BYPASS THE STORY OF THE ROAD
Chapter 1
In the first section, the author introduces Cliff Young and his participation in the Westfield Sydney to Melbourne marathon. He is a middle-aged potato farmer. He trains in gumboots. This story is meant to be funny because he is old, a potato farmer, the way he trains as well as the fact that he lives at home.
Don't just do something. Sit there.
McGirr now lives in Gunning after leaving the priesthood. Gunning, a town where more people are buried than are actually living there. Is typical of the many towns along the highway. This chapter shows us the impact of the road on their lives, such as the farmer who never went to church on Good Friday because of the danger of the holiday traffic.
There were positives of having the road come through the towns because more people are coming through the towns, so there is more trade, more news/things happening in the towns.
There were negatives in having the road coming through the road there was a lot of traffic and the danger of the traffic.
Positives of having the bypass was positive for travellers as it cut travelling time. Negatives of having the bypass was that towns stopped being busy and trade stopped. There was also a negative for travellers because they no longer got to experience these little towns and part of Australia.
Pass quietly. Driver sleeping
This chapter is about the pioneers of the road and the history of the road. Hamilton Hume and William Hilton Hovell. It tells us about their lives, and how they both came to be exploring the country and how the Hume Highway.
This is no time for the present
This chapter also explains why McGirr makes the unconventional choice of travelling the Hume on a bicycle, because “you have to ignore the signs which keep you going at 110 km an hour, you have to go slowly.”
By choosing to take the journey slowly, McGirr is choosing to face up to and reflect on his life decision.
The older I get, the better I was
In this chapter we learn more about the personal life of our narrator. He discusses his past life as a priest and how this decision was perceived by those in the community, but most importantly by himself.
This is not just a travel story but also a personal story.
Midwives deliver
McGirr continues his " social history” of Australia here by making reference to Kerry Packer and his death experience, at Warwick Farm Racecourse in 1990.
Trucks Carry This Country (car sticker Hume Highway)
If You Can See My Mirrors, I Can’t See You (truck sticker, Hume Highway)
Between Camden and Picton – Razorback. He is riding his bike.
McGirr talks about the weather – cold and windy and he was freezing and his heart was beating fast and he was panting for breath while riding his bike. Which shows that he is not young , active and fit for such an activity. Experiencing new things in his life. He talks about trucks and its culture and important events in history of Hume high among truckies.
Such as 1979 truck blockade one of the more notable chapters in the history of Hume Highway.
- For 10 days before Easter the road was blocked by the very people whose livelihood depended on it.
- Truckies long list of grievances included load limits, cartage rates and behaviour of the banks to which they were mortgaged.
The truckies culture was growing as there were songs about truckies such as Slim Dusty’s ‘ Light on the Hills’ which won the award for the song of the year.
Monday afternoon 2 April blockade started by Ted Stevens in outer Sydney suburb of Lethbridge park.
- Four drivers were arrested.
- Drivers were charged but truck stayed were they were.
- By Saturday there were 3000 trucks.
- shows how people are united and eg: some locals were bringing out food and inviting men. back to their homes for showers.
when Malcom Fraser was Prime Minister.
- After ten days, the trucks started to move again.
McGirr writes about many important names such as Ken Coggan:
- He writes about the conversation they had about Ken’s life as a truck driver and his experiences and how Hume is his home.
- He says ‘ he wish he had the chance for more education and to travel’
Michael: ’you travel more that anyone I know’
Ken: ‘This is not travel is driving’
The Hume highway supports two cultures: Cars and trucks, big wheels and little wheels.
“Cars drivers get intimidated by trucks. Bicycle riders get intimidated by cars. The small numbers who take to the road on foot, like Cliff Young, can be intimidated by bikes”.
Sex Is Not The Answer. Sex Is The Question. Yes is the Answer (bumper sticker, Hume Highway)
Advertise Here (bumper sticker, same car)
He finally gets to Picton and find a room in a hotel built in 1839.
