|
Day: |
017 |
|
Date: |
Sunday, 13 August 2006 |
|
Summary |
Riding from Barcaldine to Muttaburra. |
|
Start: |
Barcaldine |
|
Finish: |
Muttaburra |
|
Daily
Kilometres: |
150 |
|
Total
Kilometres: |
2313 |
|
Weather: |
Cool early but warm and sunny for the rest
of the day with variable winds. |
|
Accommodation: |
Hotel in Muttaburra , Queensland . |
|
Nutrition: |
The “Big Breakfast” from the roadhouse
opposite the motel, two pies for lunch, and Chicken Kiev (which I
only bought on the recommendation of the barmaid and regretted
later) for dinner. |
|
Encounters: |
I saw quite a few emus during the day. |
|
Highlights: |
Getting to some real Australian outback
towns (Aramac and Muttaburra) which are well away from any main
travel routes. They are little oases (that may be overstating it a
bit!) in the vast dry grass and scrub plains that roll away to the
horizon in all directions. The towns themselves are pretty dry with
Queenslander-type houses and/or broad verandahs, some in poor
condition, dry dusty and wide streets, and lots of vacant lots and
junk. Each town has a pub which looks a bit worse for wear and a
couple of little stores |
|
Lowlights: |
The morning started in a relaxed way, when
I got up an hour later and treated myself to breakfast at the
roadhouse across the road, before setting off at 8:00am. My plan
was to have an easy 66km ride to Aramac where I would have lunch.
But the best laid plans….. As I left town and struck north onto the
treeless grassy plains, the north-east wind sprang up and I was soon
struggling to make headway. It took four hours to get to Aramac,
hard work all of the way, and I barely averaged 18kph. |
|
Journal: |
By the time I had a late breakfast and left
Barcaldine at 8:00am, it was already warm enough to wear just a
T-shirt. Hopefully the cold mornings are behind me now. The
countryside quickly became prairie-like rolling dry grass-covered
hills with scarcely a tree in sight and the wind blew steadily from
the north-east, making it very tough riding. Tumbleweeds were
rolling down the road towards me on occasions as if to emphasize the
wind. Aramac and Muttaburra are off the main travel routes and the
road narrowed to a thin strip of bitumen although there was
virtually no traffic.
I eventually struggled into Aramac
around noon and rode around town a bit trying to find the pub and
shopping centre. The bowling club was a hive of activity, with
serious competition taking place, but the rest of the town,
including the main street which I eventually found, was dead. The
only place open was the pub and the only food available was burgers
or pies, so I chose pies. There were a couple of regulars in the
pub watching, and betting on, the races but, otherwise, not much
happening.
Fortunately the road to Muttaburra was more to the
north-east and the wind now became following or cross for the
remainder of the afternoon and I made good time to Muttaburra,
although it got quite hot riding. I got a basic ($22) room at the
rambling but quaint pub, had a shower and bought some supplies at
the adjacent store/service station. I bought a pack of frozen bread
rolls (all bread is sold frozen in this part of the world) to do for
dinner and maybe lunch in the next two days. It is 205km to
Hughenden on unsealed roads and I have allowed myself two days for
the trip. However, I will get going early and see how far I can get
tomorrow. If things go well, and conditions are favourable, I might
even make it all of the way to Hughenden. |
|
ADVENTURE LIST
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Australian Alps Walking
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Land's End to John O'Groats
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|
