We woke at 6am and watched the Commonwealth Games in bed until 7am, then we got up, had brekky and finished packing up and were on the road by 7:45am. Our first and only stop was at the BP Burpengary, where I topped up the van tyres and we had Maccas for brekky. It was very YUMMA. The rest of the drive to Broadwater Tourist Park in Southport was uneventful, we arrived at 10:19am. We had to wait about 2 minutes while our site was mowed, in that time Ted and Sue our next door neighbours came out and welcomed us back. They had even put a sign saying "Frosty Welcome Home". It took me about 4 hours to do a full setup, as we are here for 7 weeks. Lukey, Jodi and Mont came over for lunch. It was great to see them. After they left, I finished setting up and then went and had a wonderful shower (this park have the best showers ever). The remainder of the arvo was spent with me watching Lowndesy come 2nd, while Marg managed to squeeze in a nanna nap.

As we are both buggered, dinner was Chico rolls, they were YUMMA.

Tomorrow is relax day.

Yes, it's our eldest son's 33rd birthday. Both of our sons live 1,700 kms away from us and Marg and I miss them heaps.
It rained over night (4.0mm), I woke at 6:15am and got up and put our washing, that was hanging outside and very wet, in the camp's dryers. Marg eventually woke about 8am, we had brekky and buggered about on our laptops and left about 10am to buy wool from Lincraft. On our way, we stopped and topped up with diesel and then headed towards Lincraft at Robina, when my mobile rang. It was the office at our Caravan park saying that a couple were there and wanting to see us. It was Roy and his wife, Roy is Dad's cycling mate, they were up here on holidays. So we met them and we had coffee and chatted while sitting on the outside bench overlooking the Broadwater, they were here for over 30 minutes before they continued on their walk. It was great to catch up. The next time I meet Roy, it will probably be at a coffee shop on Southbank, Melbourne in mid October.

After Roy and his wife left, Marg and I headed off to Lincraft, Marg got her wool and we then headed to South Park (Southport Park) for lunch at Michels and some food shopping at Woollies, then back to camp. I changed into 'cycleman' and headed off to Surfers then out to the Spit and headed to my turnaround point at Land's End before heading back to camp. My riding details on the Gold Coast - today's ride 36kms - Total after my 1st ride is 36kms.

About 5:30pm, we drove over to Jay's to see him and wish him a happy birthday.

Dinner was McCains pizza slices. They were YUMMA.

Tomorrow is Bingo at Southport Sharks.

Marg woke and got up about 5:30am, I got up about 6:15am and we both watched Ch7 Sunrise. We had brekky and got ourselves organised, so we could leave at 8:30am for the 2km drive to the Southport AFL Sharks club. As we walked into the 'Bingo room' the organisers remembered us and may a bit of a fuss over us, which we enjoyed. I paid $44 for 2 full sets of cards and we also bought 3 marker pens ($55). Both of us got very close a number of times we only needed ONE number, but some other 'old farts' beat us BUT we did win a $8 voucher for next week, so technically, we only lost $47. We had a ball, as usual.

After Bingo, we went back to camp and had lunch. After lunch, I changed into 'cycleman' and headed off to Labrador where George and ALL his mates were just chillin' out on the beach, in front of all the 'Asian' tourists plus ME. I took a number of photos, before heading to my turnaround point at Land's End. I then pushed into the Southerly the 16kms to Surfers, it was hard going but good fun. At Surfers there were more people out today than yesterday. It was still very windy but today the sun was out and so were the people. From Surfers I headed to The Spit with a beautiful tail wind. The Friends of Federation Walk have repaired all the crap parts of the gravel path between Sheraton Mirage Resort and The Spit. Thank guys, I appreciate it. I sat at the end of the seaway but on the lee side as the waves were breaking over the end. I left there and rode along Seaworld drive until Seaworld, before I peeled off back to the coastal shared path. At Southport YC, I crossed over the road and headed along the new shared path bridge over the Nerang river, before spotting a large yacht at Marina Mirage. Back at camp, I checked out the yacht and it is called Sassafras (112ft long). I took a few photos of Sassafras and then stopped at Cafe Rockpool for a coffee. The owner of cafe Rockpool remembered me and also asked if I wanted some choccy mud cake, like I did back in March, I kindly declined but said that I will probably have some tomorrow. After coffee, I rode back to camp and took a photo of 'No Vacancy' sign out the front.
Here is the summary of my Gold Coast riding - today's ride 36kms - Total to date: after my 2nd ride is 72kms.

