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Date: Tue, March 24 1998 In Gympie at last. I've made it to Gympie, the first of the many "milestones" on this leg of the journey, Brisbane to Cairns. Still less than 200km, but still feels good to get here. Actually the distance along Highway One to here, coming directly, is only 150 km, but I'm sure I've travelled much more than that because of my various detours, in order to see as much of the coast as possible (e.g. Caloundra to Maroochydore and Nambour to Noosa (via the Sunshine Coast beaches). Which reminds me, and while I think of it, you'll see a note at the end of this Newsletter referring you to the Satellite Dispatch Home Page which now has a map set up showing my progress. This is something I've been hoping for ever since I started this trip, though I myself lack the expertise in that area to do it, so many thanks to [Toy Satellite] for setting it up. Well, it's the same old story, I'm pressed for time. Not, this time, because I'm paying for the computer usage, but because the road beckons, and it's a fine sunny day out there. As it happens, they actually have two computers here in the Gympie Caravan Park and they (i.e. the managers, Michael and Sharon) are very kindly letting me use them. So I'm in the room just behind the office using their "second computer" i.e. the one the kids use for homework. When I've finished typing I'll transfer my messages on a floppy disk to the other computer in the shop/office which has Internet connection. This is indeed a luxury, but at the same time, I haven't finished packing yet (that's still ahead of yet, groan! - already 10 AM!) and I'm intending to ride to Tin Can Bay today. It's a hefty ride, almost 50 km and there are some hills. So I'll have to be brief. Gympie marks the end of the Sunshine Coast, and Tin Can Bay the beginning of the Fraser Coast (it's near the southern tip of Fraser Island), From there I'll press on to Maryborough, Hervey Bay, Bundaberg. I doubt I'll have time to zip over the Fraser Island, though I'd love to, but I have to keep in mind my goal of reaching Carnarvon by November, that is to say to be out of the tropics on the west coast before the Big Wet starts again. It's not an absolute goal, but I'd really hate to have to "sit out" yet another wet season. It's really good to be on the move again, and sleeping under canvas. And my tent is working out really well now that 1. the big tent pole is fixed 2. the insect screen door works and 3. I'm now using a plastic tarp under that tent floor. That's something else I managed to get done in Nambour which I forgot to tell you about. I'd had it in mind for a while, but hadn't got round to it. My tent has survived some really huge downpours on this trip (e.g. at Seal Rocks, at Grafton and now more recently at Cooroy) without a single drop of water inside. Yet ironically a heavy dew in the morning is a bigger problem than the rain. This is mainly because of damp coming up through the tent floor. It can also happen when the ground gets really wet. As a temporary measure I've been using a large sheet of tinsel (did I ever tell you about that? - can't remember) which my friend (a high school friend) Trevor Muddle gave me way back in Port Macquarie. I've been putting it on the floor, under my bedding etc. That worked well (and looked wonderful in the moonlight) but it does sweat very badly on the underside, so that I still have to dry out the floor before I can pack up the tent. But the plastic tarp. works brilliantly!! It has eyelets, so what I do is to peg it out first (so it won't blow away) then lay the tent down over the top of it. Then once the tent is up, I remove the pegs and tuck the protruding bids in under the tent, lest they provide a conduit for the rain (if any). It's great; solved the problem of damp overnight. And it feels better too -- an extra layer between me and the ground. Well, actually, it's not quite that simple: the tarp is just slightly too short (and too wide, that's why I tuck it in). So what I do is to place the tinsel, folded up, on the ground at the end of the tarp to fill the gap. This has the been the story of my trip -- constant small improvements to make my life easier. I'm learning all the time, often from people I meet. And example of the latter was the high tensile fencing wire, which I am *still* using as the smaller of my two poles, and it works really well. Amazing stuff. And I'm getting better at bending it back into the right shape each time I put the tent up. I have to coil it up to carry with me. It feels very creative actually, to bend a piece of wire into a smooth curve -- a parabolic shape I guess. Satisfying. I'd hate to have to do it in a hurry though, e.g. having to erect the tent when it's raining, or about to. But we are approaching the "dry season" now, so (touch wood) that