Day 26 Clermont to Belyando Crossing 177 kms

The days are getting warmer and today was the warmest we have had so far this trip. Today was one of the longest days as well and everyone was anticipating a long hard ride.

It was a late start with Annie having a flat tyre and her tyre slightly shredded from the hard road surface yesterday. Woody assisted with the tyre & tube change before they were on the road. We managed to get to morning tea a few minutes late but the majority of the riders were there and had been waiting for a short period. Fliss, Robbo, Danny, Ben & Peter didn't stop but rang to let us know they would see us at lunch.

Lunch stop was just on the side of the road at 100 kms. We are getting into remoter areas and it is getting harder to find nice shades areas. Afternoon tea was at 140 kms again on the side of the road even though we were looking for a designated rest area that never appeared. The group was struggling by this time but Lew was the only one who didn't make it all the way in today. Lew wanted to reserve the remaining energy for tomorrow, Collis ended up riding lew's bike into camp for him.

Camp was at the Belyando Crossing roadhouse and we were given a nice little spot down the back. Everything is very green around here and it makes things look so much nicer. Cycle Across Oz put on another BBQ tonight after most riders had a cold beer and a hot shower. Everyone was in bed before 10 pm and by the time Collis & I cleaned up, it was after 10.30 pm which was a really late night for us.

Day 25 Emerald to Clermont 110 kms

The days are starting to blend into each other although this morning we woke to quite a bit of rain. Some of us stayed in our beds/tents hoping it would stop soon but the call of nature eventually dragged us all out into the rain. It was pretty heavy & steady for the first hour or so but petered out to nothing by 8.30 am. BUT the damage had been done. We all had wet tents although Collis & I were feeling quite smug that our bedding was nice and dry and our awning would dry off as we drove along today. Not so! As we were packing the car, I undid one of the corners at the back to get ready to roll our mattress when the weight of the water on top of the canvas caused a waterfall right into the middle of my mattress and wool doona. I was shattered but could just stand there with my mouth open, not believing my eyes. My lovely bed was saturated.

That was just the start of the day.  We went in search for some block ice even though we were behind the 8 ball from our small disaster. Couldn't find the block ice but nearly got bogged in the meantime. Made it to morning tea just in time as the riders were arriving at the designated town.  Jan had donated some lovely anzac and chocolate chip cookies for morning tea which were appreciated by everyone.

Some tough areas riding today due to some unexpected roadworks along the way. As the day dried out so did the dirt on the road works and created a fair bit of dust especially when the trucks drove past. Everyone was into camp before 1.30 pm.

Due to our wet abode we decided to take a cabin without an ensuite ($80.00) and I started cooking straight away as I am providing the next 2 days meals. Tomorrow night we are at Belyando Crossing and I am providing a BBQ and then the next night is a bush camp and I have promised Robbo I will do corned silverside with veggies. So trying to cook the silverside tonight and have it cold with hot veggies at the bush camp (thought the meat will keep better then). Also stewing up some apples and pineapple for dessert tomorrow night to have with cream. And of course there is always the morning teas. As I was washing up I turned on the tap in the cabin and then couldn't shut it off, so we had water gushing down the sink. This couldn't be fixed straight away so we have been moved to a cabin with an ensuite but NO cooking facilities. Bugger!! I did wish for an ensuite on a shooting star last night so it does work sometimes.

Most of us went out for dinner at the local hotel and had the buffet special which was coconut chicken or spaghetti. I had the salt & pepper squid which was really nice. Fliss, Ben & Robbo all had these humungous steaks which were the best ever tasted and every bit eaten. Back to our quaint little cabin with a real soft bed tonight.

Day 24 Emerald. Rest Day therefore no kms.

Rest day was very restful. Everyone slept in past 6.30 am and just did chores and cleaning and lots of sleeping.

Collis, Annie & I had breakfast down in town and then went our separate ways to do some shopping. Ben had a photo shoot with RaboBank for the charity he is raising money for. Some of the boys had a game of golf. Peter, Jan, Annie & I played 500 with Peter & Jan just pipping us at the post.

Collis is waiting for a phone call from Cycle Traveller Magazine for an interview on the trip. I hope they remember to ring him because he is well prepared and is anticipating the call. Phone call came through around 6 pm and seemed to go well. Alia is the editor and is a cyclist herself. We all went through the photos we had (mostly all Peter's photos as he transferred 1300 plus photos across to me today) and sent some of the better photos to Alia for her website.

Robbo spent the day out with his relatives and is checking out the family tree, visiting the local cemetery and visiting his mothers childhood locality and visiting an old friend of hers. His cousin John is the spitting image of Robbo.

Technology!

Nice rest day but not much to talk about.

Emerald

The riders would like to say a special thank you to Justin at Pushybikes in Emerald for the excellent  service he provided all day long today. It looks that he may have serviced at least 14 of the bikes.

Sunset in shape of Australia

Day 23 Springsure to Emerald 69.3 kms

Well the time has come around again and I had committed to be out on the road with the rest of them this morning. The fuss was made again when I emerged with the riding gear on and a few of them offered to ride with me. I actually wanted to ride on my own today so I declined all kind offers and headed off at 7 am on my own. I appreciated the offers but I get embarrassed at the pace at which I ride and I don't like to hold them up.