Dinner was something different tonight, as Marg asked me this morning to get the bolognese sauce out of the freezer for tonight. Pretty straight you would think. Wrong. As the spagetti was cooking on the hotplates Marg emptied the bolognese sauce into another pot, problem was it was mexican chicken. No drama, we had spagetti with mexican chicken. It was bloody YUMMA.

Tomorrow, there is nothing planned, except for my ride.

We slept in until 7:15am and laid in bed watching Ch7 Sunrise. We had brekky and got ourselves organised, and about 10am I got out our 'old lady's shopping jeep' and we walked off to the Australia Fair shopping centre. We only visited Woollies for some food supplies which easily fitted in our jeep and then stopped at my 'riding haunt' Cafe Rockpool for a coffee and cake. The owner stirred me about NOT being dressed in my cycling lycra. After coffee we walked about 1.5km back to camp, checking out the Gold Coast Aquatic Centre as Marg and I have bought tickets to 2 days of the Pan Pacs Swimming championships starting on August 21st. I thought that as we love watching the swimming and that they are within ONE kilometer of our camp. Why Not. I checked out what events that Michael Phelps is swimming and we hope to see him plus some of the Aussie swimmers. I will give more details after we attend them.

Back at camp for lunch, I then changed into 'cycleman' and headed off to Surfers, again it was difficult riding into the strong breeze. From Surfers I headed to The Spit with a beautiful tail wind. I sat at the end of the seaway and ate my bananas, the spray had died down compared to yesterday. I then headed to my turnaround point at Land's End past Labrador. As I approached Charis Seafood at Labrador there would be at least 50 to 100 Georges plus plenty of tourists including ME again. At 1;30pm a staff member from Charis Seafoods comes out and feeds all the Georges with their fish skeletons and BOY, do George and his mates know about it. They come from everywhere to be fed. As I 'pushed' my way through the crowd to be next to the 'feeder', I had Georges everywhere, I was hit by the flapping of their wings, it was great. I will definitely be back to take more photos. At one stage, just before I left, all the Geroges headed for the water, there was a little yappy dog running loose. I thought that George may have eaten him, he wasn't very big. As I rode off, I just happened to ride beside his owner and politely suggested that he may want to keep his dog on a leash in future. He casually told me to "Fuck Off". That about summed up this guy, if you saw him you would understand.
Here is the summary of my Gold Coast riding - today's ride 35kms - Total to date: after my 3rd ride is 107kms.

Sara cooked dinner tonight. Her main course was Quiche Lorraine followed by her desert of Butterscotch ice cream. Thanks Sara Lee. It was yumma.

Tomorrow, Marg wants to go Helensvale and later I hope to go riding.

