At Lismore's Goanna cafe, having tried their vegan gluten free pancakes with blueberries and agave syrup, and met up with Alex and Natalie from Coffs Harbour, advertising a music festival end of October and let them know about the Sustainable Living Festival in 2 weeks time too -
Chris
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
30 September - Lismore
Preparing for our event tonight, mindful that the Dalai Lama has been to a symposium too. The Goanna bakery is giving us student discounts as we base ourselves to work through our slides and videos, and upload one of the recent interviews we had with an indigenous Australian representative last week in Bellingen.
The power of computers is incredible really. To film an interview on a video camera, then spending an hour or so editing it in imovie, and then exporting it in a format to be read by Keynote. Click the computer to a projector, and hey presto... (hopefully)!... :-)
Chris
PS. Thanks to Harris Cycles in Lismore for helping us to re-assemble our bikes and adapt/ adjust, after they had to be dismantled into a box to get onto Australian railways.
The power of computers is incredible really. To film an interview on a video camera, then spending an hour or so editing it in imovie, and then exporting it in a format to be read by Keynote. Click the computer to a projector, and hey presto... (hopefully)!... :-)
Chris
PS. Thanks to Harris Cycles in Lismore for helping us to re-assemble our bikes and adapt/ adjust, after they had to be dismantled into a box to get onto Australian railways.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
29 September - Lismore
Visited the dentist today for another root canal treatment, having had a tooth out and filling in Bellingen over the last 2 weeks. I joked that Bike the Earth was a journey around the world visiting dentists, and connecting them, inspiring them to new business!
Sitting in the Goanna cafe on Keen Street in Lismore which offers organic healthy food and drinks, as well as spelt and gluten-free alternatives for the coeliacs amongst us.
Noticed a small sign drawing attention to the palm oil shortening used in their baking, sourced from organic farmers in Colombia.
/
Chris
Sitting in the Goanna cafe on Keen Street in Lismore which offers organic healthy food and drinks, as well as spelt and gluten-free alternatives for the coeliacs amongst us.
Noticed a small sign drawing attention to the palm oil shortening used in their baking, sourced from organic farmers in Colombia.
/
Chris
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Wednesday 22nd October - Day off. Cycled up to Dorrigo. Another world!
Cycled 30km up the Gt Dividing Range, climbing up 9km thru the Gondwana rainforest (first preserved in 1901) to the top – 762m hith - to Dorrigo. If it weren’t for the red/brown soils, I would think I had arrived in England or lowland Scotland. It resembles a cross between Tenterden, England and Kitale Kenya.
Dorrigo has an as yet, unopened railway museum with more blacked steam engines stationed one behind each other than I have ever seen in my life – and ALL of them different in design. There must have been atleast 16 of them. Plus lots of old, rather dilapidated carriages and cargo trucks. Dorrigo railway which used to feed into Grafton, carrying livestock and timber, closed in 1972, but the tracks appear to still be there. An opportunity to convert to a cycle route and attract tourism to the area, and attract younger people to stay/come.
Standard town centre: Dorrigo hotel. statue to King and Empire in middle of crossroads in centre of town. Winner of most beautiful town New South Wales 2008. And it was stunning. Just nothing very Australian about it. Very few examples of indigenous Australia there, lots of English and European ornamental plants and trees, and lawns instead.
Cycled 3km to the Dorrigo Rainforest Centre, and walked out over the Glade walk over the forest canopy. As I bent down, in my cycle shorts, to take my camera out of my bag, a party of 70 something OAPs walked across the wooden bridge towards the lookout. Their leader – a 79 year old woman called Valery, pointed to me, and said “ very interesting shorts, and bottom. Hmm… Untouched World” (the name of our clothing sponsor), emblazoned on the rear side of our cycling shorts, she said as everybody looked out over the rainforest vista and then at me. “ I must touch that” she said. I explained that I was cycling around the world. She went on” I am looking for a wealthy husband.” I wanted to reply: “ so am I” but decided to respond “ contact me later, darling”.
Cycled down the scarp, and back to Bellingen via a smaller rougher road which passed via Glennifer and Never Never land. So beautiful, reminding me of other stunning places in the world I have been to, in Kenya, and on the Georgian/Chechen border.
Chris
Dorrigo has an as yet, unopened railway museum with more blacked steam engines stationed one behind each other than I have ever seen in my life – and ALL of them different in design. There must have been atleast 16 of them. Plus lots of old, rather dilapidated carriages and cargo trucks. Dorrigo railway which used to feed into Grafton, carrying livestock and timber, closed in 1972, but the tracks appear to still be there. An opportunity to convert to a cycle route and attract tourism to the area, and attract younger people to stay/come.
Standard town centre: Dorrigo hotel. statue to King and Empire in middle of crossroads in centre of town. Winner of most beautiful town New South Wales 2008. And it was stunning. Just nothing very Australian about it. Very few examples of indigenous Australia there, lots of English and European ornamental plants and trees, and lawns instead.
Cycled 3km to the Dorrigo Rainforest Centre, and walked out over the Glade walk over the forest canopy. As I bent down, in my cycle shorts, to take my camera out of my bag, a party of 70 something OAPs walked across the wooden bridge towards the lookout. Their leader – a 79 year old woman called Valery, pointed to me, and said “ very interesting shorts, and bottom. Hmm… Untouched World” (the name of our clothing sponsor), emblazoned on the rear side of our cycling shorts, she said as everybody looked out over the rainforest vista and then at me. “ I must touch that” she said. I explained that I was cycling around the world. She went on” I am looking for a wealthy husband.” I wanted to reply: “ so am I” but decided to respond “ contact me later, darling”.
Cycled down the scarp, and back to Bellingen via a smaller rougher road which passed via Glennifer and Never Never land. So beautiful, reminding me of other stunning places in the world I have been to, in Kenya, and on the Georgian/Chechen border.
Chris
Monday, September 20, 2010
Day 65 - Broadwater/Lismore
Day 65 - Broadwater/Lismore
Had lunch and worked through the afternoon at Sweet Pea Café, 13 Woodlark Street, Lismore. Great vegetable/fruit juices, gluten-free pies, and a cosy, friendly atmosphere. Both Roland and I were stunned by the wifi being the fastest speed we have ever come across in a shop. Anywhere in the world. And very, very friendly service. Wow -a world first for Lismore!
- Chance meeting with Christopher Ryan at the Sweet Pea café. A local guy from Lismore, he is about to do a One Planet MBA in Exeter, UK: -
- Also learned about an Australian invention for Solar paint – to replace tradional solar panels: see—m
- Interviewed by local ABC news, ZZZ and 2LM radio stations today about Bike the Earth. Am trying to get a podcast to post on the blog/website later.
Disappointing to hear Dr Cameron Hepburn from Oxford University on ABC TV here in Australia parrotting out the argument in favour of CCS - carbon capture and storage. Too late, and not proven. Should be ignored completely, and instead action should focus on 100% reductions as the Lismore Climate ACtion Group and the Ballarat Renewable Energy Action Group are working towards.
9000 dollars here to install a 1.5kw installation on their house. And the Govt gives a subsidy of 6000 dollars. YES. This is not a typo/mistake!
On 1.5kw installation, you will get 1500 dollars of power via the feed-in tariff, and get your money back in 2 years. meaning you get a
48% return. 32% after including investmen. And you can set costs against tax too.
North facing aspect needed in Oz. Up to 10kw poss.
Most generous system in Australiaia
Back to Bellingen tomorrow by train/bus, and then leaving by bicycle to continue our epic. Due back in Lismore on Wednesday 29th – Friday 1st October to give a symposium at Southern Cross University (tbc - please contact us), and to visit Thursday Plantation which produces organic tea tree oil so appreciated by consumers in the UK/EU and in the US.
