 
Letters
DR. DENIS MAHONEY
Dear family and friends,
Today (May 4th), I ate, unpacked and reassembled my bike, and started out. Totally naked from a preparation point of view, I planned to ride Hwy#1 north and see where I landed.
Nope. Hwy#1 is a Motor Way, with a picture of a bike with a big red X through it. Hwy #16 Motor Way, same sign. My map had no other way out of Auckland.
Sometimes there's an edge, sometimes I'm inside the white line, and the traffic is moving fast. I exit, and repeat my search for another route. Same result as before, so I go back on the Motor Way. Same result as before.
Small highways grew up into Motor Ways, and bikers got forgotten. Before too long, the No Biking signs disappear, traffic thins and slows, farming is evident everywhere. Gardens, grazing, forests, and rolling hills.
And it just gets better and better. But that's always the way it is. The further I get from a city, the more I'm rewarded with the uniqueness of the land. And I wish I could put into words the beauty I saw as I cycled today.
I often joke about "Gods country." Truly, God touched all the lands and seas if you fancy such things. Here, I get the impression that God stayed a while and had some fun. Seeing how green he could make it.
My analogy is if you cut a watermelon in half, and only have a knife to eat it with, you're left with a hollowed out valley, surrounded with sharp, steep, irregular mountains. If you lay a piece of green felt over top, and stick in a few pine trees, you may be able to picture where I was today.
A perfect green carpet, like a golf course, spotted with sheep, cattle, and horses. And the smells. Flowering trees and roadside bushes, their scent following me when the wind cooperates. Many hills, some pretty big (up to 5km long), but not enough to wipe the smile of my face. I stand up and climb easily today.
Tonight I'm in a simple room, about 100km north of Auckland (120km by my route). Sleep comes easy.
Until we connect again, heaps of love to all.
Denis.
5/3/98
Dear family and friends,
I spent the day walking around Auckland, getting an early introduction to the fall-like weather, the winds, and the hills. I might be half mountain goat by the end of the month if I am able to bike this fine country.
Reports from other travellers is that it's cold on South Island, and probably more suited for snow boarding. For some basic geography, New Zealand is comprised of two main islands (north and south), each being about 1000km long. Due to the nature of the roads, my tour may include some out-and-back rides. It'ss fine with me because it's like discovering new places when you see it coming the opposite direction.
I sat on the waterfront eating take-away sushi, in the cool sun, thinking of not much, just observing. The sushi was a nice reminder of frequent evenings out in Toronto. The weather: much like a pleasant day in October.
It will be quite an exploration over the next month. I've done no research on where to go, what to do, what to see. I've been told to ride the east of the North Island, and the west of the South Island. However, if every other tourist is doing just that, I'll do the opposite.
Over the past eight months, it has bcome real clear what I enjoy doing: meet the local people and see how they live, see the landscapes and the animals, and do this in a fairly heathy environment. Not really taking up too much space or contaminating the areas I visit. I visit touristy areas infrequently, and usually "do" one tourist trap thing every 2-4 weeks. We're all on a different trip I reckon.
I'll sign off for now.
Love
Dr. Denis
P.S. Sydney was in top gear preparing for the up-coming summer Olympics. I hope to see you there!
5/2/98
Dear family and friends,
Dear friends and family,
It was time. I seem to get a feeling, not that I've worn my welcome out, but that for my journey to continue I need to more to a new country. See new landscape, be with people with different customs, colors, and culture.
Simply, it was time for me to move on. My bike is in a box and I've landed in Auckland. More on that next time. There's some discussion yet on Australia.
I thought I might be so taken with Australia that I would look into spending some serious time Down Under. Nope. It's not that it was short of my expectations. I just realized (again) where home is. Feels good to travel, knowing you have have a home stone to keep you grounded. Real safe and warm feeling.
Along the East coast my trip evolved somewhat. Biking when I wanted to; bus when I tired of the winds; rides with Aussies when mechanicals forced me off the bike; car tours exploring Sydney and area; river ferries; and by foot when more appropriate.
