Volunteering & Volunteer Students

I got up and made sure I have everything I needed for the trip packed in the panniers. I rode to work and took the panniers in with the intention of doing some washing. It turns out it was all in vain as the washing machine at work had broken down. I took the panniers down to the desk after I got changed and ready and went about my routine. At the end of the day I got changed back into my cycling gear and collected the panniers on the way out.

I then went and rode up the Cooks River Cycleway to Olympic Park. On the way to Olympic Park I passed Lindsay from Dulwich Hill Bicycle Club and all the other commuters. I told Lindsay that I would see him when I came back from The Great Escapade. He wished me the best of luck. When I arrived at Olympic Park I found that there were roads closed. Probably because of the Easter Show and the Olympic swimming trials. I did intend on getting dinner there but wound up going to Newington and getting some food there.

I then road through to the bike path that runs along Adderly Street and joins the Duck River Cycleway at Auburn. I then rode through Harris Park to Parramatta. At Parramatta, I caught a train to Mt Victoria. I took a bit of a look around in Mt Victoria before going on to Lithgow. I got there by 1am.

The next day I had to get some last minute stuff for the ride. I got a head torch, a knife for the camp cutlery set and sleeping bag liner. I got these things in Katoomba because I had to get the car serviced . I noticed some cycle tourists in Katoomba. Obviously they were on their way to Lithgow. I went to the campsite at Glanmire oval and collected my ride passport and bag and bike tags. I met some of the volunteers and who were quite friendly. I got myself a massage and got talking to the masseuse who made the observation that I probably will need a massage when I get back.

I then went home and got myself into order. I mounted my handlebar bag on to the bike and moved some of the stuff from the rack pack to the handle bar bag. I began packing and had some last minute stuff to wash I went to Ian a friend of mine who still lives in Lithgow and watched the first half of the Newcastle v Parramatta game. I then went and caught up with Ruth back at my place and we went to the Club for dinner. The club was busy with some more of the volunteers and riders and I spoke to one of the people in the club who also works at the tourist information centre and was told that they were happy that a local was on the ride. I used to live here and still come back when I have nothing else going on in Sydney. After Ruth left I had a wash and went to sleep

Day 1 Lithgow Loop ride. 29^th March 2008

I got up at 7 am this morning and got myself ready for the ride. I rode to Glanmire oval for the start. I got a phone call from John about the state of the room. He wants to charge me $60 for the cleaning. I will pay but am not happy about it. I got to the start and was among the first riders to go. We were set off by Sarah Greenwood-Smith who is the ride organiser. We rode under a big blow up gantry. The rode on to the road outside the oval. We followed a loop that took us to the Great Western Highway and on to Rabaul Street. We rode through town , past a number of land marks including the Small Arms Factory Museum and some personal landmarks - the schools I went to and some of the roads I know like the back of my hand. I did the loop twice. On the second loop I had lunch at Blast Furnace Park. I got talking to some guys. One came from Finley near the border another came from Bendigo. We got talking about health insurance and all the little things you wind up finding out (stuff that you thought you were covered for but later found you aren’t ) I gave an impromptu history lesson to some people about the old steelworks and discussed old memories of Lithgow with a guy who came here for sport every so often.

I went home and finished my packing and found out that Dad will be in Sydney for the rest of the weekend. He is at my auntie’s for the 200^th anniversary of the family’s claim to the best part of Campsie. I took my stuff to the camp intending to weigh it there and take back anything that could be described as excess. Apparently the weigh ins will happen as spot checks so things will be interesting I weighed the bags at home I think they are under but I cannot be sure. I set up my tent and put my stuff inside. I came back and wrote this post. I will try to write another but the rest of the blog entries regarding The Great Escapade will be written from journal notes. I hope everyone likes it.

I will head back to the campsite shortly and will settle in. I hope everything goes well because the hardest day for me will be tomorrow in the hills on the way to Oberon. I have done as much training as I could but you can never do enough for these things in some respects. I have enough stamps to send quite a few post cards and will draw up a list for who gets what soon. That's if for me for at least a few days. As I said I will try to write some more as soon as I can otherwise I will rely on journal entries.