Rod Quantock’s new play: “Bugger the Polar Bears” now showing in Melbourne. Also.
How many is a brazilian? said George Bush, having heard that there were zillions of dollars available for something, and then hearing that there was a brazilian next door.
Raining cats and dogs here today, all day. And grey overcast day. A bit like England really!
Had lunch and worked through the afternoon at Sweet Pea Café, 13 Woodlark Street, Lismore. Great vegetable/fruit juices, gluten-free pies, and a cosy, friendly atmosphere. Both Roland and I were stunned by the wifi being the fastest speed we have ever come across in a shop. Anywhere in the world. And very, very friendly service. Wow -a world first for Lismore!
- Chance meeting with Christopher Ryan at the Sweet Pea café. A local guy from Lismore, he is about to do a One Planet MBA in Exeter, UK: -
- Also learned about an Australian invention for Solar paint – to replace tradional solar panels: see—m
- Interviewed by local ABC news, ZZZ and 2LM radio stations today about Bike the Earth. Am trying to get a podcast to post on the blog/website later.
Disappointing to hear Dr Cameron Hepburn from Oxford University on ABC TV here in Australia parrotting out the argument in favour of CCS - carbon capture and storage. Too late, and not proven. Should be ignored completely, and instead action should focus on 100% reductions as the Lismore Climate ACtion Group and the Ballarat Renewable Energy Action Group are working towards.
9000 dollars here to install a 1.5kw installation on their house. And the Govt gives a subsidy of 6000 dollars. YES. This is not a typo/mistake!
On 1.5kw installation, you will get 1500 dollars of power via the feed-in tariff, and get your money back in 2 years. meaning you get a
48% return. 32% after including investmen. And you can set costs against tax too.
North facing aspect needed in Oz. Up to 10kw poss.
Most generous system in Australiaia
Back to Bellingen tomorrow by train/bus, and then leaving by bicycle to continue our epic. Due back in Lismore on Wednesday 29th – Friday 1st October to give a symposium at Southern Cross University (tbc - please contact us), and to visit Thursday Plantation which produces organic tea tree oil so appreciated by consumers in the UK/EU and in the US.
Rod Quantock’s new play: “Bugger the Polar Bears” now showing in Melbourne. Also.
How many is a brazilian? said George Bush, having heard that there were zillions of dollars available for something, and then hearing that there was a brazilian next door.
Raining cats and dogs here today, all day. And grey overcast day. A bit like England really!
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Day 61 - BELLINGEN.....(Kombu/Biodynamic/Dentist/Aborigine Language/Dark Mountain.)
hmm. I am going to have to recalculate the days soon... to differentiate between "day" and "riding day".
In Bellingen, we get our provisions from Kombu run by Kevin and Lowanna Doye who cycled from the UK to Australia a decade ago. Besides organic food (local and foreign), bicycle bottles, and a myriad of green stuff from seeds to shampoos, I came across mini flyers for Bio-dynamic farming that has long fascinated me.
Anotherday, I hope either Roland or I can interview some of the youth engaged with EYE on the planet.
Meanwhile the fact that I have had to see a dentist, here in Bellingen, at short notice (left molar tooth out) and have to see the dentist next week to look at another tooth, means we have an enforced stay, and are taking the opportunity to evaluate how effective have we been, what works across the board on all issues relating to the ride and how we work together, and what doesn't. And can we resolve these issues to improve how we work together?
Three hours after leaving the dentist's chair, Roland, Olivia and I attended a class studying snd speaking the Gurrimburr language from this area, and now back home I am inspired by Edward Hill from Transition Westcombe, sending me the following:
the Dark Mountain: http://www.dark-mountain.net
"The end of the world as we know it is not the end of the world full stop.
Deeper than oil, steel or bullets, a civilisation is built on stories: on the myths that shape it and the tales told of its origins and destiny. We have herded ourselves to the edge of a precipice with the stories we have told ourselves about who we are: the stories of ‘progress’, of the conquest of ‘nature’, of the centrality and supremacy of the human species.
It is time for new stories. The Dark Mountain Project intends to conjure into being new ways of seeing and writing about the world. We call this Uncivilisation.
Our aim is to bring together writers and artists, thinkers and doers, to assault the established citadels of literature and thought, and to begin to redraw the maps by which we navigate the places and times in which we find ourselves.
We believe that the roots of these crises lie in the stories we have been telling ourselves. We intend to challenge the stories which underpin our civilisation: the myth of progress, the myth of human centrality, and the myth of our separation from ‘nature’. These myths are more dangerous for the fact that we have forgotten they are myths.
We will reassert the role of story-telling as more than mere entertainment. It is through stories that we weave reality. The Dark Mountain Manifesto."
Yarri yarrang --
(or See you, as they say in the Gurrimburr Aborigine language)
Chris
In Bellingen, we get our provisions from Kombu run by Kevin and Lowanna Doye who cycled from the UK to Australia a decade ago. Besides organic food (local and foreign), bicycle bottles, and a myriad of green stuff from seeds to shampoos, I came across mini flyers for Bio-dynamic farming that has long fascinated me.
Anotherday, I hope either Roland or I can interview some of the youth engaged with EYE on the planet.
Meanwhile the fact that I have had to see a dentist, here in Bellingen, at short notice (left molar tooth out) and have to see the dentist next week to look at another tooth, means we have an enforced stay, and are taking the opportunity to evaluate how effective have we been, what works across the board on all issues relating to the ride and how we work together, and what doesn't. And can we resolve these issues to improve how we work together?
Three hours after leaving the dentist's chair, Roland, Olivia and I attended a class studying snd speaking the Gurrimburr language from this area, and now back home I am inspired by Edward Hill from Transition Westcombe, sending me the following:
the Dark Mountain: http://www.dark-mountain.net
"The end of the world as we know it is not the end of the world full stop.
Deeper than oil, steel or bullets, a civilisation is built on stories: on the myths that shape it and the tales told of its origins and destiny. We have herded ourselves to the edge of a precipice with the stories we have told ourselves about who we are: the stories of ‘progress’, of the conquest of ‘nature’, of the centrality and supremacy of the human species.
It is time for new stories. The Dark Mountain Project intends to conjure into being new ways of seeing and writing about the world. We call this Uncivilisation.
Our aim is to bring together writers and artists, thinkers and doers, to assault the established citadels of literature and thought, and to begin to redraw the maps by which we navigate the places and times in which we find ourselves.
We believe that the roots of these crises lie in the stories we have been telling ourselves. We intend to challenge the stories which underpin our civilisation: the myth of progress, the myth of human centrality, and the myth of our separation from ‘nature’. These myths are more dangerous for the fact that we have forgotten they are myths.
We will reassert the role of story-telling as more than mere entertainment. It is through stories that we weave reality. The Dark Mountain Manifesto."
Yarri yarrang --
(or See you, as they say in the Gurrimburr Aborigine language)
Chris
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Day 53 - Port Macquarie
In Praise of Caravan Parks
Sundowner Holiday Park
Port Macquarie, Australia
Wow! Australian caravan parks. Luxury hot showers. Clean. Well designed BBQ areas. Pools. Space. Top locations by the beach. . Well maintained. Ever so friendly. And really open to supporting Bike the Earth, with some of them offerings stays for free. Chris' first stay was in a caravan park, cycle/touring and camping whilst on his Duke of Edinburgh expedition in 1981 in Lime Regis, Dorset. It put him off caravan parks for life – until now.
