Main – Page 10 – Jewells On Tour

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Wednesday 7th August

By admin on Friday, August 9, 2019

Leaving the campsite we head north following the Pacific highway looking for somewhere to have breakfast. We find a gorgeous beach with a cafe right on the front perfect.A cup of English breakfast tea and garlic mushrooms on toast delicious. We followed the road for 150 miles stunning scenery. Trees, mountains and sea views it really is a beautiful place.

Our camp for the night is in a sea side town Coffs Harbour. The tent up we wandered around the shops nice independent shops and bars, we had to sample the local beer. Not bad.

Another day spent in paradise, let’s see what tomorrow’s little gem will be.

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Tuesday 6th August

By admin on Thursday, August 8, 2019

We have landed in Sydney on Tuesday morning it’s 7:30am we didn’t have Monday with the time difference and a 15 hour flight, anyway I don’t like Mondays tell me why I don’t like Mondays I want to fly the whole day down….

First things first get out of the airport. We cleared customs straight away even jumped the long que because of our oversized boxes. The best thing to do is hire a car for a few days to get sorted rebuild bikes buy maps etc.

It’s winter here and to be honest the temperature is lovely it’s like a early summers day in England, we’re a bit worried that the campsites might not be open but it’s a adventure we will have to wait and see.

Car hired we drive to one of Mikes friends house 30 miles from the airport, Kate. Kate has kindly offered to store our bikes in her pool plant room for a while. She doesn’t use the pool in the winter so can stay in there for a while if we want.

We decided to leave the bikes there and do a drive road trip up the coast using the highway Pacific A1. That way we can get a feel for Australia, check out campsites etc as we certainly got Court out with the poor standard and expense in the USA.

We head north and drove about 200 miles before the fatigue set in. Not much sleep on the plane. We had arrived at a place called Coffs Harbour. A really nice seaside town. Following the directions to the tourist information centre.

She directed us to a campsite and re assured us that it would be open and tents are aloud. Apparently sites stay open all year round, that’s good to know.

The campsite is beautiful right on the shore very clean facilities and cheap let’s hope there all like this.

Tent up we headed to town for food I really thought that I might struggle to find good vegetarian food but no I had a lovely falafel salad, so fresh and tasty I’m liking Australia. Back to the tent it gets dark here at 5:30 pm I have to remind myself it’s winter even if I’m only in shorts and t shirts so early to bed with my kindle we need sleep anyway. I’m looking forward to tomorrow.

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Sunday 4th August

By admin on Thursday, August 8, 2019

The last couple of days we’ve not had any internet. A few days with a hire car around California. We drove from LA to San Francisco and back using the Pacific coast highway, highway one. Lovely coastline sight seeing and seal spotting.

Then the work began. We flew to Sydney Australia, but to do that we needed tickets, visas and clean and strip the bikes put them into boxes and clean the tent. We have heard horror stories about Australia’s custom officers they have strict rules to protect their environment.

Our flight out was at 11:15 pm. We had to leave our motel at 11:00am and the car had to be returned at 5pm it was going to be a long day.

Online visa forms simple enough instant visa and free. Plane tickets also online easy peesy. What could go wrong.

We leave the motel at last minute we are 40 miles away from the airport and that’s where we have to return the hire car. L A traffic is a absolute nightmare you have ten lane highways with traffic going nowhere but even so we should have plenty of time.

Our e-tickets arrived for the flight and we can do the online check in. There’s a problem and the error message informs us that we have to check in at the airport but didn’t give us a reason. Ok we’re make sure to get there early.

On our way we take the scenic route but really we are both glad to be leaving America. Time to explore new places nether of us have been to Australia before and the excitement has kicked in.

At the airport we return the car at 3 our bikes and luggage has to be transported to the terminal and there’s a shuttle bus but no trolleys to take our stuff to the bus stop, we can’t carry it all. The guy who took the car off us saw our dilemma and took pity on us and offered us a lift. With the back seats folded down for the bikes there’s only room for one of us, the other has to take the bus. I volunteered to take the bus so mike could lift the luggage out of the car at the airport.

Mike and bikes get dropped off at the right place terminal 4 departures my bus only can take me to terminal 4 arrivals 1 floor below I didn’t have my phone with me so I just hoped that mike stayed put and I would find him.

Reunited we went to check in. We were ages at the desk, the guy kept asking me loads of questions and apparently the computer said no. I wasn’t allowed to get on the flight my visa didn’t match up with my passport. We were there over a hour, he was asking questions and he kept rolling his eyes and tutting, he called a supervisor over they were talking ages but no one was explaining anything to us. I kept asking what the problem was and had we done anything wrong but no one would tell us. We were getting pretty worried by now.

