Melbourne

Well I have made it to Melbourne where I have recooperated for 2 weeks. I've mostly bummed around, helped clean up at the church I was staying at and fixed up my bike. I've been staying at Ebenezer Bible-Presbyterian Church and going to the church and its branch in the city, the City Gospel Fellowship. Today off home, gee how I've missed it and not missed it, mixed feelings, however looking forward to seeing people.

Well the trip from Mildura to Melbourne was flat out as I was pushing hard to get more rest time. I lived off sausages and bread and now consider myself to be somewhat of a sausage connoisseur. The butchers which sold the best sausages in Victoria were only slightly better than at home but maybe there is a limit to sausage taste. I tried some cashew, chicken, spinach and fetta sausages...interesting.

Anyway in this section of the trip I camped under a bushy tree on a town edge, was chased after by a reporter, saw a town with the main railway down the middle of the main street, got the most abuse of my whole trip in 1 hour, whooped my speed record (65.4k) scaring myself half to death and broke my bike again.

This time I was flying down some windy hills and got stuck in high gear going up the next one. As I struggled to move I tipped my bike numerous times trying to pull it over. A guy stopped to help me as numerous cars queued up behind him, slowly getting angry. As I tried to take off again my chain bounced off the chain ring (bit that pulls the chain), but part of it stayed on putting enormous force on a small section causing it to bend. After pulling my bike over to a driveway (driveways in the hills here are shared by numerous houses) I foolishly resorted back to trying to sort every out in my own strength. I rang one of my friends in Melbourne a couple times then rang my parents to get a taxi truck. In the meantime a couple cars had gone up the driveway including a landcruiser with a trailer. As I finished talking to my parents a guy walked down the driveway to see what was up. I told him my chain ring was stuffed and he asked where I was going to. Turns out he and his family were moving to a house right there and their old house was right next to Kilsyth the suburb I was going to. Once again God has bailed me out even though I bailed on him. How faithful is he!

I saw the biggest willi-willi on this section too, bout 100m high, no joke. Also now have the title of Fly-Killer Extraordinaire after averaging 1000 flys a day in certain regions.

Literature of the month:

Romans 8:26 We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.

The Grits - song lyrics, My Life Be Like
"It's times like these that make me say,
Lord if you see me please come my way.
Leavin bread crumbs for when I stray
Rely on sacrifice and the price you paid
Feel me like a fingertip
Sometimes I fall I slip
Got a heartfelt desire be more like you
Trying not to quench your fire by the things that I do

My life be like, oooh, aaah"

On pain and suffering
"Although the world is full of suffering, it is also full of the overcoming of it" - Helen Keller (Born blind and deaf)

"I walked a mile with pleasure,
She chatted all the way,
But left me none the wiser,
For all she had to say,
I walked a mile with sorrow,
And ne'er a word said she,
But oh, the things I learned from her,
When sorrow walked with me!"
Robert Browning Hamilton

"We can ignore even pleasure. But pain insists upon being attended to. God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our consciences, but shouts in our pain: it is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world" C. S. Lewis

Country South Australia

Well since my last post things certainly did happen. I spent 2 days in Ceduna doing minor repairs. I met another Aussie guy going from Geelong to Perth and helped him fix his rear wheel. When I went to check on my repairs I had left to set (Magic Metal epoxy, does wonders) I discovered I had snapped a spoke behind the sprocket and without the tools to fix it I rushed back down to Sportspower (who had the tools, we had just used them on the other guys bike) but it was already 6:30pm so my hopes weren't high of them being still open since they shut at 5. But low and behold one of the ladies who runs the shop was talking to her friend out the front 1h and 1/2 after they closed! Coincidence? As if, Thank God.

Anyway about 150k out of Ceduna after I had left this town called Wirrula (the town with a secret according to the council signs, its the snails I tell you, they have billions of snails, 10 on every wild oats stalk, the picture doesn't do justice) I broke a spoke and five minutes later another behind the sprocket (the bit the chain grips for those not bikies) on the rear wheel of my bike. Since at this stage in time I didn't have the tools to fix it I was stuffed. So I prayed, got my UHF out and read Psalms (helped me think my situation wasn't half as bad) as I tried to convince truckies heading East to give me a lift. Three hours later success, because I only had line of sight radio I only had 30 seconds on so to convince a truckie to help me out. So when I finally got round to asking this one truck he was already passing me, he slammed on his brakes quite literally and backed up to my bike. A Maori fella named Pete jumped out and together we spent half an hour unpacking the truck to fit the bike in. I felt bad for taking up Pete's time but he didn't seem too worried. Five hours later I was in Port Augusta.

I spent 4 days in Port Augusta fixing my bike and spending time down at the church. It was especially enjoyable apending the time with the fellas from the church. I left on Thursday morning with a shocking head wind and got only 35k camping next to the railway line (got honked every time a train went past). Did a few more the next day camping 10k south of Port Pirie behind some blue metal piles in a parking bay. Then I rode and camped at Spalding.