Friends of my parents (Joy And Marshall) really took care of me for several days in Sydney. They housed me, fed me well (the chook on the barbie a real treat!), drove me around for errands, and were my personal tour guides. Real Ambassadors for Australia.
We toured the city, visited Olympic sites, explored the Blue Mountains (blue haze from the Eucalyptus trees - from these trees comes the gum wood trim at my Tornonto home), learned about Pokie machines (and came out ahead by $10.!), spent a day at the zoo, and shared many of lifes stories with each other. Oh yes, they also put up with my puppy-dog habit of falling asleep almost anywhere (car, ferry, chair). Their generosity sets a standard that I will strive to match.
There were many other people that contributed to making my Australia tour memorable. Tom, Juleen, Travis, and his sister (whose name momentarily escapes me), who rescued me when I was up the creek without a spare tire. They drove me to town, took me home, fed me, housed me, entertained me with local stories, and we had some good yarns about pollies (politicians). They sent me on my way with avocados, macadamian nuts, and a special fruit called something like magnificanto delicioso. All from their farm. All were thoroughly enjoyed.
There were many others. Some I'll see again. Some not. What I would love to do is have the opportunity to return some of the generosity directed to me. I look forward to doing exactly that.
Here's a few highlights of my travel down under:
Until we speak again, be well, think well, and sleep peacefully.
Love,
Dr. Denis.
4/28/98
Dear family and friends,
Here's a little story of some uniquely Australian experiences (unique thus far in my journey).
It started almost three months ago on a flight from Singapore to Perth. Just before landing, a flight attendant walked down the aisle spraying an aerosol can into the air. Over the intercom we were informed that the disinfectant was harmless to us, and anyways the Australian authorties required the plane to be disinfected before landing.
I find it interesting that people actually believe that pesticides and herbicides only target specific species. It just does'nt work that way. I felt violated.But time moves on.
At Customs, they wanted to see into my bike box. I'm thinking, drug search. Nope. Is your bike dirty? they asked. Not bad, I reply. Lets see the tires. Clean. OK, you can go.
Why check? I ask. We don't want dirt or germs from other countries, he told me. Later, after biking over 8000km through Australia I realize they don't want anymore dirt because they have enough already!
He asked about boots also. Others travellers shared similar experiences -- two folks had to scrub their shoe soles with soapy water and tooth brushes.
There are food quarantines, cattle-dipping stations (for ticks), and probably other safeguards I'm not aware of.
A European traveller filled me in with his perspective.
"They're islanders," he said. "Essentially cut off from other land masses for millions of years, until boats and now planes carry millions of people annually. The seduction of outside money is greater then the fear of contamination, so they do what they can to limit the infestation of foreign bugs to their land."
Let's look at their past for some understanding. Camels where brought here to transport water, now there are herds of feral camels. Ditto for horses. Ditto for water buffalo. Ditto for pigs. Ditto for cattle.
And then there's the dingo. Dogs brought over several thousand years ago. To contain them, the Australians have built a 4000km vermin-proof fence. And I believe its a year-'round open hunting season for the dingo.
Then the bunny rabbit. MIllions of bunnies compete for valuable feed, and have devastated many grazing areas. Burning, poisoning and hunting have been used to control populations.
So you can see why the Australians are so protective of their dirt, and want you to keep your dirt at home.
See you soon,
Denis.
4/26/98
Tried a big triple story e-mail, but it got eaten by the computer. I'll try again another day.
Heading south to Byron Bay this am. Cooled out in Brisbane yesterday.
Lots of crooks, straights, bents, twisted, and other types of folks here. I've been in the outback for so long it was a bit of a shocker! No dramas.
Love,
Denis
4/22/98
Dear everyone,
I've travelled 22,000km on a push bike, and I'm halfway around the world in the center of Australia. I had a name and address, someone I'd been told I needed to meet. Now, I've seen 9 percent of all the sunrises and sunsets over the past 7 months; I've smiled, laughed and shared with many people from many countries; I've had the opportunity to give openly and receive openly, and my bags are full;
I've searched for gold and travelled through opal and precious-stone territory, gaining only in experience. Then I found a heart of gold in Alice Springs.
