Five Days Is better Than None

I headed off from Childers with the intention of redoing and beating the Kullogum Killer. That was the ride where I ended up badly dehydrated whilst still in the midst of Wongi State Forest.

I had planned better and was prepared better. I had more supplies and was able to carry more water due to the fact that I was towing my Extrawheel trailer.

The first day was simple, it was around 2.00 pm when I left Childers. I was planning on camping in one of the local parks or rest areas, but being a long weekend there was just too much traffic. So I decided to ride out of town along Rainbows Rd until it got closer to night fall. It was around 16 km when I finally found a nice area to camp.

I got set up, this was going to be the first night in the new Burrow Bivvy Tent. I set it up, found some rocks and made a fire pit and gathered some firewood.

Dark came soon enough and with a cosy small fire going I set about getting some dinner on. Tonight's specialty was spaghetti bolegnese. 

I hadn't seen a car, or another person since I had left the small town. It was quiet, and it didn't take long for the serenity to start soaking in. This is what I love, in the middle of nowhere, a small fire and not a sound except the crickets and night birds. I turned in shortly after and it didn't take long to fall asleep.

Morning came around after a mixed night's sleep. Changing between hot and cold in the new bivvy made it uncomfortable at times. It held some condensation over the course of the night, although not to the point where it was dripping on me.

Up and with some porridge and coffee on my stomach it was time to get packed up and on the road. I will say that the new bivvy made for a quick pack up. I left my sleeping mat and pillow inside it when rolling it up.

Off on the new route now, it seemed so much easier than the previous time I went through Wongi. The road much smoother, with less ruts and washouts made it easier to ride loaded. The trailer in tow seemed to help with less weight directly on the bike.

Continuing along Rainbows Rd it wasn't long before I was Agnesvale Rd. The road narrowed but was still a joy to ride in. It was also signed along the way making it more comfortable knowing I was on the right track. Something that caused me a lot of questioning on my prior trip.

My plan was to head down these roads and join onto the beginning of Old Coach Rd, but this didn't happen. I followed the signs and my route on Komoot but ended up on some of the old route that I had done. It was good though, this was the better section of the forestry roads.

I started noticing familiar sights, like bridges, clearings and a particular creek crossing that I collected water from. I came out right where I had camped before. This was good, I knew where I was. That's always a good feeling.

On Old Coach Rd now I was making my way for Kullogum Rd. There was evidence of four wheel drives and some of the road had been chopped up. Up hill and down I continued and onto Kullogum.

It was still a challenge and I was tiring. I was also getting low on water, again. This was all good though. I wasn't aiming for Brooweena, I was only aiming for North Aramara, which much closer.

I soon found my spot where I had collapsed last time. I was so excited to make it past here. One more hill and I was on a down hill run. I finished the last of my water at the top of this hill as a celebration. Down hill for the most part now to North Aramara.

I came into the small village just prior to 5.00 pm. I was told I could get water at the town hall on the other side of the township, but I needed somewhere to camp. As I came into town I saw the old Armara North State School that was now closed. This was now a recreation area cared for by Fraser Coast Council. There was a weather shed at the rear and a tank of crystal clear water, just what I needed.

Set up for the night under the shelter I had no phone service to check in. My wife is coming accustomed to this, but it did make me think of the importance of a sattelite messenger. With dinner done I turned in watching the lightning show coming up on the horizon. Then it was rime to listen to some heavy rain as I drifted off to sleep.

After a good night sleep I was woken by some nearby roadworks machinery. Up, packed and coffeed up it was time to hit the road for Memorial Bridge. Not an overly long day, but I was ignorant of what may lay ahead.

It didn't take long to ride the remainder of North Aramara Rd. With just a short pedal along Maryborough Biggenden Rd I was on Glenbar Rd which was much, much quieter.

It wasn't long before I was on gravel, Walkers Flat Rd and enjoying the scenery, and the serenity. Again, back on roads devoid of cars I was in my happy place. After a few more bends I was onto Gigoogman Rd, and much more open country. Tucked on behind trees I hadn't noticed the very strong westerly that had formed. I was now facing it head on, and it wasn't kind at all.

After many stops I turned onto Bullocky Rd still facing my fierce nemesis, the headwind. I was extremely close to finding a camp site along this stretch. But I pushed on and finally made Brooweena Woolooga Rd, and now only had a short distance to Memorial Bridge. 