It was a momentous day for Robbo today; it is the completion of his ride around Australia. He first started with us in 2004 doing Perth to Melbourne, then he did Darwin to Adelaide in 2006, he rode with another rider & went from Perth to Katherine in 2007, then in 2008 he joined us again on our Rockhampton to Katherine and then in 2011 he did Broome to Perth with Cycle Across Oz again. This ride he is travelling from Melbourne to Cloncurry. This morning he was up VERY early and rode on his own leaving camp at 4.56 am. He was wanting to ride the 70 kms and make it to Emerald for 8 am Mass. He was saying thanks for his safe riding and praying for our safe trip. He also caught up with some relatives that live in Emerald.

Quite a few riders still left earlier than myself even though it was another very short day. This will give them 1.5 rest days. There were more hills than I was told I would have to climb but all the riders just laughed and said there weren't any hills, just inclines. Phewy! Anna agreed with me that they were decent hills. I rode up every one of them without getting off. Quite pleased with myself except Jerry flew past congratulating me on the 12 kms I had ridden when I was convinced I had ridden at least 27 kms at that stage. Once again he was pulling my leg as he knew I didn't have an odometer so I shouldn't have had any idea of the distance.

Collis caught up with me at the 32 km mark and nearly convinced me to get off but then we thought I should make it to morning tea which just happened to be at the top of the steepest hill for the day. My R) knee was starting to give me a bit of trouble but I was still feeling quite good. 

Collis was not well when I got to morning tea so I had to come off anyway so as to take over the driving. It took him about an hour to come good and by then we were well into camp.

Lazy afternoon with the usual shopping, catching up on the washing and just sitting around chatting. There is alot of boiling of eggs on this trip.  

A large kangaroo jumped out of nowhere and landed right in the middle of the road today and stood there looking at me. I madly tried to get my camera out when I looked up and saw a land rover bearing down on the poor Kanga. So I then started ringing my bell and shooed him off the road without a photo. I missed a photo opportunity but saved a kangaroo,

Day 22 Rolleston to Springsure 71.53 kms

Everyone managed to get up later today even though Robbo was asking the time at 4 am. Most of us visited the toilet at that time and then back to bed for at least another hours sleep. Actually most of us didn't rise until around 6 am today.

Annie was pleased that she managed to get a bit of a sleep in even though she was in the tiniest caravan I've ever seen and it was placed right next to the area that we were using as the kitchen. Poor old Woody had a bad night, sleeping on a top bunk that was too short for him and he had to go for a midnight stroll just to stretch his legs; did not put him in the best frame of mind this morning.

Another 1- 2 hour gap between front and last riders but we only have 70 kms to ride today. We will be stopping at the 40 km mark between 9.30 and 10.30 for morning tea for those who want it. Just good old cream biscuits for morning tea today.

Robbo and Peter were there waiting for us as Robbo somehow forgot his Insulin this morning so he had it then. Annie, Jan & Danny joined us but Woody was having such a good ride that he called out Hi before continuing on his way down the road. The ride was beautiful today, scenery great, road conditions great, the wind slightly on the side but mostly up their tails and a short distance. What could be better!! I had been planning to ride today until Peter showed me the profile which had quite a few hills, or to me they would be mountains, so now I have committed myself for tomorrow instead.

The Springsure township has prospered since we went through 18 months ago and the caravan park has quite a few new bungalows built. We have a nice grassy area but it's on a bit of a slope so it's a bit difficult finding an area flat enough to sleep on. Campsites are the priciest we have come across yet but at least the atmosphere is good.

Dinner was a variety of pub meals, roadhouse meals and home cooked meals. Cane toads are out tonight and we have discovered that Annie has a real paranoia of anything that moves. There is a toad in the ladies toilet so I'm not sure where she will be peeing in the middle of the night. Jerry did another of his poems tonight and this one was titled "Our Annie". 

Our Annie

Annie upped and left her folks
Trading rotor blades for spokes

Though they tried, they could not stop her
After she'd sold her last chopper
They simply didn't understand
Her attraction to the southern land
They said it is not for our lass
This place they call Terra Austra-las
The colony where they used to jail ya
She wants to circle by derailleur
They thought her venture quite obtuse
Fearing she’d return with a bloke called Bruce
They hope and pray after her deeds
She’ll settle down again in Leeds
For life can surely be no good
Without Theakstons ale and Yorkshire pud.
By Jerry

Day 21 Injune to Rolleston 175 kms

This is the day everyone has been dreading and the rumours that were flying about the condition of the road, the hills they had to climb and of course the wind directions were unbelievable. One rider had been talking to some truckies and they were probably taking a lend of him, telling him the road was full of potholes, the mining traffic was horrendous etc as none of it came true.

Because of all this gloom and doom reports, the group were nervous about what the day would bring and therefore up and away before the crack of dawn. Peter and Fliss left at 5.15 am against our advice and quickly followed by Danny & Robbo at 5.30 am. The rest followed in spurts and we now had a two hour gap between the first & last riders. Our day has begun!

