Distance today 71km Ave 15.8km/hr
It’s 719pm on Sunday the 23 May 2021
Let’s start the day where we finished up this afternoon.
I’m sitting by the fire at our first wild camp with about 45km to go until we arrive at Clifton Hills Station and hopefully catch up with Peter as well as water up for the next two days. All going well We should arrive at the Mungeranie Roadhouse by Tuesday afternoon. That means I’ll water up with 6L for 1 night/2 days cycle, when I arrive tomorrow. Maybe grab an extra litre for the afternoon. All good!!
This morning we said goodbye to our campsite after a great night sleep
We had only just started our ride when one of the fellas working on the Clifton Hills station stopped to say hi and make sure we had enough water. Most cars that passed today stopped to check in if we needed anything. It’s great that folk look out for others on the track especially this little bike packer!! His name was ‘Darc.’ His work vehicle is a flat try Ute with a trail bike on the back to stop and check the fences. Very cool set up!! He loves his job and recons it’s not a bad way to spend a Sunday. Lovely man and shared one of his Granny Smiths for a snack later. Thanks mate!!
The countryside is just beautiful
Soon we were again stopped by Nathan’ a young fella from Warrnambool, Victoria. He is a strong advocate for mental health too having a mate who took his own life and has now helped to set up ‘Let’s Talk,’ a local service fo help prevent suicide. It helps to connect when in distress and know you don’t have to suffer alone and in silence. Amazing stuff Nathan who also donated $50 for Beyond Blue. Compassion is a beautiful thing and Nathan resonated with care. He is certainly a credit for all of us to aspire towards building our own circle of compassion for each other.
Not long after we were also stopped by Larry, Tim and Terry, heading to Birdsville to start the Simpson desert crossing tomorrow. These guys were construction workers who spoke about the prevalence of mental health issues within the industry. Apparently there’s a change of culture whereby workers are being encouraged to speak up about their struggles without fear of being criticised by their peers for being ‘weak.’ Being vulnerable is certainly not a weakness just ask Brene Brown!!! They were also a bit of fun and full of good natured cheekiness
We had our first break at a road sign inviting travellers to enjoy the Birdsville track. To be sure!!! And a great place to savour my apple 🍏
The cycle today was tricky with a stony surface for the most part. The rocks are quite large and makes for a bumpy ride. I don’t want to let down Banjos tyres too much as the rocks are sharp and pose a risk to cutting the walls of his tyres if they’re too deflated. Gotta look after the boy so it’s worth a bit of bouncing around to keep him safe. Unfortunately the backside and shoulders weren’t so keen and they were feeling it after a few hours in the saddle. I ended up riding without a bra and undies to reduce the friction. Bouncy ride indeedy 🤣. That’s probably a bit more information than you need but hey it’s all part of doing what I have to to get over the bumps- so to speak 🤣
Just after 4pm I saw a great spot for a camp and was happy to call it a day. It was time to take the time to enjoy the scenery and bond with how beautiful it truly is.
After setting up camp we were treated to one of the most stunning sunsets I’ve experienced.
As I was collecting firewood I spotted lots of wild flowers and enjoyed paying attention to the finer details of desert life.
And that’s us for tonight. The embers are dancing in the fresh night air and the moon has a ring of glow. The night sounds are filled with crickets and cows and I’m one happy camper. Time for dinner, talk soon xx
The 10 desert challenge 