Big Red Bike Tour Stage 13: Last Leg On Last Legs

7 September 2025

At long last, the Big Red Bike Tour is over. What a wonderful time it was!

Originally, I’d planned to take some time off work and cycle across the Japan Alps and Nakasendo highway. But Dino falling ill put paid to that plan. I needed to stay close to home, but could also leave our rosy faced lovebird alone for long enough to take the short rides that comprised the tour.

Even so, over the 13 stages of the tour conducted over the past 10 days (two days, including today had two stages), I racked up 595.29 kilometers ridden, which is about the distance of the original Alps trip.

And not only did I get to help look after Dino, I got to see amazing sunrises and sunsets; ride at night again; enjoy riding through the cooling and refreshing rain made even nicer by thinking about how much it will delight our garden; explore unknown areas; see lots of lovely animals; meet old mates; traverse new routes; spend more time with Mrs. Kangaeroo and Dino and so much more. It was a cracking time!

I also got to do plenty of riding on bikes other than the Big Red, which put my annual target of averaging 1,000 km a month cycling well and truly back on track.

Today didn’t look like being a double-stage day, but timing and glorious weather made it too hard to resist. After the morning ride, I came home, showered, did my chores and then headed out to help out cleaning the retirement village garden with my job being to mow the lawns. It was tough work in the 30-plus degree heat, and most of those working are in their mid-70s and up. They are amazing!

We finished in the early afternoon and Dino was in the best mood I’ve seen her for weeks, or maybe even months, so we played for a little while before I put her back in her cage and headed out for the final ride.

My ride took me to Punk Doily, where I got to partake in an exquisite lamington. Later, I got to scoff down some of Mrs. Kangaeroo’s sublime brownies. I also enjoyed the cafe’s Aussie plants, especially its wollemi pine, Australia’s famous dinosaur tree. This is the only one I have seen in Japan.

The ride was windy and I feel tired in a deeply satisfied way. I want to conserve my energy for the return to work tomorrow to start off an exciting new era. My heartfelt thanks goes out to the Big Red for a magnificent performance. Here’s hoping we get to do the Alps ride one day.

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