Yesterday I hit the Hay plains, it was amazing. Instead of the contrasting orange/red earth against the ever blue sky, the land complimented the expansive clear sky with a gentle green. It’s gentle and soft like a pastel mint and gives you a sense of security… until the sun starts to arch over in front of you as you head west, and you still have 20kms till you reach the next town. All you want is to stop, you get complacent with the traffic, any respect for the trucks slips into the dark recesses of your mind… you just want to get there!
The green no longer feels welcoming, the clear sky feels like it’s betraying you as it allows the sun to blast down upon your skin mockingly. This is how it felt, but tehn I did stop, looked around and realized that even if it takes me another 2 hours to reach Hay, I’m exactly where I want to be! So with a smile, a giant swig of water and a new found appreciation I continue on. Xx
P.S. Watched an eagle circle around the faint moon, high in the mid-morning sky! Was so incredible, also learnt the Yellow Robins territorial call… `toot toot toot teet ‘toot toot.
NEW PHOTOS PEEPS
Monday, March 28, 2011
Monday, March 21, 2011
Ted and Louisa
Stayed in Warren, but was pretty happy to leave. Did hang out with a man who tried to teach me blues harmonica, he was real good! Then he started on about God and Christianity and how the devil is in everyone. Got a bit freaked when he started telling me the government is after him. Thankfully though, I had the spirit of Jesus in me and was not a sinner!
Decided to move on and I rode a whole 19kms to Nevertire, where I sat at the cafe and was given a free camping space by Ted (the owner). That is until I got talking to his wife, Louisa. What an amazing lady! Having moved from Columbia, where she studied psychology, she somehow found herself working in this little cafe in the middle of bloody nowhere. All Ted and Louisa want is to move back to the coast, where Louisa can work in mental health again and Ted can focus on his own health. So the free camping transformed into a free bed, in exchange I helped with some cleaning and serving in the shop. Lousia is probably the first person, in all my travels, who genuinely wanted to hear about my past. We chatted for hours, in the end she showed me that I need to be as youthful and free with my heart as I am with my life. She continues to tell me that I am an amazing person, but I she is the amazing one, strong, resourceful and giving. May someone buy their little shop soon, so that next time we meet, we’ll be sitting by the ocean!
Decided to move on and I rode a whole 19kms to Nevertire, where I sat at the cafe and was given a free camping space by Ted (the owner). That is until I got talking to his wife, Louisa. What an amazing lady! Having moved from Columbia, where she studied psychology, she somehow found herself working in this little cafe in the middle of bloody nowhere. All Ted and Louisa want is to move back to the coast, where Louisa can work in mental health again and Ted can focus on his own health. So the free camping transformed into a free bed, in exchange I helped with some cleaning and serving in the shop. Lousia is probably the first person, in all my travels, who genuinely wanted to hear about my past. We chatted for hours, in the end she showed me that I need to be as youthful and free with my heart as I am with my life. She continues to tell me that I am an amazing person, but I she is the amazing one, strong, resourceful and giving. May someone buy their little shop soon, so that next time we meet, we’ll be sitting by the ocean!
photos
view em here
https://picasaweb.google.com/belinda.j.keillor/MoleyGoesSolo?authkey=Gv1sRgCJ2XnM7AhsP8VA#
https://picasaweb.google.com/belinda.j.keillor/MoleyGoesSolo?authkey=Gv1sRgCJ2XnM7AhsP8VA#
ridin'with the roos
Cruising along at a comfy 20km/h, I glance to my left and a big mob of roos are bounding along beside me. It’s amazing, their bounds are so smooth as is my cycling. It’s as though I’m one of the mob, heading to where ever they’re going. Side by side we travel together for about 2kms, then the mob splits into two groups, one lot head into the paddock and the other bound across the road in front of me. Never have I felt so free.
Chatting with Peter
Over the past few days I’ve chatted with Peter about this language bizzo. Finally I’ve met someone who believes there’s more to language work than sitting behind a desk, in some city University writing out grammars and guides for people you’ve never met. There are social issues, lifestyle and community ideals, all of which need to be considered if the revival is going to be a success. This is not about saving a language, culture or the world. It’s about breathing just a slight bit of oxygen into the lungs of a language that will, hopefully, with the help of many passionate and driven people, gasp back to life and continue to grow and evolve with a new generation of speakers.
Peter and Meg not only gave me a place to stay, let me drive their ride on mower and served up an amazing soup, they also reinspired my passion for language, and reinforced the fact that I should listen to my heart!
Peter drove me up to the top of the Warrumbungles where we said goodbye. I zipped down and found a camp site for the night and as per usual, spread out across the entire BBQ area. Sat there licking my melted chocolate off a knife and writing letters to all. Tomorrow I’m off to Gulargambone.