I made it, and enjoyed such a pleasant break. It had cooled down significantly since I had hit the headwinds. Earlier in the day I had changed from a long sleeve shirt to a short sleeve. But now at Memorial Bridge I was clammering for something warm to put on. The westerly wind changed aandcoming now more from the south brought a very cool change indeed.

Warmed up and coffee on I was settled in. I set up the bivvy under the picnic shelter and tied off both ends to the structures posts. Night settling in as the sun dove down over the horizon I set in to have some dinner and turn in for the night.

It was a cool night and I was met with a cool morning when I awoke. Up and porridge with coffee I set about gettongbthings packed up. Some workman had turned up earlier to do some painting repairs to the Bridge, which is the only privately owned War Memorial in Queensland.

I was on my way and enjoying the morning. Vehicle traffic was higher on this road but they were all friendly and courteous. I stopped a few times to snack and catch my breath, and once on Running Creek Rd I was hoping the creek had water...and it did.

I stopped for a while, filtered some water and enjoyed a cool drink before heading on up the hill. This second hill is the steepest and longest along this road, and I walked it pushing the bike. But I love this road and fund it as enjoyable as the tail trails.

It was late afternoon and I wasn't feeling the best. I was still in a bit of a recovery mode from the previous two days hard yakka. About ten kilometers from Kilkivan I decided to call it a night.  On the sideof the road, the tarp strewn between two trees and the bivvy under it.

A farmer came by later in the evening with her four dogs, one I aptly named Physco...it was, in a funny l, loving kind of way. After our chat she left with her dogs behind and I settled down for some dinner. I ran out of water at the end of the night, but wasn't too concerned as it was only a short, mostly down hill run in to Kilkivan.

Up, packed and on my way skipping breakfast I was pedalling to town. I decided to go an egg and bacon roll with a couple of hash browns and coffee at one of the local establishments. I also decided that I would only rode to Kilkivan and camp for the night. I thought that a good rest might help recharge the batteries a bit.

It was here I started having issues with my colostomy again. Bugger this, I was over it. This is where I decided to call it quits for the trip. I probably overreacted too much too soon now in hind sight. But I'm still getting used to this colostomy whilst bike touring thing.

I had a great time, five days of glorious riding in some scenic and beautiful country. I met so.e characters along the way, enjoyed some serenity, and felt a little like old me again. Bit most of all I was able to extend my trip a little further than the last one. I also managed to learn and gain some experience in regards to managing myself on a trip.

Five days and two hundred kilometers, what's next? Well stay tuned for that...

Cheers, and ride safe out there 👍

Cancer and Dealing With It's Aftermath On The Road

All I've wanted to do is get on my bike and ride. I don't mean around town, I can do that anytime on any day. But travelling by bike on a trip is what I am so wanting to get doing again.

It was a long 12 months last year, dealing with cancer, my operation and the changes that it brought about. It became even longer after dealing with the broken neck on top of it all.

As someone who has battled Anxiety, Depression and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, riding isn't just a lovely hobby, it has become a necessity for survival.

Riding is my peace, my Zen, the balancing of my ying and yang so to speak. It clears my mind, it soothes my soul. It takes away the Anxiety that abounds in this troubled mind of mine.

I actually believe that if it came to a point that I could no longer ride, I would die. To me it is as necessary as breathing.

That all being said, I have to change things a little. Yes, I love my riding around town, everything from exploration, just riding or transporting to shops etc. But I also adore my touring and bikepacking, and in this lies the dilemma.

Ever since Rectal Cancer last year left me with a permanent colostomy, it is in this that hides the challenges of touring and packing. It is no longer a case of just packing a bike with a roll of toilet paper and heading off.

Now it takes much more planning. Now I'm not talking about an overnighter, or a couple of days. They are relatively easy to deal with. But longer trips, a week, two weeks and longer.

I started out using standard colostomy pouches, both closed and drainable. Closed ones are just that, they're closed. Once filled they are disguarded and thrown into the rubbish. Drainables have an open end that can be emptied into the toilet, for such instances as diorea.

Pouches are basically a bag that adheres onto the abdomen over the stoma. It collects your output, or faeces. Not the most pleasant of subjects I know. 