Sundowner have cabins (share toilets), individual chalets, backpacker rooms, and a whole variety of different spaces making it quite unusual: a medium sized swimming pool, a beach nearby, a guest lounge and games room, a kids play area, a conference/wedding centre, and free wifi. And, we have to say, really really friendly staff, not just at the front desk, but also coming to our room to offer us additional alternative locked storage for our bikes.
The Tuncurry Holiday park over the river from Forster had a playful, colourful, trippy pool side area with mushroom and caterpillar fountains. And yet the park was quiet, friendly, and with warm energy. The bathroom was very very clean. And they supported Bike the Earth by letting us camp for free.
We stayed at Hawks Nest caravan park where Roland used to stay 35 years ago. It had changed. You could see how the trees had grown, and there had been renovations, but the basic configuration was still the same. Although the land is owned the Council, the park has new operators who were really open to learning about sustainability in terms of solar panels, water consumption etc.
Other parks we have stayed at:
Uminor caravan park (just north of Sydney)
- more on this later
Bundeena caravan park (just south of Sydney)
- more on this later.
Grassy Heads caravan park
- perhaps the most scenic place to camp I have ever been to (apart from camping on our own in the late 1970s next to hot alkaline pools close to Lake Bogoria in Kenya)
Chris and Roland
Sundowner Holiday Park
Port Macquarie, Australia
Wow! Australian caravan parks. Luxury hot showers. Clean. Well designed BBQ areas. Pools. Space. Top locations by the beach. . Well maintained. Ever so friendly. And really open to supporting Bike the Earth, with some of them offerings stays for free. Chris' first stay was in a caravan park, cycle/touring and camping whilst on his Duke of Edinburgh expedition in 1981 in Lime Regis, Dorset. It put him off caravan parks for life – until now.
Sundowner have cabins (share toilets), individual chalets, backpacker rooms, and a whole variety of different spaces making it quite unusual: a medium sized swimming pool, a beach nearby, a guest lounge and games room, a kids play area, a conference/wedding centre, and free wifi. And, we have to say, really really friendly staff, not just at the front desk, but also coming to our room to offer us additional alternative locked storage for our bikes.
The Tuncurry Holiday park over the river from Forster had a playful, colourful, trippy pool side area with mushroom and caterpillar fountains. And yet the park was quiet, friendly, and with warm energy. The bathroom was very very clean. And they supported Bike the Earth by letting us camp for free.
We stayed at Hawks Nest caravan park where Roland used to stay 35 years ago. It had changed. You could see how the trees had grown, and there had been renovations, but the basic configuration was still the same. Although the land is owned the Council, the park has new operators who were really open to learning about sustainability in terms of solar panels, water consumption etc.
Other parks we have stayed at:
Uminor caravan park (just north of Sydney)
Bundeena caravan park (just south of Sydney)
Grassy Heads caravan park
- perhaps the most scenic place to camp I have ever been to (apart from camping on our own in the late 1970s next to hot alkaline pools close to Lake Bogoria in Kenya)
Chris and Roland
Day 60: Bellingen. Building for the Future
Some of you have asked the question to me: why are photos and videos etc not up on the website yet?
Good question!
1. I am new to this, and it takes me time to learn the new programmes to upload/convert/ edit etc.
2. iphoto kept jamming everytime I tried to load stuff to the website or download to the MAC. In Canberra, on a 2nd visit to a MAC shop in the suburbs, I found out that iphoto had got corrupted. Troubleshooting in the shop … and then new software installed and it got working.
3. In Sydney Chris booked to for a master class at the Apple shop to learn about imovie/editing, only to find that the software on his MAC was outofdate compared to the class’s. Added to that the speed of his computer got slower and slower… a new harddrive of 500gb was installed in Newcastle.
4. To do a download I need uninterrupted power supply for several hours, and there is not enough room to do this in a small tent. So it has to be done when I have reached a stopping point, and can set time to do this (2-3 hours usually to download video material to the computer). Naturally as I get used to the procedure, we can aim to get all films on the website more quickly.
Sorry to all those waiting. Thank you for your patience.
Any suggestions? you know how to reach me!
Chris
Good question!
1. I am new to this, and it takes me time to learn the new programmes to upload/convert/ edit etc.
2. iphoto kept jamming everytime I tried to load stuff to the website or download to the MAC. In Canberra, on a 2nd visit to a MAC shop in the suburbs, I found out that iphoto had got corrupted. Troubleshooting in the shop … and then new software installed and it got working.
3. In Sydney Chris booked to for a master class at the Apple shop to learn about imovie/editing, only to find that the software on his MAC was outofdate compared to the class’s. Added to that the speed of his computer got slower and slower… a new harddrive of 500gb was installed in Newcastle.
4. To do a download I need uninterrupted power supply for several hours, and there is not enough room to do this in a small tent. So it has to be done when I have reached a stopping point, and can set time to do this (2-3 hours usually to download video material to the computer). Naturally as I get used to the procedure, we can aim to get all films on the website more quickly.
Sorry to all those waiting. Thank you for your patience.
Any suggestions? you know how to reach me!
Chris
Monday, September 13, 2010
Day 59 : Bundajen and Bellingen
Enjoyed frying eggs that were less than one hour old. Even the Chooks (Chickens) seemed content for us to take their eggs.
Drove Olivia’s car to Urunga to see dentist.3 week waiting list. Appointment with a recommended dentist on Thursday in Bellingen. Front left tooth fell out yesterday evening, and the two incisor valley side walls are beginning to hurt again, despite antibiotics. Root canal treatment from Kevin in Oxted may have failed, and half the toot has fallen out. Two other teeth throbbing… do I need other root canal treatments? Which meridians treat which teeth? There are many worse places to be marooned than Bellingen, me thinks.
Traffic rules are more tightly enforced here in Oz than in UK where you can drive up to 10% over the speed limit and get away with it (most of the time). Drove mindfully to Bundajen intentional community to see the property, houses and beach. It had been rescued from the tentacles of a sand mining company, and a Japanese property developer, and adjoins the national park coast/beach, with huge tall forests of wattle and gum.
Skinny dip in the sea. Still cold by Sri Lankan standards. Jumping in the waves. Walked back in the rain to the main hall and a vegge lunch. Met Michael, a freelance journalist from Melbourne.
Ponder, Peek, Paddle, Picnic, – NSW parks advert.
Off to stay with cousin Katharine for a night, half a km away.
Chris
Drove Olivia’s car to Urunga to see dentist.3 week waiting list. Appointment with a recommended dentist on Thursday in Bellingen. Front left tooth fell out yesterday evening, and the two incisor valley side walls are beginning to hurt again, despite antibiotics. Root canal treatment from Kevin in Oxted may have failed, and half the toot has fallen out. Two other teeth throbbing… do I need other root canal treatments? Which meridians treat which teeth? There are many worse places to be marooned than Bellingen, me thinks.
Traffic rules are more tightly enforced here in Oz than in UK where you can drive up to 10% over the speed limit and get away with it (most of the time). Drove mindfully to Bundajen intentional community to see the property, houses and beach. It had been rescued from the tentacles of a sand mining company, and a Japanese property developer, and adjoins the national park coast/beach, with huge tall forests of wattle and gum.
Skinny dip in the sea. Still cold by Sri Lankan standards. Jumping in the waves. Walked back in the rain to the main hall and a vegge lunch. Met Michael, a freelance journalist from Melbourne.
Ponder, Peek, Paddle, Picnic, – NSW parks advert.
Off to stay with cousin Katharine for a night, half a km away.
Chris
Day 58: (Monday) Bellingen
A day to prepare for our up and coming symposiums. We based ourselves @ Bellingen Environment Centre most of the day, working through how we will co lead our events together, for Broadwater and Currumbin Eco Village.
