Pesky Flies! Richmond to Corella Creek Farm stay - 101kms

A perfect cycling day! Kept up a good average with a strong tail wind and  decided to miss the planned rest area, and instead head for the Corella Creek Country Farm stay at Nelia. 101kms between settlements!

Flies plagued us from the start, clinging to our backs in dozens, and buzzing in our ears and on our faces. Will soon wear our fly nets if this keeps up.

Saw grazing herds on the Prairie - cattle, sheep, horses and even camels.

The Farm stay is quirky to say the least!
We arrived to see three goats jumping merrily on the bonnet of an old car.
Ducks, geese, chickens and turkeys roam freely. Rooms in the old homestead are divided off with curtains in many cases and furnished with an eclectic mix of odds and sods.

It's going to be an interesting experience!

➽ TO DONATE to our chosen charity, the Neurological Foundation of NZ via our GiveALittle Page   

Old Fossils! Rest Day in Richmond

A lazy, hot day in sleepy Richmond.
Planned our food requirements for the next three days then strolled to the SPAR supermarket, 500m away, to stock up.

Gold brought growth to Richmond in the 1800s. Has a fascinating history. Population was 50% Chinese at one stage. Like many outback towns, it's struggling to survive now. Buildings are old and unkempt.

We're riding the Overlanders Way - this is Fossil country. 

Australia's most intact fossil was discovered in the Richmond area. Visited Kronosaurus Korner (at the info centre)- an amazing collection of locally found Fossils, with an interesting, recorded commentary. 

Had coffees on the deck of an old house operating as a coffee shop.
Watched several flyovers of hundreds of squawking white cockatoos. Heard them long before they came into view.

Packing and relaxing this avo, before another hot couple of days on the road.

➽ TO DONATE to our chosen charity, the Neurological Foundation of NZ via our GiveALittle Page   

Pedalling the Prairie! Marathon Rest Rea to Richmond - 48kms

Wind dropped last night. Six camper vans pulled in late afternoon. Didn't feel quite so remote!
A long road train also pulled in with a blown turbo. The mechanics arrived at 1.00am and got it going by 3.00am this morning. Needless to say - another noisy night!

Packed trailers and tent by torchlight and enjoyed a beautiful sunrise.

Met Australian cyclist Greg Young heading for Townsville. Been touring for about a month. Had a yarn about "doing things while you can".

Herds of Brahman cattle appearing on the prairie more frequently now.
Can see signs that the whole prairie would be flooded during the rainy season.

Reached Richmond by 11.30am and settled in to a handy, and very overpriced motel unit.

Temperature reached 31 degrees this afternoon. Glad to be indoors!

Looking forward to a rest day tomorrow and to discovering a little of the town's history. 

➽ TO DONATE to our chosen charity, the Neurological Foundation of NZ via our GiveALittle Page   

Another Corker! Hughenden to Marathon Rest Area - 67kms

Left at daybreak and into a great tail wind. Cycled a never-ending  ribbon of road, through 67kms of flat, prairie-like, treeless  landscape.

Flocks of noisy rosellas flew overhead and hundreds of small, yellow/green finch- like birds swooped and dived in twittering "clouds", searching for seeds in the long, dry grasses.

Grass hoppers leapt out of the grass and across the road in front of us as we rode by.

Reached Marathon Rest Area by midday and glad to get out of the heat. There are toilets but the only shade is provided by 2 picnic table areas. The whole area is very exposed, so we'll have to expect a windy night!

➽ TO DONATE to our chosen charity, the Neurological Foundation of NZ via our GiveALittle Page  

A Dream Run! Torrens Creek to Hughenden - 90kms

No rain - and no cramps, thanks to Del's Potato Chips remedy!

The bikers drank the bar dry - in the hotel so didn't keep us awake. Packed the tent and trailers by moonlight and were off by 6.45am.

Perfect cycling conditions- straight road, very little traffic, no hills - and a TAIL WIND all the way!!
From 11.00am the sun's heat becomes very energy draining though.

Got to Hughenden by 1.15pm. A little town where everything shuts on sundays, except for the local store, thankfully.

Took a motel unit for the night, then raced off to the store before it closed.

➽ TO DONATE to our chosen charity, the Neurological Foundation of NZ via our GiveALittle Page  

Rain in the Air! Pentland to Torrens Creek - 53kms

A disturbed night. I developed cramps in legs and feet which woke me often, and by the early hours it became very cold and we had to add a duvet to the bed.

Got away at 6.55am. Conditions good.

Cycled through the White Mountains National Park and briefly crossed the Great Dividing Range.
We walked a few hills but were rewarded with some lovely downhill runs. Acacias look pretty in full bloom. No cycling shoulder, so very traffic wary. 

Arrived in Torrens Creek to find all motel rooms taken by drivers of oversized road trains and the accompanying police. Had to camp in the run down caravan park.
Expecting 17 motor bikers to camp tonight, too. Lucky us!

And - rain expected! Yay!

➽ TO DONATE to our chosen charity, the Neurological Foundation of NZ via our GiveALittle Page  

Did a Ton!! Charters Towers to Pentland - 106kms

We did it - we made it all the way to Pentland!

Got off to a delayed start when Del discovered that my trailer had a flat tyre.
He quickly fitted a new tube and fixed the puncture in the old one. A nasty grass "thorn" was the culprit!

The trip was a roller coaster ride of hills and hollows, with a few lovely downhills.

Towards the end we (I) were so exhausted that we were taking more and more breaks. Consumed litres of water. Very hot cycling in 27 degrees.

Near Pentland, as we were cycling, and out of the blue, a hand appeared from a car with a donation. Spurred us on to the finish line.

Taking a basic Cabin at Pentland Caravan Park to recover.

Feeling pretty chuffed with the day - and exhausted! 

➽ TO DONATE to our chosen charity, the Neurological Foundation of NZ via our GiveALittle Page