Now in itself they have served their purpose. But the big issue with wearing a pouch is that your output is irregular. It happens when it happens. This makes it difficult to judge how many pouches are required on any given trip.

To give you a bit of a background here...I could go two or three days without going to the toilet. Then I could go three, or even more times in one day. Some days it was just constant small amounts of output. Some days I would have diorea. Nothing was normal or regular. I then investigated a method called Irrigation, or Bowel Training. This is what I now do.

This method is a little more involved than sticking on a bag. It requires a little time and effort, and water.

Irrigation is a basically giving yourself an enema. Filling a bag with around a liter of water at a particular temperature. Then is fed into the stoma filling the bowel at a prescribed rate. To fast a flow, or wrong temperature and it can cause stomach cramps, and even cause one to pass out.

Now, of course there is a method by where the waste is caught. Prior to filling the bowel a temporary disposable drainage bag called an Irridrain is applied. This catches any water spilled and the waste that comes out.

It takes around ten minutes to fill the bowel. Then it takes around thirty to forty minutes for the bowel to drain. This can be done daily, or every second day. I haven't had much success with going two days at yet.

After this is done a small pouch called a Mini Cap is applied. This helps contain any small amounts of output that may happen the next day. These occurances are rare though.

Why do I do this? It's simple, I have control. Where as I would go any time, any amount, I now have control over my bowel and my movement. It is a bit like being normal and regular in a way.

I choose to do this at night after dinner. I give my dinner approximately an hour to digest then go into the bathroom and do my thing. I've chosen night time for a couple of reasons.

1. I live with four women in the house. My wife and three daughters. The bathrooms in our house are pretty much over occupied in the mornings. Night time is quiet...lol.

2. I have decided to do it at night for when I go biking, and hiking. As it takes the best part of an hour to complete, it makes more sense to me to do it at night. The day is done, I'm sitting back and relaxing.

Once the application is done I can walk around and do what I want whilst I'm waiting for my bowel to drain. So I can clean up, get stuff packed ready for the next morning, blog, post on social media etc.

Yes, the drainage bag needs to be emptied. This also creates a problem. If at a comping ground, caravan park or rest area where there is a toilet, it all honkey dory. But if in the middle of the bush I have to dig a small hole to empty the contents. 

I'm a person who likes to live by the motto of Leave No Trace. Unfortunately there are certain times I have to break my own rule.

The plastic bag of course goes into my rubbish bag well wrapped up in a disposable nappy bag. So there is no rubbish left behind.

I know sometimes we have to go when we have to go. So riding or hiking along a trail nature may call, and call loudly. So I guess burrying my waste isn't a real big deal.

Unfortunately, as I said, it's not as easy as packing a roll of toilet paper. But when I look at it, I choose where I can bury it, I leave no toilet paper floating off into the breeze and the rest of my rubbish comes with me until I find a bin.

That's just the application process, on top of all this I have to plan and carry my supplies with me. Mini caps are much smaller and lighter than closed or drainable pouches. But the irrigation drainage bags are not the lightest and when I have carry quite quite a few they soon add up in weight.

This is why I found it difficult to bikepack on my last trip and took my trailer. Everything was just too overloaded.

I've decided that lightweight bikepacking for more than four days is not practical for me. Anything over that I really need to take a touring approach, either on the Kona with all four panniers, or bikepacking with the trailer in tow. There's no other way around it that I can see at the moment.

Water is essential for this process. Its not just needed for the application but I have to remain hydrated. The lower bowel removes a moisture from waste ready for processing in the rectum. Seeing I no longer have a rectum, if I become dehydrated I can end up with a blockage, something I don't want to go through. This is all big reason why I called my wife the first time on Kullogum when I became dehydrated.

I have to maintain a healthy amount of water throughout the day. Now I know that is a given but if I don't, the water will not flow into my bowel and flows straight into the irridrain. It's a waste of time, and precious water. I need to be well hydrated for it to work properly.

I know that this may have been a gross subject, but I just wanted to point out what is involved for someone with a stoma and colostomy to bikepack, tour or hike. It is still a work in progress.l and I won't give up, I will find a solution...

Cheers and ride safe out there 👍

The Irrigation bag and colostomy tip

A closed pouch v's a mini cap

The irridrain

The method

Where it goes, into the stoma