We slept in until 6:30am and laid in bed watching Ch7 Sunrise. We had brekky and Marg said as she was buggering about camp, I could go riding, SO I did.
Here is a detailed description of my 'normal daily' ride. I headed out the park, and turned north along the shared path, which took me the whole way to Lands End, which is my Northern turnaround point. Back along the shared path past Charis Seafoods(Labrador) that is where George and ALL his mates hang out. Around 1:30pm an employee comes out and feeds them all their fish scraps. Yesterday, I happened to ride past at 1:30pm and were amazed by the 100 odd Georges (Pelicans). I loved it. It is a BIG tourist attraction, there would have been over 100 Asian tourists plus ME. I continued on the shared path, back past my Caravan Park and past the Gold Coast Aquatic Centre, where this year's Pan Pacs Swimming championships will be held starting on August 21st for 4 days, Marg and I have already got tickets for the first 2 days 'Heats'. Continued on past the Cafe Rockpool, past Australia Fair Shopping Centre over the Nerang river and past the Southport Yacht Club, where I crossed over Seaworld Drive and continue along the shared path, past the Southport SLSC. Onto Main Beach parade until The Narrows where the shared path starts again. Follow it the whole way past the highrises of Surfer to Laycock St. This is where the shared path ends and I turnaround and retrace my route back to the Southport SLSC and then follow the coastal track (Federation Walk) to the Gold Coast Seaway aka The Spit. Here I stop and look for whales or just take in the magic vistas. Depending what mood I am in, I either ride back along the Federation Walk which is the gravel coastal track or I ride along the bitumen Seaworld Drive, back to Marina Mirage where I retrace my route back past the Southport YC, over the excellent (new) shared path bridge over the Nerang River, stopping at Cafe Rockpool for a coffee and choccy Mudcake before doing a lap of our Caravan park to check out the number of vacant sites (it has been FULL each night since we arrived last Sunday).
Here is the summary of my Gold Coast riding - today's ride 36kms - Total to date: after my 4th ride is 143kms.

After showering, we had lunch and then drove to Westfield Helensvale, so Marg could buy Mont some crafty 'stuff', I went to the Bank and we stopped at Michels for coffee, before heading back to camp.
About 3:45pm, we drove to our 'Club' CSi Club Southport, it's Thursday, so it's pokies, beer and dinner. Marg visited the pokies, while I updated our website and at 5:30pm, Marg came and got me for dinner. She won about $50.
Marg had garlic prawns and I had the mixed grill, this is the 9th consecutive time that we have ordered the mixed grill and prawns.

We were back at camp by 6:15pm and settled down to watching TV.

Tomorrow, nothing planned except a ride.

We slept in until 6:30am and laid in bed watching Ch7 Sunrise. Marg stayed in bed, as I had brekky and changed into 'cycleman'. I left camp at 8:18am and headed off to Lands End before turning around and heading down to Surfers then back upto The Spit before stopping at Cafe Rockpool for a coffee then back to camp. The highlight had to be the 'pod of dolphins' about 100 meters south of The Spit.
Here is the summary of my Gold Coast riding - today's ride 35kms - Total to date: after my 5th ride is 178kms.

After lunch, Marg and I walked along the shallows, as the tide was out, the whole way to Cafe Rockpool. We counted over one million Soldier crabs, Marg was a tad scared of them. We finally made it to Cafe Rockpool and ordered a coffee and cake, while sitting there, Ian(ibis) flew in to say "Hi". Back at camp, I washed the rear and right hand side of over fiver. We also managed a nanna nap before I sat on the beach and took a few photos, which included watching the yacht Sassfras leaving the Broadwater and last report on www.marinetraffic.com, she was heading North at 10 knots.

Dinner was McCains Pizza slices. They were yumma.

Tomorrow, we may do the same as today.

We slept in until 6:45am and laid in bed watching Ch7 Weekend Sunrise. Marg stayed in bed, as I had brekky and changed into 'cycleman'. I left camp at 7:44am and headed off to Lands End before turning around and heading down to Surfers then back upto The Spit before heading back to camp without stopping at Cafe Rockpool. The highlight was meeting a fellow cyclist at the Spit and riding back with him. We had a nice chat.
Here is the summary of my Gold Coast riding - today's ride 35kms - Total to date: after my 6th ride is 213kms.

After lunch, Marg and I walked a lap of our caravan park and saw that Bob and Val had arrived from Dicky Beach. SO we stopped and chatted, then the four of us walked to Cafe Rockpool for a coffee and chatted some more. It was a pleasant afternoon with Bob and Val. Back at camp from Cafe Rockpool, we said goodbye and went our separate ways.

Dinner was nachos. They were yumma.

Tomorrow, we have a family lunch. We can't wait.