Section 2: Eileen Pilgrimage

 Today saw me & my red folding bike "Robyn" set of on the second of probably five sections of and our pilgrimage to Eileen O'Connor's tomb. Being early Spring the weather was cool early and never really warmed up,  nor got windy.  

   What little research I did revealed that we would be following the East Coast Cycleway until the 50 k mark at Doyalson before heading inland to meet the train line between Sydney & Newcastle to get a train back.  Being on a cycleway I assumed we'd be pootling along in smooth finished paths over gently undulating ground, with scenic views.  How wrong I was.  

We picked up or first cycleway, the Fernleigh Track, heading out of Newcastle.  Some believe it's named after Kurt Fearnley, Paralympian Goldmedalist  cyclist and Kokoda Track crawler, but it's not.  Fernleigh meaning meadow of ferns,  was the  name given to coal-fired original coal mine in the area.  The mine was short lived,  but the track is built on a rail route constructed to return men and coal from the Burwood, Lambton B and John Darling collieries which existed until only recently,  further south along the track.  I served my apprenticeship at the Lambton B Collier in the late 1970s and returned to live nearby in the 1990's. 

This is KF winning another gold medal no doubt.  Yesterday he was appointed to Chair of the national disability service funding scheme. 

The track it's quite good though it's not very flat,  in fact the hills tend to be long & gradual, a bit arduous.  But there were lots of people about,  families with pyramids & little bikers,  women in lycra, walkers, women in lycra,  joggers & cyclists in various forms & paces.  I initially found it annoying having old couples zoom past on e-bikes, until it happened too  many times to be bothered. It was a tad amusing to see them much further down the track nervously heading for home as their batteries ran low on charge & I was able to keep heading out without that  concern.

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The presence of debris on the track & small eruptions caused by roots under the tarmac meant I had to stay focussed!  But it was genuinely pleasant,  safe & mostly flat experience.  

Back on the road. The Old Highway south from Newcastle was pretty busy.  Sunday drivers,  caravaners & motorcyclists made up the total range of vehicle types & it was disturbing that no-one seemed bothered by Global Warming despite yet flooding deaths in Pakistan, tropical hurricane in Nova Scotia and Samoa sinking into the ocean. 

   Swansea (42k) a ratty town with too many hot chips, alcohol & tobacco shops. It is blessed with its location beside a sparkling blue watered tidal channel between Lake Macquarie & the sea. I found a great spot by the water & ate a banana out wholemeal,  licorice & water. I watched as half drunken fishos in boats pricing with rods ducked under the bridge.  I was reminded how thirty-something years ago I was motoring through the lifting span bridge just as the throttle cable slipped its mooring.  Funny how life seems to be a series of unprepared for challenges & we somehow manage to scrape through. Well mostly. 

After Swansea the gently undulating ground theory looked decidedly shaky.  To avoid highway traffic,  the East Coast Cycleway designers goes via Murrays Beach & Nords Wharf.  On a thin strip between the lake & the sea the cycle path captures lake views but disregards the cyclists preferred pastime of avoiding hills.  Murray's Beach, a glitzy new estate for millionaires had been designed to take advantage of the vistas,  so the road winds ceaselessly over & about step hills.  Enough to give one conniptions about people with money & cycleways designers working from a street map! An hour or so's hard graft & some pushing for the benefits off 10k gained towards the destination. Eventually we were spat out onto Highway 1. Away from the shops & housing estates, the traffic had reduced but was faster.  Fortunately,  the shoulder was generous & good progress was had.  Sadly the Type 2 Fun experience of the Murray's Beach stole aeay time & energy & the planned dunk in the ocean at Catherine Hill Bay was canned.  (I now regret that decision & willful now on will capitalise on all opportunities for a dip.)  

The road onto Doyalson then heading west to Wyee was all a bit same- same; flat & heavily trafficked. About now the "bees knees" of bicycle touring seats, the B13 Brookes saddle wad chewing my butt. The cheap original Giatrex had felt better during last week's ride over similar duration.  Note to bike mechanic. 

Today's ride moved us a good way further along on our pilgrimage south.  Next Saturday's ride will be in new cycling territory and heavily coastal. I'm preparing for more heavy traffic & noise,  threats to life & roadside debris.  Focusing on the next section & destination should help sustain us.