|
Day: |
012 |
|
Date: |
Sunday, 4 September 2005 |
|
Start: |
Ti Tree |
|
Finish: |
Wycliffe Well |
|
Daily
Kilometres: |
181 |
|
Total
Kilometres: |
1932 |
|
Journal: |
I got up at 5am after a good night's sleep
and was on the road by 5:40am. There was just a hint of "down" but
a fantastic starry sky. I was aiming for Barrow Creek Roadhouseat
89km, but immediately encountered a moderate headwind that slowed me
down. It was also pretty warm already. The country was quite
interesting with occasional rocky outcrops, low ranges and
escarpments. The imposing Central Mount Stuart was also visible off
to the left. despite the conditions, I made reasonable progress and
got to Barrow Creek Roadhouse around 10am. It was an "original"
with a bar filled with memorabilia, flower-decked shady verandah and
a donkey standing in the service station forecourt. It stood in the
same place for the whole 45 minutes I was there. I ordered some
toasted sandwiches and a bottle of drink and sat on the verandah
enjoying the peaceful scene. A couple of aboriginal women were
slowly doing some chores and chatting. Out in the sun it was hot.
I set out in the heat for a rest stop 40km down the road. The wind
became more flukey which allowed a better pace and a more pleasant
ride. There continued to be some hills but also some very long flat
straight stretches where the road disappeared into a shimmering
distance. I reached the rest stop at about 12:45pm and shared the
only table in the shade with an elderly couple from sydney. They
offered me tea and water and we chatted while they ate their
sandwiches and I had a bowl of muesli. The guy kidded me about
their car's A/C as they left. It was very still and hot. Typical
outback Australia with some cattle sheltering under some of the
scrubby trees and everything very dry. I set out for the last 52km
to Wycliffe Well and after about 45 minutes met a cyclist coming the
other way. he was on his way from Darwin to Melbourne and had done
some long rides in the past - Melbourne>Cape York and Round
Australia. we chatted for about 20 minutes before continuing on. I
reached Wycliffe Well around 4pm. It was a very well-kept
campground/motel and I got a cabin and watched the end of the footy
before showering and washing out my clothes. |
|
ADVENTURE LIST
Round Ireland
(2016)
Hume & Hovell Walking Track
(2013)
Via Alpina
(2012)
Australian Alps Walking
Track
(2011)
Land's End to John O'Groats
(2010)
Round Oz Bike Record Attempt
(2009)
Round Oz Bike Record Attempt
(2008)
Round Oz Bike Record Attempt
(2007)
Australia Tip to Top MTB
(2006)
Adelaide to Darwin MTB
(2005)
Sydney to Melbourne MTB
(2004)
Three Peaks Race
(2004)
Appalachian Trail
(1986)
Alpine Track
(1983)
|
