As you certainly know: After the Solar-Race from Alice Springs to Adelaide Swissedi went sailing down the Australian East Coast. Time to relax? No, a new bike team for the millennium ride has to be formed. Swisskatrin flew from the USA to participate.

Our journey to Mount Kosciusko could begin: "Cycling, hiking and enjoying the last sunset of the 20th century and see the first sunrise of the new millennium on the highest point of Australia."

Of course, Edi forgot Katrins flight number – the message was in his other backpack. And there is not only one plane from LAX…! After one hour checking the different arrival gates, he gave up! Last chance: the shuttle-bus-stop. Finally she made her way out. First she didn’t recognize Edi (short hair), as Edi didn’t make a move. Haha. J . But minutes later she was keen enough to approach that strange boy!

To avoid the jetlag, there was a "full-activity-program" for Kat. After re-assembling the bicycle (out of the Samsonite-suitcase), stowing away the luggage at Central-station, we went on a ride. Coogee-, Tamarama- and Bondi-Beach and back to town via Rose Bay and Kings Cross. Only five minutes late for the Rendezvous with Swissbea at Circular-Quay. Obligatory Apero with sunset in front of the Opera house. The recently immigrated physiotherapist invited us to her boyfriends huge "pink home". (Italian nonna, good food, cats 2 doggies, 14 computers and hundreds of computer-games).

Sydney is big! We cycled an entire day. Cycle paths and back-roads end up as loops or "cul-de-sac", causeways are too busy and the shoulders (if they exist) are full of glass. Unluckily the train line was under repair – so we had to find our own way out of the city… Australian roads are short and steep – probably the cheapest way….?! We know now, why everybody has at least 3-liter motor. The climb up to the Blue-Mountains-Plateau was hard. The Bike-Friday suitcase-trailer proved to be too heavy and dangerous on narrow roads. Luckily an "angel" arrived at the steepest part…Kat’s friend Karin surprised us with a pick up service! We enjoyed two days of "Ozi-Swiss"-familiy-life in Bilpin. (Elmex, Aromat and frozen and deep fried food). Foldable bikes are convenient for different ways of travelling – we got a lift to Katoomba as it was pouring all day.

Excellent cycling on flat firetracks like Mount Hay - More difficult Andersons/Murphys firetracks on the way back from McMahon’s lookout. Kat had a hard time downhill and…fell down… ! She recovered quickly, as we could swim naked in the clear water of a secluded river.

After this kind of "training-days" we went shopping for the next leg. We didn’t know where to put all the food…but who knows what’s out there? We wanted to cross the Blue Mountains National Park on firetracks with our 1WheelDrive-100Watts machines. Water and wood for cooking we would find on the way, but "Lavazza Coffee", chocolate and gourmet cheese???

Difficult to plan a day: Roadmaps never show the altitude. The small scaled, uncolored topographical maps are unsuitable: we would need dozens. One thing we learned quickly: every Aussie-road had to go right down to the bottom and up to the highest point of the hill. No viaduct, no tunnel. Descents where we had to get off the bikes and slide down alongside them and ascents where we had to push up together one bike!!!

The park was full of surprises. For hours we could cycle through all the different sorts of gumtree-forests and suddenly we ended at an outstanding natural beauty: Kanangra Walls. Impressive to stand or better lay down (very windy) at the cliff edge and look doooooown. We could have stayed days just exploring…: climb down a waterfall, enjoy a dip in the cold water, find an overhang where Stockmen used to camp, (fresh water drips of the wall into a barrel) There would be extensive bushwalks to the top of the peaks and down to the creeks.

We met a couple who was going to follow Kowmung River for 3 days –equipped with drypack, wetsuit and a waterproof map. We inherited some bananas and vegetables – what a nice change in our dry fruit diet. Either it was Edi’s hungry eye, or the appreciation for bikers: we always got leftovers from campers.

How can you recognise an Ozi-campfire? It's bloody big! An Aussie needs a whole tree. (Frequent sign in camping areas: "No Chainsaws") The fire gets too big and too hot, so they need a home size gas-equipment. A handful dry sticks did it for our rice… Ex-scout Kat was deeply impressed of Edi’s "Always make fire" ability - even after a 3 day rain

At dusk we arrived at the bottom of a valley - an impressive cliff let us think "cul-de-sac" back the same way…. No, it was a natural arch, illuminated orange - a tunnel to another valley. Even the river went underground. Another highlight was the huge cooked breakfast served at the exclusive Jenolan-cave-lodge. The 2-hour meal "prepared" our bodies for the 800m (over 5km) climb.

2 days more on back-roads to Goulburn where we hopped on the train to Canberra. No problem with foldable bikes, no extra-fees. (Normal bikes: max. 2, reservation required, in box, plus 10$ each.)

