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July 29, 2006
Getting back into shape...
Not to say that I'm in bad shape, cause I don't snack very much anymore and I walk or ride everywhere I need to go. I just haven't done anything sporting-like recently so that type of training is lacking in my weekly regime. But better to start with what got me back into biking....
For the first month or so I was in Alice, I didn't do very much tourist like stuff. Number one, I don't really enjoy tours cause I prefer to explore things myself, number two, I was broke when I arrived in town and number three, walking was my only form of transportation. Now that I've put together a working bike out of my housemate's old one and spare parts from a few old bikes left outside of the pub, I've got the mobility to get places around town and the outskirts that were way too far to walk to before.
One of those places is Simpson's Gap, a place west of town where water (in river form only when in abundance) has cut through the tough quartzite rock that remains as hills in the area. It's a bit of a tourist area having campgrounds and usually lots of campers and caravans parked there with kids running and old people walking around. Either way, it is an impressive geological display and quite a unique landscape.
The real beauty of it though was that it can be accessed by a bike trail that cuts through the outback. The trail starts 7km out of town, just past the desert park and at the point of Flynn's Grave. From there it winds its way for 17km out to the Gap. 
That means a return journey of 48km from my house at minimum. So far I've tackled it twice and thoroughly enjoyed both trips (although the first one was a wakeup call to start doin it on a regular basis to get back into shape). Took my camera on that first trip and got some great pics including sunset over the MacDonnell ranges. I hope to keep up the fitness rides as well as to keep me occupied in the daytime. Otherwise I'd just be sitting at home playing Tiger Woods '05, which I still do, just to a smaller extent. Another plan is to tackle Mt.Gillen soon. It's not huge but it's one of the tallest in the area (987m above sea level) and should offer an afternoon of cardio and a great view of the area.
Stay tuned!
Posted by Dr.Unk at July 29, 2006 1:03 AM
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