THANK YOU ALL!

Date: 29-05-2010
Location: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Our attempt to cycle across Australia from Sydney to Perth has concluded successfully. In Lukas’ words, the hypothesis that it is possible to cycle across Australia on pushbikes for 2 ordinary individuals who are used to spend most of the days in air-conditioned office buildings has been confirmed.

Having just read about Matt Green, it reminds us of how this trip is not only a testimony that whatever you set your mind to do, you can do it, this relatively slow pace of traveling was also in some way meditative or day-dreaming-ive (depending on how you like to view it). ;)

Matt is a 30-year old Virginia native who abandoned his career as a civil engineer in Manhattan, NY to walk over 4,800km from Rockaway Beach, a coastal neighborhood south of New York’s JFK Airport to Rockaway Beach in Oregon starting late last March. Unlike some who set out to accomplish amazing feats for a cause, Matt has no agenda and is simply enjoying doing his own thing, just like we are.

Back to the purpose of this entry, we would like to thank all of you for your kind and supportive words. Every comment, Facebook post or message and email we received meant a lot to us! Also, thank you to those who relentlessly followed our blog and read about us as well as shared our journey with others. Last but not least, thank you to our families who believed in us despite thinking we are out of our minds. ;=)

T-H-A-N-K   Y-O-U!

We also hope that what we did, however crazy it may sound at the beginning, would be a testament that ordinary people can do extra-ordinary things if that's what you want to do and what you set your heart to do.

We wish you all the best!
-- lukas and sue --

Day 100th! Last day to Perth!

Date: 17-05-2010
Day 100: Perth, WA
Distance cycled: 97km

YAY! We made it! We can finally say “We cycled across Australia on our push bikes!” This phrase was almost 3.5 months in the making and we set off not really knowing what to expect in terms of what is ahead of us or how far we would make it. Now, we can say that, after 40 cycling days, we have been through all that was ahead of us and made it thus far to our destination, Perth. This milestone not only marks the end of our trip, it symbolizes the end of our chapter in Australia and the beginning of a new chapter for us as global citizens.

Australia is the place where we both met as strangers almost 5.5 years ago, the soil where we grew as individuals we never expected to be, a realm foreign at our birth yet a familiar place we fondly called home until the next few days when we will leave Australia for many years to come.

This last day riding to Perth was as exhilarating as it was intimidating. We knew what to expect about our departure from Northam when we arrived in Northam rolling down the Avon Valley: hills. Before Mundaring, there were some pretty tough climbs in and out of valleys. Yet we considered ourselves lucky that today was suggested to be the only sunny day of the week as we closely followed the weather forecast in Northam. With every hill conquered, we were excited that we were getting closer to Perth.

The flip side, however, was that traffic flow was noticeably heavier and it was hard not to become nervous as the shoulder (increasingly) became narrow and eventually non-existent. Sometimes, a raised divider came between the road and the footpath leaving practically no room for us to move further off the road while some drivers were allowing for less room as they went around us.

From Mundaring, it was about 34km to Perth and given our satisfying progress, we enjoyed a long lunch before continuing the last leg. Several kms later, we found ourselves zooming downhill quickly followed by a visual contact of the sky-scrappers of Perth. For those who attempted (or will be attempting) to ride from Perth to Sydney via the Great Eastern Highway and up this incline, we feel for them. ; ) We were thoroughly enjoying reaping the sweet rewards of the hills that we have been climbing earlier today.

Getting into the city centre was an experience in itself. We were very fortunate and grateful to have met a cyclist, who was on Day 2 of his ride from Perth to Sydney, in Northam in the morning and he gave us a map of Perth-Fremantle including all bike paths and bike-related information. It was challenging navigating into a big city and for a short time, we found ourselves heading into a very busy highway (Roe Hwy) where the shoulder ends with no warning. We backtracked on foot and quickly found a bike path which led us all the way into the city. These paths were unbelievable! It took us along the river and through some parks as we approached the city centre away from most traffic. Before we knew it, we made it! We are in Perth! ; )

Destinations: [NSW] North Sydney - Heathcote - Coledale - Wollongong - Robertson - Moss Vale - Goulburn - Queanbeyan - Yass - Gundagai - Wagga Wagga - Narrandera - Darlington Point - Hay - Maude - Balranald - Euston - [VIC] Mildura - [SA] Renmark - Barmera - Morgan - Burra - Orroroo - Port Augusta - Kimba - Wudinna - Streaky Bay - Ceduna - Nundroo - Yalata - Nullarbor - Border Village - [WA] Eucla - Balladonia - Kalgoorlie - Coolgardie - Yellowdine - Southern Cross - Merredin - Cunderdin - Northam - Perth

2 in 5 for 7 in Northam!

