Touring on a Brompton

Down to Victoria and Taking the Brompton on Railtrails

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Rail Trails
It was time to leave Sydney and head to Melbourne. As is my want nowadays, I decided to take the train.

Very Hot
All went well on the train until we passed Yass. The temperature started rise sharply. You could actually see the heat. The sky was simmering.

As we approached Wagga Wagga the temperature was over 40 centigrade. The woman sitting next to got off in Wagga and was replaced by another. My new travelling companion was quite forthcoming regarding the heat. Said she it was ‘like a bloody oven’.

As we passed The Rock, and headed to the Victorian border, the temperature got even hotter. It was now over 43 centigrade. An announcement was made that train was now subject to ‘speed restrictions’ due to the heat. The top speed was to be 80 klms per hour, which is less than half the normal travelling speed on this part of the track. As such train was expected to arrive in Melbourne over two hours late.

A little while later another announcement was made informing us that, “the air-conditioning in the buffet car had stopped working. As a result, the buffet would be closed for twenty minutes before opening again for twenty minutes. This would continue until it was to close just before arriving in Melbourne”.

We were also informed that due to the heat, “there would be no hot meals because it was not possible to use the ovens. However, hot pies and sausage rolls will be available as they can be heated in the microwave”. This was followed by the comment, “why anyone would want a hot pie on day like this, I can’t imagine”. This was met with laughter throughout the train.

The train finally limped into Southern Cross station well after ten o’clock

Some Tennis
I really like being in Melbourne at this time of the year. It is when the Australian Open is being played. I caught some of the tennis.

I also saw a very funny ‘one man show’ about John Newcombe (the Newk). It was a great night – excellent company and a good show.

Some Rides
It was great having the Brompton in Melbourne. I went on few rides including a ride from the CBD to Williamstown. This took me past places that I visited when I worked for Caltex and TNT.

Down to Geelong
After a few days in Melbourne, I took the train to Geelong. I stayed at the Deakin University Campus at Waurn Ponds. This was close to where some friends I had arranged to visit live.

There were a lot of blokes wearing cricket gear in the residential college where I was staying. I asked them, “what completion are you competing in”. They didn’t answer. I thought, how bloody rude are they’? A bloke who was obvious part of the group told me that, “cricketers are deaf”. I felt a ‘bit of a shit’.

Bellarine Peninsular
One of the reasons for traveling to Geelong, was to take the Brompton on the Bellarine Railtrail. This runs from South Geelong to Queenscliff. The trail doesn’t run through a particularly interesting area.  However, the destination is actually a nice little town with some very good Victoria era buildings including the Grand Vue Hotel.

I have ridden on the trail rail twice before on the Badboy.

It was interesting to see how the Brompton did in comparison. The trail is a mixture of sealed surface and hard packed gavel. The Brompton performed well on both. The reduced number of gears compared to the Badboy was not an issue as the Railtrail is very flat.

I took the bus from Queenscliff back to Geelong. This of course wasn’t an issue as I simply folded the bike and hopped on board.

Catching up London House Mate
I took the train from Geelong back to Melbourne.

I had arranged to meet up with a New Zealand bloke that I had shared a house with in London in 1979. He is a very interesting character. He and his wife stayed in London for a number of years before moving to Melbourne where they established a Travel Agency.

One of their specialities was trips to the USSR before the end of the ‘cold war’.

I arranged to meet him at his office in town.

When the office closed, we drove out to his house in Upper Ferntree Gully near the Kakoda Track Memorial Walk. It was great to catch up and chat about ‘old’ times.

Hot Train to Bairnsdale
The next morning, I took the train into Southern Cross Station and then caught a regional train to Bairnsdale. It was incredibly hot.

At Bairnsdale, I caught a bus that took me onto Orbost, I checked into The Commonwealth Hotel. This a classic ‘country’ hotel.

The North East Gippsland Railtrail
In the morning, I headed off on the NE Gippsland Railtrail. This was the third time that I have ridden on this trail. The last time was in March 2018.

This was to be the first that I rode the Brompton on an unsealed surface while fully loaded.

They were times when the ride was a little tricky, but for the most part the bike performed well on the surface.

Nowa Nowa
I stopped in Nowa Nowa and checked into the Tavern. This turned out to be a must better experience than staying in the Caravan Park as I did the previous year.

One of the features of the Tavern is a great collection of VW Combi memorabilia. Check out the Flickr photos.

Rain after Nowa Nowa
It rained very heavily overnight. As I  headed on towards Bruthen, I found it hard going on the soft surface.

I made it to the famous Nowa Nowa viaduct. This is the biggest timber bridge on the railway. Checkout the Flickr photos.

As I checked my front bag, I realised that I had left something important back at the Tavern. I needed to return to Nowa Nowa to collect it.