Also an opportunity for Roland and I to get clear on things between us, given his how he felt I had been being with me the last few days and weeks. He has been confronted fully: living with a self expressed gay man is confronting for a straight man, and confronting for a gay man.
Also an opportunity for Roland and I to get clear on things between us, given his how he felt I had been being with me the last few days and weeks. He has been confronted fully: living with a self expressed gay man is confronting for a straight man, and confronting for a gay man.
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Day 55: Friday– GRASSY HEADS TO BELLINGEN
Distance: 61 km
Time: 4hours
Distance so far: 2108 km
Weather: Hot.
Terrain: Hilly
Awoke at 6,30am and went for a bathe on the deserted beach, in the breakers. High tide. Cold, but invigorating. Nobody else around. Unspoilt beauty, preserved in a national park now. Reminds me of my ancestor’s work, Philip Le Breton, a Whig councillor who, as Chairman of the Metropolitan Board of Works in the 1850s led the campaign to save Hampstead Heath for the nation.
Back to eastern Australia - Our tent packed away, and paniers packed, we left at 9am. 10km later, decided to make for Macksville for breakfast. Around the next garden a nursery with local bananas, local papaya and pineapples. Bliss. Their goat enjoyed the banana skin and peel we had left over.
Another 10km to Macksville, and to ShortOrder café. Recipient of numerous Sydney Morning Herald prizes, they gave us our meal with a 40% discount in support of Bike the Earth. Thank you!
A visit to the chemist to get antibiotics for Chris’ resurgent tooth aches, and then on the road to Uranga and Bellingen. A hot day. Definitely sub-tropical. Tall gum trees benefitting from the coastal rains.
I am slow with the trailer. Why rush? When I am thinking I am even slower. But when I have to get up the steepest hill, I do, without getting off. A groan.. and I make sure my legs turbo sets in.
Roland low. Maybe cos I am slow. Maybe cos right now I am paying for the whole expedition. We need more money to come in from sponsors and donors. He and I must send out the letter to all BTC facilitators here to ask for money.
Time: 4hours
Distance so far: 2108 km
Weather: Hot.
Terrain: Hilly
Awoke at 6,30am and went for a bathe on the deserted beach, in the breakers. High tide. Cold, but invigorating. Nobody else around. Unspoilt beauty, preserved in a national park now. Reminds me of my ancestor’s work, Philip Le Breton, a Whig councillor who, as Chairman of the Metropolitan Board of Works in the 1850s led the campaign to save Hampstead Heath for the nation.
Back to eastern Australia - Our tent packed away, and paniers packed, we left at 9am. 10km later, decided to make for Macksville for breakfast. Around the next garden a nursery with local bananas, local papaya and pineapples. Bliss. Their goat enjoyed the banana skin and peel we had left over.
Another 10km to Macksville, and to ShortOrder café. Recipient of numerous Sydney Morning Herald prizes, they gave us our meal with a 40% discount in support of Bike the Earth. Thank you!
A visit to the chemist to get antibiotics for Chris’ resurgent tooth aches, and then on the road to Uranga and Bellingen. A hot day. Definitely sub-tropical. Tall gum trees benefitting from the coastal rains.
I am slow with the trailer. Why rush? When I am thinking I am even slower. But when I have to get up the steepest hill, I do, without getting off. A groan.. and I make sure my legs turbo sets in.
Roland low. Maybe cos I am slow. Maybe cos right now I am paying for the whole expedition. We need more money to come in from sponsors and donors. He and I must send out the letter to all BTC facilitators here to ask for money.
Day 56- Saturday– Rest day in Bellingen.
Rest day.
In the cosy, green town of Bellingen which was set up in the 1960s by hippies who couldnt afford the land prices charged by the surfies on the coast. Surrounded by rolling, almost English farming country. At dusk - get to the Bellingen river, and watch the hordes of fruit bats flying in formation coastwards, darkening the sky, like a low level black milky way, lasting 15 minutes or so. Surreal.
Rest day. Yet we still end up working, connecting, inspiring, coaching, filming, documenting, learning of new people to meet, places to visit/ stay/help… still having a coffee and gluten free cake at the Bellingen Farmers Market (organic produce) can’t be too bad really. Gotta get our own social needs taken care of or else we wont be sustainable!
In the farmers market, bumped into my own cousin Katherine who I havent seen since 1989. She knew I was in town, but still it was a wonderful moment.
Drove towards the mountains with – Olivia Bernadini – (who is putting us up). After a degree at the LSE, she spent 2 years living up a tree in the UK anti-roads campaign in the 1990s (Twyford Down, Newbury, and somewhere in Wales). Now a yoga teacher and environmental education teacher. Swam in the crystal clear waters of a river pool in a sunny wooden glade, some 15 km from Bellingen, in what is known as the Promised Land. Afterwards ate solar-cooked vege made in a solar cooker.
Attended the community stakeholder meeting organised by Transition Bellingen for Bellingen Shire Council using "world café" stakeholder engagement tools to consult on what are the priorities for Bellingen over the next few years. Impressive that a council considers recruiting the Transition Town to carry out the work. The transition community refused to take money in recompense, not wanting to thwart their impartiality and independence.
In the cosy, green town of Bellingen which was set up in the 1960s by hippies who couldnt afford the land prices charged by the surfies on the coast. Surrounded by rolling, almost English farming country. At dusk - get to the Bellingen river, and watch the hordes of fruit bats flying in formation coastwards, darkening the sky, like a low level black milky way, lasting 15 minutes or so. Surreal.
Rest day. Yet we still end up working, connecting, inspiring, coaching, filming, documenting, learning of new people to meet, places to visit/ stay/help… still having a coffee and gluten free cake at the Bellingen Farmers Market (organic produce) can’t be too bad really. Gotta get our own social needs taken care of or else we wont be sustainable!
In the farmers market, bumped into my own cousin Katherine who I havent seen since 1989. She knew I was in town, but still it was a wonderful moment.
Drove towards the mountains with – Olivia Bernadini – (who is putting us up). After a degree at the LSE, she spent 2 years living up a tree in the UK anti-roads campaign in the 1990s (Twyford Down, Newbury, and somewhere in Wales). Now a yoga teacher and environmental education teacher. Swam in the crystal clear waters of a river pool in a sunny wooden glade, some 15 km from Bellingen, in what is known as the Promised Land. Afterwards ate solar-cooked vege made in a solar cooker.
Attended the community stakeholder meeting organised by Transition Bellingen for Bellingen Shire Council using "world café" stakeholder engagement tools to consult on what are the priorities for Bellingen over the next few years. Impressive that a council considers recruiting the Transition Town to carry out the work. The transition community refused to take money in recompense, not wanting to thwart their impartiality and independence.
Friday, September 10, 2010
Day 54 - Port MacQuarie to Grassy Heads
This was a long day! We left Port Macquarie about 11am after yoga, a swim, packing up, a great big breakfast at the Corner Restaurant (Thank you for supporting Bike the Earth by knocking a third off - home made baked beans - yumm). Chris meditating & me having a conversation with a 90 year old lady on a bench in the middle of town. It does seem to take us a long time to get out on the road but we also find that we often get some of our greatest connections with local people in the mornings.
The ride was out to Highway 1 (goes all around Australia for the non locals) which in this section is a mostly big two lane per side road for the much of it and luckily has a reasonable shoulder for us to ride along. What I can't get use to is the speed, size & frequency of the trucks. Cars flying past me at 100km (if they are keeping to the speed limit) less than 2m away is challenging enough but when the trucks barrel past with their huge trailers, wheels, engine, compression brakes & exhaust all roaring with the power of the engine & the friction of the different surfaces we are traveling on it really freaks me out at times. Especially after 4pm when the frequency at least doubles!
