The story so far...
Shifting Gears: Joyce and Phil have arrived in Rocky!
Joyce and Phil officially touched down in Rockhampton last week, ready to begin their 1,500km+ tandem journey for Shifting Gears for Women with Parkinson’s. The good news? The tandem survived the flight! And after a little work from Phil, the bike was officially back together and ready to hit the road. Fittingly, they were staying in the Rockhampton suburb of Berserker, a name derived from Old Norse and associated with going “berserk”. As Joyce and Phil put it, how very apt! They also spotted some of Rocky’s famous bull statues, a nod to the city’s strong connection to Australia’s beef industry. The bike is ready, the adventure is underway, and Joyce and Phil are hitting the road to raise awareness for women living with Parkinson’s.
Shifting Gears: Rockhampton to Miriam Vale
It’s been a busy few days for Joyce and Phil, with their Shifting Gears for Women with Parkinson’s journey taking them from Rockhampton through to Miriam Vale, and there have already been plenty of stories to tell along the way! After trying (without much luck!) to find a way off the Bruce Highway, they settled in for the ride and stopped for a much-needed coffee at Bajool. From there, it was onwards to Mt Larcom, where they got a puncture just as they arrived, followed by a very steep climb into the caravan park, which made sure they earned their rest that evening. Luckily, the day finished on a much calmer note with an evening of poetry in the park. The next leg took them past a historic Queensland village on the way to Miriam Vale. Unfortunately, both the village and the café were closed, so it was a look from the outside before getting back on the tandem. After nearly 100km for the day, they finally rolled into Miriam Vale and enjoyed some well-earned pub food. Keep following along as Joyce and Phil make their way towards Canberra, raising awareness for women living with Parkinson’s with every kilometre they ride.
Shifting Gears: Rosedale to Bundaberg
As they headed towards Rosedale, they met one of the more memorable characters of the trip so far, the Japanese “Catman”. He’s been on the road for around three years, first on foot and now by bike, raising money for the Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne. Rosedale also brought a memorable overnight stay, in a working man’s donga behind the pub. The room was small, dark and initially a little tricky to get into, while the showers had a few quirks of their own! Thankfully, another good pub meal helped finish the day on a high. Then it was back on the bike and off towards Bundaberg. The scenery began to change, with macadamia trees and factories giving way to sugar cane paddocks. It was a beautiful part of the journey, although sharing the road with large trucks made for some challenging moments along the way. Eventually, the Burnett River came into view, a very welcome sign that Bundaberg was just ahead! After pushing the tandem across the bridge and into the city, another big part of their journey was complete. There have already been punctures, long days, unexpected encounters and plenty of kilometres, and Joyce and Phil are only just getting started! Keep following along as they make their way towards Canberra, raising awareness for women living with Parkinson’s every kilometre of the way.
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Shifting Gears: Bundaberg to Childers
After some big days on the tandem, Joyce and Phil took the chance to enjoy Bundaberg at a slightly slower pace, starting with coffee and cake in the centre of town, followed by an afternoon walk along the Burnett River. Rested and ready to go again, they were soon back on the bike and heading towards Childers. This stretch of the journey was a lovely one. The road wound past fruit trees with much less traffic to contend with, and with the sugar cane harvest almost finished, there were thankfully fewer trucks sharing the road too. A roadside coffee stop soon became more than just a chance to refuel. Joyce and Phil got chatting with the owner and another passerby about Shifting Gears for Women with Parkinson’s, sharing why they’re making this journey and the importance of raising awareness. Both promised to spread the word, and the owner even handed them a $10 donation. The couple had their first-ever snickerdoodle and discovered it was a delicious cinnamon-based cookie. It turned out to be a memorable coffee stop! Then it was onwards to Childers, where a quiet night and, importantly, no trains or noise were waiting for them. Sometimes it’s the little conversations along the road that make the kilometres even more worthwhile.
Shifting Gears: Making it to Maryborough
By the time Joyce and Phil reached Maryborough, the kilometres had well and truly caught up with them. They were too tired to head into town, but there was one local sight they wanted to share. Maryborough’s famous Mary Poppins pedestrian lights, celebrating P.L. Travers, the author behind Mary Poppins. So, rather than getting back on their feet and sacrificing a much-earned rest, they asked the neighbours in the next motel unit if they could take a couple of photos for them. And, as seems to keep happening on this journey, a simple conversation led to another unexpected connection. Their neighbour was singer Billie-Jo Porter, who was on her way to the Muster in Gympie. They got chatting about the ride, and Billie-Jo was interested to hear why Joyce and Phil were travelling all this way and raising awareness for women living with Parkinson’s, and was more than happy to help. Their motel happened to be directly opposite Maryborough Hospital, but despite being so close, they didn’t hear a single ambulance all night. Joyce and Phil’s conclusion? Maryborough must be a very safe place to live! Another town, another new person met and another opportunity to get people talking about Parkinson’s.
Shifting Gears: The Road to Tewantin
The road from Gympie to Tewantin was always going to be a challenging one, with plenty of hills waiting for Joyce and Phil. What they probably weren’t expecting was a mountain bike adventure along the way! Following their map, they found themselves on a track called Alt 4. It didn’t take long to realise this was definitely not the ideal route for a tandem loaded up for a long-distance ride. The path became muddy, puddles became stretches of water, and at one point Joyce was out in front checking whether they could even get through. There was plenty of walking the bike, navigating around mud and wondering exactly where the map had sent them! Eventually, they found their way back onto the road and could continue towards Tewantin. After such a long day, arriving at their friends’ house was a very welcome sight. The tandem could finally be parked, the washing could go on, and Joyce and Phil could enjoy a night with friends before thinking about the next stretch. With rain forecast for the following two days, there may still be a few more adventures waiting for them. Whatever the road throws their way, they’re continuing towards Canberra and raising awareness for women living with Parkinson’s as they go.
Shifting Gears: Tewantin to Caloundra
After a chance to rest, do some washing and spend the night with friends in Tewantin, it was time for Joyce and Phil to pack up the tandem and get moving again. Next stop: Caloundra. The route brought them alongside the beautiful Noosa River, making for a pretty spectacular start to this part of the journey. But somewhere along the way, Google Maps had other ideas! Joyce and Phil found themselves hopelessly lost for a while, with their directions seemingly sending them everywhere except where they needed to go. So, they went back to a much more reliable navigation system, asking the locals. After directions from several kind people along the way, they eventually found the right route and were back on track. Near Maroochydore, there was finally a chance to stop on a bridge, take a photo together and appreciate just how far they’d already come. These little moments are becoming a big part of Joyce and Phil’s journey: wrong turns, unexpected conversations, challenging roads and the kindness of people they meet along the way. And through it all, they’re continuing south towards Canberra, helping raise awareness for women living with Parkinson’s with every kilometre.
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Keep checking back to follow the progress!