Jess Douglas book - Why not me?
After I won my first World Championship, the concept was floated, to write a book about everything I had done and how I got to where I was. I wasn't aware that people were genuinely interested in my story, and back in 2010, well I had another eleven years to gather even more stories.
The book never happened, though I thought about it constantly. Instead, I kept a blog that would ebb and flow with my energies and I am forever grateful that Norm created my website and nudged me in the direction of sharing my experiences with those that
Vic Winter tour - The final night on the Goulburn River, Gear Run down, day 6 & 7
Cycling Tour of the Victorian Winter - Day 6, Echuca to somewhere on the Goulburn River.
I had a great sleep last night, and finally, after 30 years of marriage, we had worked out if the option was there, to stay in a twin room and wake up well-rested.
We put the ABC news on at 6:00 am, hoping to determine what might happen today or tomorrow regarding the Victorian ‘lockdown’ with the very recent COVID outbreak.
Reports were that it was imminent, but the Premier would announce the exact details later today.
With that in mind, we had to
Cycling Tour of the Victorian Winter - Day 5, Bendigo to Echuca
Cycling Tour of the Victorian Winter - Day 5, Bendigo to Echuca
It never stopped raining overnight, and there was no sign of it abating either.
I remember now as I recall that morning, hearing the sound of rain on the tin roof, looking outside to check it was actually raining and then checking the BOM to see the rain radars until finally walking out to feel the real deal.
I walked back inside our room and said to Norm, “It’s not that bad; once we start moving, we won’t even notice so long as we put on the right
Cycling Tour of the Victorian Winter - Day 4, Daylesford to Bendigo
Cycling Tour of the Victorian Winter - Day 4, Daylesford to Bendigo
Yesterday’s winds were hard but not impossible.
Hard or difficult, or challenging, can be defined in so many ways.
Was our ride challenging because we felt there was little reward for our pedalling efforts?
It simply was just one of those days where we would have to keep focused on forward momentum, regardless of the climbing and the headwinds.
One kilometre would turn into two, and by the end of the day, we would be further along than we were when we started.
This simple concept was a constant reminder to
Cycling Tour of the Victorian Winter - Day 3, Skipton to Daylesford
Cycling Tour of the Victorian Winter - Day 3, Skipton to Daylesford
We had been riding two days, and already we had made minor changes to the route each day to shave off time or distance to get to our destination before dark.
Being early July, the winter solstice had been and gone, but still, there was only around ten usable hours of daylight, and even though we were up at 6:00 am, we dawdled and took our time in packing up.
The mornings were just so cold.
It was now Monday 12th July, an average working week for most, so
Cycling Tour of the Victorian Winter - Day 2, Colac to Skipton
Cycling Tour of the Victorian Winter - Day 2, Colac to Skipton
The simple joys of riding quaint single lane country roads are what a cyclist lives for—encrusted with lichen that is free to grow due to the lack of traffic.
Many of the roads surrounding the ‘lakes and crater’ district are precisely like this as they hug the slight depressions where the water lies and squeeze their way through farmland properties.
Norm and I enjoyed this riding style until the 45km mark, where we decided to stop and have lunch on the edge of a farm, using the fat
- Cycling Tour in the Victoria Winter - Day 1, Geelong to Colac
- Cycling Holiday - Day 5 & 6. Southern Cross Station - Fingal/ Fingal - Geelong
- Cycling Holiday - Day 4. Beechworth to Albury
- Cycling Holiday - Day 3. Bright to Beechworth
- Cycling Holiday - Day 2. Mansfield to Bright
- Cycling Holiday - Day 1. Tallarook to Mansfield