So this day was slow going. Chris was mulling over stuff in his mind and his motivation speed and spirit dropping radically. With his average speed while actually riding being about 18.5km / ph down from our record or 22km/ph. We got to Kempsey at 3 pm though which considering the 49 km we traveled means that we were stopped for a bit over 1 hour along the way. As we wanted to get to Grassy Head & had another 45km to go we chose to reconsider our plan. Motivating Chris we decided to give it a go and see how far we got with the intention of camping on the side of the road if needed.
We just got to the turn off at sunset after some nerve wracking near misses from some scary trucks, and I proposed that we strike camp. But this time Chris motivated me to carry on cycling up and down hills, even though it was about 14km to go, and soon very dark.
So off we rode into the night. Me with the good front light & Chris with the good back light (my batteries need charging) 10km later we get to the last turn before the road to the campsite. Looking up the road it was completely black but there was a pub just near the corner. Luckily we had decided to check with the campsite to see if there was any food there. There wasn't so we stopped for a meal and although I was concerned about having a beer with dinner we decided to have on anyway & I am sure that was the best tasting beer we've had! After dinner we went on to the site in the pitch black night. We got to the camp ground set up our tent & jumped inside to have a fantastic coaching call with our team member Tathra who is in Melbourne via skype. Finally the signal drop outs were coming to frequently we finished the call and were soon in rugged up in our sleeping bags in our new tent to sleep. the tent survived it's first down pour and kept us nice and dry but it was a noisy night with the roar of the surf and the rain waking us both at times. but i loved the sounds which reminded me of my years of camping and being by the sea for summer holidays.
Roland
The ride was out to Highway 1 (goes all around Australia for the non locals) which in this section is a mostly big two lane per side road for the much of it and luckily has a reasonable shoulder for us to ride along. What I can't get use to is the speed, size & frequency of the trucks. Cars flying past me at 100km (if they are keeping to the speed limit) less than 2m away is challenging enough but when the trucks barrel past with their huge trailers, wheels, engine, compression brakes & exhaust all roaring with the power of the engine & the friction of the different surfaces we are traveling on it really freaks me out at times. Especially after 4pm when the frequency at least doubles!
So this day was slow going. Chris was mulling over stuff in his mind and his motivation speed and spirit dropping radically. With his average speed while actually riding being about 18.5km / ph down from our record or 22km/ph. We got to Kempsey at 3 pm though which considering the 49 km we traveled means that we were stopped for a bit over 1 hour along the way. As we wanted to get to Grassy Head & had another 45km to go we chose to reconsider our plan. Motivating Chris we decided to give it a go and see how far we got with the intention of camping on the side of the road if needed.
We just got to the turn off at sunset after some nerve wracking near misses from some scary trucks, and I proposed that we strike camp. But this time Chris motivated me to carry on cycling up and down hills, even though it was about 14km to go, and soon very dark.
So off we rode into the night. Me with the good front light & Chris with the good back light (my batteries need charging) 10km later we get to the last turn before the road to the campsite. Looking up the road it was completely black but there was a pub just near the corner. Luckily we had decided to check with the campsite to see if there was any food there. There wasn't so we stopped for a meal and although I was concerned about having a beer with dinner we decided to have on anyway & I am sure that was the best tasting beer we've had! After dinner we went on to the site in the pitch black night. We got to the camp ground set up our tent & jumped inside to have a fantastic coaching call with our team member Tathra who is in Melbourne via skype. Finally the signal drop outs were coming to frequently we finished the call and were soon in rugged up in our sleeping bags in our new tent to sleep. the tent survived it's first down pour and kept us nice and dry but it was a noisy night with the roar of the surf and the rain waking us both at times. but i loved the sounds which reminded me of my years of camping and being by the sea for summer holidays.
Roland
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Day 52 - Taree to Port Macquarie
We reached Port Macquarie - 87km today, with an average speed of 21.4km (not bad with a trailer). Now preparing for a series of training events we have planned in the coming 2 weeks.
Distance so far: 1956km
Weather: Temperature: 32 degrees. Sunny and hot. Rapidly descending to 20 degrees, and 12 degrees at evening.
Terrain: Freeway – gentle inclines for first 40km. Then hilly, with narrow roads and less room for cyclists.
In Taree, the health food shop gave us 30 discount on nuts and raisins. Thank you!
43km from Taree, we entered the village of Kew. Cut off now by the new freeway, rather like Bulahdela will be within the year. The village is having to reinvent itself. At the Keward a redoubtable entrepreneur offered s some great coffee, sturdy wooden tables for sharing, and some gentle jazz. Worth trying it out.
Now in Port Macquarie. Checked into the Caravan Park to camp. But they offered us a backpackers room for free, with free wifi.
Room given for FREE. Free wifi. Neighbouring room for bikes. Linen etc.
GREAT location! Chris
I have to say that the staff at the Sundowner Holiday Park in Port Macquarie have been some of the most helpful, open, supportive and customer focused hospitality people we have met. All of them have gone out of their way to help us and make our stay a great experience! :-)
Also the ride to Port Mac was great. We covered a good distance and maintained a great speed. Its rewarding on days like this as it makes us feel like our fitness is improving.
We are both starting to get tans (amazing for me) on our exposed skin so we are starting to get the cyclist look of brown arms, legs, neck & faces above and below our bike shorts and Tshirts! Not really the best look when swimming but at least when we are in our cycle gear we're starting to look lean, tanned & fit cyclist!
The next few days could be rain (10mm was forecast yesterday for tomorrow!) so we may get a bit wet! As it has now warmed up a lot this hopefully will mean that we wont be too cold, although the temperature is set to drop as well. It was plenty warm enough for me this morning to do my yoga in a Tshirt & fisherman trousers & bare feet on the grass by the beach & go for a swim and body surf for a short while. way longer than the few dips we have had which was great. I am looking forward to when (like maybe tomorrow) when the water is warmer than the ambient temperature.
Looking forward to visiting Bellingen & connecting with the community there as we have a lot of contacts & know that it is a area active and empowered to be more sustainable just and healthy.
Roland
Distance so far: 1956km
Weather: Temperature: 32 degrees. Sunny and hot. Rapidly descending to 20 degrees, and 12 degrees at evening.
Terrain: Freeway – gentle inclines for first 40km. Then hilly, with narrow roads and less room for cyclists.
In Taree, the health food shop gave us 30 discount on nuts and raisins. Thank you!
43km from Taree, we entered the village of Kew. Cut off now by the new freeway, rather like Bulahdela will be within the year. The village is having to reinvent itself. At the Keward a redoubtable entrepreneur offered s some great coffee, sturdy wooden tables for sharing, and some gentle jazz. Worth trying it out.
Now in Port Macquarie. Checked into the Caravan Park to camp. But they offered us a backpackers room for free, with free wifi.
Room given for FREE. Free wifi. Neighbouring room for bikes. Linen etc.
GREAT location! Chris
I have to say that the staff at the Sundowner Holiday Park in Port Macquarie have been some of the most helpful, open, supportive and customer focused hospitality people we have met. All of them have gone out of their way to help us and make our stay a great experience! :-)
Also the ride to Port Mac was great. We covered a good distance and maintained a great speed. Its rewarding on days like this as it makes us feel like our fitness is improving.
We are both starting to get tans (amazing for me) on our exposed skin so we are starting to get the cyclist look of brown arms, legs, neck & faces above and below our bike shorts and Tshirts! Not really the best look when swimming but at least when we are in our cycle gear we're starting to look lean, tanned & fit cyclist!
