Yep! We're Still Here ...

A Transitional Stage: Nelson to Portland

While we were wandering around Portland this afternoon we stopped in at a coffee shop and Di spotted a photo over my shoulder that she said could easily have been me when I was a lad. Although she didn't know me when I was this sort of age, she thought that it pretty much encapsulates my personality, and I'd have to say I'm pretty happy she thinks that. Here's the photo: what do you think?

Doesn't this encapsulate why we all started riding bikes?

Heck, while I'm digressing, I might as well sidle away a little further. This photo makes me think of a wonderful song that I hope will always reflect my approach to life. It's something that I came across completely by accident one day ... maybe while driving in the car ... maybe while listening to the radio while poking around in the garden. Don't remember. But every once in a while the tune comes back into my consciousness, like today. You might know it; you might not. But if you ride a bike you probably lean towards this approach to life yourself at least some of the time. Do yourself a favour: turn your speakers up loud and listen to this. If you didn't quite catch all the lyrics you can see them here.

After the previous post you might have thought you'd heard the last of me. No such luck! Yep. We're still here. Yesterday's ride was so bad Di said partway through that there was no way she was going to ride 70 kilometres today on that bl&#dy road! Nonetheless, after we'd had a relaxing afternoon poking around the waterfront and then having dinner at the Nelson pub she felt rehabilitated enough this morning to get back on the bike. And the day was much better than we thought it was going to be despite what the lass behind the counter at the kiosk in Nelson and several other locals had to say. The road turned out to be significantly better than the locals they said it would be, and there were fewer trucks on the road. The day still had its setbacks though ...

Footloose but not fancy free ...

We were pedalling along quite nicely up until about the 10 kilometre mark until we stopped so that I could turn on my tail light. Our departure at about 7:30 was in clear conditions so I hadn't thought to put it on, especially as we (Di, Neil and I) were all wearing our neon yellow rain jackets. It was cool with high humidity and we imagined that we wouldn't be riding very quickly because we expected the road surface - and especially the shoulder - to be fairly ordinary. And it was, initially. The shoulder especially was either pretty broken up or non-existant. Luckily though, unlike yesterday there were very few trucks on the road.

Dianne and I had caught up to Neil a bit beforehand as he left a few minutes before us. As I said, I pulled over to turn on my tail light. Di stopped and unclipped to wait and so did Neil. We started up again, but I hadn't heard Di - who was at the back - call out that she hadn't been able to clip into one of her pedals. A bit further down the road I wondered why Di was lagging, so got off the bike to wait. Neil went on after graciously asking if I minded if he tootled on ahead. She'd been off the bike a couple of times to try to clean out her cleat, thinking that she might have got a pebble stuck but had no luck getting things to work. (We both ride with Speedplay, which need a bit more looking after than SPD style pedals.)

Once she arrived, I got her to take her shoe off so I could have a proper look. The cleat was very worn and I thought that maybe that's why it wouldn't engage. In any case, it just wouldn't! There was nothing for it but to get back on and ride as best she could until the morning tea stop. Collis and Kathy went past, with Collis stopping up the road a bit after I told him that Di couldn't clip in one pedal. I thought I'd try a bit of chain oil on the cleat to see if that would help. Nope. No good. 

On we went to morning tea, contemplating options. Collis has his bike on top of Kathy's car with SPD pedals, and I thought Di might be able to use his pedals if he had a pair of shoes we could take the cleats off. It turned out he didn't and Di thought she'd rather continue with one pedal engaged rather than riding in her flat shoes on flat pedals, both disengaged. 

By this time the quality of the shoulder had improved significantly and, when large trucks did approach, we were able to ride beside the road with confidence that we weren't going to end up ass over tea-kettle. Di started get the hang of keeping her unclippable cleat engaged with the pedal - as long as she:

• didn't try to pedal too quickly
• didn't stand up
• didn't encounter a really rough surface unexpectedly 

Into Portland we rode and followed the signs straight to the information centre to find out if there was a bike shop in Portland. It turned out there is a bike shop, and the lass running the place was very helpful. I asked what I was sure would be a silly question: did they sell Speedplay pedals or parts for them? (Funnily enough, they had had a display cabinet of Speedplay pedals and cleats but recently sent the stuff back because there just wasn't a market for such a niche product in Portland.) So, I made the snap decision to buy a pair of cheap Shimano pedals to get Di through the last five days of this epic ride. There was no way that such a minor problem was going to stop us from finishing this journey together, and we've got some big hills to cross when we ride from Port Campbell to Kennett River via the Otway Ranges. Being able to stand up and pedal - hard - will be a necessity at that point of our ride.

The cleats and screws were so worn that neither the bike shop mechanic or I could get them to unscrew. She tried tackling them with a hacksaw, then handed over to me. I managed to cut through the screws, allowing the cleat to be removed. It turns out that the spring for the cleat had broken and that was why the pedal wouldn't engage. (Before we'd left home I'd suggested that I order a new set of cleats for Di's shoes but she said, "No, they're working fine. Why much around with them?" Now she knows.

Now we don't have matching pedals ...

My Speedplays and Di's SPD's

... until we get home and the replacement cleats I ordered this afternoon can be installed.

Today's ride ...

Nelson to Portland

... was actually quite good and would have been brilliant if Di had been able to pedal properly and there were no big trucks. The terrain was quite rolling and made for fun riding. As usual Google Maps is quite accurate with distance but quite inaccurate with altitude: we actually climbed about 580 metres today, or more than twice what you see on the graphic.

Our campsite here at the Portland caravan park is quite nice ...

Portland Caravan Park

Right now Di is just finishing off a stir fry here in the camp kitchen. Neil is joining us for a meal; the others have gone to the pub. Time to eat!

PS: Distance covered to date is up to 4238 kilometres ...