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Date: Thu, 13 Feb 1997 14:56:48 +1000To: nnews_don-l@netnews.peg.apc.org From: Don Pattenden <dpattenden@pegasus.com.au> Subject: Fame!! Australasian Post 22/2/97 Hello, I must tell you that it is an absolutely GLORIOUS DAY in Melbourne today. Blue sky, gentle sea breeze and a warm 30 degs C (86 degs F). I timed my return very well - just a week ago Melbourne was sweltering in a heat wave of temperatures close to 40 degs C for a whole six days! Over in Tasmania meanwhile it was pleasantly mild - idea for riding. How I wish I was right now heading off down the Mornington Peninsula in the direction of Sorrento which will be my next stop after my journey resumes. I intend to spend a couple of days down there enjoying the surf and the sand before moving on. I've been looking up at the blue sky and thinking how great it would be down there. Sadly though, I have much to do before I can get going again. I haven't even got time to ride down to the local beach in Mordialloc (no far from Chelsea) where I'm currently staying. What I wanted to tell you though is that there will be a story about me (about my journey around Tasmania) in next week's issue of the Australasian Post; dated Feb 22 and available for sale from Monday Feb 17. This is how the story came about:- One month ago, back on January 13 on day 2 of my trip the weather was much like today, very warm and sunny and I was riding from Warratah to Rosebery on the West Coast. The ride was pleasant enough until I came to Tulla when I encountered a long, long hill. It was already 6 PM and I was already just a little worried about getting to the Rosebery Caravan Park before the office closed. (There was no need to worry as it turned out.) It was a really steep hill and seemed to go on and on. What's more there was very little shade & few places to stop & rest. I was grinding away, wondering how close to the top I might be when suddenly I turned a corner and there was this guy crouching by the roadside pointing a camera at me, taking lots of photos. After he'd taken enough photos he approached me & I spied his van a little further up the hill. I was glad of somewhere to lean my heavy bike & stop for a while. He turned out to be Rick Eaves, a photographer/journalist resident in Strahan. He told me that he liked doing stories on people like me and that it would be published in a month or two in one of the national magazines. He said that he really enjoys covering the west coast of Tasmania - it is a wonderful place and he wouldn't live anywhere else. He took some more photos including a few close-up while I was still perspiring profusely. He assured me though that I wasn't far from the top at that point and that this was the longest hill on the west coast. I was prepared to take his word for that. He met me again after I arrived in Strahan and took a few more photos, this time on the beach, gazing out to sea. So, watch out for the Australasian Post dated February 22. I'm not sure whether it goes on sale outside Australia, but if it does I imagine that this particular issue will take a while to filter through. There'll be more about my adventures in Tasmania, so stay tuned. Don. |