Having got this lot together, all you have to do is figure out what you really need to carry around.
General
First Aid Kit
Tent
Personal items
Washing
Sleeping
Cooking
Eating
Tools
Spares
Food
Tasks
Welcome to Our Bicycle Touring Page!
The motivation to develop this website stems from the pleasures we have experienced from visiting other sites and reading the stories contained within.
Please email any commments or suggestions.
People have gotten lost and found this page.
Table of contents:
Bikes and Life in South Australia
For Liz and I the relationship with our bikes is quite different. I ride mine to work and back most days which is an overall trip of about 35kms, (no hills to speak of). It takes me about 35 minutes of a morning and 47 minutes at night. Liz on the other doesn't do much riding and when she does she likes to take her time traveling between points and we get to where we are going when we do. At times I find this frustrating at other times it's very relaxing and I know Liz also experiences the same level of frustration with aspects of my behavior, so I guess that just about sums up how we each approach life which is....."very differently"....!
This is Tom just so you don't get confused and think it's Liz
This is Liz she is rather shy
South Australia is we believe an area of the world that has a lot going for it and a few disadvantages. The advantages are: - its weather for cycling, its terrain for cycling, and the people you can meet while cycling. Its disadvantages are: - its a long way to anywhere and the further you go from Adelaide the further you are from civilization (some people say that Canberra and Melbourne are civilized but I have my doubts), also anything other than a Car, Truck or Bus on the roads is considered vermin and should be exterminated by running it over. Some people say that I am prone to be a bit dramatic in my writing but after surviving a near death experience with an 18 wheeler its hard to think that its anything other than a jungle out on the roads.
While out for a Sunday morning ride over to Mannum (a round trip of 150kms which took 7 hours 35 minutes) one Sunday, I had the pleasure of meeting a person who deserves more than just a passing mention. I won't bore you with the details of how we met other than to say that anyone cycling through Gumeracha should stop in and see Brendan Dempsey at the Gumeracha General Store. I suggest however that you do so by drawing up a corner of the counter on which to place a good cup of tea and take the time to share a few moments of life with a truly delightful gentleman.
Brendan
Brendan and Daughter Mandy
While Liz and I enjoy our riding we are not your dedicated full on touring fanatics. We both became involved in cycling rather late in life, which translates as - two people who are over weight and, on the wrong side of fifty. I will get into terrible trouble if I dare to expand on this issue, so lets just say that neither of us is very fit. However, I am pleased to say that as a result of cycling I have lost 10kg over the past 5 months and still have another 20kg to go before I can say I am anything like the weight I should be.
We have not done a great deal of touring. Our longest trip has been from Adelaide to Mount Gambier and back which covered 1075 kms in March 2002 over 12 day. A very small effort by some peoples standards and like traveling to the moon for others. Planning, organizing and eventually undertaking the trip was not without its drama and fun. We may get round to writing it up one day.
The thing about the trip to Mount Gambia was that we both knew the terrain and had a good idea about what to expect which is far different from our trip to Tasmania in April 2003.
If you are interested in the activities and thoughts associated with undertaking our trip to Tasmania 
If you are looking for links related to Cycle touring in Tasmania the following are well worth a look.
Randy Miller's 3 weeks on the Road
"Bicycle Fish" Great Cycling Information for South Australia and the rest of the civilised world.
Tea Tree Tourers, Local and International information.
Bike SA Local Information
©2002 Tom Eltridge-Smith, last update 04/01/2005.
