Cows and cyclists
Feels great to be here. More than halfway through the ‘Marlborough Stretch’ now. One more long day tomorrow and I’ll have it in the bag.
It was another grey, cloudy, overcast day – not exactly the most motivating weather for cycling. Left Marlborough at 7:30am. Road was pretty flat and overall traffic wasn’t too bad. The road itself was pretty desolate, in 103 km I only passed 3 houses, 2 service stations (one of which was closed and for sale), and about 20-odd cows. Mentally I was feeling strong and focused on getting through the day and getting myself closer to Mackay. But 5 hours of cycling is still a long day, and the last 5 km seemed to take FOREVER.
The best thing that happened today was (1) I didn’t have any freaks creep me out on the road, and (2) I met 3 other cyclists heading south! First I met a Japanese guy who started in Sydney and has cycled all the way round Australia and in another 3 weeks will be finished! Then I met an older English couple, also heading south. Really made me feel good to stop and chat for a few minutes about the road conditions and to know that I’m not the only person out here doing this. Really good morale booster.
Well even though the skies were grey all day, I only had a bit of drizzle in the morning and thought I was going to get through with no rain, but about 15 km south of Clairview it started pissing down and it’s been raining all afternoon since then. Still I consider myself lucky that I only had 15 km of rain for a 103 km-day. I’m treating myself tonight and staying inside in a cabin in the caravan park here. Just can’t bring myself to set up my little one-person tent in the rain. Hopefully in Mackay I’ll be picking up my 2-person tent that my Dad sent from home and then I’ll be stylin’ in a luxuriously roomy tent. But until then, as long as it continues to rain, I’m sleeping inside.
Gotta rest up for one more long day ( 93 km) tomorrow. Then I’ll have a nice short day (36 km) into Mackay. Cairns is getting closer and closer with every day.
Distance: 99.29 km
Time: 4 hr 56 minutes
Avg Speed: 20.0 km/hr
You go girl
Damn I was looking forward to a cold drink!
Nothin and more nothin
Add comment May 12th, 2003