A mammoth bicycle tour comes to an end, for now

They’re called the Grey Nomads and they’re pedalling exploits are taking them across the globe.

Arriving at Town Hall late last December, Pauline and Hugh Symonds, two 58 year-old retirees from Cumbria in northwest England, have recently completed the Australian leg of a gruelling bicycle tour.

Using specially made bicycles, the Symonds rode 6,200 kilometre from Perth to Sydney via the Nullarbor.

The ride, beginning in early September, took them three months.

Speaking to the Rouse Hill Times, Hugh said: “The Australian leg was tougher than we thought because there were huge gaps where we couldn’t get any food or water.”

Pauline said the Nullarbor crossing was a challenge, with no shops and just the occasional café.

However, she said: “People often stopped in their cars to give us fresh fruit or water”. 

This trip follows a mammoth 9, 200-kilometre, 190-day cycling tour through Peru, Bolivia, Argentina and Chile, the couple completed mid-2011.

Meanwhile, by mid-January Hugh and Pauline will again saddle up to tour New Zealand. Sheldon Ross, the Grey Nomads’ publicity officer, said that they will be “island to island hopping” and hope to catch up with their daughter who lives in the country.

In explaining the motive behind their bicycle tours, Pauline said “we love riding bikes and love seeing the world, so when you put the two together, it’s an amazing way to travel.”

Ross said when they retired, the Symonds asked themselves what to do with the rest of their lives and cycling was an enticing option.

Hugh Symonds is himself a renowned runner who, in 1990, completed a 97-day continuous run, reaching the summits of 303 mountaintops across Great Britain. He has been riding since his time at Oxford University. 

Hailing their ride as inspirational, Deputy Lord Mayor Councillor Robert Kok, welcomed the pair at Town Hall and used their story as a chance to highlight the benefits of cycling.

“This is an absolutely incredible challenge for anyone to complete. We hope the Symonds’ ride encourages more people to get on a bike- even if only for short trips,” he said.

The Symonds are currently enjoying a much deserved break in New Zealand.