The Rockhampton Pipe Band's drummer beats on as the sun begins to set on St. Patrick's Day at O'Dowd's Irish Pub.

Journal and photos by Nancy Olson

I was up by 0800 and on the road by 0845.  I awoke with my belongings slightly wet from rain, or dew, or something, but it wasn't a big deal.  I'll have to dry out my sleeping bag when I arrive in camp tonight, I think.

For the first hour or two, I had no wind, and that was super-sweet, but it picked up later.  The first thirty or forty kilometers went by very quickly, and I was psyched to finish this final leg on my 330-km stretch through the nothingness between Mackay and Rockhampton.  I stopped for a quick break at a service station along the way, and I couldn't resist a chocolate chip cookie that practically jumped out at me from beside the cash register.  With the cookie and a diet Coke, I was on the road again.  In the 100 kms to Rockhampton, I only saw maybe one other station, and I had a cold lemonade there.

I pulled into Rockhampton feeling triumphant and rewarded myself with a fish fillet meal at McDonald's.  Yummy!  I need to get out of this McDonald's habit!  At home, I never eat at Micky D's.

I had been planning on staying at Riverside Caravan Park, which is recommended in my Lonely Planet guidebook, but when I arrived, I decided I should maybe press on to a pub, instead.  My shoulders were feeling painful, and I longed for a comfy bed.  I pulled out the guidbook and was reminded of a highly recommended pub in town called “O'Dowd's Irish Pub.”  Irish pub...SOUNDS GOOOOOOD!!!

So, I jumped back on my bike and blazed a trail to the pub.  I parked outside and walked in to be greeted by a throng of partiers in green hats.  Imagine my luck!  I had arrived in Rockhampton at 3:30 p.m. on St Patrick's Day!  The party had started without me, but I was quickly asked to join the celebration by local legend Swampy Marsh.  Swampy, whose real name is Brian Douglas Patrick Marsh, made the mistake of touching my back, which was soaked in sweat from my day's ride.

“Are you Irish—Whoa!  Is it raining outside, or is that you?” he asked.

“I'm afraid that's me,” I said.  “I'm a little sweaty from my ride.”

They all enjoyed throwing questions at me about what I'm doing, where I've come from, where I'm going, and why in the heck I'm riding a “push-bike” down the East Coast of Australia.  Swampy and his friends, Bill and Cora Lee, were eager to have me join them for some St. Patrick's Day fun, but first I needed to get a room and secure my bike and gear.

Ken and Carmel O'Dowd are the proud owners of beautiful O'Dowd's Irish Pub, and Ken checked me into a room (for ½ price) and summoned some blokes to help me bring my gear upstairs.  What a treat it was to have help with my things, for a change!  They brought the stuff up, and Ken put my bike on one of the two single beds.  Ha!  The Santa Cruz Blur would sleep well tonight, and so would I...the beds were brand new and super comfy.  For $15, I had A/C, laundry, a beautiful room, and clean bathrooms and showers.  Nice!

Downstairs, I rejoined my new friends and was introduced to a famous local jockey named Craig.  I also got to find out a little more about Swampy Marsh.  He was a famous champion fighter in his youth, and he was even a double millionaire once...but that story will have to come later.  They were a great group, and I had fun hanging out with them for a couple of hours.  They told me the real fun begins Saturday, when everybody would be out at the horse races and the rugby matches.  They said I should stay, so I agreed.  I've never stayed in one location for so long!

Later in the evening, a pipe and drums band came in and entertained the pub patrons with beautiful bagpipe tunes.  The bagpipes are my all-time favorite, so it was a real treat!  My new friend, Bill Duguid, it turns out, owns another pub in town, and he and I and Swampy and Cora Lee all headed over there to see how things were going.  The bar maid, Flame, came over to pick us up.  Flame is awesome.  She has bright pinkish-purpleish-red hair, and a million-watt smile.  She's a singer/guitar player in a band, and tending bar is her way of making ends meet.  I want to hang out with her more, because she's just so cool.  And smart.  And she doesn't drink or do drugs.  And she rides a Harley!

At Bill's pub, the Fitzroy Hotel (aka the Swamper's Pub), we ate mud crab, spring rolls, and other assorted goodies out by the swimming pool.  I had a great time, but I wanted to call it a night.  I told my new friends I'd see them later, and Bill got me a cab back to O'Dowd's.  It was an early night, and I was pleased to lay my head on a real pillow, on a real bed, in a real, clean, beautiful pub.

Mileage:  100 km
Weather:  Sunny, hot, humid
End Location:  O'Dowd's Irish Pub, Rockhampton

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