He mentions that his mobile phone hadn’t rung for two days
- Which means that no one cares about him and he doesn’t have anyone.
- Could be a reason for his journey.
- Riding his bike and socialising with new people.
He talks about different event along the Hume and different peoples and personalities as well as ghosts!
He finds a brochure advertising ghost tours and he rings them since he is curious about the place called Peach Tree Bend.
My Old Oats Have Turned Into Prunes and All Bran (bumper sticker, Hume Highway)
He is pointed towards Melbourne. He pedals slowly though Bargo which was also known as Bargo Brush.
‘In the history of Australia, gold has got people moving faster than anything’
He talks about the change inn laws of advertising signage in 1929.
He reaches Mittagong, where he stays a night at his friend John’s place.
He thought he was getting fit.
We learn about his personality and his interests( about Tao).
He writes about geographic information’s of Hume. About Illawarra Highway, the main road from Wollongong and the south coast as he passes.
Speak English or Die (bumper sticker, Hume Highway)
He writes about history of the roads neighbouring the Hume highway.
He goes to his friend’s place.
He says that the road between Sydney and Canberra is subtitled ‘Remembrance Way’.
- Dedicated to the war heroes who won the Victoria Cross ‘for valour’.
He has a conversation with someone in the road that gives information about where he is going:
‘I’ll get as far as Goulbourn. It’s a big town’
- He mentions Goulburn, where the jail is. ‘Where they put the backpacker killer’
He talks about Anna Karenina.
He writes about the backpackers
- ‘Backpackers are significant part of the Australian economy’
- They are explorers
- Mentions Robert Ivan Milat
Ivan Milat grew up along the banks of the Hume In the outer suburbs of Sydney
- In 1996 he then aged fifty two was convicted of the murders.
- Now is serving seven life sentences in the maximum security section of Goulbourn jail.
- ‘His eyes. He has the softest eyes. The kindest eyes of any man I have ever met’ a chaplain said to McGirr.
So Many Arseholes. So Few Bullets (bumper sticker, Hume Highway)
The Goulburn jail, complete with barbed wire built in 1883
‘Bushrangers have tended to be seen as either animals disguised as humans or gentlemen disguised as thugs’
He talks about a few prisoners and Kilmore jail.
He talks about Ned Kelly whose headless body was buried in north of Melbourne. These stories and the tale of Ivan Milat are part of the elaborate relationship between crime and Hume highway.
He also mentions Ben Hall.
YOUR CARMA JUST RAN OVER MY DOGMA. (bumper sticker, Goulburn)
He writes about one of Australia’s most observant characters, Mary Gilmore.
- She edited the women’s page in the Australian worker and influenced Australian culture in the first half of the twentieth.
He was about fifty kilometres to Gunning. He goes to Cullerin Range since its too windy.
His mobile phone rings for the first time since he has left and it is Jenny.
‘ It’s been a long ride, I can hardly move’
Chapter 2
From Gunning to Gundagai
By Harry
(page 95 -148)
Cliff Young’s journey continues. He arrived with many supporters, including Wally – a masseur from his Colac Football Club. Wally who has poor eye sight sets the alarm incorrectly which wakes Cliff up to continue his race before the sun was up. This perhaps partly helped Young to win the marathon.
The Goddess is Dancing
Character: Jenny - McGirr’s partner, is a passionate and sensible dance teacher who teaches intellectually disabled people.
This is a story of Jenny’s hard yet dedicated work of helping one of her intellectually disabled students, Adam, to live his life positively and actively. Jenny’s optimistic attitude towards life is also an inspiration to the author. Thus, Mcgirr explores the themes of spirituality and philosophy through this character
Quotes: “The only true wisdom left in the world is wasted on bumper stickers” – page 95
Significance of bumper sticker: Jenny is symbolized as a dancing goddess. McGirr uses this to show his admiration, adoration and respect for Jenny.