Peter and Meg not only gave me a place to stay, let me drive their ride on mower and served up an amazing soup, they also reinspired my passion for language, and reinforced the fact that I should listen to my heart!
Peter drove me up to the top of the Warrumbungles where we said goodbye. I zipped down and found a camp site for the night and as per usual, spread out across the entire BBQ area. Sat there licking my melted chocolate off a knife and writing letters to all. Tomorrow I’m off to Gulargambone.
Hangin'out with Greg and on to Coonabarabran
Graeme and I cycle to Gunnedah, 75kms. So nice having him along, has been amazing spending time at his little retreat. Once we hit Gunnedah we eat and Graeme turns around and rides back to Tamworth! I then make my way to Greg's. Was so nice catching up with him, such a generous soul. We both camped in the back yard for a few nights and his bro Clive made sure I felt right at home. They had a big night the night before I left Gunnedah and I didn't get all that much sleep, but I felt good about the next day's ride.
At 6:30am I said nginda ngamili yaluu to Greg and snuck out the side gate. The sun was rising behind me as I headed west, I knew it was going to be a big day. The morning was crisp and overcast, but on the horizon sat the beginning of a rainbow... surely a sign of good things to come?
Undulating hills and a slight head wind make for a pretty slow ride. I want to get to Coona before 5pm. Peter and Meg, who I have never met, are putting me up and if I get in before 5 they can drive me out to their place (16kms outta town). I make my first coffee on my stove at a little rest area, it already feels slightly lonely with no one to share my coffee. I make it to Mallaley and then the hills begin, up, up, up. The slow gradual climb is reminiscent of the ride to Tamorth via Thunderbolt's way, only this time I aint got Mel there for support! As teh time ticks by and the sun moves overhead, I start to doubt I'll reach Coona in time. Now I dread the extra 16kms into teh Warrumbungles. 20kms out and the hills keep coming, all I want to do is pitch my tent and sleep.
Make it to coona, everyone in town smiles and says hello, I like this place. Peter and Meg are incredible generous, I get to stay in my own little cabin and all I have to do is mow the lawns on the ride on mower yyeeeeeeehaaaawwwww!
At 6:30am I said nginda ngamili yaluu to Greg and snuck out the side gate. The sun was rising behind me as I headed west, I knew it was going to be a big day. The morning was crisp and overcast, but on the horizon sat the beginning of a rainbow... surely a sign of good things to come?
Undulating hills and a slight head wind make for a pretty slow ride. I want to get to Coona before 5pm. Peter and Meg, who I have never met, are putting me up and if I get in before 5 they can drive me out to their place (16kms outta town). I make my first coffee on my stove at a little rest area, it already feels slightly lonely with no one to share my coffee. I make it to Mallaley and then the hills begin, up, up, up. The slow gradual climb is reminiscent of the ride to Tamorth via Thunderbolt's way, only this time I aint got Mel there for support! As teh time ticks by and the sun moves overhead, I start to doubt I'll reach Coona in time. Now I dread the extra 16kms into teh Warrumbungles. 20kms out and the hills keep coming, all I want to do is pitch my tent and sleep.
Make it to coona, everyone in town smiles and says hello, I like this place. Peter and Meg are incredible generous, I get to stay in my own little cabin and all I have to do is mow the lawns on the ride on mower yyeeeeeeehaaaawwwww!
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
and I'm off
It's the night before I leave, although I'm only off to Gunnedah, it's all very real. I've done plenty, not heaps, of adventures before. Some more confronting than others, but always with someone else. That person, that other soul allows all the nervous energy to be expressed through a mutual excitement. Now, all that energy is bouncing around inside my stomach and I feel a little ill!
I feel to small, to ill-equipped, to naive to be venturing out alone. Every choice I make will alter teh course of this journey, and there's no one else to advise me. Everything that happens will be the result of my decision making, this scares me a lil'.
On the other hand, am excited to hit the Hay plains, to check out teh little Desert in Vic and hopefully catch up with some climbers at Araps! Wah hooooooooo. The computers won't allow me to load photo's, will try in Coona!
send my love to all out there
Be xx
I feel to small, to ill-equipped, to naive to be venturing out alone. Every choice I make will alter teh course of this journey, and there's no one else to advise me. Everything that happens will be the result of my decision making, this scares me a lil'.
On the other hand, am excited to hit the Hay plains, to check out teh little Desert in Vic and hopefully catch up with some climbers at Araps! Wah hooooooooo. The computers won't allow me to load photo's, will try in Coona!
send my love to all out there
Be xx
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)