The next few days could be rain (10mm was forecast yesterday for tomorrow!) so we may get a bit wet! As it has now warmed up a lot this hopefully will mean that we wont be too cold, although the temperature is set to drop as well. It was plenty warm enough for me this morning to do my yoga in a Tshirt & fisherman trousers & bare feet on the grass by the beach & go for a swim and body surf for a short while. way longer than the few dips we have had which was great. I am looking forward to when (like maybe tomorrow) when the water is warmer than the ambient temperature.
Looking forward to visiting Bellingen & connecting with the community there as we have a lot of contacts & know that it is a area active and empowered to be more sustainable just and healthy.
Roland
Monday, September 6, 2010
Day 51 - Forster to Taree
Distance: 39 km
Time: 1:50 hours
Distance so far: 1869km
Weather: Temperature: 20 degrees. Sunny.
Terrain: Hilly. 30km on a fast 2 lane road, 8 km on the hard shoulder of State Highway.
Awoke to do yoga by the creekside as the sun came up.
Met Kath Smith – local resident since 80s (moving from Gloucester, Aus) and majorly active in setting up Great Lakes Environment Association, which pushed the Government to institute high standards to preserve the delicate ecosystem here (http://www.thegovmonitor.com/civil_society_and_democratic_renewal/governance/australia-launches-great-lakes-water-quality-improvement-plan-27373.html), the local branch of RAR http://www.ruralaustraliansforrefugees.org.au/
Filmed Kathy, and went to Bourkes bike shop in Tuncarry/Taree who on the spot pumped up Chris' tyres. They were SOFT - @ 50psi instead of 95psi. No wonder he had been finding the hills hard work. Bourkes bike shop also replaced the speedometer which fell off the bike last night. We had used that one since Castlemaine.
Set off at about 12.30, and as we headed inland on the road to Taree, hugging the river, the gentle pastures going down to the waters edge reminded me of the beautiful, welcoming outdoor parks in Serbia, next to the Sava and Danube rivers. offering BBQ and spaces to relax, swim, and take in the shade of the large trees.
Roland's bike needed adjustment of its front sprocket, and then we were on our way again, into Taree. Staying at the Fotheringham's pub tonight, with a specially reduced price of $20 for two of us. And excellent steaks for $12 each. Tasty and just what two cyclists needed. With a dark beer.
Chris
Forster seemed like it may not be an opportunity for us to have a great connection to the sort of people / community we are wanting to meet until we met Kathleen Smith! Wow what an amazing woman! Inspiration, commitment, compassion, strength & integrity are just the start of the adjectives I would use to describe this amazing woman and it seems her family as well! The discussion and opportunity to film Kathleen was something that Chris and I were in complete sinc with as we knew that our start time was getting delayed but that it was worth every second and so we didn't eve need to check in with each other if we needed to head off.
The ride up to Taree was a short and a little hilly but it felt good to be on the road again. Chris and I seemed to clash a little over the way we ride together as i get nervous with the traffic and am less confident riding close together than he is. His help with me gears & then a break for lunch helped us to feel like a team again.
Taree was also a surprise. A great stay at Fotheringhams Pub with a new publican was great and helped by their support of 50% discount on the room and a amazingly cheap meal! A great connection with some local cyclists & hoping that they will support us and connect us to others within their community as well as their contacts in Taree as well as further north. Plus a friendly and supportive couple of bike shops but especially the team at Bourke's Bicycles who also recommend Gordon Street Cycles in Port Macquarie where I have needed to get my wheel trued after s spoke broke! All up a fantastic place for cyclist to visit.
Roland
Time: 1:50 hours
Distance so far: 1869km
Weather: Temperature: 20 degrees. Sunny.
Terrain: Hilly. 30km on a fast 2 lane road, 8 km on the hard shoulder of State Highway.
Awoke to do yoga by the creekside as the sun came up.
Met Kath Smith – local resident since 80s (moving from Gloucester, Aus) and majorly active in setting up Great Lakes Environment Association, which pushed the Government to institute high standards to preserve the delicate ecosystem here (http://www.thegovmonitor.com/civil_society_and_democratic_renewal/governance/australia-launches-great-lakes-water-quality-improvement-plan-27373.html), the local branch of RAR http://www.ruralaustraliansforrefugees.org.au/
Filmed Kathy, and went to Bourkes bike shop in Tuncarry/Taree who on the spot pumped up Chris' tyres. They were SOFT - @ 50psi instead of 95psi. No wonder he had been finding the hills hard work. Bourkes bike shop also replaced the speedometer which fell off the bike last night. We had used that one since Castlemaine.
Set off at about 12.30, and as we headed inland on the road to Taree, hugging the river, the gentle pastures going down to the waters edge reminded me of the beautiful, welcoming outdoor parks in Serbia, next to the Sava and Danube rivers. offering BBQ and spaces to relax, swim, and take in the shade of the large trees.
Roland's bike needed adjustment of its front sprocket, and then we were on our way again, into Taree. Staying at the Fotheringham's pub tonight, with a specially reduced price of $20 for two of us. And excellent steaks for $12 each. Tasty and just what two cyclists needed. With a dark beer.
Chris
Forster seemed like it may not be an opportunity for us to have a great connection to the sort of people / community we are wanting to meet until we met Kathleen Smith! Wow what an amazing woman! Inspiration, commitment, compassion, strength & integrity are just the start of the adjectives I would use to describe this amazing woman and it seems her family as well! The discussion and opportunity to film Kathleen was something that Chris and I were in complete sinc with as we knew that our start time was getting delayed but that it was worth every second and so we didn't eve need to check in with each other if we needed to head off.
The ride up to Taree was a short and a little hilly but it felt good to be on the road again. Chris and I seemed to clash a little over the way we ride together as i get nervous with the traffic and am less confident riding close together than he is. His help with me gears & then a break for lunch helped us to feel like a team again.
Taree was also a surprise. A great stay at Fotheringhams Pub with a new publican was great and helped by their support of 50% discount on the room and a amazingly cheap meal! A great connection with some local cyclists & hoping that they will support us and connect us to others within their community as well as their contacts in Taree as well as further north. Plus a friendly and supportive couple of bike shops but especially the team at Bourke's Bicycles who also recommend Gordon Street Cycles in Port Macquarie where I have needed to get my wheel trued after s spoke broke! All up a fantastic place for cyclist to visit.
Roland
Day 50: Sunday 5 September – BULADEHLA TO FORSTER/TUNCURRY
Day 50: Sunday 5 September – BULADEHLA TO FORSTER/TUNCURRY
Distance: 71km
Distance so far: 1832 km
Weather: hot in morning. Subtropical evening with salt haze, particularly through the Booti Booti national park.
Visited Alum Mountain at start of day, and spoke to the curator of the Bulahdela Museum about the bypass construction works through the forest and the slopes of the mountain. It is tragic to see the huge snake of the State Highway 1 poised to cut across the river and through the wild forest on this lovely mountain. Sadder because if oil is finishing, as UK and US Governments now admit, then the felling of trees revered by th Aborigine Worimi community, the damning of sacred streams, will have all been in vain.
Undoubtedly Bulahdela will suffer economically as passing traffic is curtailed, and the town may well become a sleepy backwater with much less business. Do the locals who supported the bypass really understand this? Opinion in the local community does appear split, from Bulahdela to Taree. Nonetheless it appeared evident from our
Roland I started midday on our long ride. Roland had redistributed more of the weight on my bicycle from the trailer to the paniers and it seemed to roll
more easily. We rode together up the two big hills, then cruised out to the verdant valley below, up another incline, and then weaved around the Myall Lakes. Stupendously beautiful.