Fortunately, there were a lot of tourists visiting the viaduct. Most of them were driving 4WD’s. I found a young couple who were heading to Nowa Nowa and were willing to give me a lift.

Bus to Bairnsdale
After that little episode, I decided to ‘whimp out’ and take a bus to Bairnsdale. This meant missing some of the Railtrail, but given the wet conditions, it was probably a good idea.

I stayed in the Terminus Hotel. This is yet another ‘classic country’ pub.

Back to Bruthen
The next morning, I was back on the Brompton and on the RailTrail to Bruthen. This part of the is largely sealed. Where it is not sealed, the gravel surface is hardpacked and very well maintained. It was easy riding.

I stayed in the Bruthen Hotel. It is okay.

I had hoped to have a meal and a beer at the Bullant Brewery, however it was unfortunately closed.

Bus to Omeo
Next day, I took the bus up to Omeo via Dinner Plain. Again this proved the benefits of the folding bike. This is not a very good cycling road, with a very narrow (or no) shoulders. It is a dangerous road for touring cyclists.

I stayed in the Golden Age Hotel. This very ‘up market’ for a country pub. It clearly gets some ‘snow’ business in the winter.

Staying in  the pub reminded me of a ride in January 1976. That ride was from Canberra to Melbourne on trail bikes. The visit to Omeo prompted me to ask one of mates on the ride for copies on the photos he took. They are in a link below. I hope to post about that ride soon.

Bus to Hotham
The next morning, I checked out of the hotel and wandered down to the bus stop to catch the bus to Mt Hotham.

The only other passenger on the bus was a woman who was traveling to Bright to do some shopping. She told me that she “liked shopping in Bright, as opposed to Bairnsdale, because it took all day”. I guess that is a better reason than none.

Big Storms
As we passed through Dinner Plain, it started to rain and the clouds were very dark.

My plan was to ride from Mt Hotham down the mountain to Harrietville and onto Bright. However, conditions were giving me second thoughts.

It was really pouring down with rain when we arrived at the transit station in Mt Hotham. The bus driver assured me that the weather would clear soon.

To cut a long story short, the weather did no clear. In fact, it got decidedly worse including lightning and thunder. I made my way down to only eating establishment that was open. It was packed. There were about ten cyclists in the place and I was told at least six had taken taxis down the mountain.

Car Ride to Bright
The staff in the place suggested that I ask around to see if anyone could give me lift down that mountain. A short time later another cyclist arrived looking very wet and cold. He told me that it was “seriously scary out there, particularly the lightning”. He had called his wife in Bright and told her to come up and collect him.  He said they could give me a lift.

It was sometime before she arrived.

As we drove down that mountain, we chatted. The wife told me that she was brought up in Papua New Guinea in the 1960s and 70’s, before ‘independence’. Her father was Swedish and was working in PNG as an Australian Patrol Officer. It was all very interesting.

When I arrived in Bright I checked into the Alpine Hotel. It is going through a serious refurbishment.

I had dinner at the Bright Brewery. I visited this place when it first stated over 10 years ago. This business appears to be going really well.

Bright to Beechworth
The next part of the ride was on the ‘Murray to the Mountains Railtrail’. This follows the old railway line that went from Wangaratta to Bright. It was very popular in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s when Melbournians used it to get into Alpine region and stay in places like Mount Buffalo.

One of the  original reasons for it to be built was to service the gold fields around Beechworth

The trail out of Bright follows the Goulburn river. This is a beautiful part of the country.

After Myrtleford, the trail heads west past some wineries.

As I rode along, it started to get quite hot.

At Everton, I turned north up the ‘spur line’ to Beechworth. This is along steady climb over 16 klms. The Brompton is not ideal for this type ride, but it did okay.

Beechworth is a great town. The historic streetscape has been preserved.

I stayed in the Tanswell Hotel.

Run down to Everton and Into Wangaratta
The next morning, I headed back down to Everton. I was a cool morning and the slope made it an easy and quick ride.

From Everton the trail is basically dead straight until you hit the Hume Highway. It is then short ride into Wangaratta.

I stayed in Wangaratta over night before taking the train to Wodonga and the bus onto Canberra.

Flickr Links

Bellarine Peninsular

20190123_160444

The North East Gippsland Railtrail

20190126_123329

Murray to the Mountains

20190131_172358

Melbourne Ride 1976

VIC-07

Garmin Links

Bellarine Peninsular
https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/3323392953

The North East Gippsland Railtrail
https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/3330553570
https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/3334141010
https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/3338899036

Murray to the Mountains
https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/3344252167
https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/3346473082

Riding the NE Gippsland Railtrail in 2018

East Gippsland Rail Trail

Grafton and Yamba

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Yamba
After a week in Sydney it was time to head north.

I decided to take the train as it is by far the most comfortable option.

