The Adventure

On Tuesday the 17th of January 2012, I will be commencing an adventure of a lifetime, cycling throughout numerous countries around the world starting on New Zealand's spectacular South Island. The planning is well underway for this mammoth 12 month self discovery tour.

I guess I was born riding a bike, as a child that was all I did, ride, ride, ride. I lived, breathed and dreamt about cycling. Unfortunately I was born into a less than sports orientated family and my passion was never developed. When the age of 17 arrived I got my license and embarrassingly fell into the same way of life as many using a motor vehicle far too often. During this period I maintained my interest in cycling, I've always owned a bike but it spent more time being garaged than being loved.



I have proudly owned eight trusty steeds to date, my first, at 5 years of age being a Roadmaster. This sturdy beast stayed in the family until one day, when I was around 10 years of age, I jumped it one too many times and broke it clean in half nearly removing my knackers in one fell swoop.

 My second bike was a Cobra Bmx which took a flogging from the age 10 through to 14. It proved unbreakable, but I wasn't. One cold dewy morning it broke me, my right hand collar bone to be precise. At 13 years of age I received a Repco Traveller for Christmas, my first road bike. This reliable bike ferried me to and from school from Grade 8 through to 10 at which point I found a part time job and saved hard for a Diamond Back Topanga, my first MTB. The Diamondback was a fantastic machine, I hammered it in the scrub and used it as a regular road rider, unbelievably, the bike is still in commission by a family member. 

After the Diamondback I purchased another MTB in a Haro 8.2 hardtail. The bike was a let down to be honest, suspension was a relatively new addition to MTB's and I was not up with the "what's what" and as a result, I found that I had purchased a lemon. I recently sold the bike on ebay and now have a Kona phd flat bar road bike for fitness, a Giant Anthem X 29er MTB and a much loved Surly Long Haul Trucker for touring.

In recent times I have been riding on a more regular basis for fitness and to be honest, to loose the weight that come with living the easy (read sloth) life for 10 years. I have developed a deep interest in cycle touring and as an introduction to touring I have taken part in Bicycle Queensland's "Cycle Queensland" in 2009, 2010 and 2011.

For five long years now I have spent every spare minute living vicariously through touring blogs on the internet. Well enough is enough, the time has come to live it, not dream it. I guess If I've bitten off more than I can chew, I better chew like hell.

Yours truly at 5 years of age (1980)