Towards the end of the day, as the subtropical salty air breezed in, we had a straight run through the Booti Booti national park. We arrived in the town of Forster. Will it be the next Venice? with properties inundated by rising sea levels in future.
A caravan park has given us a free berth for our tent tonight.
Distance: 71km
Distance so far: 1832 km
Weather: hot in morning. Subtropical evening with salt haze, particularly through the Booti Booti national park.
Visited Alum Mountain at start of day, and spoke to the curator of the Bulahdela Museum about the bypass construction works through the forest and the slopes of the mountain. It is tragic to see the huge snake of the State Highway 1 poised to cut across the river and through the wild forest on this lovely mountain. Sadder because if oil is finishing, as UK and US Governments now admit, then the felling of trees revered by th Aborigine Worimi community, the damning of sacred streams, will have all been in vain.
Undoubtedly Bulahdela will suffer economically as passing traffic is curtailed, and the town may well become a sleepy backwater with much less business. Do the locals who supported the bypass really understand this? Opinion in the local community does appear split, from Bulahdela to Taree. Nonetheless it appeared evident from our
Roland I started midday on our long ride. Roland had redistributed more of the weight on my bicycle from the trailer to the paniers and it seemed to roll
more easily. We rode together up the two big hills, then cruised out to the verdant valley below, up another incline, and then weaved around the Myall Lakes. Stupendously beautiful.
Towards the end of the day, as the subtropical salty air breezed in, we had a straight run through the Booti Booti national park. We arrived in the town of Forster. Will it be the next Venice? with properties inundated by rising sea levels in future.
A caravan park has given us a free berth for our tent tonight.
View from the Climate Change march, Copenhagen - December 2009
Sunday, 13 December 2009
A Window on the World and a Window to the World
It was cold, phenomenally cold. But luckily no winter rain for which Copenhagen is famous. We set off from outside of the Parliament to walk the 5 miles to the outskirts of city, to the Bella centre where the climate change talks were taking place. There were so many people from all over the world on the march: it felt to be one of the most international displays I have ever witnessed, with terrific team spirit between marchers, standing up for humankind in a way I have never seen before, coming from all over world. I understand that in total we were over 100,000 people: the biggest climate march and rally in the world. The Police were on the sidelines too, but contrary to reports in the media, I only got smiles from them, and help when I took a wrong turning. I didn’t see or hear any violence at all. Just music from around the world – and I listened to the stories from the front line on climate change, a window on the world:
I marched with with a woman who had come over from Kiribati (pronounced Kiribas) in the south pacific- A woman representing civil society groups there – one of the countries already facing rising sea level, and due to be abandoned in a few decades, as the sea swamps the small farming plots, and makes farming impossible. I marched with activists from Indonesia, and then Malaysia; from East Africa – Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania. I talked with a development worker from central Mali, from the town of Mopti, and later from a woman from the rural Bolivia. It was humbling to hear about the very real problems that people are facing there, but inspiring too to learn how quite a few of the people said that their fellow citizens back home would gain courage from learning that other nations were marching along side, and with them to resolve the problems.
Towards the end, I bumped into Chris Davies, Liberal Democrat Member of the European Parliament in the crowd. I was impressed that he had taken the initiative to leave the cosy secure conference venue, and head into the maelstrom of marchers to stand in solidarity and listen and learn.
As I marched with my distinctive “tick tick” Oxfam climate change campaign life belt, I carried a banner saying “There is no Planet B”. Four different TV stations came up to me during the day to ask why I was marching, and what I wanted to happen at the summit: Bangladesh, Malaysia, Germany and the USA (Democracy Now). I said some pretty tough things to the last TV station, about the need for the world to act together at its final hour, and for the need to stop the Americans letting the world down AGAIN (as they did in Kyoto). The cameraman then told me they were American – from Democracy Now. I left the March in high spirits, knowing I had been a window to the World too, with another message to take on Bike the Earth, as it sets off later in 2010.
Chris Le Breton, Earth Partners Foundation.
In Copenhagen to help Oxfam
A Window on the World and a Window to the World
It was cold, phenomenally cold. But luckily no winter rain for which Copenhagen is famous. We set off from outside of the Parliament to walk the 5 miles to the outskirts of city, to the Bella centre where the climate change talks were taking place. There were so many people from all over the world on the march: it felt to be one of the most international displays I have ever witnessed, with terrific team spirit between marchers, standing up for humankind in a way I have never seen before, coming from all over world. I understand that in total we were over 100,000 people: the biggest climate march and rally in the world. The Police were on the sidelines too, but contrary to reports in the media, I only got smiles from them, and help when I took a wrong turning. I didn’t see or hear any violence at all. Just music from around the world – and I listened to the stories from the front line on climate change, a window on the world:
I marched with with a woman who had come over from Kiribati (pronounced Kiribas) in the south pacific- A woman representing civil society groups there – one of the countries already facing rising sea level, and due to be abandoned in a few decades, as the sea swamps the small farming plots, and makes farming impossible. I marched with activists from Indonesia, and then Malaysia; from East Africa – Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania. I talked with a development worker from central Mali, from the town of Mopti, and later from a woman from the rural Bolivia. It was humbling to hear about the very real problems that people are facing there, but inspiring too to learn how quite a few of the people said that their fellow citizens back home would gain courage from learning that other nations were marching along side, and with them to resolve the problems.
Towards the end, I bumped into Chris Davies, Liberal Democrat Member of the European Parliament in the crowd. I was impressed that he had taken the initiative to leave the cosy secure conference venue, and head into the maelstrom of marchers to stand in solidarity and listen and learn.
As I marched with my distinctive “tick tick” Oxfam climate change campaign life belt, I carried a banner saying “There is no Planet B”. Four different TV stations came up to me during the day to ask why I was marching, and what I wanted to happen at the summit: Bangladesh, Malaysia, Germany and the USA (Democracy Now). I said some pretty tough things to the last TV station, about the need for the world to act together at its final hour, and for the need to stop the Americans letting the world down AGAIN (as they did in Kyoto). The cameraman then told me they were American – from Democracy Now. I left the March in high spirits, knowing I had been a window to the World too, with another message to take on Bike the Earth, as it sets off later in 2010.
Chris Le Breton, Earth Partners Foundation.
In Copenhagen to help Oxfam
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Day 49 - Hawks Nest to Bulahdela
The new nylon palace held firm in the wind and rain over night.
Relayed to the managers of the Hawks Nest caravan park the success of the Solar Valley going Solar project we had learned about in Murchison, Victoria, so that they can connect and learn from that.
Enjoyed cycling on one of the most beautiful quiet forested roads I remember, in the Myall Lakes National Park hearing the waves crash on the beach a short distance over the dunes. A few very fast cars and SUVs (so many Australians do drive fast, and often without due consideration for road conditions). We both skinny dipped, although the sea had such a strong undertow, we quickly came out.
Cycled on past grassplants, over a hundred years old, to the Bombah Point ferry, operating every half an hour, along a metal cable. I drew attention to the opportunity of having a completely manual ferry, like across the Gambia river at Georgetown, in West Africa.
Slow going over a gravelly/muddy road from Bombah Point to Bulahdela, seeing the huge scar that is to be the Bulahdela bypass, carved across the land, and through the forest and through the sacred Aboriginal mountain Mt Alum. The locals are convinced it is unstoppable now.
Staying at the Plough Inn Hotel which has the grottiest common bathrooms I have ever seen in a pub: sharing the male cloakroom for the pub with the showers for the hotel. Yuck! Chris
Relayed to the managers of the Hawks Nest caravan park the success of the Solar Valley going Solar project we had learned about in Murchison, Victoria, so that they can connect and learn from that.