Train to Grafton
There was a short wait at the Central Station due to the fact that one of the XPT’s locomotives had to be replaced. One of the NSW Trains staff commented that “this was not a surprise given the age of the trains”. The XPTs are well past ‘their use by dates’ and are due to replaced in 2020, if all goes to plan.

The XPT is based on the ‘125’ trains in the UK. These trains are still being used on the Great Western line and the North East line as a result of delays in the electrification of the tracks. Albeit they are old trains, they are still pretty good.

The train was mostly full all the way to Coffs Harbour. This bodes well for the future. It is clearly a service that is needed. It was almost empty from Coffs Harbour to Grafton. The staff told me that most people prefer the earlier train if they are going that far.

Day in Grafton
I was booked in the Crown Hotel which is next to the Clarence River I have in this hotel a few times. It is a classic country hotel. The rooms are simple, but clean. It has a great balcony over looking the river.

I spent a day in Grafton. There is much to do there but is a pleasant enough town.

Ride to Lawrence
The next day I headed out of town on my Brompton. This was the first time that I had ridden it ‘fully loaded’. This meant with the 30 litre front bag packed with my computer and other ‘heavy stuff,’ and the 50 litre duffel bag full of my clothes.

The arrangement worked well. The bike does not handle very differently than if does without the bags. Keeping the weight as low as possible seems to be the key.

The route to Lawrence took me on the inland side of the Clarence River. It is a wide river at this point notwithstanding  that it is only 394 kilometres long.

It is a very pleasant ride past diary and sugar growing farms. The road is narrow, but not busy.

Lift into MacLean
Shortly after the village of Lawrence there eis a ferry that crosses the river to the road that takes you into MacLean. This road is very busy.

As I waited for the ferry, I got into a conversation will a bloke driving a Ute. He was interested in the bike. He also turned out to be a cyclist and offered to give me lift into to town. He said that he never rides on this road when it is busy.

It was simple to unload the bike, fold it up and put in the back of the Ute. The Brompton has passed its second test.

Bus to Yamba
I had a about an hour’s wait in MacLean before catching the bus to Yamba. I had decided to take the bus on this leg because that part of the road is even worse for cyclists that the road into to town from Lawrence.

As I waited for the bus, I chatted with an older bloke and his daughter. He told me that he was a retired panel beater. He said that “he suffered lead poisoning” as a result of years working will leaded paint. He said that it has made him very sick and there was no cure. The whole thing clearly upset him and his daughter. I know there are a lot of jobs that are dangerous to your health. I suspect it was known that lead in paint was injurious to health low before the people who were being impacted were informed.

The bus ride into Yamba was a simple exercise. I placed the folded bike on the floor where wheel chairs go. The bags were placed on the luggage ranks.  The Brompton has passed its third test.

Yamba is a Top Spot
I like Yamba. In some respects, it is still a ‘well kept secret’. It is not as popular as Byron Bay or Noosa. However, this may not stay that way. It has a lot going for.

While I was in Yamba I went on a couple of rides on the bike.

Previous Posts
There are links to previous posts about travelling in this area below.

Flickr Links

Grafton
https://flic.kr/s/aHsmxEbG45

Yamba
https://flic.kr/s/aHsmoEVCvA

Links to Previous Posts

Grafton to Brisbane April 2018

Grafton to Brisbane

Long Ride 2013

SYD2BNE Days 9 to 12

Garmin Links 

Grafton
https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/3223359127

Yamba
https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/3229746025

My new Bicycle

billrider2013Leave a comment

Brompton 2

I am now the proud owner of a Brompton folding bicycle.

Very Popular in London
I have been aware of these bikes for some time. They are very popular in the UK, in particular London where they are made. Most people use them as commuter bikes. They very handy for a short ride from home to a train station where they can be folded and carried onto the train. There are no restrictions as when and where they can be carried on trains. At the other end they are simply unfolded and are ridden to the place of work. In their folded state, they easily stored, for example, under a desk.

Using them for Touring
On my travels around the UK and Europe on my Badboy which has been modified for touring, I have been coming across more and more people touring on folding bikes. The majority of these are Bromptons. I have chatted to the owners of these bikes about their experiences.

The reason the owners give for using their Bromptons for touring is ‘convenience’. Travelling on a bicycle in the UK and Europe is becoming more and more problematic where it involves the use of public transport.

Carrying bikes in the UK
In the UK, there are restrictions on when you can take bicycles on commuter trains. They cannot be carried on trains during peak hours. It is also difficult to carry them on ‘long distance’ trains. You have to book a ‘slot’ at least a day in advance. Also, as the older trains with freight compartments are replaced, the available ‘slots’ are fewer in number. The new trains only have a couple of places for bicycles.

