Resting in Murray Bridge

Bike It In A Dress: Melbourne to Adelaide, Day 9

236 words

Today was scheduled as a rest and recovery day, to allow me to a) recover from the past eight day’s journey, and b) rest in preparation for tomorrow, which might turn out to be the hardest day’s ride yet.

So I stayed another day at the Murray Bridge Marina & Caravan Park on Roper Road, Murray Bridge. The park generously provided me with one night’s free accommodation if I stayed for two (i.e. half price) to support the charity ride.

With nothing planned for the day, I spent my time fishing down by the Murray River, reading No Friend But The Mountains by Behrouz Boochani in my hammock, doing my laundry and eating the rest of my provisions, and re-packing my bike and trailer for tomorrow’s last leg.

I also received some interest in a newspaper article from local journalist Peri Strathearn, of the Murray Valley Standard. He came out to the caravan park at about 1530 and interviewed me about my ride and the charity, etc. It was a nice chat, and Peri struck me as quite a decent guy. We took some photos in my school dress and bike and then I changed again and settled back into the day’s rest.

I didn’t catch any fish today, but thoroughly enjoyed myself and am nice and relaxed, and about to cook up my dinner and spend another evening by the communal campfire at the park.

Follow the journey

  • Prologue — Media coverage in “The Courier”: Ballarat father of two preparing for ride of a lifetime...in a dress!

    A bit of media coverage this morning went a long way to help drum up some awareness of my ride. Big thanks to The Courier for the article.

  • Day 1
    Up the hills!

    I arrived at the Royal Exhibition Centre in Carlton this morning with no small amount of nervous trepidation, as well as some weary eyes, after catching the 0520 train with my partner, Danielle. We said goodbye with a big hug at Southern Cross Station, and I rode from there to Carlton, and parked at the big fountain to the south of the Exhibition Centre.

  • Day 2
    The second departure

    Slept in slightly, then as I was leaving from home and not coming back, needed to double-check that everything was packed into the trailer and the gear was all ready to go.

  • Day 3
    Horsham

    I awoke early this morning to the sound of kookaburras laughing, and then cockatoos having a screaming match, so much better than an alarm clock! I love the bush!! Enjoyed a beautiful sunrise through the gum trees as I packed up camp and had a muesli breakfast.

  • Day 4
    Dimboola

    I started this morning in the worst possible way — disaster struck my rear axle. I snapped the ‘Burley Balls’ rear axle bolt, which was made out of cheap Chinesium, as I went to depart the Darlot Motor Inn! I was devastated — this could easily have been the end of the adventure right there.

  • Day 5
    The silent ‘h’ in Nhill

    Today was a very hard day. It started off nice enough — awoke to kookaburras and cockatoos once again, and as I packed up my hammock I saw a little possum mother climbing the tree my hammock was on, with its baby on its back — unfortunately, the possums had also taken the liberty to piss and shit all over my tarps during the night.

  • Day 6
    Watching Toby get chewed up and spat out by a Tiger

    After the hard day yesterday, today was brilliant! Awoke refreshed, with not a lot of distance to cover to finish off Leg 4 — about 40 km to Bordertown, SA. I left Kaniva early and headed out for the border between Victoria and South Australia at Serviceton.

  • Day 7
    A hangover to Coonalpyn

    I woke up this morning with a bit of a hangover, but nothing too bad, and got my laundry done pretty early. I wandered around town for a while, checking out the Bordertown train station, a stop for the Overland Train I’ll be taking back to Melbourne this coming Friday.

  • Day 8
    The Mighty Murray!

    I left Coonalpyn this morning feeling pretty awesome. I’ve gotten a large portion of my journey out of the way, I’ve stayed at some great places, met some lovely people, and seen some beautiful sights.

  • Day 9
    Resting in Murray Bridge

    Today was scheduled as a rest and recovery day, to allow me to a) recover from the past eight day’s journey, and b) rest in preparation for tomorrow, which might turn out to be the hardest day’s ride yet.

  • Day 10
    Pushing beyond the limit, and arriving in Adelaide

    Today’s ride was by far the toughest, most gruelling bicycle ride I’d ever undertaken, and pushed my body to limits I hadn’t exceeded for more than ten years.

  • Epilogue — Media coverage in “The Courier”: Ryan Moore bikes in a dress to raise money for girls charity

    A bit of media coverage this morning went a long way to help drum up some awareness of my ride. Big thanks to The Courier for the article.