Cycle Touring in Australia

And a rollicking tale it is, as Smith meets with an odd assortment of humans and critters along his sometimes torturous path. (One all-too-long stretch of road, for instance, he calls "the most dangerous and frightening I've ever had the misfortune to ride: a suicide run of hammering trucks, heavy construction, muddy detours, and lane closures.") Smith logs time in crocodile country, too, in the far northern Australian rainforest, where he counts the awful moments until antediluvian doom strikes. It never does, and in any event the crocs are nothing compared to the errant sheep, emus, kangaroos, and death adders he encounters, to say nothing of the 108-degree gusts euphemistically referred to by local weathercasters as "sea breezes"--none of which poses quite the dangers that his fellow humans offer out on the beery highways of Oz. Difficult though the journey is, Smith keeps up his good cheer throughout these lively pages, and, if he's not quite unflappable, he's certainly a sympathetic narrator.

Cycle the best of Australia, with 31 tours along great beaches, across the High Country and through quiet country towns. Find a tour to suit you: explore Sydney's famous harbour; enjoy a few days of wineries and B&Bs; or spend a month riding beautiful Tasmania.

• 139 days of Australia's best riding
• East Coast Ride - Melbourne to the Gold Coast in 31 days
• where to stay - quiet camping, cozy B&Bs or comfortable hotels
• where to eat, for cyclists on every budget
• what to see and do, in and out of the saddle
• maintenance tips and bike shop contacts