Travelling with bicycle on a bus in the UK has never been a option. City buses and ‘Greenline’ buses that operation in country areas have never allowed bicycles to be carried onboard. Unlike many areas in the USA and buses in the ACT, these buses do not have bike racks on the front.

The ‘coach’ operators required that bicycles are ‘boxed’, if they will permit them to be carried. Often, they don’t even permit bicycles at all.

Carrying bikes in Europe
Arrangements for carrying bikes on public transport in Europe are generally better than in the UK. In France, there are usually plenty on places for bikes on ‘regional’ trains. This is also the case in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium and Holland. It not so good in Italy.

However, it is becoming more difficult to travel with a bicycle in Europe on ‘long distance’ trains. Most of the ‘long distance’ routes are serviced by ‘high speed’ trains. In Germany for example, there are no places to carry bikes on the ICE trains. In France, the new TGV trains only have two slots. These have to be booked at least a day in advance.

Folding Bikes an Option
The people I have chatted to have found folding bike to be a viable option to normal touring bikes for travelling in the UK and Europe.

They told me that that “they obviously have their limitations”. Obviously, they cannot carry as much luggage as a touring bike. Also, they are not as comfortable to ride and are clearly not designed to be ridden for 100 kilometres or more in single day.

However, most said things along the line, that: “they carry enough if you are prepared to travel light”, ”, “they are great for getting from the train station to your accommodation in your destination city”, “they are perfect for sightseeing”. And of course, “there are rarely, if any problems, taking them on public transport”.

The Situation in Australia
I have ridden my ‘touring bike’ a lot in Australia. Over the years, I have ridden virtually everywhere I want to ride in Australia. This includes: the coastal route from Sydney to Brisbane, the same ride with some ‘inland’ diversions. The Victorian coast, including the Great Ocean Road, The Mawson Trail in South Australia, the Alps and the Murray River, South East Western Australia.

I have enjoyed these rides, but parts of them have not been so good. The biggest problem about riding in Australia is that there are a lot of ‘bad bits’ between ‘good bits’. For example, there are a lot parts of the Sydney to Brisbane where you are forced to ride on a dual carriage motorway. In other areas, for example, along the Murray River, the roads are very narrow with no shoulder.

Checking out the Bromptons
When I was in London in late September, I visited the Brompton shop in Long Acre near Covent Garden. This is their ‘flagship’ shop with all of the models they sell.

I checked them all out including the configuration that is the best for touring. They are all pretty much the same. The ‘touring’ model has six gears (a three-gear hub and high and low derailer), a rack, dynamo lights and higher handlebar.
I took the demo bike for a ride. It is rather strange at first. The small wheels make steering very quick. Also, the bike is very light. However, after less than five minutes you get used to it.

Some more Research
After leaving London, I flew to Helsinki and travelled through the Baltic States. I occasionally looked up the Bromptons on the internet. In particular, I was interested in see how people had used them as touring bikes.

I was amazed how much stuff there is on the net about using Bromptons as touring bikes. Some people go ‘the whole hog’ including carrying camping equipment.
By this stage I had pretty much decided to buy one.
I made contact with the Australian agent for the bikes to discuss availability and pricing.

The Deal is Done
There was a bit of ‘to and throwing’ with the Australian Agent while I was travelling is Sri Lanka.

This ended in a phone call. He was very persuasive. At the end of the call I had committed to buying a blue Brompton with the ‘touring’ specifications. The price was based on the agent’s belief that the Australian Dollar would continue to depreciate against the British Pound. Even though I thought he was wrong, I agree on the price.

Taking Delivery
I finally arrived back in Sydney at the beginning of December.
I fronted up to the bike shop in Redfern and took deliver of the Brompton and the other bits and pieces I needed. These were: a front bag, tool kit, lightweight lock and a helmet.

First Ride
My first ‘real ride’ on the bike was from the CBD to Balmain for a lunch. It went well.

Setting up the Luggage
The only other thing I had to do was to set up the arrangement for carrying my luggage.
The heavy stuff, i.e. computer and other electronic stuff goes in the front bag. The ‘bulky’ stuff goes on the rack at the back. My research on the internet had suggested that the biggest bag you should use is 50 litres. I had bought a NorthFace duffel bag which seem to be ideal.

All I had to do was fix it to the bike. I had seen a video on YouTube showing how this can be done. It involved tying an aluminium tube about 20 centimetres long to the back of the Brooks Saddle. The shoulder straps of the bag are placed over the tube. The bottom of the bag is held to the rack by the straps attached to the rack. The shoulder straps are tightened to hold the bag steady.

The arrangement seemed to work. I was all set to go.

Train to Grafton
The first leg of my ‘touring’ on the Blue Boy Brompton was a train trip to Grafton.

I will post about my experiences.

Flickr
https://flic.kr/s/aHskNRyk61
Garmin
https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/3213237309