As I rode into Spalding I rode up to three fellas sitting outside the pub having a beer. I asked whether there was a caravan park in Spalding, they said there wasn't but to ask the lady in the pub if I could camp out the back. The pub owner let me camp for $5 and buying a drink (Stones Ginger Beer, 7/10). Anyway as I was about to take my bike round the back I had a quick chat to two of the three fellas. After I had set up camp round the back I decided to be a lazy bum and buy tea at the pub, Fish and Chips was only $9.90 (turned out you got unlimited salad with that too). The meal was huge and very tasty and as I was halfway through one of the three guys came inside to talk to me. He said his mates had told him I said I was riding to spend some time with God and I was from Armadale (they didn't know where Kelmscott was). He used to live in Roleystone and reminisced on the area with me, also talking about how he used to be a full on Christian with a sad tinge to his voice. Anyway he told me the two Christian guys he knew in Perth and it turns out he knows someone from my church, Steve for those of you from my church who may read this. So I talked with him for a while and he rang Steve to tell him while I tried an Aussie Cider (6/10).

Yesterday camped in a decent rest area (even had bins) and rode down hill pretty much to Morgan today, might head off or might not. Also gotta look into catching the ferry cross the river.

And on this note I'd like to complain about the low quantity and quality of parking bays and rest stops in South Australia most of which don't even have bins. For all their signs on fatigue and driving such as "Fatigue is Fatal", "Drowsy Drivers Die" and "Only a galah, drives too far" they don't provie people with places to stay. Often it is more than 50k between parking bays. So in mocking of Transport SA (equivalent of Mainroads WA) I have written a short poem:
Only a galah
Says don't drive too far
When all there is, maybe a bar
Before you get too far

To finish up I'll once again put some literature up:

Sol by Nathan
The camera cannot see
With one large dead eye
The beauty and magnificence of sun
In final throes of day

The machine cannot record
The mighty Sol
Moving past the horizon
Under hand of mightier God

I'm only human, He's only God by Keith Green
I'm only human--He's only God
I'm only selfish--He's only love
I'm only proud--He's only God
I'm only dying--He's only life
I'm only stupid--He's only wisdom
I'm only nothing--He's only all
Help!

Part of the lyrics of The Beautiful Letdown by Switchfoot
It was a beautiful letdown
The day I knew
That all the riches this world had to offer me
Would never do

The Nullabor

Well I can say that that was long hard and trying. But I can also say that God was with me every step of the way. It started off very hot, couple of 50s, then a storm came through and it cooled down for the next 2 weeks. I experience generosity off a number of people who stopped and gave me cold drinks and some who gave me food including a truckie and his boy who must have heard I was coming on the radio and stopped and waited for me to give me a cold apple juice. May their reward be as they deserve. Oh and a family have offered to put me up in Sydney if I need it.

The prices on the nullabor are pretty outrageous with Nullabor roadhouse being the site of the worst highway robbery in Australia. They should be locked up for being soo greedy.


Highlights/Main points (out of 3 weeks, the 150k straight was absolute boredom): At Cocklebiddy I saw the flying doctor pick up a truckie who had a heart attack and talked to a nice guy at the roadhouse named Tim who talked me into fixing my mirrors to see trucks by telling me about all the cyclist he had seen killed (prompted by a
conversation on what the flying doctor picks up). It was also the fact that earlier that day a tuck nearly cleaned me up, but since then its only happened one more time, 2 times in a month isn't bad.


I snapped three spokes at once on my trailer wheel somewhere inbetween Cocklebiddy and Madura. I put my spare spokes on but couldn't adjust it right. A couple cars later a guy who used to adjust them to make money as a young man came along. Coincidence? I think not.

I snapped a weld on my trailer 50k out of Mundrabilla and was stuffed, though I had in mind that God would sort it out. Flagged down some Estonian guys who helped me
jury rig it up with rope. Then after struggling down the road for 10 min a guy in a van pulled alongside to take a picture (quite a common occurance for me, happens at least daily, at most 20-30 times a day). I asked if he had room in his van, which he did and I got him to take my trailer to Mundrabilla for me, then I pedalled flat out to get there early so there was time to fix it before dark. When I got there the
boss was busy on a emergency plumbing job, so I waited for 2 hours, had my traditional steak burger with the lot (been having one at every roadhouse), and waited for a few hours whilst being bought beers by the pommy cook at the bar. Then when the boss (Bruce) was not busy anymore we took the trailer round the back and he fixed it up while we had a little banter in our conversation about God brought about by my saying my trip was to spend time with God in the wilderness. After he and his 2IC finished the job he said that all he wanted was a prayer for him and everyone at Mundrabilla and to tell anyone who asked that honest Bruce the poor peoples frtiend at Mundrabilla fixed it for me for free.

