Up at 5:45 and on the road by 7:15. Made the 90 k from Bang Bang to Burke & Wills by 12:30 with some rest stops. 

Today I saw a flock of parakeets flying together- maybe 60 to 80 all turning together and making beautiful patterns. They were bright green with almost neon green underwings and when they flapped their wings it looked like bright green strobe lights in the early morning low angle sun. They flew by me and in front of me a couple of minutes because on the bike were at the same speed. In a car I would probably have missed the whole thing.

Even as cool as the trip is I am having doubtful moments and getting tired of being on the bike so many days. I will think hard about this over the next few days to [[Australia/Mount-Isa]] and I may decide I am done. We shall see.

Burke & Wills is nice enough but busy and noisy, tomorrow night I will have to sleep in the bush so it should be quieter. Adding more water every day to see how the weight is on the bike.

written by  Mike_Veine on August 10, 2012 from Cloncurry, Australia
from the travel blog: Mike's Magical Mystery Tour
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Today I rode from Normanton to a campsite (no water) called Bang Bang about 107k away. I had a great morning ride and covered 60k in the first 3 hours easily. I stopped by a large River for lunch after crossing a narrow bridge. The cool thing is there was no place a car could have stopped- no pullouts and a very narrow two lane road, but it was no problem for the bike!

In the River were three huge storks or cranes swimming along. Each must have been easily 6 feet tall with stilt legs. Two took off while I watched them and they were slow and very graceful for the biggest birds I have ever seen flying.

After lunch the riding was much much tougher with 30 k of single lane road with just red dirt beside it when cars came. Also there was a large gravel section that was tricky riding and slow and to top it off my tailwind turned into a headwind and really wore me out!

Today was gradual climbing and the land changed again. All of a sudden the trees disappeared and it was open fields of grasses with very few trees! It looked like the pictures of the African plains. This is the real Savannah Country now.

Every day holds surprises, some good and some just a bother but I am under the stars tonight and content to be still.

Tomorrow on to Burke and Wills Roadhouse 100 k away.

written by  Mike_Veine on August 9, 2012 from Normanton, Australia
from the travel blog: Mike's Magical Mystery Tour
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Woke up at 4 with the bright moonlight in my eyes. Very quiet and peaceful out here. It is cool at night and I am in the sleeping bag and wearing a long sleeve shirt to keep the chill off.

I have a very short ride to Normanton today where I mailed a supply package with food and goodies and I will sleep in a caravan park with a pool tonight.

Hopefully they have WiFi somewhere and I can post all of the last week to the blog. If you are reading this I was successful. 

No wifi I may buy a Telstra sim card for the phone in Cloncurry just to post my blog .

I met the New Zealand National Bronco Riding Champion in the pub tonight- very nice young man with the Champion belt buckle. His name is Paul and he has been to Oregon and Idaho and Cali working on ranches. You meet so many interesting people on the road. Alas, I will never meet up with the Siberian woman- apparently she is going one way and I am traveling another. C'set la vie.

Had a nice day at the pool and picked up my package, hurrah! Power foods again!

Will leave Normanton behind tomorrow and head for Bang Bang. Shout out to NASA for a successful Mars landing today. Awesome!

written by  Mike_Veine on August 8, 2012 from Normanton, Australia
from the travel blog: Mike's Magical Mystery Tour
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Woke up to two flat tires today so changing tubes before I can get on the road.

Saw a bunch of kangaroos all day hopping from the roadside when I would ride up. I was able to get pretty close if they had their backs to me.

I met a French couple on touring bikes headed the opposite direction from me. Jean and Keely were riding around the world and have been on the road since 2006. They started in Darwin and intend to be in Melbourne in December. I invited them to stay with us there and they invited me to ride Tasmania with them if I want.

I rode from the Gilbert River to Croyden today and found a caravan park with a swimming pool, much appreciated!

I will get up early tomorrow and ride to Black Bull about halfway to Normanton.

Aug 5

Up late. Slept in because it was windy when my alarm went off at 5:45 and I wanted see what it was going to do so up at 6:45 instead. The wind died a bit and I took my time getting ready and did not leave town until about 8:30.

No kangaroos today, but I did meet up with a brahma bull!

He was standing by the roadway minding his own business and he was huge and had big horns that looked sharp- a very fierce fellow.

His head was down as I was approaching so I rode to the middle of the road and coasted quietly by. He noticed me after I passed and looked up and snorted. I avoided eye contact and kept riding hoping he would not chase me- he didnt! Yea!

It is easier riding now; mostly flat and the wind blew all over but lightly. Black Bull station turned out to be way too close so I rode all day. I couldn't quite make it the 158k to Normanton
but I did about 130 which is my longest and with a late start that is pretty good.