Funny thing is, I didn't recognize it at first. I thought in matters such as this, identification and recognition would be sudden and apparent to all. Not so. You see, I left. As I Have for 6 months. I've run far and fast, never staying anywhere. Not wanting to establish roots or relationships. Not wanting the Responsibility.
This I just recognized two weeks ago. I've run full-on for as long as I can remember, and now I know I was tired. Real tired. When I left Toronto last fall, confident in Dr. Touraj [Denis' chiropractic associate who is running his Toronto clinic], I walked away from responsibility. For the past half year, I've answered only to one: me and my creator.
And that's the way it's been. Ride hard, see the geography, fauna and flora, eat the local food, and meet the people. Stay the night, then move on. Pretty simple, really. When it got easy, I biked further and faster. Resting when tired. Then off again.
There was something in that person in the Alice that made me want to go back. Heck, it was only 1000km off the planned route. So I went back. And stayed 2 weeks. I did find a heart of gold. Time will tell if she's my heart of gold, and vice versa.
I spent a long time working on my physical body, then came the mental and all the book stuff. Then time and energy was directed towards helping people with a physical art, soon learning that the spiritual aspect was a vital ingredient. Dividends of practicing the art were used to accumulate material things to add comfort, pacify, and soften the impact when the chips were down.
Today my journey encompasses spiritual, mental, and physical aspects. As for material and monetary issues, really I'm just re-investing the dividends of the practice of the physical art in myself. Exchanging it for my tuition in the School of Life. It's a fair exchange. Hope, Trust, and Faith are front and center this semester.
Hope that we can pull it off; Trust in fellow humans that we'll care enough to; and Faith that we will.
Actually, my faith in Mother Nature is stronger. Sure we've altered her skin, which threatens our existence because of our inability to adapt quickly to even small changes in our environment. But time is on her side. Our time, measured in days, years, minutes, even micro and nano seconds and smaller. She is much more patient. Perhaps some value in that for me.
Challenge is: I still want it all. Interesting thing is how All has changed.
Bye for now.
Love, Denis
4/13/98
I'm back on track -- more exercise is in sight and less catering to my drugs of choice. Sugar remains the leader, while the caffeine habit has reared its ugly head once again. Mountain-grown
Laos coffee is so strong that this habit was terminated quickly due to the rapid onset of heartburn, ice coffee in Thailand, and ditto for Australia.
Then I arrived in The Alice. Hey, let's go for a cuppa. I would submit. It usually has to get ugly before I change. I was tired, wired, and not feeling like a world champion. Starting yesterday, I'm back on track. Better food, and limited amounts or none of my drugs of choice. We'll see how this holds up when I'm on the road again.
Here's my schedule as well as I know it today:
See you soon.
Love,
Denis.
4/7/98
Dear friends and family,
Over the past six months it has been my observation that hindsight isn't always 20-20. My rearview mirror needs periodic cleaning. Sunscreen, sweat, blood, road kill spray, food grease, and tears all occlude my sight. This series of letters is my mirror.
I write partly to keep in contact, partly to share experiences with you, and partly so I will have a hardcopy to re-read, in hope of continuing to evolve rather then revolve. There are certain experiences in my life I'd choose not to repeat - hopefully I can experience enough and gain adequate wisdom.
It' a challenge to record what really transpires during my day. By the time I get to an e-ail site, I'm rested, well fed and hydrated, and smiling. The ragged edge is smooth. In time to come, I'll strive to record actually the nature of my though emotions,
intensity, and actions.
There are times when a video tape recording would be quite interesting to watch. One memory of this took place last
July when crossing Canada on a push bike.
Along a lonely stretch of the Trans Canada Hwy in Western Canada several turkey vultures started circling above me as if I was roadkill, or was about to be. I started yelling at the buzzards that "You're not going to get me. The Rockies didn't get me, the sun hasn't got me, and the trucks haven't got me yet, and you're not going to get me either!"
Crossing the Nullabor I had similar conversations with the powers that be concerning the prevailing southeasterly headwinds. These conversations got fairly ugly so I'll leave them out of this story. The mountains of northern Thailand bring back similar memories.
