Day: |
015 |
Date: |
Monday, 10 August 2009
|
Start: |
Barkly Homestead
|
Finish: |
50km short of Cape Crawford
|
Daily
Kilometres: |
326
|
Total
Kilometres: |
|
Podcasts: |
Here |
Journal: |
My four hours of sleep was interrupted multiple times by some
drunks arguing and carousing outside the motel rooms. I got up
and left by 2:30am and set off on the road with no services or
habitation for 376km. I was already pessimistic because the
weather forecast was for northerly winds. They were blowing
but only lightly at first. Fatigue caught up with me early and
I needed a 15 minute catnap at 4am, followed by two hours at 5am.
I could not keep my eyes open. Momentum was already lost for
the big day. When I resumed riding the wind was much stronger
and there was a slight uphill gradient as the road climbed onto the
prairie-like Barkly Tablelands. I struggled to keep my speed above
15kph for about four hours by which time I was exhausted and well
behind schedule. The scenery was spectacular with grassland
reaching to the horizon in all directions. In the afternoon
the wind diminished and I made better progress, but had no hope of
reaching Cape Crawford in time for a bed. Met grey nomads at
the only two rest areas and they offered food and water to me which
was gratefully accepted. Around 11pm I began to lose the plot
and decided I had to stop. I found a poor spot off the road
and slept fitfully and cold for five hours on the stony ground.
|
|
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