Camped in the bush with some trees screening me from the road and the sun has just gone down. If is quite the chorus out here with cicadas, other bugs and birds all going off at once. Oh well, I am so tired I should sleep well no matter.

No fire for stove tonight as there is too much dry grass and I don't want to cook by the highway so it is dried fruit for dinner with a water bottle chaser. That's ok, I had pizza and beer last night!

written by  Mike_Veine on August 7, 2012 from Croydon, Australia
from the travel blog: Mike's Magical Mystery Tour
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A lot to catch up on since my last post; rest day turned into two rest days when the Road construction workers and truck drivers advised me to not ride from Mt Surprise on the highway due to 45k of roadwork in progress. They said I would not be able to keep up with the cars they pass thru and would probably have to walk.

Julie, the woman who runs the Mt Surprise Hotel, suggested that I avoid the construction by taking a tourist train called the Savannahlander that runs from Cairns to the little town of Forsayth (pop. 43) which is 40k south of Georgetown on a quiet and mostly paved road.

I slept on that and in the end voted for the safety of the train practicing at listening and taking the advice of the people I meet. 

The train was a two car affair with the engine and first car being one and the same. Seemed like a big streetcar to me. Pictures of it are already posted to the blog when I had a brief period to use a computer on Georgetown. 

Riding on the train we got away from the road and deeper into the backcountry and I finally saw some kangaroos. Mostly the grey kangaroos but we saw a couple of what are called Big Reds who are larger and more aggressive.

The train left at about 12:30 and had one stop at the Ensleigh River before heading to Foesayth just after 5pm. Because it was so late I couldn't begin the ride to Georgetown and spent the night camping behind the hotel/pub in Forsayth.

Forsayth reminded me of all of the small towns in Idaho that have ranches and farmers around who come to the pub or organize the community events. This weekend was a big festival and fundraiser for them with bands and competitions and I wish I could have stayed for it, but two rest days are one too many so back on the road at sunup.

The 40k ride to Georgetown was going really well- I am stronger in the saddle now and my endurance is improving- until I hit a 15k stretch of gravel and sand where the old paving had died. 

Very tricky riding the heavy bike in the softer stuff and a lot more effort. It made me really glad I invested I'm the Schwabe Mondial hybrid tires because they handled the soft stuff really well.

I took a long break in Georgetown to check email and post a quick note to my blog and put up some of the pictures using their Library computers.

Riding today has been the first day I have spooked kangaroos. 
It is so cool to see them hopping along beside you on the bike. 

The cattle are all over the road as well- they breed Brahmans here that are genetically superior for drought conditions and disease and they will stand in the middle of the road until I get close and scatter at the last minute running to the side. I just hope I don't run into a bull! Not much chance of that since the breeding bulls are probably tens of thousands of dollars and very well cared for.

I spent the night by the Gilbert River and it had a little water left in it so I was able to fill my water bags with water I treated and have plenty of water for dinner.

I turned in early to get an early start and the light of the full moon awoke me so I am writing this up.

Hopefully I will be able to post it in Croyden but we will see, there seems to be no Vodafone access out here and very little WiFi.

written by  Mike_Veine on August 6, 2012 from Gilbert River, Australia
from the travel blog: Mike's Magical Mystery Tour
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I am staying over a day in Mt Surprise today, been riding for five days so now I will take one off. 

Yesterday was the first day I actually got into The Outback and the riding is definitely easier  now with more gentle rolling hills. Long ride- I finally topped 100K with a 112k ride. 

It seems to be cattle country out here with large ranches. Ian told me that there were two ranches larger than the entire state of Texas!

This is Savannah Land with stunted trees and long grasses predominant. I've only seen birds and cattle out here alive, but many dead kangaroos or wallabies on the side of the road victims of collisions with road trains.

I've been passed by many road trains now and the drivers are very professional and honk sometimes when overtaking me. I hear the cars and trucks behind me from very far away and it is no problem getting over for them.

I left at sunup to get a jump on the heat and took a 1/2 hour nap at noon after eating and hydrating before continuing on. This and the easier terrain made the afternoon ride better than the day before. Once when I felt too hot I just dumped a water bottle out over my head to cool off and rested in some roadside shade for 10 minutes and then back at it.

When I was riding at about 4pm the sun angle lit up the tall grasses around me and I could see the grassheads reflecting pinks and purples as they waved in a gentle breeze. A small herd of cattle all turned their heads together to watch me ride by- guess they'd never seen a bike before!

