I’m Off! Onto the Last Leg of the Journey

Today is September 7, 2019. After a brief stint in Brisbane, I am pedaling off again to my final destination: Sydney.

After some deliberation, I decided to take the coastal route into Sydney. I hesitated at first. Being from sunny Southern California, I wasn’t fully interested in riding the coast. The route felt too much California-ish in tone. In fact, the coastal ride north of Brisbane that I did already (from Gympie to Brisbane via the Sunshine Coast) felt that way.

But I decided on the coastal route for a number of reasons.

First, I was aiming to be in Sydney by the end of the month (September), and I am running out of time. The coastal route is, at this point, seems the shortest way there.

Secondly, I feel that I have already tasted a bit of “The Country Way” (as the tourist board seems to define that inland route– shown in part in the illustration at right), by traveling through some of the inland towns in Queensland (e.g. Monto, Eidsvold, Gayndah). I had contemplated going the inland route further south when I leave Brisbane, but that route is now longer and takes more planning. (If I hadn’t gone to the coast at Brisbane, the inland route would have been shorter– oh well…. ) Besides I am getting tired of managing the trucks on the highways which many times have very slim shoulders.

Thirdly, I was getting tired of planning my way south and there is a clear way to Sydney that I don’t have to plan and think about. As some may know, I left my route south to Sydney from Townsville open-ended, and I had to plan the way south almost day-to-day. That was fun and adventurous for a while, but now I feel a little tired of planning. There already exists a clear defined route that will take me from Brisbane to Sydney– the New South Wales Coast Cycle Trail, an informal system of bike paths, seldom traveled roads, and streets with less traffic. So why not take it? I’ll simply use that as the basis for my travels– minimal planning required. Following someone else’s plan doesn’t sound very exciting to me, especially along the coast, but at this stage I’m just anxious to reach Sydney with the least amount of effort.

So I’m heading off along the coast. Goal? Sydney by September 30.