Day 21 - Sept 30 - Murrumbateman to Jerrabomberra (Home!) - 60k

It was a lovely evening with Peter and Lauren and their lovely kids. We played pool until late. The fire was cosy, and it finally dried my shoes which were still wet from my ride in to Albury. As the final day dawned, I could hear the wind, but at least it wasn’t raining although it was threatening to do so. I was packed and ready to roll by 8:15am, but first had to take the obligatory photos. This is Richard, Charles and Victoria. William had already gone to work, as had Lauren.

The weather was cool, and the first kilometer was over ‘Scrubby Lane’, a dirt country road leading in to Peter’s property. The bike negotiated it well. I then turned on to the Barton Highway – the strong wind was mostly in my favour. The bike and legs were in fine form today. The traffic was busy – a lot of people must live at Murrumbateman and Yass who work in Canberra. I couldn’t resist this photo of the sheep grazing in the paddock as I got closer to the small village of Hall.

Finally the special moment came. I knew the road well, but was nevertheless overjoyed when the sign for the ACT border came into view just at the entry to Hall village. The bike was flying, but I had to pull up to record the photo for posterity sake.

The road now was beautiful. The speed of the bike picked up, and for the next many kilometers I was in the large chain ring cruising on speeds between 30-50kph on the run into Canberra on the Barton Highway between Ginninderra and Gungahlin. I must say the traffic was far from gracious – there was lots of road work and single lanes for peak traffic, but the cars insisted on trying to push me away when there was not room for both bike and car. I felt like yelling “Don’t you know I’ve just been to the Coorong and back…show more respect”! I cruised nevertheless to the Gungahlin Drive turnoff, and turned in the direction of Black Mountain tower, passing Bruce stadium and Calvary Hospital. I knew I was in the zone for home when the magnificent iconic Telecom tower finally came in to clear view, despite the low, wet cloud cover.



I pressed on, now with Lake Burley Griffin coming in to view. The road was wet, and the traffic fast, and I was becoming preoccupied with the thought of slipping over in these final few kilometres. It is funny how the closer to home I get, the more aware I am of coming to grief. The bike went as if it knew the way – along Parkes Way with the Lake on my right, until swinging up and on to Commonwealth Avenue, with the beautiful Parliament House on Capitol Hill now in full view. In the three weeks since I had left home, the beautiful flowers of floriade had bloomed – these were resplendent down the centre of Commonwealth avenue as I approached the bridge. I couldn’t resist the photo of the Carillion, and when I stopped on the bridge for more photos, a lovely young lady offered yet again to get me in the photo.

I pressed on now, aware that I was ‘late’ for morning tea at the office. I was keen to do a circuit of Parliament House, but time was short so I satisfied myself with a photo from a distance, before passing by and heading for Brisbane Avenue.

Finally I made the turn in to Brisbane avenue, and rolled all the way to the bottom, turning in to The Salvation Army National Secretariat where I was actually looking forward to seeing all the staff who had followed the journey with great interest, and their prayers. My friend David met me at the door, but asked me to wait a few minutes, and then insisted I bring the bike into the office! As I wheeled into the inner office area, I was met with a wonderful reception of all the staff, who had erected an official “Finish” tape through which I insisted on riding the bike, making me the only National Secretary in the history of The Salvation Army to ride his bike through the office!. This is the official ‘finish’ photo, eventough I insisted on riding home.

It was great to share morning tea, debrief just a little and swap stories of the events of the past three weeks. Eventually though I had to get going for the final 15k home. The bike really did know the way now, and cruised out on the Monaro highway, still assisted by the nice breeze, and flying. Just for the heck of it, I stayed in the large chain ring all the way, including the longish climb up Lanyon Drive to the Jerrabomberra turn-in. Finally, Jerrabomberra!

I thought it was only fitting that I find one more gracious gum, which was just nearby. Every gum tree is its own work of art.

Finally, home. It was good to be home. It was so lovely that Sarah and her daughter Indi came out to welcome their neighbor back home. Not only, but without telling me, they prepared and home delivered dinner for me. Above every other magnificent experience of these past three week, the utter graciousness and goodness of people has been enriching and overwhelming.

I was taken by the amount of change that had occurred in just three weeks. The garden was beautiful. The flowers were out, making our small front garden resemble something like a quaint English garden. I couldn’t resist the photos.

I unpacked the bike, and delayed the bike bath until another day, hanging the ‘Masi’ in pride of place again on the bike rack. The great adventure was finally over. There were no more miles to cover, no more hours in the cold rain, no more wrestling with angry traffic on wet highways, no more battling and wrestling into winds that were often overpowering. No more looking for cheap places to sleep at night, or having to answer the unanswerable “why are you doing this”? The great ride touching three States plus the ACT was over.

What about the mountain? The original plan was to come home through the Snowy Mountains. I always knew it was risky, but I felt it was just too big a test, and as it turned out, when I arrived at Albury, it was snowing heavily on the mountains. My rendezvous with Dead Horse Gap will have to wait for yet another day. As it is, I think the ride was perfect. I missed getting to Goolwa, but I feel overall I had maximised the time available to me, and had actually taken on experiences that I had not anticipated before setting out.

I thought it was worth saving the official ‘finish’ photo until last.

Just finally, when you spend hours on the road like I have, your mind covers a lot more ground than the bike. Physically we are limited, but by grace the good Lord has given us capacities that are virtually unable to be restrained. I often think of the old crusader Moses, who was responsible for leading the children of Israel out of captivity, and for 40 years led them via a long and circuitous route eventually to the promised land. Moses gets mixed reviews from contemporary commentators, but I think he was a great leader, who always seemed to be well intentioned. Like us all, he was prone to mistakes. Despite being a great leader of his people, he was told that he himself would not be the one to take the people of Israel into the promised land. He died within eyesight of the great land toward which he had led his people for more than forty years. However, I think the Bible pays him the ultimate compliment on his death at a ripe old age. It says of Moses when he died, that although physically very old, "his eyes were not weak nor his strength gone".

We all get old, it is the way of life. But we do not have to lose our sense of 'vision' nor that inner spirit or 'strength' that can keep us active, focussed and striving for new goals despite our failing physical conditions. I wondered almost everyday whether I would do this again, such was the challenge everyday. But like Moses, I don't want to lose my sense of fresh 'vision' or spirit of passion and adventure, just because the world tells me "you are too old for this".

So it is worth a thought - we may age on the outer, but there is no excuse for losing our sight and our strength on the 'inner'.

Thank you for following the blog. In a few days I plan to write an epilogue. I hope you enjoyed following as much as I enjoyed the personal therapy of writing it. By all means drop me a note - kelvin.alley54@gmail.com

From the Good Book:
"Keep me safe O God, for in you I take refuge. I said to he Lord, 'You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing." Psalm 16:1-2

KRA