Day 10: Griffith to Hillston (118m)
Distance: 111.97km
Av speed: 11.2km/h
Total Elevation: 314m
Calories: 3461
Weather: Cold and wet (7*c)
Rest days... the nemesis of the Tour de France cyclist. When riding for days on end your body becomes accustomed to the work and if you spend a day off the bike, your body wont be the same when you get back on it 24 hours later. With this in mind (sort of)... today we lost a rest day.
Arriving in Griffith last night, Chris’ friend Mel was waiting with chicken parmagianas, hot chips, tuna pasta and garlic bread... just what the doctor ordered.
After a tough day we were both spaced out and the food was the perfect tonic, it was even better that we didn’t have to worry about sourcing it ourselves! So a big thanks to Mel – we appreciate the 7hr effort you made to support us... we just apologise we were catatonic and probably terrible company!
With 204km ahead of us today, we set off with tired legs but full of hope. The weather forecast was for a showery morning, clearing day and sunny afternoon. The first hour we made good time before the showers hit. Unfortunately, they stayed and never left. Its hard to put into perspective how tough the conditions are... in Melbourne you go riding in the rain and its 10 or 12 degrees. Out here, when the fog and rain hits in the morning the land is still 4*c from overnight and it just never gets the chance to warm. At 4pm were still riding along at 7*C, which with windchill feels a hell of a lot less. According to the locals, it was 25 degrees here last week.
Making slow progress we rolled into Goolgowi at 1130am, cold and very very wet. Fortunately Cindy and Leanne were lovely, heating our pasta and allowing us to warm our socks next to the fire. 90 mins later we were still there and the ‘Hope’ was lost for the day. Using little pieces of eftpos paper, we planned a new route allowing us to travel only a further 50km up the road to Hillston.
Accordingly, we are saying goodbye to the rest day planned for the 14th and will catch up with our original itinerary on the 15th. For those interested our new plans for the week are:
9 August – 100km – Mt Hope
10 August – 161km - Cobar
11 August – 169km - Bourke
12 August - ??km – Somewhere on route
13 August – Cunnamulla (250km from Bourke)
14 August – Charleville 200km
The pace slowed on the ride from Goolgowi to Hillston and we finished at around 415. We were lucky enough to jag a room at the Kidman Way Hotel and the hospitality has been sensational. The blokes next door in Number 9 have been great company and Chris enjoyed a meal with them at the local pub... $20 for the biggest piece of bullock youve ever seen... sensational!
Tomorrow were off to Mount Hope and with it being another small day we hope to arrive early. With the ‘drillers’ in town, we may be unable to get a room but have been told we can pitch on the veranda... with the size of our bikes and trailers we hope its a big un!
Thanks to everyone who has messaged us with their support the last few days, its been greatly appreciated and for those in Cairns on the 24th... we’ll buy you a beer or ten!
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