shouldn't be a problem. Actually, I found out in Nambour that it is called "horse sighting wire". Learning all the time. They use it for fencing horses. Don't really understand why. I tried to get a larger piece to use for the larger pole without success. I'll keep my eye open though, now I know what it is. Anyway, the large pole is behaving itself at the moment. Isn't it amazing though that a national park ranger at a campsite at the seaside, without a horse in sight, should have the stuff in his shed? What a coincidence!!! Speaking of the seaside, I haven't seen much of it on this leg so far. Disappointingly little, in fact. Caught a glimpse or two as I was riding along towards Noosa, and I took a couple of breaks in suitable places where I could smell the salt, gaze at the horizon (oh how I love it, that distant horizon -- imagining what lies beyond -- feels so free!) and watch the waves break on the rocks (one of my favourite relaxations, can do it for hours). But it was all too brief. The main road was a bit disappointing from a scenic point of view. Which caused me to feel nostalgic for that wonderful NSW coast, the whole length, from Eden to Tweed Heads, the South Coast, the Central Coast, the Mid North Coast and the Far North Coast. Each section has it's own magic. Plenty of scenic opportunities while riding along, and plenty of opportunities to camp right on the waterfront, going to sleep to the sound of the crashing waves, and watching the sun rise up from the sea in the morning. Ah!! Well, perhaps I'm not being fair on Queensland, because I've only covered a weenie bit of it so far, but it's certainly been disappointing in these aspects. The main road does seem to go in land quite a bit. And even where there is a "coastal road" one can't actually see the sea while travelling. Well not often anyway. But I must keep an open mind; a long way to go yet. Reminds me, I've met lots of Queenslanders, and so far they've all of them had only one head (each, I mean, not between them) contrary to what I've been told down south. And the drivers don't seem all that bad! Well, correct that -- just two days ago for the first time ever a passing motorist actually chucked something at me. Couldn't see what it was, cause it missed me and just hit one of my bags. Gave me fright though! Still, I guess it could have happened anywhere, crazy people pop up anywhere! It was actually in NSW where a motorist travelling in the opposite direction, on a very quiet road, off the beaten track, actually crossed over to my side and passed within a few feet of me!! Crazy hoon!! By the time I thought up something suitable to yell out, he was out of sight. Also, in Queensland there seems to be custom for some motorists to put their lights on in broad daylight. Why??? It's bloody irritating I can tell you. I hate it!! If I have enough breath at the time, I yell out at them. Why do they do it? Sometimes it's a bit cloudy, but hours before sunset, and anyway visibility is perfect as far as I'm concerned. Enough wingeing about Queensland. I'm going to be in this state for quite a while yet, so I'd better like it. Birds have been very pleasant in this caravan park. Particularly tuneful. Wish I knew more about them, about species etc. But what amazes me is that each park I stay at has a different mix of birds around, even when they are in the same area. The trees make the difference I guess. But I love them, my friends!! One thing, I seem to have totally gone off backpackers and hostels now. I've had too many bad experiences. I much prefer to have my own private space, my tent. Especially now that it's all fixed up and so cosy. I would much rather cook on my own little metho cooker, in the open than have to contend with those awful communal kitchens in the hostels. So my membership of YHA has lapsed and I won't be renewing it. Now to conclude (I've been here far too long; the road beckons) here are the places I camped at since leaving Nambour:- Bli Bli (pronounced Bligh Bligh, not Blee Blee as I called it!) Queensland towns always end up being pronounced quite differently from what you expect!! I've been able to collect my messages here, so I'm up to date. I've printed them out, and will be carrying them with me, digesting them as I go. So if you've written to me, rest assured I've read it properly. Will hope to have more time to send individual messages next time. Now to pack up and hit the road. PS A special hello, to my dentist, George. Got your message. Very interesting about that Dept. of Veterans Affairs reunion (my old employer of many years ago - left there in 1985). I really wish I'd been able to go. And thanks for thinking of me in Lakes Entrance -- I have a great soft spot for that place, not only cause I rode through there, but because I had a wonderful holiday there when the children were little. Memories!! |