|
Day: |
008 |
|
Date: |
Friday, 4 August 2006 |
|
Summary |
Riding from Finley to Griffith . |
|
Start: |
Finley |
|
Finish: |
Griffith |
|
Daily
Kilometres: |
168 |
|
Total
Kilometres: |
775 |
|
Weather: |
Mostly sunny with a light southerly breeze. |
|
Accommodation: |
Cabin in campground in Griffith, NSW. |
|
Nutrition: |
Breakfast: An apple and a couple of
donuts
Lunch: Pie, pastie and thickshake
Dinner:
Chicken parmigiana. |
|
Encounters: |
Saw quite a few emus early in the day,
including a mother and about six chicks. |
|
Highlights: |
A very nice day’s riding in sunshine, warm
enough to wear a T-shirt for most of the day, with a following
southerly breeze. |
|
Lowlights: |
Getting a call from Barb at 6:30am to tell
me that my step-brother, Bob, had died during the night from
cancer. It had seemed likely to happen some time soon so wasn’t a
surprise, but sad nevertheless. I have been trying to decide, with
Barb, whether I should break my trip to return for the funeral in
Melbourne . I was grateful to get a call later in the morning from
my brother, Alan, who always had a close relationship with Bob, to
tell me that he didn’t think Bob would want me to come back for the
funeral, and I’m inclined to agree. |
|
Journal: |
I woke at 6:30am and shortly after received
a phone call from Barb telling me that my step-brother, Bob, had
died overnight from the cancer he had been treated for during the
past 18 months. Although expected, it was still very sad.
I
packed up and left around 7:30am under clear blue skies, but in very
cold temperatures. It was busy along the Newell Highway , but
drivers were unfailingly courteous in giving me a wide berth when
passing. The weather warmed quite rapidly and it was very pleasant
riding through the arid grazing land. I began to notice quite a few
emus in the paddocks off to my left, although most took fright at my
approach and raced away. No chance for pictures.
I reached
Jerilderie soon after 9:00am and enjoyed some fresh donuts from the
local bakery for a late breakfast, sitting in the sunshine watching
the small town doings and reading the paper. I then continued along
the Newell Highway for a short time before turning left onto the
Kidman Way , which will be my route all the way to Queensland .
Traffic was greatly reduced and it was warm enough to wear just a
T-shirt, for the first time on the trip. A nice breeze blew from
behind and I was humming along on the flat road at a good speed
listening to the regional ABC on my headphones.
I had a very
late lunch at a roadhouse at Darlington Point and then continued on
through the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area to Griffith , passing
increasing cultivation including citrus crops and vineyards. I
reached Griffith just before 5:00pm and checked in to a cabin in a
caravan park. Barb and I used to visit Griffith frequently with our
friends at Easter back in the 70s to run the Bacchus 12000 which had
big prizes, attracted very high quality fields, and was invariably
very hot. The race was generally followed by, and sometimes
preceded by, scenes of debauchery at local wineries. For dinner, I
walked around to the nearby Leagues Club and ate in their bistro. |
|
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|