That's all for now, Perhaps later I'll write about my view of Mother
Nature, and what I recommend for your round-the-world first aid kit.
Love,
Dr. Denis Down Under.
4/5/98
Dear all,
Yup, you can get anything you want in Alice Springs, but you'll pay dearly for it.
I recently replaced worn-out leather-upper sandles purchased in Bankok for about $8cdn. In Alice Springs, I paid $69 Australian dollars -- about $65cdn.
A pair of Calvin Kleins (knock-off version) purchased in KL, Malaysia, cost about $12cdn; here I just paid (gilp) $125 Australian for a pair of 505 Levi's. Thanks to Leckie and Therese (sales staff) at Just Jeans for calming a shocked traveller from North America.
Hey, do you drink a lot of water? I'm asked frequently. Yup. For a 250-300plus km day, I drink 14 of the 1.5litre bottles (about 2l litres of water. At about $3-4. each, my fluids run about $50 a day. And some people think I cycle to save bus fare!
I'm still planning to go to the east coast, no hard cut plans yet. At this point in my journey, headwinds for thousands of km's are not on my itinery. A quick call to Grey Hound bus line will solve future headwind challenges.
I have for sometime thought I'd eventually end up living in desert country, perhaps Arizona (Pheonix region). I've worked that out of my system, after 7000km through flat semi-arid desert. Presently, I'm a little sick of all the dirt.
Green mountains, fresh water streams and lakes, and poisonous local fauna being the exception rather then the rule sounds real good right now.
Thats all I have to say at this point. Until we connect again, Stay well,do much good and do little evil.
Love
Denis
3/27/98
Dear everyone:
I'm still in Darwin - perhaps the longest stay I've had in any town since my 10-day meditation experience last October. Yesterday included a trip to the local museum (lots on Hurricane Tracy that swept through Darwin some years back), another massage, meeting new folks, and time in an Irish pub rediscovering my ancestral roots. I think Ireland will be a good fit (no Guiness please!).
Today started with a torque and twist yoga class, reading and writing email, then on to a croc farm. Perhaps tomorrow I start moving south again.
Love to all for now
Dr Denis.
P.S. Please direct e-mail to denismahoney@hotmail.com - otherwise I don't have access to your addresses. I you haven't heard from me it's because dad lost your e-mail or I don't have your address. You know what to do - write me and we'll get in sync.
3/26/98
Dear everyone who's tuned in this story:
Last we connected, I'd climbed the [Ayer's] Rock, celebrated St. Patrick's Day in style, and started on my way to The Alice. (side note: I lost my address book enroute so I have no addresses, ph #, email addresses, etc. - you can easily e-mail at this site or my new easily accessible hotmail
address: denismahoney@hotmail.com ).
I travelled to Alice, was well adjusted by Canadian Chiropractor Dr. Suzanne Crix (she's been working in Australia for about 1 year), then continued my journey north. Here's where the events take a turn (literally).
Two days ride north-bound (about 400km), only 2 km from my rest stop for the night, my front tire turned 90 degrees to the direction of my travel. Time slowed significantly as I watched in disbelief.
Here's the situation: I'm biking at 25kph, my feet are clipped into the pedals, I'm on rough pavement, and I know I going down. Hard. Well, I left my mark in Australia. Ankle, knee, thigh, hip, elbow, hand pieces.
The pain was surpassed by anger as a quick inspection revealed the downtube on my $1000 light-weight carbon-fiber shock had snapped, allowing the tire to pivot on the intact downtube.
A short ride from tourists, a shower, a midnight bus ride to Katherine, $500 well spent on a new flashy, red, heavy-duty steel shock, and a day by the pool to rest softened the blow.
A 255km ride the next day, and a short 60km ride yesterday morning brought me into Darwin. Today is rest, e-mail, visit the museum with a fellow traveller from the Netherlands. In the following days and weeks, I'll work my way back to Alice, then north again to Three Ways, then East to Brisbane.
