Aliens, radios, and SARS

April 24th, 2003 at 12:00am

Relatively easy day today, good way to ease back into things after a day off. I left Maryborough early this morning and was happy that the ride was mostly flat, although the road itself was crap with no shoulder and there was a lot of traffic and trucks, even before 8am. Twice I was run off the road by huge logging trucks ? not fun I can tell you. After that it?s no longer a relaxing ride at all ? I tense up and grip the handle bars and keep looking in my rear-view for the next offender. Anyway, I made it.

I stopped at the info center to get advice on where to stay, and I almost decided on a backpacker?s just to get away from the families and old people who stare at me like I?m an alien when I show up at the caravan park with my bike and one-person tent, but in the end I couldn?t bring myself to pay $25 for that when I pay $12 (AUS) for a tent site. So I?m the alien again tonight in this caravan park, but the people here have been nice and a few of my Aussie neighbors have actually talked to me today, so that was really nice.

Hervey Bay is a nice beach town with a long Esplanade, over 10 km of walkway, going right along the beach. It?s known as the ?Gateway to Fraser Island,? and everyone comes here to set off for their 4X4 excursions to Fraser. I though about going over to check it out, but all the Aussies I?ve talked to say it?s just a big island with sandy beaches, and I have seen sandy beaches for the entire east coast of Australia, so I?m not really too excited at the thought of seeing more beach. I?ve decided to save the money for a sailing trip at the Whitsunday Islands instead.

So the big excitement for me today was that I bought an AM/FM radio with TV band, mostly to give me something to listen to in the evening, and the TV band mainly to get the weather forecasts. I thought about buying a short-wave, but I have one at home already, and they are 4 times as expensive as the one I bought, so I figured I?d go with the cheapie and see how I go. The TV band hasn?t worked worth shit, but I?ve got lots of AM/FM reception and it?s been very exciting scanning around and finding stuff to listen to. Oh the joys of civilization! Got two new books today as well at a second-hand shop so I?m all prepared for some action-packed evenings in the days to come.

6:40pm now. It?s dark and I?m tired and I?ll struggle to stay up until 8pm. Listening to a radio program on the SARS virus. 11 days of cycling in Australia so far and 633 km of riding completed. Still quite a long way to go, something like 1400 km, but it?s all good.

Distance: 51.52 km
Time: 3 hours 2 min
Avg Speed: 17 km/hr

TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE: Finally I have added more photos to the site. I know I’ve been way behind and I’m sorry for that, but half the reason is the computers in oz are crap for software and CD roms. Anyway I now have NEW pictures on the site all the way back from 2.15.03 (in New Zealand) to the present journal entry of 4.24.03. To view, click on the journal button at the top right of the screen, then hit’Last’ and then scroll back to view entries with photo icons. Thanks for being patient and hope you all enjoy!

There she is

thats Hervey Bay

Entry Filed under: Australia,Cycling,Hervey Bay