Distance today 118km at 23km/hr average
TOTALS: Distance 8547km. Donations $10,245.09. Days remaining 7. Deserts: Sturt Stony, Strzelecki, Tirari, Pedirka, Gibson, Great Victorian, Little Sandy Desert, Great Sandy Desert, Tanami Desert Tracks: Birdsville Development Road, Birdsville Track, Oodnadatta Track, Red Centre Way, Great Central Road, Goldfields Highway, Wiluna North Road, Marble Bar Road, Great Northern Highway, Tanami Road, Plenty Highway, Donohue Highway, Diamantina Development Road.
Note to new readers: I am travelling with my bike who’s name is Banjo. I often refer to ‘we’ meaning Banjo and I. ‘We’ have an amazing support team of family, friends, sponsors and folk we meet each day. But it’s still up to ‘us’ to face the challenge and tackle each day one peddle at a time.
It’s 8.20pm on Thursday the 2 September 2021
We had a later start today after sleeping in til after 8am. So nice in my cosy bed. I made a cuppa and called the folks. We had an awesome chat and could have easily spent the rest of day sharing stories. What a treat!!! While we were talking I had a visit from the resident pony and donkey. They were saddling up for a cuppa too.
It was taking my head a little while to kick into gear and I contemplated spending another day mooching with the farm animals. Another cuppa later I felt a clearer perspective. I had a challenge to finish and my family to meet. It was very special to feel this so deeply. With heart felt focus I got myself sorted, cleaned my donger for Mary Ellen and headed into town to buy a treat for dinner. In town I was waved down by folk who were very familiar. It was John, Kevin, Sandra and Trent who I met on the Great Central Highway before Warakurna. Trent had just bought himself a blue cattle puppy named Fate. What a bond they are already sharing. They have been following our travels and we chatted for the next hour. How wonderful to meet up with them again over 5000kms down the track!!!! So many stories to share. I later got a text from John with the photos he took as my phone was on charge. His words were felt deeply.
We headed off around midday with a sensational tailwind that’s forecast for our stint into Bedourie. Very different to yesterday and very appreciated 🤣
The countryside was flat and full of colour; oxide reds, browns and yellows, with fluffy clouds to add a dimension in the blue skies
It wasn’t long before we smashed out 60kms and reached the first of two crossings over the Georgina River. It’s a major distributary in this part of channel country.
My Dad, the Atlas Man, gave me heads up about the Georgina recently and we stopped to have a cuppa break and share the spot with him.
The wind eased off during the afternoon and the sun angled angled across the expanse of colours. It was one of my favourite riding days cycling the floodplains.
I just had a visit across my groundsheet from the huuugest centipede. Frightened the crap out of me. 🤣 I found him under my backpack and we were both keen to see him shimmy away. See you mate!!!!
We passed the monument for the Tropic of Capricorn so we’re in line with Rockhampton on the east coast of I remember my geography right. I need To check with the Atlas Man tomorrow.
The countryside was mostly flat flood plains with occasional waterways where birds were in numbers amongst the denser vegetation. What an oasis for life.
The clouds were heavy with showers on part of the horizon. Somewhere close the cows will have greener pastures to graze.
We managed another 50kms to our campgrounds at Vaughan Johnson Lookout.
We spotted the range from a distance and could see our camp in sight as we got closer.
It was a steep ascent but worth the push up when we reached the ridge top. A camp with a 360 view!!
It looks out over the flood plains we cycled through offering a great perspective.
Sunset was extra special as the colours grew deeper into twilight.
There’s so many bugs out tonight. No wonder the centipede looked so fat and healthy. On that note it’s time to share my fruit cake and cuppa with the moths. That’ll give an extra boost to the tailwind tomorrow, so to speak!! On second thoughts, I think it’s dinner in bed as there’s not enough to go round!!! Night and talk soon xx
The 10 desert challenge 