After numerous fiddly thing going on my trailer the bearings in one wheel finally gave out at Nundroo, a roahouse 160k from Ceduna. I organised to get a new one via the Combs delivery service (my awesome mum and dad) as it would take 2 weeks otherwise. Enjoyed some delicious egg, cheese and spam sandwiches which I made from the eggs and bread they had at the roadhouse. The prices were the cheapest I'd seen on the Nullabor but the owners were grumps and wouldn't give me water, I had to scab off people filling up there.


Overall it wasn't bad, slept outside on my tarp one, night and frooze to death as the tarp didn't cover me and all I had was a jumper and raincoat (which I wrapped around my legs). God was with me organising it all, all the way.

I found a verse supporting the idea that children go to heaven: Deuteronomy 1:39 "Your children who do not yet know good from bad, they shall enter the land". If God shows the children mercy in that situation I do not think it would be blasphemous to suggest that he would say the same of them entering heaven.

Literature of the week/month/just some literature I read and liked:

Keith Green - Up To Now
I haven't been faithful to my poetry book
I've kept a lot inside myself so noone could look
At my tumultuous struggle and ugly self
At times I've misplaced this book
And at other times I've hidden it

I have to tell it everything
I have to bare my soul to it
It never offers condolence
Only stares me back
And eats as many words as I will feed it

Kutless - Run - part of the chorus lyrics
(Speaking from God's perspective)
Why do you run
Why do you hide
Oh don't you know I just
Just want to be with you
To be with you

The first write-up

Well its been 10 days on the road now and though I feel hardcore (though still not as much as Robbo) I'm really scared of the Nullabor mostly due to the fact its 40 and strong headwinds up til Monday next week and that means I'll be drinking 12L a day which means my 36L of water won't last very long.

Had a good first sunday at a little house church with the Selleys whose son Grahams wrote a beautiful poem which I shall put down at the bottom.

Been reading a book, Make My Life A Prayer, which has Keith Greens journal and concert messages in it, his poetry is brilliant some of it I could have written . myself (in terms of the feeling of it not it's brilliance). I've also been reading Numbers, God and Moses doing their stuff. Haven't had time to get on my harmonicas yet, oh well still time.

My plans for the future (Nullabor) are to become a night owl and ride at night and sleep during the day which is really going to screw with my sleep patterns espcially since its boiling during the day in which I intend to sleep.

Part of the reason I started this trip is that I was starting to feels like life was dry to me as per the bones in Ezekial 37:1-14. Now I am starting to feel the life flow back into me even though as of the moment I have not spent as much time as I would have liked to praying and reading my Bible.

I've had quite a few good experiences, people have given me cold water, food etc, God provided a shady tree for me when I was about to faint in the heat one day (I named it Jonahs vine), God led me to the Selleys house church, I had a great time at Coolgardie Gospel Chapel and staying at the Sercombes house there with great hospitality. God bless all the people who have helped me so far. Pray for me as I go onto the Nullabor, I'm going need as much prayer as possible. I'll put something else up next time I get internet, took 10 days to get internet here but the Nullabor so maybe in about a month? Good day to you.


My Jesus by Graham Selley
They tell me you were born on the 25th of December but I know you weren't
They tell me there were three wise men but I know there weren't
They tell me the virgin birth is not real but I know it is
They tell me you were never crucified but I know you were
They tell me lived a long life and had many children to Mary Magdalene but I know you didn't
They tell me the ressurection did not happen but I know it did

To them you died 2000 years ago, for me you live in my heart
They tell me you were a great teacher but to me you are God
To them you are only real when a tragedy has happened to put the blame on
To me you are always real and help me through my tragedy
To them you are a swear word but to me your a friend
To me you are Jesus who save people from their sins
When they were whipping and flogging you I know you were thinking of me
Until one day when I see you then you can put my face to my name
For I know all you went through you said Graham this is for you

Ezekial 37
The Valley of Dry Bones
The hand of the LORD was upon me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the LORD and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry. He asked me, "Son of man, can these bones live?"

I said, "O Sovereign LORD, you alone know."
Then he said to me, "Prophesy to these bones and say to them, 'Dry bones, hear the word of the LORD! This is what the Sovereign LORD says to these bones: I will make breath [a] enter you, and you will come to life. I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the LORD.' "

So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone. I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them.

Then he said to me, "Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe into these slain, that they may live.' " So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet—a vast army.

Then he said to me: "Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, 'Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.' Therefore prophesy and say to them: 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: O my people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel. Then you, my people, will know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves and bring you up from them. I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the LORD have spoken, and I have done it, declares the LORD.' "

Rain by Nathan Combs

What if rain was God's tears?
Tears of sadness or of joy?
His sadness of the cross
Came our life flowing down his cheeks
Of joy of pride of son
Of children knowing him

What if thunder was God's voice?
Booming from heaven above
Voice that directed creation by word alone
Calls foolish men from pride