What a horrible and nice day.
Today was one of the hardest day up to now. I started as usual with some breakfast and packing all the stuff together. Everything went well. Some guys from Telstra, the other and better fone company passed by and it reminded me, that my choice was bad here in the outback.
After just 5km of riding, the bad day started: a kind of puncture. In fact more a cut, which could not really be sealed. So I unpacked everything, took away the tire from the rim and saw that nearly all the sealant was gone. Before using my repair tube, I decided to have a try with some sealant again. As I only had my hand pump, I was very astonished to be able to pump the tire again. Viewing Stan’s video on youtube (or notubes.com) was really helpful. I put everything together and was ready to ride on. Just saw, that if I put to much pressure into it, the liquid and its rubber particle wouldn’t hold it. I had that experience two other times that day.
Unfortunately, I did not meet the geologic group again, as we had planed yesterday. And that gave me a little cut in my water and food planification. First, I didn’t want to stop and start cooking something and second, I was running short on water and the emergency for the filter was yet not high enough.
So I continued to cycle… and saw my first wild horses ever: beautiful and without fear coming into my direction to some 30m in front of me get away. Very cool… not like those chicken-emus who are running away even if I’m far away!
I by-passed the two lakes: the western being fresh water, the easter one a salt lake. But both to far to get some water. The road – not as shown on my tourist map – was more dirt than sealed and in no way there was any crosslink between its information and the reality. So I had to cycle and waiting for the next to happen. What ever the next was.
Then I arrived at a place called “one Tree”, which were in fact more than only one Tree. Nobody there… I have had to much sun and decided to have an hour rest in the shadow – hoping the people would either wake up or come back. Neither happened. I left continuing towards north.
As the day before, the landscape changed all day nearly every 10km. Wet grasses, trees, bushes, dry grasses… Just beautiful!
There were some “crest” of 20m and when I arrived on the top of one of those, I made a break to see where I was and decided to ask the next car. Luckily, it arrived just 30s after me, from the direction I wanted to go.
The couple told me, it should be about 20km to Milparinka, where I should get some water as the women was still there 5minutes ago. And Tibooburra was 40km from there. The couple was veeeery friendly. First because all the information and second because of they gave me one of their iced bottle of water 😀
My next goal was set: Milparinka, as they told me I could some stuff their because the lady from the information should still be there.
When arrived there, I saw the sign saying: “Hotel, Restaurant, Toiletts, etc…” my heard started to beat stronger and I pedalled stronger the 2 extra km to get there. Arriving there, the disappointment was even higher: the guy there said he were closing and there were no kind of shop nor was there some water or chocolate stuff to buy. I took some rainwater out of the tank (I never know) and cycled the 2km to the main road.
I had enough time: 2h for 40km. But the water was running of – only 1 liter left. And the road was not the easiest one. Some dirt then sealed again and especially many of those up and down above and around the creeks. But again: the landscape were wonderful!
About 10-12km before arriving in Tibooburra (I didn’t how far I really was at that point, just some thing below 15km), I saw in the low light of the going down sun something moving up and down on the left side of the road. My first impression: oh, it’s a bicycle… Noo way! There are no two stupid guys cycling on the same road some where in that outback! Oh, it’s a kanguroo… but’s moving in a strange way… It’s a cyclist… nooo by far to slow! I’m tired, fully packed…who could be slowlier than me? Oh, it’s a jogger… but who do his jogging here?? No, it’s a kanguroo… And finally, I could see it: a cyclist! I approached slowy and ringed the bell because I didn’t want him to fell of the bike.
It was “John O”, the policeman of Tibooburra doing his evening exercise. He was quite surprised to see someone rinding here as well… and as his bike was not in the best condition, it was normal that I was faster. One of his mate had said him to change it. But he wanted to exercise so it was ok that the bike was needing more energy, which made his training more efficient! We had a long chat until in town (about 160 people living here). It was not the last surprise: at once, he shouted and big turn, nearly hitting me: A young brown snake was on the side of the road and had raised up. I only had a glance at it, but could hear its “noise of attack”: chhhhhhh! Frigthening!
We arrived in town and John O showed me where I could have a sleep and where I could then go to have dinner: at the restaurant, bar & hotel called “The Family”, where I met Maryam and Vahid from Sydney doing some teaching in filming.
I had something nice to eat and had a discussion as well with the owner of the familly: Dan & Kathy Toole: www.tibooburra.com.au -> the friendly place for eating and get the best information I had up to now on tour! 🙂 THANK YOU VERY MUCH! Your own your name: The Family!
Kathy gave me some links may be interesting for you: (I’m looking like a coward in respect to him!!)
The “crazy” Spanish and extrem guy, who crossed the Australian continent through the deserts: www.juanmenendezgrandos.com
Or that other one:
http://www.transozbikeride.com (Mike Laird)
Cheers, Georges
The day in numbers:http://connect.garmin.com/activity/77632974
