OK, so a day of rest may sound a little foolish after only one day of riding, but we were really in need of it. We have been running full steam ahead with packing up the house and all the preparations for this trip that we were both exhausted. This morning, the rain started just after we completed our morning yoga practice – I took that as a sign that we shouldn’t be riding. We decided to spend another day in the hotel and relax.
Upon reflection, we are realizing that we need to take it easier on ourselves when we are riding. Yesterday was stressful because of the rain but also because of the late start. We needed to get to our nights destination before the sunset. We arrived in Perth with not a lot of time to spare. However, our bodies would have been happier if we had allotted more time for breaks and occasionally getting off the bikes and walking around a bit. We are going to have to learn to slow down.
So our plan for tomorrow is to possibly make it to Kingston. It is about 100km, which is long, but we will have the entire day to do it. If we get going early (we are usually up by 7am) then we’ll have lots of time for breaks. We are also allowing ourselves the option of not going all the way to Kingston. There are several potential places for camping or staying between here and there.
So, it is now time for me to read my book … and maybe reorganize the panniers a little!
How do you get on and off the bike? Looking good! Do you have mirrors ? How do you communicate with each other while riding? I’m riding along with you so take care.
Love mom
Hi Mom,
To get on the bike you need to swing your leg over the front. When we first got the bikes, I tried going the other way quite unsuccessfully: the back is too high. Even swinging your leg over the front takes a bit of flexibility. I often need to warn Scott to get out of my way or I’ll kick him!
Yes, we both have mirrors. I have one on my handle bar – which I quite like. I installed it yesterday before we left (part of the reason for the late start was equipping our bikes). Scott has a helmet mount mirror. Scott is still getting used to his mirror. He is finding that he is right eye dominant and his mirror is on the left, which makes it a little more challenging.
Communicating while riding is a challenge for the person in the front. The person in the back can just talk and usually be heard. The person in the front needs to turn their head, which can be a challenge. Fortunately, it is usually the person in the back that needs to tell the front person to go fast or go slower. The mirrors help alot, as the person in front can “see” the person behind. We are also working on hand signals to help indicate things like “we might be turning” … the definite turn is easy, since we need to signal for cars anyways.
We are hoping the weather will clear for tomorrow so we can get back on the bikes and have a good ride into Kingston (more downhill than up from here!).
Love,
Becky
Food: $35
Hotel: $75