On the physical side, I'm well. Some road rash - but that goes with the territory (it could have been a heck of a lot worse), I'm lean and fit, and now well adjusted.
On the mental and spiritual side - life is good. The solo travel allows the opportunity to reflect much on life's events. It can be addictive.
But there's more. Fantasy. Yup - removing myself from the current reality of where I'm at (conditions are conducive to avoidance - extreme heat, dehydration, physical body pain, fatigue, cramps, vomiting, burning feet, sore saddle, etc.). I've been a wheat farmer, gold miner, chiropractor here, Tour de France champion, Harley bikie, croc wrestler, and lots more.
Some of the mental yarns I spin will continue over days, evolving until they appear real. Are they? Napolian Hill said what we can conceive, and believe, we can achieve. Conceive can be easy. Believe is a bigger step. Achieve (taking action) bigger yet.
Some interesting uniquely Australian experiences:
2. The Road Trains. Big spaces separating communities has lead to big trucks to sevice them. In W.A. (Western Australia) where I travelled it was legal for a prime mover plus 2 trailers for a maximum length of 55 meters; in S.A. they allow 3 trailers, and now in N.T. I'm seeing 4 trailers! The longest one I've heard of had nine 55foot trailers!
3. Snakes. In Australia you consider any snake extremely poisonous unless proven otherwise. Yesterday I saw a King Brown dead at the roadside - it was as thick as a forearm and over 2 meters long. Later I was told it you're bit directly into an artery you have about 16seconds to reflect on your life. Not a long time. Something to think about.
Love,
Dr. Denis
3/18/98
Dear everyone:
A twenty-five year goal has been realized. I made it to the Rock!
You see, my family moved to Ayer's Cliff, Quebec, about 26 years ago. Ever since I can remember I wanted to come to Ayer's Rock, in Australia. It took a bit of effort -- over 20,000 km on the bike, heat, humidity, food poisoning, hit-and-run, headwinds, hills, and plenty of helping hands.
When reflecting quietly on the top of the Rock, I recalled a quote given to me by another traveller -- try not to set out to do something in particular; try not to achieve anything special. But do set out.
What struck me was -- it took me 34 years to set out. Sure, I did other stuff. Lots of studying, doctoring, and fooling around, but at 34 I sat on a bicycle seat, and I rode, I rode around the world.
Here some local humor:
What do you call a deer with no eyes and no legs?
What do you call a deer with no eyes, no legs, and no genitals?
I'm resting today at Curtin Springs, separated from the Rock by about 80 km of red dirt (pronounced duurt). Its dry country, great for grazing cattle (about one per square kilometer). I'll get to the Alice in the next few days. It's time for a chiropractic check-up.
Until we meet again, be well, make it count, and Set Out!
P.S. I stayed under ground one night. Coober Pedy, the world's opal mining center, has underground everything (hotels, restaurants, shops, banks, etc.) in the old mines because its too damned hot on the surface. 55 celcius and dusty! Friendly folks and a good nite's rest was achieved. (I'm getting a little sick of the dorm-style sleep arrangements of late -- teeth grinding, farting, snoring, alarms all hours, burping, and talking in their sleep. Back to tenting.)
Love to all,
Denis.
3/11/98
Dear everyone:
I reached Port Augusta, Australia (pop. 14,292) this morning. I showered, ate, visited the post office and found access to internet at the local library. I had planned to continue north today; however my ambition was cut short by the heat inferno outside. Tomorrow will come soon enough.
Let me update you on travelling Down Under. Folks here I reckon are the friendliest people I've ever met. I've had assistance from the moment I stepped off the plane from Singapore. I started biking on Monday, February 9, heading east along the Great Eastern Highway. I travelled about 400km through wheat country (about 12 inches of rain each year!), then into the Gold Fields.
Gold and mineral mining have built and kept this part of the world alive. It's hot, it dry and as a sign bluntly put it, quot;its good country for hardy people." I quickly realized that alcohol has had some role in keeping the wheels moving.