Morning tea was arranged at a really nice spot on the 2nd crossing of the Dawson Creek. The ride to morning tea was very picturesque and the terrains undulating and the road surface perfect. We only caught half the group for morning tea, which was OK because this trip we have made a certain time for tea breaks and the riders can choose to join us or do their own thing. This is a much better arrangement and stops all the waiting around due to trying to cater for the lead bunch AND the tail Enders. Today we just had muesli bars for morning tea.

Lunch was at a rest area with tables at the 118 km mark. We managed to catch all the riders except Peter who had found his mojo and taken off in the lead today ( he was way ahead by the time we stopped for lunch but I was advised he had plenty of water and food to keep him going to Rolleston).
The road had deteriorated a little after morning tea but the wind had turned around so that it was a tail wind. Jerry didn't agree but the girls actually confirmed it for us.

We stopped again at the 145 km mark but only Robbo stopped and had a cuppa with us, the others continued on after grabbing some water. Lucky they did as it started to drizzle and gradually got heavier by the time we reached the caravan park. Most of the riders have decided to upgrade into some old caravans rather than camping in the rain. Shame they didn't wait half an hour as the rain has stopped and will hopefully disappear. At the moment there is only 5 of us camping; Ben, Fliss, Chris and Collis and I,even Robbo is thinking of joining Peter in the old caravan.

The last time we were at this caravan park there was a camp kitchen but that is no longer available to the public punter but is used by the ?miners or road workers that live at the park. Peter has kindly let us use his power and his awning for cooking.

Most of the riders went to the Rolleston Hotel for dinner and it apparently was very busy. Lots of locals, workers and cyclists with an equal amount of children as there were adults, so it must have a younger population than most small towns but probably a movable feast depending on the work available. Apparently there is a local kangaroo that comes into the pub for a drink and raids food boxes in the caravan park across the road. All food was securely housed when they came back from the pub.

 "The Mug"
I am a mug
My aim in life is to stay calm
To not fly off the handle
I lead a simple life
Getting drunk every day
And rolling about in the bottom of the box
I dream of a great life
Travelling the long straight roads of Australia
Seeing strange animals
And stranger people
Camping out in the desert
With the stars reflecting in the surface of my tea
I am made of tough stuff
But there is one thing that really gets to me
A strange person I seem to see a lot
He has his name engraved on my heart
His lips caress my lip
His hands hold me tight
I know he loves me, although he's never said anything
He uses me for his pleasure and then discards me
Back in the box
John Tracy

Day 20 Roma to Injune 89.26 kms

A few complaints today due to being woken by Robbo at some ungodly hour (usually around 4.30 am). Collis & I were away from the rest of them so we didn't hear him, or any of the others. The first off today was Danny & closely followed by Robbo. Fliss took off not long after and then Ben followed closely behind. And once again we had a span of nearly one and a half hours between the first & the last rider. Alf left very late today, which is unusual but not a problem as he is such a strong rider he will round them up.

The riders are expected to clear their own food out of the fridges in the camp kitchens. We are still having to remind them but if they leave too early we miss out on getting them to check so we have to leave the food behind. There was quite a bit of food left in the fridge this morning and we weren't sure if it was ours or the miners so we were having to leave it behind. Just as we were leaving camp we get a desperate call from Fliss & Ben asking us to grab all their food out of the fridge. They were lucky!!! A substantial donation to the donation tin is expected.

Traffic today has been pretty heavy with lots of mining cars, trucks and wide loads  with large bulldozers on board. The riders will need to be taught how to ride safely in this sort of traffic as there was some unsafe riding practices reported. Collis will have a talk with everyone tonight as this traffic will persist until after Clermont. Ben came off his bike whilst changing his water bottle. He fell into the middle of the road and his main worry was not the truck baring down on him but grabbing his sunglasses instead. The grazes are just minor but he was pretty shook up and needed some medical attention with cleaning of his wounds.

Scenery was lovely and the road surface was in need of repair at the beginning of the day but improved as we went along. The wind was all over the place and got stronger just before we got to Injune. We were into camp by 1 pm. The Injune caravan park has had a bit of an upgrade since we were last here and conditions are pretty good. It is mainly a mining park with the mining workers facilities mostly available to us. Unfortunately we can't access their cook or dining room.

We are all waiting to see if poor old Jerry will be asked to move his tent again for the 3rd night in a row. The girls decided to hit the town for the afternoon and have some quality girl time. A couple of the boys kept turning up but were sent away. The town of Injune has a roadhouse, a news agency, a pharmacy, an old train and a pub. Oh yes it has an information centre but that closed before we reached it. We finished off at the pub with a couple of beers and some eye candy. Nice afternoon!!

Most of us went to the local pub for dinner as it was located closer to us than the camp kitchen. The meals were delivered quickly and everyone seems to have enjoyed them.  John who is constantly on the search for the best steak  and was very pleased with the Stockmans steak tonight. In 3 rides this is the first time I've heard him praise a steak. 

Before dinner Jerry and Theo read some of their own poems for the group which were very much appreciated and will appear on the blog when they pass them over to me.