Euston, No Problem.

Day 63: 21 December 2014, Sunday.

What a horrid start to the day. The flies were out in force, I could hear them waiting for me to emerge from the safe confines of my tent. I dressed and climbed out of my tent into the swarm.

I went to my bike and the day got worse, both tyres were flat again. I had to find a area with sufficient shade and then remove both wheels and tyres. The front turned out to be a slow leak from a failed patch, not much I can do with that! The rear was a repeat of yesterdays tyre injury. The piece of metal I extracted had more to it than I realized and the remains had worked through the tyre yesterday and provided a tiny exit for the enclosed air. I couldn’t find the hole in the tube, it was too small and I didn’t have enough water to use that for a more thorough inspection. I removed the metal shard from the rear tyre and fitted my new tube and then put the slow leaking rear tube into the front wheel hoping it would be slow enough to get me to Euston, today’s destination.

I pushed my bike back through the sand and left the Bottle Bend area of the Gol Gol National Park at eleven in the morning, a late start and being Sunday I wanted to get to Euston quickly to make sure I could get to a shop! Luckily it was not too far (about sixty kilometres) but it was a very hot day…

This Is What It looked Like After 9km, At 3900km From Perth. It Didn’t Change Much…

I have to admit I did not enjoy the days ride, with the heat, my low water supply making me have to be frugal with drinking, and the constant worry about my tyres it made for a tough day. I made good time though, the road was flat most of the time and there was no wind. I arrived in Euston at two in the afternoon and the local store was still open and also happened to be the office for the ‘Caravan Park’.

The elderly couple running the store/’Caravan Park’ were very nice, they gave me a discount on the camping site (twenty dollars, down from twenty-five) as well as half price on some hot food, the lady said they were closing in a couple of hours so the hot food had to be got rid of. I sat in the air-conditioned room and consumed some sausage rolls and hot chips and relaxed before facing the wrath of the sun again.

I went to the ‘Caravan Park’ which was beside the store and pitched my tent in a shaded area the boss man had indicated. It was shaded now but would not be in the morning but it was the best spot available so I figured I would worry about a hot morning tomorrow.

The rest of the day I sat around feeling hot and just trying to relax and read…

58.65km 2:26T 24.0A 38.7M Total = 3949

Keep On Going

Day 62: 20 December 2014, Saturday.

Today I intended to get to Mildura, only a measly fifty-five kilometres away to the east along the Sturt Highway. I said goodbye to Bob and Jean the fabulous couple I met the previous day and then it was time to ride. It was a light wind to accompany me which was neither here nor there in the hindrance/helpful department so I made good time across the generally flat terrain.

It seemed hardly any effort at all before I had achieved my days destination, Mildura, so I went to the information centre and sussed out what in the way of accommodation for a poor cyclist were available. It come to pass that Mildura is an oppressively expensive place to pitch a tent, think over thirty dollars for a patch of dirt and a shower! Fifteen kilometres out of town though there was a ‘Caravan Park’ that the very nice lady at the information centre said would be the cheapest though she did not have a price available.

So I departed Mildura after a brief visit to a supermarket…

Okay, I Had A Rest As Well…

I crossed the Murray River and was in the state of New South Wales though there were no signs to indicate the arrival to this state. I passed through the villages of Buronga and Gol Gol and then arrived to the ‘Caravan Park’ I was informed about. I went to the reception an enquired as to the price, twenty-five dollars for a powered site, I do not need power but the ‘Caravan Park’ did not have un-powered sites so no discount available. I felt this was too expensive and I really need to conserve my money so I got back on my Surly and hit the road.

Then it all went wrong.

First I noticed the front of my bike felt odd, the front tyre was going flat! Damn!!! I pulled over and repaired the tube as I have not had a flat front tyre so the tube was still in good condition, and found a small sharp stone stuck in the tread. It would have attached itself with the road tar I had noticed stuck to my tyre in Mildura and slowly worked it’s way through the tyre. I was back on the road after half an hour and then after ten kilometres I felt the bike was not handling right. I checked the front tyre… it was getting soft again! And the rear was going flat too!!!!!

It was unbelievable. I repaired both the leaks which left me with only one patch left as well as a new tube. As you can imagine I had had enough for one day, ever since I crossed the bridge to New South Wales it had all gone wrong. But I had to keep on going…

Luck was with me and soon I came across the Gol Gol National Park which had a sign letting me know there were camping areas in there. I went through the park gates and soon was bogged down in sand. The National Park was a sandpit! I had to push my road tyre laden bike and I truly appreciated how heavy the damn thing is! It was only a short way to the camping area which had zero facilities but at least I could pitch my tent under a tree.

The Trail Into Bottle Bend, The Name Of The Camping Area… Notice The Deep Rut My Wheels Have Left…

It was not a nice place to be, there were too many flies. I cooked my food and even though my tent was in the sun still (I always pitch the tent to benefit from morning shade) I clambered into my portable sauna and hid from the flies and sweated it out until it darkened and finally cooled down enough to allow me to sleep…

82.88km 4:01T 20.6A 38.7M Total = 3891