South of Kalgoorlie (pop.30,000) lies Norseman (pop.1500), the starting point of the long stretch of bitumen connecting WA (Western Australia) to the more populated eastern part of Australia. I headed south from Norseman to Esperence on the coast, then looped through nickel mining country back to Merridin (on the Grt.East.Hwy.), continuing back to
Southern Cross to prospect for two days in 47° celcius heat.
New mates in S.C. (known locally as Suffering Cross) put me up, got me "on the piss," and fed me right. Ditto for Norseman. Ditto for Corrigan. Ditto for Ceduna. I've learned that VB (Victoria Bitter) is the beer of choice in W.A., while West End is what you drink in S.A. Enough of that stuff.
I biked my way back to Norseman, then crossed the Nullabor to where I rest now at Port Augusta.Here's a late-in-the-afternoon conversation I had in Western Australia:
"Good day mate"
"Hello" I answer, looking for something wet.
"How far you come?"
"About 200km. Its hot."
"Good on Ya! Where you staying?"
"At the caravan park."
"Good on Ya. Come down to the Hotel tonite, drink some piss, and spin a yarn."
"Sure. I'll get these drinks, and one of those meat pies."
"No worries."
Later, at the hotel, we're on the piss, I'm spinning a yarn.
"Are you pissing in my pocket? he asks.
"What ???"
"Oh, are you putting me on?"
Folks here talk fast, shorten words when they can (truckie, bikie, wharfie) and rhyme them (keep our town tidy, keep the scene clean). You can catch on fast (faster then learning Thai! Favorite Australian Food: Best I can figure its take-away! (Mrs.Mac's meat pies are the most common take-away).
Flora and fauna update: One morning on leaving Norseman, two 'roos ran beside me for about 2km, about 100 feet off my left side. One of the highlights thus far.
Emus, 'roos, sleepy lizards, camels (yup!), and wombat are the major road kill I see. I've eaten womat (a marsupial that resembles a small bear and tasteslike pork) and
'roo.
If you "throw the sleepy lizard in the fire with his skin on - great eating" I was told, as this weathered outbacker kissed his fingers, remembering his last lizard feed.
"Shit", he said "I hit a wombat and it caused $1500 damage to my truck. I got him though -- I et 'em."
When I was most of the way across the Nullabor I had the opportunity to stay two nights with an Aboriginal family. They where great hosts and a pleasure to be with. Everyone speaks English, and the younger ones are learning their native language in school.
It's hard for me to tell you about crossing the desert. You see it broke my will (temporarily).
If you know me and how I face challenges, you may be shocked. I biked 193km the first day (with 28 lbs. of water and three bags of cookies) against a strong headwind.
Day 2, at 130km, beat up, demoralized, ears ringing from the headwind, I pulled in for the day, 52km shy of the next service station. 4 crackers for supper, 4 crackers for breakfast, and 52km straight into a 35-50km headwind (four hours+ of riding) on Day 3. Time to rest, think, and reflect.
I figured if I go slow, steady, get where I can on any given moment, have 'no worries,' everything will work out.
I had a great trip across the desert. I often sing Tracy Chapmen's song " doing the best I can."
Until later...
Love from Dr. Denis from Down Under.
Filed 2/8/98
Hello to everyone...
I arrived in Perth, a city in Western Australia (pop. 1.4 million) on Thursday
p.m. People here have been extraordinarily helpful and friendly. I've had a few days of R&R, and some needed bike repairs (I wore out the complete drive train after 15,000km through Southeast Asia).
Hey - its cold here! Seriously, its cool at night, and the wind off the ocean diffuses the daily high 34-42C temps.
The trip continues eastward tomorrow (Monday) movning. The famous and feared Nullarbor Plains highway being the route or choice to reach Adeleide, some 2700-3040km away.
The first bike crossing was in 1896. Car crossings were uncommon until well after WWII. I will be hauling plenty of water and high-calorie food, tenting in parks or staying in hotels (located about every 200km), smearing oodles of sunscreen on my exterior, and riding before sunrise.
When we connect next, I may have had boxing matches with 'roos, bike jumps avoiding reptiles, and bike sprints away from feral cats and dingos! For sure, I'll tell all when I reach the next cybercafe.
Love to all,
Denis
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