Coughing from Sydney to Melbourne

Plans are under-way to ride a traditional (but modern!) Dutch Sparta bicycle from Sydney to Melbourne. Current dates are 24 October to 17 November. Now I need to see if I can pimp my ride to go the distance and shape up! Will need some front and rear panniers to begin with, and a little tent would be good too! Not sure how we will finance this trip, at least it is in Australia. If anyone knows of anyone interested in giving a helping hand let me know: sponsor4me@coughing4cf.com.




Proposed flexible and approximate, tentative and open to change dates/places

Town	Distance	Date
Sydney Airport	start	Sunday, 24 October
Wollongong	73kms	Monday, 25 October
Nowra	73kms	Tuesday, 26 October
Ulladulla	65kms	Wednesday, 27 October
Rest		Thursday, 28 October
Batemans Bay	52kms	Friday, 29 October
Narooma	75kms	Saturday, 30 October
Tathra	75kms	Sunday, 31 October
Merimbula	30kms	Monday, 1 November
Rest		Tuesday, 2 November
Eden	19kms	Wednesday, 3 November
Genoa	62kms	Thursday, 4 November
Cann River	47kms	Friday, 5 November
Orbost	75kms	Saturday, 6 November
Bairnsdale	86kms	Sunday, 7 November
Paynesville	16kms	Monday, 8 November
Rest		Tuesday, 9 November
Sale	79kms	Wednesday, 10 November
The Honeysuckles	36kms	Thursday, 11 November
Port Albert	69kms	Friday, 12 November
Rest		Saturday, 13 November
Fish Creek	65kms	Sunday, 14 November
Grantville	78kms	Monday, 15 November
Cranbourne	52kms	Tuesday, 16 November
Spirit of Tasmania	47kms	Wednesday, 17 November

Total 1175 kms.


Here is a good route on www.bikely.com we can use as a guide:

Sydney to Melbourne via Princes Hwy

Share your bike routes @ Bikely.com

If anyone has good suggestions for cycling along the coast, preferably  off the highway please email suggestions@coughing4cf.com.

Postcards!

Finally mailed the post cards from Kota Kinabalu!! The Post Office took 10 minutes and4 employees to determine they required stamp worth an equivalent 20c Australian... Finding stamps was tough enough as it was. Now I hope they arrive. I should've perhaps insisted for double the stamp value at least...
Let's hope they arrive.

I know there are lots of people I should've mailed a card, but unfortunately my admin skills and addresses carried with me were lacking... I am pretty sure I got all the $50+ donors, as they were promised! One late donor I have no address for. In any case card or no card, you have all been in my mind as I struggled up that mammoth mountain with a migraine like headache and struggling for air! Without all of you thinking of me I wouldn't have gotten half way up!

Kinabalu

Here is the certificate I received! It is not entirely correct as I believe I would've only reached 4000 meters, or maybe 4050. Last night I saw the many photos that the rest of us had taken on the Via Ferrata section and on the summit. Makes me want to go back! I know I did the right thing, was glad I had the oxymeter to remind me of how dangerously low my oxygen levels were at that height. If by some miracle my lungfunction goes up to 70% I'll be back!!

It was possibly the hardest thing I have ever attempted.

Certificate!

Boy oh boy! I struggled
And struggled up that height! Had to stop for 5 minutes every few steps to get my oxygen levels up a bit. Once I got to the ridge line the guide did not let me struggle to the highest point, which i think was sensible. I was also not able to do the via ferrata descent as I had missed the briefing the previous afternoon (the grueling climb to the base camp hut the previous day took me 7 hours and so i had arrived too late for the safety briefing). Again this was a blessing as I was suffering severely at the altitude!! Most of us bad headaches and nausea and feeling dreadful!

After a 2am start of the day I arrived exhausted back at basecamp around 730pm. Quick nap and breakfast and we made our way down the mountain to the bus. We got there about 4pm, and I did get my certificate for climbing the mountain!

Thank you all for thinking of me throughout this mission, and thanks for donating to CF Tasmania on my behalf!

Dawn Assault

Man oh man. That was some night. Top bunk and toilets down steep steps. Woke up for a pee 4 times and took 15 minutes to recover each time! Bad headache too of course.

2am we woke up for coffee and we rushed up the mountain. I was way last. Took almost 3 hours to cover 1km. My guide sticking to me like glue.

At a checking station right now. Looks like Iight make it!

At the hut

Kraikee! Now let's eat and drink. Tomorrow is going to be a serious challenge!

500 meters to overnight stop

Gosh it is really hard. Oxygen duping to below 50% at times and I wait for levels to recover to at least 75% before continuing. Almost there, well to the overnight hut at least!