gunna do Tasmania but with Borders opening and closing at a moments notice I didn't think that was advisable. I've settled for cycle touring the South West from Mandurah finishing in Albany about 4 weeks later.

My son, Trevor, has had a knee blowout so I've modified his E-Bike and I'll tow my BOB Trailer behind his bike.

Depart Mandurah on the 12th.

SPOT Tracker activated that morning.

SPOT Link is here:

https://share.findmespot.com/shared/fac ... UCtYLNPufa


Screen shot of proposed route.

Watch this space.

See you on the other side.

[Digger]

G’day Slackers,

Update - End of day 3...or; ‘what’s that ol’ fool up to now?’
Every day is a new adventure. I’m currently in Brunswick Junction and will camp here tonight (Thursday). The trip started smoothly enough but by the end of the second day it all went pear shaped. I managed to short circuit the battery charger (for the Ebike) and now I can’t recharge the battery. Today was TOUGH going without the benefit of the bike doing some of the work. My plans keep changing as the situation changes. Tomorrow I head for Bunbury to have the battery charged by a local bike shop.



I caught the local train from Currumbine to Mandurah to get me clear of the metro area.



Whether I’m overseas touring or touring domestically, the process of navigation remains the same. Pick a destination, use the App Maps.me in cycling mode and watch the magic unfold.



Maps.me will find the most suitable route. Sometimes that involves less than perfect conditions. I could’ve turned around but chose to continue.

[Digger]

There has been a very stiff cross/headwind the last couple of days. That makes it tough when you have a flat battery and a heavy trailer in tow.



Teddy bear hay bale sculpture - Waroona. Very creative!



The tiny community of Yarloop. The town was devastated by wildfires in 2016 resulting in 2 deaths and almost total loss of the town.

[Digger]

Touring in SEAsia is cheap and cheerful. Travelling in Australia is an expensive process for food and accomodation. The tent will be my home for the duration of the journey with most Motels wanting $130-$150 a night. My budget doesn’t allow for that.



The fried charger on the left. I now carry about 7kg of useless ballast until one can be delivered to Pemberton in about a weeks time.

Stats for today. (Thursday)
Distance - 67.2km
Ride time - 4.05 hours.
Avg - 16.4 kph (STRONG) headwind and no charge).
Max - 42.7kph.
Total so far - 156km.

SPOT Link is here;
https://share.findmespot.com/shared/fac ... UCtYLNPufa

Back to work Slackers!

[Bozo]

Digger
Thanks for bringing some life to the forum with another adventure. An irrelevant fact “Catalano’s Earthmoving in Brunswick Junction has no link to Catalano’s in Vic Park”.
Bozo

[Digger]

G’day Snowflakes,

Update end of Day 6.
This trip is morphing and evolving as each day passes. I called into Fitzroy Cycles in Bunbury to get the Ebike battery charged. After some checks and diagnostics it was determined that the battery was fried; not the charger. This was my worst fear. A replacement battery is expected to be about $1,200 (ouch). In the meantime it was a case of ‘soldier on’ and continue riding. Giving up is not an option (wank, wank). Later that morning my son, Trevor rang me...he was aware of the drama with the Ebike. He had traveled to Bunbury with one of my other conventional bikes so I could continue the trip without having to push the extra weight of the Ebike unassisted. Good onyo Trev!



Fitzroy Cycles in Bunbury. This guy is a Giant Dealer and did what he could with what he had. He spent an hour trying to sort the problem but unfortunately he couldn’t help me. I was happy to pay for his time (there is no such thing as a free lunch) but he refused payment. I’ll pay it forward!



I got disorientated and ended up in Sherwood Forrest.



Trev surprised me by driving to my camp site with a replacement bike.

[Digger]

Day 6 cont...


The loneliness of the long distance cycle tourist. Nah not really. You can be on your own but that doesn’t mean I am lonely. There is a difference. Besides, I’ve always got those voices in my head!



My accomodation in Jarrahwood...an original timber millers cottage. $25 for the night with fully self contained and TV. Perfect.



Single track near Nannup.

I’m currently in Nannup and will have tomorrow (Monday) off to rest and fatten up.
Stats for today.
Distance - 29.5km.
Time - 1.52
Avg - 15.2 kph (gravel single track mostly).
Max - 38.5 kph.
Total so far - 295km.

SPOT Link is here;
https://share.findmespot.com/shared/fac ... UCtYLNPufa

[Cookie]

Keep up the great work Digger, you do know I was joking when I said that you need to get back out there , sorry to hear about the battery issues - technology is great until it fails.
Stay safe and enjoy the solitude.

[Digger]

Hello Slackers,

Update - End of Day 10.
I have arrived at Pemberton and will wait here to be joined by Jacki. We will spend the long weekend together touring around the area and be Tourists. I’ll be back on the road on Wednesday 27th.


Breakfast; the most important meal of the day. Followed (very) closely by lunch and dinner...the second and third most important meal of the day!



The old Donnelly River Mill. Abandoned in 1978 after a 30 year production run.



I stayed in the old 2 room school house. There were some massive thunderstorms with heavy rain throughout the night so I was glad I was not in my tent. Lighting caused wildfires which closed some roads I had been on earlier.

[Digger]

End of Day 10 cont...


Emus and kangaroos roam freely. The old Timber Mill Workers houses are now used as tourist accomodation.



Forget the Low THC stuff. Tell me where the High (pardon the pun) THC stuff is!

Stats for today (Thursday)
Distance - 35.1km
Ride Time - 2 hours 13 minutes
Avg - 15.8kph (‘rolling’ country)
Max - 58.8 kph (thrill seeker lol)
Total so far - 417km.

SPOT Link is here;
https://share.findmespot.com/shared/fac ... UCtYLNPufa

[Digger]

G’day Slackers,

Update day 16

Holidays over...back in the saddle.
Jacki and I spent the weekend touring the South West. She has been seconded to work in Bunbury for a couple of days and I hit the Trail again from this morning (Wednesday).


On Friday I climbed the Gloucester Tree to take in the view. 53 metres above the ground and no longer used as a fire watch tower. The view from the top is still impressive though.


From the top, fires were visible which were caused by lightning strikes from the storm when I stayed at Donnelly Mill. The fires blocked access to some of the roads I used when departing Nannup two days earlier.


The Gap near Albany. Terrific view from the cantilever platform.