Enjoyed cycling on one of the most beautiful quiet forested roads I remember, in the Myall Lakes National Park hearing the waves crash on the beach a short distance over the dunes. A few very fast cars and SUVs (so many Australians do drive fast, and often without due consideration for road conditions). We both skinny dipped, although the sea had such a strong undertow, we quickly came out.
Cycled on past grassplants, over a hundred years old, to the Bombah Point ferry, operating every half an hour, along a metal cable. I drew attention to the opportunity of having a completely manual ferry, like across the Gambia river at Georgetown, in West Africa.
Slow going over a gravelly/muddy road from Bombah Point to Bulahdela, seeing the huge scar that is to be the Bulahdela bypass, carved across the land, and through the forest and through the sacred Aboriginal mountain Mt Alum. The locals are convinced it is unstoppable now.
Staying at the Plough Inn Hotel which has the grottiest common bathrooms I have ever seen in a pub: sharing the male cloakroom for the pub with the showers for the hotel. Yuck! Chris
Friday, September 3, 2010
Day 48 - Hawks Nest, New South Wales
Left Gordon and Olga's lovely apartment in Newcastle today, after 3 days, during which Roland and I had done some good work (including our first funding reques, to the Australian Be the Change facilitators). After the crossing over Newcastle harbour to Stockton, we soon hit the coastal road out. I was looking forward to a quiet road all the way to Nelson's Bay, but struggled to keep my spirits up with the huge volume of traffic, particularly from fast trucks. As usual, Roland sped ahead, and I came on behind, into the wind. Roland said the wind was from a different direction! He says it was initially! 53 km late, plus a ride in a ferry built in 1943 (with a sign saying inside: " No Spitting. £2 fine") we arrived at Tea Gardens. No tea here these days. First campsite we chose was closed down last week due to defective electricity wiring (we think). Just got the new tent up before it began to rain and blow. Chris
Its funny to be camping in a place that I was last at about 30 or more years ago. I remember some photos of me & my family that that I took on my new camera. 70's chopper style bicycles, hair cuts and clothes with awkward looking young lads who were my brothers having fun. It feels a little sad or "samishii" a japanese word meaning sort of home sick / nostalgic for a time that was and the innocence lost.
Its great that we have our new palais de nylon with its luxurious spacious interior, superior wind insulation, grand double doors facing east & west with protective mosquito nets & shit loads of storage! YEH!
Roland
Its funny to be camping in a place that I was last at about 30 or more years ago. I remember some photos of me & my family that that I took on my new camera. 70's chopper style bicycles, hair cuts and clothes with awkward looking young lads who were my brothers having fun. It feels a little sad or "samishii" a japanese word meaning sort of home sick / nostalgic for a time that was and the innocence lost.
Its great that we have our new palais de nylon with its luxurious spacious interior, superior wind insulation, grand double doors facing east & west with protective mosquito nets & shit loads of storage! YEH!
Roland
Day 3-4
Day 3: Geelong
Day 4: Wednesday 21 July – GEELONG TO BALLARAT
Distance: 94km
Distance so far: 229 km
Weather: misty start. Cold.
Terrain: Steadily uphill. Flat. Some inclines.
Successfully linked in a public meeting sustainable energy production in Australia within an international perspectives, specifically linking the potential to provide concentrated solar power and other renewables to Indonesia, East Timor and New Guinea, drawing on the example of DESERTEC in Europe.
Successfully linked the energy company’s need for public support in lobbying the Australian Government to get infrastructure to be built by Government with the 100% renewable energy campaign’s need for financial support to achieve their aims of 100% renewable energy.
Put forward the possibility of all the green energy companies, as a collective, putting their financial and business support behind the 100% renewable energy campaign.
We coached the BREAZE Organising team to encourage them to look more positively at their achievements and the achievable next steps towards their goals.
En route from Ballarat to Daylesford, Roland managed and dealt with some of the unfinished logistical complications, and emotional stuff, of packing up and leaving Melbourne.
Day 4: Wednesday 21 July – GEELONG TO BALLARAT
Distance: 94km
Distance so far: 229 km
Weather: misty start. Cold.
Terrain: Steadily uphill. Flat. Some inclines.
Successfully linked in a public meeting sustainable energy production in Australia within an international perspectives, specifically linking the potential to provide concentrated solar power and other renewables to Indonesia, East Timor and New Guinea, drawing on the example of DESERTEC in Europe.
Successfully linked the energy company’s need for public support in lobbying the Australian Government to get infrastructure to be built by Government with the 100% renewable energy campaign’s need for financial support to achieve their aims of 100% renewable energy.
Put forward the possibility of all the green energy companies, as a collective, putting their financial and business support behind the 100% renewable energy campaign.
We coached the BREAZE Organising team to encourage them to look more positively at their achievements and the achievable next steps towards their goals.
En route from Ballarat to Daylesford, Roland managed and dealt with some of the unfinished logistical complications, and emotional stuff, of packing up and leaving Melbourne.
Day 2
Day 2: Monday 19 July – SORRENTO TO GEELONG
Distance: 34 km
Distance so far: 135 km
Weather: chill in the air. Dry.
Terrain: Off road, using the former railway track
We stayed with the Creator and main coordinator of the Geelong Sustainability Group Monica Winston and her partner Phil. From nothing coordinated in Geelong, Monica has created a vibrant, active sustainability network. Phil, runs a business installing solar thermal heating for homes and businesses which created an ambient temperature of 22 degrees without any formal heater in the house, in the middle of winter, where the outside temperature ranged between 2 degrees and 15 degrees.
We joined a Community-based food security training programmed centred on permaculture, where we visited 2 homes to talk about design aspects to convert their gardens to more effective food production with the owners’ aims to be partially or fully self sufficient in terms of food production.
Did stuff with bikes. Purchased clothes from local bikeshop. Supplemented and enhanced our cycling equipment and personal clothing. 2 of the 3 items purchased needed to be returned because they were faulty/ didn’t fit.
Discounts, Support or Gifts received from:
Wine shop (supportive of Geelong Transition)
Distance: 34 km
Distance so far: 135 km
Weather: chill in the air. Dry.
Terrain: Off road, using the former railway track
We stayed with the Creator and main coordinator of the Geelong Sustainability Group Monica Winston and her partner Phil. From nothing coordinated in Geelong, Monica has created a vibrant, active sustainability network. Phil, runs a business installing solar thermal heating for homes and businesses which created an ambient temperature of 22 degrees without any formal heater in the house, in the middle of winter, where the outside temperature ranged between 2 degrees and 15 degrees.
We joined a Community-based food security training programmed centred on permaculture, where we visited 2 homes to talk about design aspects to convert their gardens to more effective food production with the owners’ aims to be partially or fully self sufficient in terms of food production.
Did stuff with bikes. Purchased clothes from local bikeshop. Supplemented and enhanced our cycling equipment and personal clothing. 2 of the 3 items purchased needed to be returned because they were faulty/ didn’t fit.
Discounts, Support or Gifts received from:
Wine shop (supportive of Geelong Transition)
Day 1
Day 1: Sunday 18 July - MELBOURNE TO SORRENTO
Distance: 101km
Weather: raining progressively harder all afternoon and evening
Terrain: Flat except for 1-2 hills for coastal path to climb up over.
First test of the bikes and the two=wheeled trailer. Survived a day in the rain. Didn’t do as well as we thought. Realised we needed to start earlier in the day.
Distance: 101km
Weather: raining progressively harder all afternoon and evening
Terrain: Flat except for 1-2 hills for coastal path to climb up over.
First test of the bikes and the two=wheeled trailer. Survived a day in the rain. Didn’t do as well as we thought. Realised we needed to start earlier in the day.
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