Date: 10-05-2010 - 16-05-2010
Day 93 - 99: Northam, WA
Distance cycled: 62km

As much as we were tempted to power through the last 156km into Perth, we decided to take it slow and have a rest in Northam before we comfortably ride into our final destination, Perth! We took our time to get ready in the hope that the sun will shine strong and bless us with warmth.

The road felt distinctly smooth for our ride most of the way. We also had the blessing of some tailwind and progressed well ahead in time. We saw a convoy of 5 cyclists heading east towards Melbourne and we exchanged waves and smiles as our paths crossed. In Meckering, more than half way to Northam, we took a short break at the park next to a rose garden. It still amazes us to see how well-maintained many of the small towns along our route are.

As we descended down the valley to Northam, part of us were excited that we made it and we were looking forward to lunch, while the other part of us knew that we would have some good workouts climbing uphill and out of the valley on our last ride to Perth. ;) Once again, we found ourselves a room (this one’s enough to accommodate a family of 5!) at the Commercial Hotel/Pub. We both liked Northam and so decided to stay for a week in Northam. With a river walk, supermarkets, bakeries, library and all there is that we need, time flew by almost as quickly as we could manually change the volume of the TV!

We could hardly believe that weeks and months have passed and we are so close to the end of our trip, the end of the ‘vacation’. As much as we are ecstatic to successfully make it to Perth on our push bikes, we knew we had a lot to do in preparation for the next stage of our lives and to make certain of the uncertainties that lay ahead of us. It is time to get down to business! ;=)

Destinations: [NSW] North Sydney - Heathcote - Coledale - Wollongong - Robertson - Moss Vale - Goulburn - Queanbeyan - Yass - Gundagai - Wagga Wagga - Narrandera - Darlington Point - Hay - Maude - Balranald - Euston - [VIC] Mildura - [SA] Renmark - Barmera - Morgan - Burra - Orroroo - Port Augusta - Kimba - Wudinna - Streaky Bay - Ceduna – Nundroo - Yalata - Nullarbor - Border Village - [WA] Eucla - Balladonia - Kalgoorlie - Coolgardie - Yellowdine - Southern Cross - Merredin - Cunderdin - Northam

Brrrr… it’s getting cold!

Date: 09-05-2010
Day 92: Cunderdin, WA
Distance cycled: 105km

Merredin was definitely a town bigger than we both had expected. Had we not been so eager to get to Perth, we would have stayed to explore the town a little more. As we left Merredin, we saw a sign that said Merredin is a town where road trains can be most frequently seen. Looking at the mills and an enormous warehouse-looking structure, we were not surprised for this to be a hub for goods to be transported from and to. There was also a railway that runs through the town and from the sound of it since last night we knew it is frequently in use.

Traffic was minimal once we left Merredin. Quite often we rode alongside each other in continuous chatter and without a stop for 58km to Kellerberin. The ascents and descents seemed to occur regularly until Kellerberin where we paused for lunch. From then on, the wind (not in our favour, naturally) picked up and the slopes while gradual felt endless, especially in the last 15km.

Via Tammin, we finally arrived in Cunderdin and found out that our only option was to set up our camp because all on-site vans, cabins and even motel rooms in town have been booked out. A new pump is being built in town and many contractors and workers flocked into town for the project. Oh well! We were ready to call it a day and we knew our routine. In no time, we were huddled in our tent and out of the breezy cloudy late afternoon. ;)

Destinations: [NSW] North Sydney - Heathcote - Coledale - Wollongong - Robertson - Moss Vale - Goulburn - Queanbeyan - Yass - Gundagai - Wagga Wagga - Narrandera - Darlington Point - Hay - Maude - Balranald - Euston - [VIC] Mildura - [SA] Renmark - Barmera - Morgan - Burra - Orroroo - Port Augusta - Kimba - Wudinna - Streaky Bay - Ceduna – Nundroo - Yalata - Nullarbor - Border Village - [WA] Eucla - Balladonia - Kalgoorlie - Coolgardie - Yellowdine - Southern Cross - Merredin - Cunderdin

Weeeee… rolling into Merredin!

Date: 08-05-2010
Day 91: Merredin, WA
Distance cycled: 108km

If you have had a cold, you would know that recovery is often slow and sluggish. Hence, to make sure that Lukas felt 110% recovered from the cold and that Sue resumed the strength of her iron legs after most hours spent reading in bed and watching DVDs, we had a (brief) trial run riding towards the golf club (about 10km north) and back the day before our due departure. ; ) Our breaths were taken away by some salt lakes glistening in the close to mid-day sunshine that we discovered on the way.

