Uluru - Aires Rock. Taken just before sunset.
Preparing the bike for the next leg of the trip from My Aunt's in Hobart, Tasmania, back to the mainland.
Touring by bike is without doubt the best way to travel. It is the ideal pace, faster than walking, but slower than car. It is a similar pace of travelling as in medival days when people travelled on horseback for several days stopping off overnight along the way. There is a lot more to see as sat on a bicycle seat is a more elevated position to being slumped in a car seat. Much more of the countryside can be accessed and much time can be taken to take everything in instead of flying by. Small animals, unstartled by bikes, remain from hiding while you glide by. The quiet and stillness of the countryside can be appreciated while breathing the clean air. You can read about a few of my adventures below, most notable of which was my year cycle touring round Australia.
'Rider' by Andy Norris. The tale of my year cycle touring round Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Hawaii, and California in 1996.
Uluru - Aires Rock. Taken just before sunset.
Preparing the bike for the next leg of the trip from My Aunt's in Hobart, Tasmania, back to the mainland.
My first adventure occured in 1990 when I was 16. Myself and 2 friends, Frank and Richard, decided to tour Wales for a week. Our confidence was not great, but we didn't let our parents know that, and they bravely let us go. We did not let them in on the full extent of our plans. We were to cycle 7 days with one days rest, staying at Youth Hostels which minimised the amount of gear we had to carry on our bikes. The route was planned very roughly around which hostels we could reach in a days ride from one to the next. We started at Crewe, cycling across Wales to Aberystwyth, then SE to the Black Mountains and finally back up to Crewe. We were relieved and amazed that we never got lost once. Our bikes made the distance, although Frank spent a few days on a bike that was not securely attatched to his front wheel, but was just resting on it! We all had our share of punctues. On the first day we repaired a puncture 3 times before we suceeded, but not before it had started to rain. At one point we gave up as the rain was hampering any attempts to glue a patch on, so seeing the funny side we started to dance in the rain. Passing motorists were bemused by 3 people, wearing shorts and rain coats, dancing round a pile of 3 bikes. And that sums up the rest of the tour really. I may write more later.
My second adventure occured in 1994 when I decided to go to visit some friends in Galway. It seemed like a good trip to do by bike. Frank joined me for the ride and we set off from Queensferry near Liverpool. The first day took us along the top of Wales to Anglesy, a very long ride in the rain that nearly killed us. We were to camp out every night, but the extra weight meant that our bikes became more fragile. My wheel collapsed as we rode into Rhyl, but fortunately we found a bike shop that could fix it. A short second day took us to the ferry, then straight out of Dublin at 10pm to set up camp after midnight. We felt like we could have cycled all night, but the roads became pitch black and pot holes and trucks became lethal hazards. The rest of the trip to Galway took 3 days through beautiful coutryside, but with typical Irish weather. 4 days in Galway saw all our hard work go to waste as we drank copious amounts of Guiness with our Irish friends. The return journey took a little longer as we detoured through the Burren to the Cliffs of Moher. We found some choice spots to camp as we stopped at farms to ask for a field to camp in. One farm we found up on a hill overlooking the River Liffey. At Dublin we visited one more friend who showed us the sights and the pubs. Unfortunately we got too drunk and missed our ferry, but it wasn't for the want of trying. We got on our bikes with plenty of time to reach the ferry, swerving along the road shouting at peolple for directions. Passers by lead us closer and closer to Dun Laoghaire, but we didn't reilise that our ferry left from Port Dublin. So it was that we boarded the ferry at 7am the next morning with a blasting hangover, but having enjoyed one fabulous trip.
My ultimate adventure occured after I graduated from University. The whole account of my year cycling round Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Hawaii and California has been put into a word document for printing off - 'Rider' by Andy Norris. Or a browsable version can be found on my University web page which I set up when returned to England and started my Physics PhD - Uni Pages
The next year I joined Frank for another tour. We had decided to go to London to watch the penultimate night a the proms (Far better than the last night) and what better way to go than by bike. We cycled the 5 days from Lancashire to London stopping off at friends along the way. It was great to have somewhere to stay each night, but there was one drawback. Each night we had to go out, drinks loads of beer, and then get back on our bikes the next morning. Every night we stayed with a different person who we hadn't seen for months and so each night was very long and each day even longer. And there was no time for rest in London as we spent a week visiting friends and promenading at the Albert Hall. Cycling around London was fantastic. It was like shooting the rapids. We saw all the sights by bike which is the fastest way to get around in London. The return to Lancashire was done in 4 days with more people to see and more beer and tequilla to be drank. Definately the way to go. Thanks go to all the people who put us up and got us so drunk.
I have recently set up a website for a friends cycle shop. Please visit www.alltraxcycles.co.uk