The bikes are a "must" in the Australian Capital – ACT is small but too extensive to walk. We liked it: every suburb has his own little district with restaurant, cinemas, shops and social-clubs. There are no "ghettos" like in Sydney e.g. Chinatown, Darling Harbour (Tourists), Kings Cross (Backpackers, Red-Light) etc. The old town layout is spacious, so contemporary bike-paths could be added without problems.

We planned to approach Mount Kosciuszko via the westside of the Snowy Mountains. Estimated time until arrival: 7 Days.

On the first day we passes the Stromlo-Observatory, which is still in use. We were a bit disappointed – the old Sydney-Observatory near Harbour-Bridge had more to tell. E.g. stories about the Aboriginal- and European star-signs.

While preparing the further journey at the National-Library (guidebooks and maps…) we spotted a "shortcut"-road (north of Goodradgbee-River) into the Bimberi wilderness. On the new map it was missing. In Brindabella we had to ignore a half dozen signs "Keep out – Closed – Private". One farmer explained it to us: "liability, insurance…At the end he gave us a hint for the best place to camp at Cooleman-creek. Climbing up to the Long-Plain River road was a days work. To explore the restored Coolamine-Homestead and the Blue-Waterhole, we left our luggage in the tent on a nice National Park Camping spot. Kat saw a strange four-legged animal like a young deer ?!– Edi just rabbits, fox, dead wombats and roos. Plenty of caves to self-explore, but we only had a "sick" torch….so we enjoyed waterfalls and walks through the karst-landscape. On the 4th day the outer layer of Edi’s bike back tyre ripped off (heavy panniers… food you need when you are cycling!) But no problem: Rubber-cement and patches from an old tube. Well, nobody believed it – but it lasted back to Sydney.

While setting up our camp in a lush forest clearing we got visit from roaming wild pigs. Edi wanted to catch the small one…..but… big boar is watching us…!

Instead of hunting we looked forward to the "Thermal-Pool" at the Yarrangobilly-Caves, sounds warm and relaxing... unfortunately its just 600m away, (altitude!). And this for a swim at (only) 27 grade Celsius in a concrete pool…– we were back at our camp at midnight – hungry and sweaty again!

It started to rain and didn’t stop for the next 3 days! One-day tent-life is enough - we had to do something and cycled in the wet. In Cabramurra (highest town in Australia 1425m) a "Santa Claus" offered us a 14 rooms "Scout-Hostel" for free!!! On top he brought a grilled chicken from his "all in one eatery, shop, post-office…" It was actually the 26 December, or delayed X-mas.

Next day 1500m (total uphill) over 102km (total distance, five up and down) to Gheehi. The supermarket in Khancoban had "East-Europe-Style": large shelfs with lonely tins. Luckily we bought enough "Lavazza".

We passed a group from Melbourne. Some were a bit jealous of our little, easy rolling bikes. Up and up and up to Thredbo via Dead-Horse gap. Further down: "skitube" a welcome shortcut to PerisherValley. We passed Charlotte Pass (highest resort in Australia) and followed the management track to Mt. Koscuiszko. The smooth shaped landscape is fantastic, creeks run slowly in meanders. Above the tree line a rugged flora has developed. No wood means no hot meals. No camping on top (2228m). We hide behind big "Obelix"-stones (2020m) away from the crowds at Rawson pass, but near the emergency skihut.

On the 31st we hiked along the main-ridge back and forward, just to get warm. The weather changed incredibly quickly, as if the old year wanted to repeat itself: – sunshine, gusty wind, rain, fog and even snow! Back in "Seamans-Hut" the guy with the date-wine (very delicious) lit the wood-stove – it would be reserved for "emergency only", but the patrolling Ranger didn’t say anything, because a family with children searched shelter in the hut. Sure we used the fire for the best dinner and the finest coffee. Probably we entered the guest-book as : "spoiled swissbikers with expresso-maker! Special day, special service: the rangers drove exhausted tourists (mostly with short trousers..) down, installed chemical toilets and issued certificates. Text: "…have made it to the top…blahblah" Finally an awesome Sunset. Despite heavy wind and the cold we slept well in our "Phoenix"-tent. A candle and "human propane heating" helped…

Wake up at 4AM, walked up "the hill" in the dark…. Playing "Hackie-Sack" kept us warm….but no sunshine this year!!! The fog lifted at 11AM, while we packed up our biwak. Downhill to warmer altitudes. At lunchtime Kat worried again about the flies, appearing in the heat…she missed them so much crawling in her ears and nose….!!

Bus transport out of Coma was booked out. The town was pretty empty. So what? Woman’s business… hitchhiking! An Indian family packed the two bikes and us in her minibus. Three hours later we boarded the train in Canberra. Four hours later we were back in Liverpool/Sydney.

The End - Last Edited 11.5.00 eb