Given the gratifying practice run, we fervently took to the road again on Saturday morning. The ride was predominantly downhill and we rolled more than we had to pedal. From her research, Sue read on more than one occasion that the roads (highways) have no shoulders in South Australia (SA). We also found it partially true in Western Australia (WA) where, in this leg particularly, the shoulders come and go as sporadically as the smooth type of pavement of the roads.

By 3pm, we arrived in Merredin. It took more time than usual for us to find a pad for the night as we looked for options other than tenting. The Visitors Centre was closed due to the weekend. Hence we rode around town to find accommodation within our budget and expectations before we finally rode back to the caravan park located at the east end of the town (where we came from) and got ourselves an on-site van. It was a new and nice experience. The night was chilly though, maybe because we thought we would have been better insulated compared to tenting and did not use our sleeping bags. Nonetheless, it felt good to be able to enjoy a hot cup of tea and warm toast in the morning before we headed off. ;=)

Destinations: [NSW] North Sydney - Heathcote - Coledale - Wollongong - Robertson - Moss Vale - Goulburn - Queanbeyan - Yass - Gundagai - Wagga Wagga - Narrandera - Darlington Point - Hay - Maude - Balranald - Euston - [VIC] Mildura - [SA] Renmark - Barmera - Morgan - Burra - Orroroo - Port Augusta - Kimba - Wudinna - Streaky Bay - Ceduna – Nundroo - Yalata - Nullarbor - Border Village - [WA] Eucla - Balladonia - Kalgoorlie - Coolgardie - Yellowdine - Southern Cross - Merredin

Bad Air Day!

Date: 30-04-2010 - 07-05-2010
Day 83-90: Southern Cross, WA
Distance cycled: 33km

Despite tenting 2 steps away from the gas station and a stone’s throw away from the Great Eastern Highway, we slept (as well as wrapped up) like babies. The evenings have cooled down rather significantly and winter is knocking on our doors. We felt relieved that the long stretches of roads with nothing (i.e. roadhouses, gas station) in between are behind us. From here on until Perth, civilisation can be found no more than 50km apart.

We decided to start our day with a warm breakfast and some hot tea at the roadhouse, next to a real (wood-fuelled) fireplace. On our departure, we noticed that it was hazy and the air was fairly bad. We later found out that it was due to some controlled burning in the south about 300km away. The wind had carried the haze thus far and it sat above this region, including Southern Cross for the rest of the day until some wind blew it away again.

We considered ourselves lucky that our next destination, Southern Cross is only a short distance away. Apart from the poor air quality, we rode smoothly with a bandanna over our face. We were not prepared for such condition and did not know what else we could do. Something for us (and other cyclists) to find out for future reference. We arrived before noon and there was no need for deliberation for us to call it a day.

We suspected that the considerable change of temperature the last few days (from as low as 9°C in the evening to 28°C during the day) may have been the reason for Lukas coming down with a cold. Having found ourselves a motel room at the Club Hotel (also a tavern), we extended our stay for 1-2 nights each time and eventually found ourselves lodging for a week in Southern Cross while Lukas swiftly recovered from his cold.

Southern Cross is a small pleasant town where we thoroughly enjoyed staying. There is no litter in sight, trees lined the main street in the town centre and parks are well-maintained, even BBQ is provided funded by taxpayers. (Unfortunately, we realised too late that we did not have any photos taken that captures the atmosphere in town!) The Community Resource Centre allowed us to sign up easily and we were able to borrow books and DVDs that kept us entertained during our stay. For the first time, it felt like we were on vacation! No to-do lists, no running errands, no researching… just hanging (and a lot of sleeping for Lukas). ; )

Destinations: [NSW] North Sydney - Heathcote - Coledale - Wollongong - Robertson - Moss Vale - Goulburn - Queanbeyan - Yass - Gundagai - Wagga Wagga - Narrandera - Darlington Point - Hay - Maude - Balranald - Euston - [VIC] Mildura - [SA] Renmark - Barmera - Morgan - Burra - Orroroo - Port Augusta - Kimba - Wudinna - Streaky Bay - Ceduna – Nundroo - Yalata - Nullarbor - Border Village - [WA] Eucla - Balladonia - Kalgoorlie - Coolgardie - Yellowdine - Southern Cross

Watch out...Caterpillar crossing!

Date: 29-04-2010
Day 82: Yellowdine, WA
Distance cycled: 156km

After a week of inactivity and not-so-healthy diet, it took the first couple of hours for us to regain the momentum. ;=) As we left Coolgardie, a grim reminder of the effect of drinking and driving or careless driving stood explicitly before our eyes. We thought this is a very creative warning. Our first stop was at Bullabulling which was no more than a pub and an area covered with red earth next to a camping sign. Hmm… But the owner was nice enough to let Sue use the loo.

The frequent uphills and downhills towards Yellowdine came as expected and were less taxing compared to our ride from Port Augusta to Kimba (157km). The condition of the Great Eastern Highway varies regularly and considerably but is good on average.

