Reports by David Foster

Named after Sir Douglas Mawson, one of Australia's greatest Antarctic explorers and geologists, the Mawson Trail is a mountain bike touring route extending nearly 900 kilometres from the outskirts of Adelaide, South Australia to Blinman in the Northern Flinders Ranges. The trail uses a combination of gravel roads, farm access roads, forestry tracks, fire tracks, roadways which were surveyed but never actually built and short stretches of sealed road. It passes through forests, vineyards, grain farms and sheep and cattle properties to reach the arid and semi- arid country of the South Australian outback.

James Esmond was not the first person to find gold in Victoria but his discovery of alluvial and quartz gold on the Clunes ``run'' triggered the great gold rushes of western Victoria in 1851. When the rushes ended and the gold ran out, a number of towns and cities struggled to adapt to being country farming towns or faded away into insignificance. The gently rolling countryside and attractive old towns of the western goldfields provides the perfect opportunity for cycling touring. Seventeen cyclists from South Australia and Victoria accompanied Alan, Mary and David on Adelaide Touring Cyclists third bicycle tour through this region.

Tony was recuperating from major surgery to replace a faulty valve in his heart and felt the need to be some place warmer than Adelaide in a cold and wet winter. It had been nearly twenty years since David had returned to Far North Queensland where he was born and where he had spent his early life. These two old farts left their partners in the cold and flew off to the tropical paradise for a few weeks of sun and relaxation.

We felt that we were prepared for our trip to Vietnam. We had read lots of guide books, stories of the wars and the peace and novels by Graham Greene and Marguerite Duras. Lesley had spent a year trying to come to grips with some of the intricacies of the Vietnamese language and its pronunciation. We had talked to other people who had cycled in Vietnam. We didn't expect to be surprised. The immigration police lived up to their reputation for being rude and abrupt but everyone else was so friendly and helpful that it was almost embarrassing. Only a relatively short time earlier our country had been involved in a bloody war with these people and they were welcoming us with open arms. It took us by surprise.

We turned off the road onto a very steep up and down track which took us through the forest and past a large dam. At first the path had a concrete surface and the water was running down it in a continuous stream. After we had passed the dam, the track deteriorated into soft sand and was unrideable for much of the way. Eventually, we struggled into Velesin. There was plenty of evidence that they had been hit by a heavy storm and many people were busy pumping water from their flooded basements. That night we saw on television that the area just south of here had suffered flash flooding, trees blown down and major power cuts as a result of the storm. Luckily, we seem to have been skirting the edge of the storm for most of the day and missed most of the rain and winds.

It rained every day of our tour but only for a short period at a time, so we had plenty of time to enjoy the beauty of the country and the attractive towns and cities.

The Donauradweg is one of the most popular cycle touring routes in Europe. Thousands of people ride on the bike paths along the Danube each year. Even grandparents and young school children do it. So popular is the Austrian section of the route that during the summer holiday period, Austrian railways run special bicycle trains to carry people to and from the start and end of their ride.

So why would we want to join the crowds and cycle from Donaueschingen to Vienna?

The answer is simple. This is one of the most pleasant and enjoyable cycle rides anywhere. Picturesque old towns and villages, dramatic castles dominating the skyline, spectacular gorges, delightful forests and a beautiful river. All of these combine to make this a cycle tour to remember.

We had been cycling for over two months when we arrived in the village of Svogerslev near Roskilde to visit friends. We were ready for a break from our daily routine of breaking camp, loading the bikes, riding to the next night's destination and then pitching the tent again. A few days in an attractive old house with views over the gently rolling countryside were just what we needed. We felt refreshed and ready to hit the road again. With its numerous marked cycling routes and relatively gentle terrain, Denmark is an ideal place for a easy cycle holiday and the islands of Fyn and Sjælland are quite delightful.

I stopped a few metres before an intersection and was busy peering at the map when I became aware of a number of cars stopped beside me with their indicators flashing. Six cars were patiently waiting for me to proceed so that they could give way to me at the intersection. I made certain that in future I stopped well away from intersections when I wanted to check my map. Danish motorists are extremely courteous towards cyclists. They do have a legal obligation to give way to cyclists and pedestrians at intersections, but it is much more deeply ingrained than that. It is something that is taught to every Dane from an early age.

With its numerous marked cycling routes and relatively gentle terrain, Denmark is an ideal place for a easy cycle holiday.

We left St. Moritz and dropped down the gorge to Celerina. From there we rode through lush green meadows and on smooth paths by the river. It was Saturday and there were lots of people out on their bikes enjoying the warm, sunny weather. Everywhere, there were 'Chocolate Box' views of snow covered mountains, picturesque villages with cows grazing in the wildflower strewn meadows.

With the source of the river at approximately 1,800 above sea level and its mouth at Passau only 313 metres, it was reasonable to assume that this ride was going to be down hill. Well, more downhill than uphill. When we reached the village of Zuoz, the track climbed steeply into the forests and became considerably rougher. It climbed steeply up and down as we bypassed narrow rugged gorges. There were numerous patches of loose stones and soft sand where winter damage hadn't been repaired. In sheltered corners there were patches of ice and snow. At the highest point of the climb, a path had been cut through a two metre high snow drift which covered the track for about twenty metres.

Freda White in her classic travel book on this region said that a visitor to this region of South West France would cry 'Now I know why they say ``la belle France''!. It is truly one of the best parts of France with beautiful rivers, rugged cliffs and gorges, spectacular cliff top castles and more than its fair share of the ``plus beaux villages'' (prettiest villages). It is a region that has been popular with tourists for years and during the peak holiday season from mid July to mid August, the roads, hotels and campgrounds are packed with holiday makers. Avoid this time of the year and you will have quiet roads to pedal along and a wide choice of accommodation.

This is truly one of Europe's best cycling regions.

We had eaten breakfast on board the ferry from Portsmouth, but shortly after setting up our tents in the campground in the old citadel at St. Malo, Alan and David walked down to the town to look for a boulangerie to buy bread for another breakfast. They had seen people walking about with fresh baguettes, but after wandering around for some time, they hadn't found the boulangerie. They stopped on a street corner thinking that there had to be one somewhere. They turned around and found that they were actually standing in the doorway of the boulangerie blocking the entrance. Armed with several baguettes, croissants and confiture, they started on their way back to the campground, only to be waylaid by the aroma of freshly brewed coffee from a waterfront café. Eventually they returned to the other members of the group who quickly devoured everything. This pre-occupation with food was to set the tone for this tour through Brittany and Normandy.

We caught the ferry from Newhaven in southern England to the French port of Dieppe from where we planned on cycling through Normandy. Because of bad weather, the ferry was diverted to Boulogne, 120 kilometres further north. Well that was the official reason given by the captain after we had left Newhaven. One of the crew told us that the real reason was that work on the ferry terminal in Dieppe hadn't been completed so the large hydrofoil ferries which had only started operating the route couldn't berth properly. Most of the people on board were taking advantage of the cheap fares to have a day shopping in France and provided there was a hypermarché nearby, they weren't worried where they ended up. For us on our bicycles, it meant a rethink of our plans.