I heard from several local residents that there is a woman ahead of me who is walking to Darwin. She is from Siberia and started walking around the world when she was 17 and she is now 42- pretty amazing! I hope I will catch up with her around Croydon a couple of days and hear her Story.

Resting, reading and eating today, catch you all later! 

written by  Mike_Veine on July 31, 2012 from Mount Surprise, Australia
from the travel blog: Mike's Magical Mystery Tour
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They fed me and offered a spare bed, but I slept in an open shed overlooking their creek. Very sweet and I could see the stars and hear things that go bump in the night. Off early the next morning and had a very hard time with a headwind and still not recovered from the day before. Stopped a little short of Atherton with another 50k day at only noon to rest and recover more. I found a free campsite at a War Memorial Park with many Caravan Campers (Trailers in the US).

I will turn in early and see if I can do better tomorrow. I hope to get to Ravenshoe or even a little farther, but I am really trying to listen to my body and not risk an injury that would end the trip.

The country around me looks kind of like Idaho around Emmett and there is a large River called the Atherton that I passed over today. Arlene said that many of the landmarks are named for early explorers and that name sounds familiar, but I don't know the history...one more thing I should have done! Oh well, it is what it is. I am happy and seeing cool things. I will post some pics when I get to an internet cafe.

Quick add on... I'm in Atherton now having a nice breakfast and feeling better this am. Still hard riding because it is constant long but not steep climbing with very few flats and no descents to speak of. I am getting tired of the small chain ring lol.

written by  Mike_Veine on July 28, 2012 from Atherton, Australia
from the travel blog: Mike's Magical Mystery Tour
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But it all fits and is super well balanced so far so we will
see. I spent the day on the Great Barrier Reef and it was
fun.

But that is another Story so now to bed and get an early start
to Mareeba tomorrow. Thanks to all of you reading and please
wish me good luck and fair winds!

written by  Mike_Veine on July 26, 2012 from Cairns, Australia
from the travel blog: Mike's Magical Mystery Tour
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I'm using notepad on my iPhone and my rubber keyboard to make this posting. This will be my way on the trip and it actually works pretty well!

I am in Cairns now (pronounced CANS) and I have a large private room at a hostel for only 39 a night! Better than Motel 6.

I slept really well after the 24 hour train ride and even woke up at 4:30 AM which will be about the time I get up on the ride every morning. Today I booked a diving and snorkeling excursion to the Reef for tomorrow and it will last pretty much all day. When I get back I will load up all my panniers and plan to start just after sunup for the first leg.
I have everything I need now and even purchased another phone from a company that has better reception in the Outback. 

I got the bike all put back together and test rode it and she is fine.

I was up so early today that I even wrote a short Story I've been meaning to do and I am considering putting a second "trip" on this site just for my short stories. For now please just email me at mveine7@gmail.com or comment in the comments section of the blog.

The 27th is GO Day and my first stop will be a town called Mareeba a short 60k but with climbing out of the coast through a coastal range so I should still get a good workout for the first day.

More from the road in two or three days if I have service.

written by  Mike_Veine on July 24, 2012 from Cairns, Australia
from the travel blog: Mike's Magical Mystery Tour
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Lots of flat ranch land like going from PDX to Salem but with different trees and cactus by the roadside. I saw emus sheep and cattle and lots of birds. Two memorable sights- a tiny church graveyard with a young blond woman kneeling in the middle of it and an extremely shaggy white pony loping down a hill. Bus was not too bad got 4-5 hours of sleep but it gets monotonous.

Brisbane notes
Reminds me of Portland with a River and Bridges and an esplanade with runners and cyclists. Good weather. Uncomfortable room share with 3 Irish girls on a 7 week holiday and top bunk in dirty hostel. Cockroach city.

Met two girls named Carherine at breakfast. They had been fitness walking and we ended up eating at the same west end sidewalk cafe. One of the Catherines was going to a food and wine festival in the Southbank which is like Portland's waterfront park so I met up with her and and friend for walking and wine and cheese. Later she took me to the oldest hotel in Brisbane which was famous for their steaks and I had a good dinner.

I went to two art museums. One had a show of women artists of Australia and the other had a traveling collection from The Prado, a Spanish museum that has the art collection of the kings of Spain going back to the 15th Century. This show was only exhibiting paintings.

I enjoyed the women's art more probably because it was more varied in type of works and more contemporary. 

Then leaving Brisbane onto the Tilt train to Cairns. Saw a Joey for the first time right after I woke up on the train. We left Brisbane at 6:25pm for a 24 hour trip. Lots of fields of sugar cane some hills and saw the Ocean in the distance. 

written by  Mike_Veine on July 23, 2012 from Brisbane, Australia
from the travel blog: Mike's Magical Mystery Tour
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