How ya goin'?

At least that's the greeting I get in far north Queensland -- not the G'day,
mate from further south. In typical Aussie fashion, they also have nicknames
for residents of each of the states, not very flattering though.

I've been up in the Atherton hinterlands (mountains) for the past several
days, averaging about 3500' of climb a day through rolling hills and up over
the Herberton Range. It was amazing to go from the very warm, tropical cane
and banana area of Mission Beach and reach the cool dairyland around Millaa
Millaa (I misspelled it last time) in a single day! I ran out of water about
5 miles from my destination, a caravan park, but fortunately by then I didn't
have much climbing left (I went through 2 water bottles and my 100 oz.
Camelback, mostly in the heat of the lower climb) after 5700' of climb in 70
miles. The hinterlands are just that, very much out of the way with few
tourist facilities and each small town having its 'attraction' much like
touring the small town country areas of the U.S. It was beautiful cycling
though, mostly wide shoulders and very little traffic, even on the main
route.

I saw a herd of about 6 Cassowarys near 'The Crater' in the midst of a dense
rainforest, and got a few pictures at a distance. The variety of birdlife
here is incredible, and there have been no few sounds in the night that could
keep anyone awake. Kind of like the Tasmanian Devil was for that island.
Cycling through the rainforest here with the ancient fern trees mixed with all
the other vegetation, it was not difficult to believe that a dinosaur would
come bounding out of the bush ala Jurassic Park! And then you come out of it
into almost classic English rolling countryside with cattle, grass and
fences.

I'm down and into the city of Cairns now, back into the heat and going to
visit the rainforest village of Kuranda today by skycar and return by steam
train. I hope to do some trekking and shopping there, a little variety to mix
with cycling. Tomorrow I'm cycling off to Mossman in the Daintree World
Heritage area, and will be doing a bus/trekking tour of that area before
returning to Cairns. My last two days in Cairns I hope to visit the Great
Barrier Reef for snorkeling, and a day trip to the Tully river for some 44
falls worth of white water rafting, while my bike is being boxed for the
flight to Brisbane. This really is a holiday area, and as one cyclist I met
on the road said, 'there isn't much to Cairns except an international airport
and a wide variety of ways to get out of there' with every other building here
offering some collection of excursions to the surrounding area.

Fair weather and tailwinds,
Tony