The long day is not unaccompanied with unforgettable moments. These days, we have comfortably developed to have Sue in front as the pacer and Lukas next as the spotter. With a less-than-perfect vision, Sue often does not see what’s coming until it came. Letting out a shriek, Sue (quickly followed by Lukas) ran over an unidentifiable string of object (feared to be a snake) on the road. On close inspection, it was a row of caterpillars trying to cross the road!! Before long, the passing trucks and cars blew them away. But their determination was unbreakable as they got on their feet and attempt the seemingly impossible. That was quite a phenomenon to see nature at work! A little sad too…

Next was Lukas’ unconscious attempt to make the ride tougher than it is. It was a mystery for at least 30km when Sue rolled happily downhill while at the same time, Lukas felt an uphill climb. To keep the same pace, we maintained 10km/h speed until the mystery was resolved. Lukas’ rear brakes were holding on from his slip and trip off the bike since lunch! Thankfully we picked up speed and progress smoothly after uncovering the ruse Lukas played on himself.

Traffic in the afternoon was less busy than it was in the morning. However, the trucks continued to fly by (usually making room for us, given that it is not approaching a curve or a hill when their visibility for incoming traffic is compromised) transporting many things from oversized farming machineries and container cabins to ‘smaller’ trucks with goods. Our chatters in the last couple of hours made our lengthy trip seem a little shorter.

Around 5pm, we were relieved to finally arrive at Yellowdine. It quickly became one of our favourite roadhouses. Camping was free of charge and a gold coin donation for a shower was asked in support of the Royal Flying Doctors Service (RFDS). The hospitality of the service under new management was invaluable.

Destinations: [NSW] North Sydney - Heathcote - Coledale - Wollongong - Robertson - Moss Vale - Goulburn - Queanbeyan - Yass - Gundagai - Wagga Wagga - Narrandera - Darlington Point - Hay - Maude - Balranald - Euston - [VIC] Mildura - [SA] Renmark - Barmera - Morgan - Burra - Orroroo - Port Augusta - Kimba - Wudinna - Streaky Bay - Ceduna – Nundroo - Yalata - Nullarbor - Border Village - [WA] Eucla - Balladonia - Kalgoorlie - Coolgardie - Yellowdine

Trekkie’s back in the game!

Date: 28-04-2010
Day 81: Coolgardie, WA
Distance cycled: 36km

The moment we have both been waiting for have came about yesterday when Brian called in the morning. Lukas got so excited that he unintentionally dropped and shattered (non-destructively) the mobile phone! Trekkie is well again and back in Lukas’ possession!

With arrangements made for a late check-out, we cycled (YES on 2 bikes!) to the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) centre near the Kalgoorlie-Boulder airport for a tour that we were both looking forward to. RFDS was the first comprehensive aerial medical service in the world and to this day remains unique for the range of primary health care, emergency and community services it provides the rural and remote communities across the nation – 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. In honour of the founder John Flynn life-altering efforts, he became the face of AUD$20 note! RFDS have centres around Australia and we definitely recommend a visit to learn and support the humble but imperative work of this organisation.

It was only after lunch that we returned to pack and be ready for one trip nearer to Perth. When we packed up we observed our ecological footprint just by camping. (We hope it is only temporary!) We bid farewell to David (another cyclist) whom we only got to meet this morning. As a retired researcher in population and political science from New Zealand, David has mentally overcome the vastness of Australia from his travels (initially with a 4WD) up, over, under and across the continent through the outback. Hence, he perceives riding a bicycle on unsealed road sometimes for 2-3 days until arriving at a roadhouse as not unfeasible if well-prepared with supplies for contingencies. And that is exactly what he is doing! We hope you have a safe ride to Alice Springs, David!

It felt good being on the road again! We were soon off with our thoughts and before we knew it, we arrived at Coolgardie, where we were dropped off just short of a week ago. Despite being less than 30-minutes drive (or 2-hours cycle) away, Coolgardie retains a small town charm (with well-maintained parks and an IGA supermarket) compared to its booming Kalgoorlie-Boulder neighbour. A bakery would have added extra brownie points. ; )

Destinations: [NSW] North Sydney - Heathcote - Coledale - Wollongong - Robertson - Moss Vale - Goulburn - Queanbeyan - Yass - Gundagai - Wagga Wagga - Narrandera - Darlington Point - Hay - Maude - Balranald - Euston - [VIC] Mildura - [SA] Renmark - Barmera - Morgan - Burra - Orroroo - Port Augusta - Kimba - Wudinna - Streaky Bay - Ceduna – Nundroo - Yalata - Nullarbor - Border Village - [WA] Eucla - Balladonia - Kalgoorlie - Coolgardie