G'day again!!
Thanks a million Lindsay, Carl, Mikita, Hippy & Pete for all the advice and options which I have
taken down for serious consideration, in particular going via the old P'fic hwy.
It will be my first real tour on a bike and I'll be just content to take my time as that is what
it's all about isn't it.
Eventually I'll buy myself a real touring bike like a Trek 520 or something similar, but i'll have
to make do with a MTN bike for now.Unfortunately there doesn't seem to be much in the way of choice
in Australia as far as touring bikes are concerned but the Trek has a good reputation for
reliablilty , strength & comfort.
It's not exactly a cheap past-time really when you when you look at originally setting up, with say
the cost of bike, panniers,racks & accessories then tool, parts, then you have things like certain
clothing, camping gear etc, I beleive a touring/camping set up would set me back around 5-6K if I
buy good stuff in the first place......but still, I guess when you consider what it costs to run a
single average car for a year, it's very affordable and will last for yrs.......if no [censored]
pinches anything!!
Does that sound like too much of a roundabout sentence?
This is my dream that even an unfit 43yr old like myself can just take off for a month or two on a
bike and be self efficient and completely de-stress.
Thanks again for all your imput folks.....this is a great newgroup...i love it!!
Best Regards
DJ
"Lindsay Rowlands" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:DJ <[email hidden]> wrote:
: Hi Fellow Cyclists
: I've been thinking of a bike tour taking the Putty Road up through the Hunter Valley from
: Windsor then up to Singleton then possibly up the new England.
: Was wondering if anyone has taken this route and is it safe or feasable?
I've never actually travelled on this road but from tales I've heard it seems a pretty narrow and
tortuous road with a fair number of trucks and other fast moving traffic - not exactly
cycle-friendly. And there are reportedly quite long distances between any kind of support - only
scrub. With this kind of doubt, I'd defintely drive it first.
: If I can average around 60kms a day, this would possibly get me to my destination of Bundarra
: within 2- 3 weeks.......if i don't collapse in
the
Quoted message said:: meantime!!
The Old Pacific Highway from Hornsby to Gosford is supposedly a good road to cycle. I'm not sure
how you could then reconnect with it to go north to Newcastle. From there, I would definitely
consider the ride to Stroud, Gloucester, Nowendoch, Walch and Uralla - about 270ks from Newcastle.
It would be a challenge, especially the rise from Gloucester but it is much more scenic and a lot
less traffic than the NE Highway. From Uralla it's a pretty straight 50ks (or so) to Bundarra.
: I'll be using a Diamondback Sorrento Sports mtn bike with road tires and rear panniers only, so
: I won't be travelling too heavy. Depending on how
I
Quoted message said:: go, I may have a rest day every 3 days.The bike and I have only covered
less
Quoted message said:: than 300 kms so I reckon I will wear out before the bike will
hahahaha.
Quoted message said:
If you start riding regularly - say 20-30ks - every few days then in a few weeks you will be able
to push to 50ks and from there it isn't a big jump to 100k which you could easily do in a day - at
18kph average which is quite achievable on a tourer it takes just over 5 hours to make 100k. If I
remember correctly, the RTA big rides have those sorts of distances and often people who rarely
ride, or have never ridden, are able to front up for days in a row.
It is wise to consider rest days, but I wouldn't rule out being able to
press
Quoted message said:on to do a light 50k ride without suffering. It's not the distance that's the issue, it's more to
do with intensity, hydration and food.
: I'm 43 yrs old with current below average cycling fitness so I know I
must
Quoted message said:: pull the old finger out and become fitter but it will be a challenge for
me
Quoted message said:: as I have never done anything of this nature before.
You may be fitter than you realise and could make a big difference in a relatively short time.
Certainly people with less fitness are able to cope with long rides. I think after a day or so on
the ride you will be cruising and your problem will be to pace yourself rather than to push. Don't
be surprised if you get addicted!
Cheerz, Lynzz