Themes: friendship, love and philosophy about life.
Get Off My Tail
This is a story of the first person to drive from Sydney to Melbourne whose name was Herbert Thomson. He was a pioneer of steam technology and also drove from Sydney back to Melbourne by his steam-powered car. The first seven petrol cars to cover this distance were part of the Dunlop reliability trial in 1905. Twenty three started but only seven finished.
Character Banjo Paterson – a poet was one of the drivers who drove from Sydney to Melbourne and known for his tales of horsemanship. But by the end, he was a convert to this new way of transport.
Quote: “the road hides the places it visits, at least from cars...a bike is no way to hide on a freeway” -page 106
Significance of bumper sticker: it refers to the pioneer days of travel, and the desire to be “the first one”. It suggests the competitive side of human nature as well as a strong sense of independence
Themes: sense of independence, competitive nature of human
Boycott Hell, Repent
McGirr remembers volunteering at a ‘Driver Reviver’ station on Good Friday, where they organized a barbeque but did not offer vegetarian options for Catholics who could not eat meat.
Quotes:
“This world is full of such people, going nowhere, but somehow they always manage to get there” page 108
“The beauty of travel is that other people always know exactly what you want” page 110
Curiousity Didn’t Kill the Cat, I Did.
This chapter discusses the unique wildlife to be found not only along the Hume, but in Australia, particularly the platypus and the delight that David Bennet caused when he decided to take them back to England. Unfortunately, no specimens survived the trip. This title is humorous attempt at addressing the current and former inhabitants of the Hume and surrounds, who no longer have a voice, such as those animals and the traditional owners, and how the development and advancement of the road and cars have negatively impacted upon their lives.
I STARTED OUT WITH NOTHING AND STILL HAVE MOST OF IT
This chapter begins by telling us that name Hume, means 'of the earth', and instantly relates back to the title by suggesting that without the earth we are nothing. The significance of this title is its oblique reference to McGirr's previous life as a priest, when he took a vow of poverty. In terms of the content of this chapter, its ironic that lady Jane franklin, a woman of great means in history, has her story relayed. She is regarded as the first woman to travel from Sydney to Melbourne, with a considerable support team. McGirr suggest that she is the patroness of those who are not sure why they are travelling. At the end of the chapter, McGirr and Jenny discuss their childhoods and motivations.
AMATUERS BUILT THE ARK. PROFESSIONALS BUILT THE TITANIC
Throughout this chapter, we can see the relationship between McGirr and Jenny deepening, as they come to terms with being a 'couple'. Then the chapter goes on to discuss the ongoing relationship between fast food restaurants and roads, similarities which don't end the common element of being'fast'. There is brief history Colonel Sanders and his bid for globalization(p130). McGirr meets the manager of one such franchise, who is proud of her degree in hambugerology, which took her twelve days. She ironically comments that she remembers travelling when she was younger, and how her mother would pack sandwiches and fruit, essentially an argument against the very industry she represents. The message of this chapter is that the underdog should never be underestimated- that is, that the experience of roadhouse and dinners should not be avoided in favors of the multi-nationals. And that, in his relationship with Jenny, he should not be underestimated simply because he is inexperienced at relationships. And that tighter, they should not be judged as amateurs attempting a monumental bicycle journey.
Quotes:
“The road could never be trusted”
I think it was that moment in my life when I realised was never going to survive just on my own. I wanted to be connected to something-Jenny
To be loved in the shadow of death is all any of us want
“I DRINK RUM BECAUSE I CAN’T SPELL BOURBON”
Summary:
Banjo Paterson is a topical as a result of his piece’ Mulga Bill’s Bicycle’. Mc Girr then tells how Australia’s two greatest poet’s, Paterson and Henry Lawson. There is reference to some pubs around the area, and an anecdote about an old priest that Mc Girr once knew.