After what seemed a life time he explained that my name on the visa didn’t match my name on my passport it was my mistake when I filled in the form under family name I had put my whole name and not just my surname. Mikes was fine he was aloud to travel I was not. If only he had told me that a hour ago I could emend it online. It took until 7pm but the Problem was sorted. Details online updated we checked in and checked the luggage in we’d packed the panniers in the box with my bike so my bike was 10lb over the limit so got charged $150 but we’re on. Just got to wait.

After a long flight we arrive in Sydney just need to get through customs we ticked the declare box as we needed to declare the bikes and tent. We were hoping that we had cleaned them good enough but still worried that they wouldn’t be happy and confiscate them or give us a bill for treating them. No need to worry mr custom officer was lovely. He asked if we had cleaned them we said yes and that was it straight through.

Welcome to Australia.

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Tuesday 30th July

By admin on Wednesday, July 31, 2019

I woke up to the strangest thing, I was cold! I had to climb into my sleeping bag I looked at mike asleep next to me and he was already in he’s wow, it’s been over a month that the temperature has been that cold. We’ve been sleeping on them.

Also bird song I didn’t realise until I heard it then that I haven’t heard birds or the dawn chorus in ages just buzzing insects. I can see trees through the window my heart is singing.

We go into San Francisco and look around a really nice city it must have been a fishing town and I remarked to Mike that it reminded me of Brixton he wasn’t impressed. I think it’s the seagulls watching the tourist eat.

Touristy things done ✅ we returned back to camp, tomorrow we will head back to l A and get the bikes packed up ready for the flight to Australia.

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Monday 29th July

By admin on Wednesday, July 31, 2019

We had to return the truck today. We’ve decided that nether of us are enjoying the heat and I know for a fact that I’m not coping with it. I am always the first to moan that it’s to hot in our little English summers. I like winter! I’m missing rain, snuggly blankets and drinking alcohol without already being dehydrated.

So it’s time to go somewhere cooler. We are in 120 degrees we look where we can realistically drive to in a day that’s cooler. San Francisco is a mere 70degress and only just over 400 miles in a car that’s nothing decision made.

There’s a hertz car hire place right next to where we have to take the truck so at 9 am we switch the truck for a s u v and head to San Francisco. It felt so good leaving the desert behind and watching the temperature gage go down.

Nothingness turned to Joshua trees then to fruit trees, almonds and grass actual green grass. The flatness started to change to rolling hills and mountains my spirit was lifted.

We pulled into the k OA just after 8pm it’s the busiest one so far and they have no tent pitches left so we have the luxury of a cabin for the next two nights. Tomorrow sightseeing.

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Saturday 28th & Sunday 29th July

By admin on Wednesday, July 31, 2019

Saturday we drove back from los Vegas to continue on Route 66. It reinforced that we made the right choice. Miles of desert and the heat was unbelievable I can honestly say I’ve never experienced anything like it.

We stopped at fenner which would of been one of our night stops. There is a gas station there that’s open 24/7 so we could buy food and water and use the loo. But no shade and we couldn’t really figure out where we would of put our tent.

Moving on deeper into the desert we arrived at Roy’s motel and cafe. This was our 2nd nights planned stop. The motel has long gone and the cafe is a gift shop. Old derelict motel rooms remain and there doors were open so we could shelter in there for the night. Temperatures are still very high at night.

Finally we arrived at Barstow and frankly nothing in between. This is where we have to return the truck. We have 150 miles to the end. We both feel that for us it’s to dangerous to cycle in this extreme heat and with regret we are going to drive the rest.

Our cycling adventure isn’t over though we have booked our flights to Australia and we will continue our journey in more comfortable temperatures. It’s late winter early spring there bring it on.

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Friday 26th July

By admin on Saturday, July 27, 2019

Yesterday’s little dilemma was pondered over. We ruled out cycling all be it at night it simply was too dangerous with out support the desert is a unforgiving place and we are lucky enough to have friends and family that care about us, we couldn’t do that to them or ourselves. Yes we feel your love 💕 thank you for your kind words of support.

Ok no cycling what then. The cheapest way is to get a lift, we’re off the main highway now. To find someone going our way with room for two passengers, two big touring bikes and all the luggage could prove difficult.

Next cheapest option train. We look on the am track website. The only passenger train going our way was a cross country one that would get to our station 11:30 pm and drop us off in Barstow the next safest stop after the desert at 3:30 am. If nothing else we could do that but what do you do in a strange town that time of day. Also it wasn’t clear if we could get the bikes on, the website said if there’s room. What if there wasn’t.

