Sydney to Melbourne BNT by MTB - Day 001 - Copacabana to Kurrajong Heights

Day:  001
Date:  Monday, 8 November 2004
Start:  Copacabana, NSW
Finish:  Kurrajong Heights, NSW
Daily Kilometres:  170
Total Kilometres:  170
Accommodation:
Nutrition:
  Breakfast:  Muesli
  Lunch:  Fish and chips
  Dinner:  Bread and peanut butter
Animals Seen:

Journal:
We were woken up early (4:30am) by a phone call from Keith and I decided to stay up and finish the October financials.  Alicia wanted to go to school on the bus and I took her down to the bus stop at 7:30am and this delayed my departure.  Then it began raining and I postponed departure till 9:00am, later than I would have liked.  Barb clearly thought I was crazy and was worried about my safety.  It was still spitting with rain as I left and as soon as I began riding I realised my heels were going to hit the pannier.  I stopped and adjusted them in Copa and then tackled "the hill".  It was OK and I stopped at the top and took off my Goretex.

Progress was steady to Gosford where I decided to go up the Pacific Highway hill instead of tackling Dog Trap Road.  I made it up without stopping and continued to Mangrove Mountain.  It took longer than I expected and I stopped for a snack at 11:30am.  The weather was still very threatening but it hadn't rained again.  I then continued on to Wisemans Ferry which again took longer than expected.  It was, however, a pleasant ride and I enjoyed looking down on the Hawkesbury River where I had been paddling only a week earlier in the Hawkesbury Classic.  I crossed the ferry and found a take-out place in town where I had fish and chips sitting at a table outside.  I wasn't sure whether I could make Kurrajong (and the next shop) by nightfall so had a look in a small supermarket to see whether they had any bread rolls, but they didn't.

I set off along the River Road towards Lower Portland Ferry.  It was a lovely ride with no big hills and lots of views over the river and farms.  After the ferry I began climbing towards the Blue Mountains.  It was steady up to Blaxlands Ridge and then relatively flat along the Ridge to Kurrajong., firstly through bush and then hobby farms.  I got to Kurrajong at 6:30pm and stopped for an ice-cream and some groceries.  I hoped to get past Kurrajong Heights before stopping for the night so that I had the biggest climb behind me.  I began the climb and ended up walking much of the way.  I thought of stopping in a motel if I could find one as it got darker.  I put on my lights and continued on looking for somewhere to pitch my tent, but it was hard because it was now dark.  In the end I stopped in a lay-by right next to the road and set up camp in the dark at 8:30pm.  I had a quick dinner of chips, bread and peanut butter, and chocolate, and was in bed by 10:00pm.