Time for a bit of an upgrade!

Obviously I've been a good lad this year, cause whilst there's no way I'd ever have suggested it as a Christmas present, someone must have taken a peek at my "Shopping Wishlist" or had Santa whisper something in her shell like......

For guess what I received as a present today. 

My current Garmin 500, which is now close to six years old is dropping out from time to time, corrupting the data which and whilst is sometimes salvageable, but also has also resulted in my losing an entire ride's history being scrubbed will now find a home permanently on the Surly Troll (unless I heading on an international trip of one form or another) or am doing something particularly notable! Now if only I knew how to:

• Install my new toy on the roadie! What's that you say - Read the instructions - Can't! 

          I am a typical Aussie bloke and will only read them if I can't figure it out for myself after several hours or days of trying

• Do a Restore Factory Settings to my old Garmin so that I can properly set it up for the Troll

          Who knows that may even get rid of the little glitches I was having!

Either way though, given the nature of this wonderful gift, I am going to have to get on my bike and pedal myself silly, to ensure that it's really utilised during 2016 and beyond. I just wonder where it will end up seeing me go?! 

My 500 having been through Europe & Sth America....

With 2015 drawing to a close.....

Having not exactly been on the bike much this year, primarily because I didn't draw up any grand schemes, as far as international destinations are concerned or what have you, I've been somewhat quiet as far as my activities / blog is concerned. That said however my Garmin does tell me I've ridden in excess of 2000KM - so I shouldn't complain too greatly!

I am however going to have to refocus and set a few goals for 2016. There are numerous options and it's a bit hard to know where to begin but you have to start somewhere. 

One of my dilemmas is that having loved elements of both of my international cycling oriented jaunts (despite how they may have concluded), I am tempted to once again jet off to parts unknown. That said, I have seen so little of Australia on the saddle of a bike.... 

Hmm decisions, decisions. I suppose that's one of the blessings of being somewhat footloose & fancy free. The world is your oyster! 

Whilst I wish on the one hand that I'd had the opportunity to live "the normal life" with a 9-5 job, family and so on.... It wasn't to be other issues / responsibilities came up! Now I don't know that "normal" is something I can / want to aspire too any longer.....

I mean if you'd meet my family (well my siblings at least) you'd understand why I wished them good riddance. I'm free of them and their stupidity now and  forever more! Of course there's no rear vision mirror's on a bike and I'm too too busy pedaling and doing my own thing, as to glance backwards! 

Seriously and to anyone who says that blood is thicker than water I can only say "You've obviously never owned or operated a Karcher Pressure Washer", cause the clean all sorts of stains in next to no time.

So the big question I suppose is whether I set some or at least my major yearly goal for here in OZ or somewhere overseas????

I'm thinking Europe, Holland, into The Baltic States, then on to Germany before concluding in Switzerland cause that would give me the opportunity to catch up with numerous friends as well as providing a bit of "normality" as far as my travels are concerned, but by the same token am also drawn to the idea of exploring India thanks to comments made by a cycling colleague who navigated his way around the country on a bike a couple of years ago..... I mean it's a country I've yet to visit, one that appeals from a cultural & scenic perspective and so his stories of what he'd seen & done, opened a whole Pandora's Box in terms of what's possible! 

Something that wasn't helped recently as a result of seeing photos / hearing stories from another friend who visited India this year!