Car hire. You can’t hire a car one way for one day. Minimum is three days and to hire a big enough car for us, luggage and bikes was a tad expensive. Brain wave there’s a truck hire centre near us. Let’s call in and see what the smallest they have. Bonus we can have a truck for 3 days unlimited mileage for half the price of a small car.

So now we have 3 days of going anywhere we want as long as we return it to Barstow on Monday afternoon.

Here we are in Las Vegas for the night. Not sure where we will be tomorrow it’s a adventure I tell you.

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Thursday 25th July

By admin on Thursday, July 25, 2019

Here I am sat in a McDonald’s in Kingman. We arrived at Kingman yesterday after a 13hr cycle ride in over 100 degrees. Today we are taking the day off to mull over our options.

The weather forecast for the next week is 115 and above, we have a desert crossing with no amenities coming up. Even though we’re stupid this is a pretty scary option.

What to do.

Early starts, but realistically how far can we get before running out of water. And what happens if we get a flat or mechanical problems, what about a headwind and we simply can’t carry on. So many what ifs…

Night riding. How safe is it. You hear stories and all the above on top.

Is it cheating to get a lift.

Is there a train

How about hire a car…

Are we going to be failures if we can’t complete.

What to do

Sleep on it tomorrow’s another day.

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Wednesday 24th July

By admin on Thursday, July 25, 2019

Looking at our map we knew that today was going to be a long one, but it was longer than planned. Alarm went off at 4:45 all packed and ready to go for 5am. My front tyre was flat a slow puncture over night. Mike changed my inner tube lighting quick to the one that he repaired last night. We were on the road in no time.

Our breakfast stop peach Springs this is 40 miles away but the only thing in between is a r v camp that only do a expensive continental breakfast not for us.

Lots of nothing just one long straight road I heard somewhere that this stretch of Route 66 is the longest preserved stretch I may be wrong.

We stopped in a cool gift shop at Hackberry it had a live musician playing out side and lots of memorabilia around. A welcome drink and ice lolly to get our energy up.

That was 61 miles in and we still had to push on, nowhere to stay. 15 more miles in the heat we stopped for more refreshments at a petrol station, we had been pushing against a head wind for a while. And we still had another 17 miles to go. We rested a while at a picnic table watching a storm getting closer and closer.

The locals reassured us that it would stay in the mountains but it was getting black and the lighting was close. We really don’t want to be cycling in a electric storm. We try to sit it out but time is getting on and it gets dark early, with the head wind it could take us another 2 hours before we get into town.

We make a break for it, the wind has changed direction it’s now a tail wind great but that also means that the storm is headed straight for us. We pedal like crazy just keeping ahead of the storm. A sprint finish isn’t what you need when you have cycled over 90 miles in a day. But we made it before the full impact of the storm hit us.

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Tuesday 23rd July

By admin on Wednesday, July 24, 2019

A bit of a struggle to leave Williams today, it was a cool little town and the thought of heading back down into the heat and nothingness was a bit daunting. Our lovely pink writing motivator cheered us up . On the road for 7am we headed for our 1st stop Ash Fork 20 miles up the road.

Cycling through the town we could see piles and piles of flag stones. We stopped here for breakfast. We both had omelette and toast not to difficult so why o why did it take over a hour to cook, we nearly walked out but the next stop was our final destination 20 miles on with nothing in between.

There was some lovely down hills today we have dropped about 2000 ft but there was also a big climb in the middle. Huffing and puffing up the hill in the heat mike got another puncture at least it gave me chance to have a drink and rest while he changed the inner tube.

We were going to stay in the KOA in Seligman but when we arrived it was 2 miles short of town and nothing there, tomorrow is going to be a long day so we decided that we were better off heading into town where we can get supplies.

Glad we came into town it’s full of quirky gift shops including Angel & Vilma’s originally a barbershop est 1950 but when the interstate by passed the town business dwindled. In a bid to save the town he arranged a meeting with representatives of towns along Route 66 to make Route 66 a historic highway and his barber shop became the first gift shop on historic Route 66.we booked a motel though Booking.com check in from 2 we got there at 3 the door was locked but there was a bell to ring, no answer ring again and again no luck. We tried to call the phone number on the door nope not answering that ether all in all we were outside reception for a hour until someone finally answered the phone. We would of left and found another hotel but the cancellation fees were the cost of the room for the night. We think that he could see us on cctv as he was in all the time but for what ever his reasons were he didn’t want to open the door. We’re in now so another night in a hotel getting to be a habit. I’m missing my tent! Over all today was a frustrating day.