Narrawong > Nelson (87km, 4h50)

Today is a cold day! I’ve started cycling when the temperature was 9.7 degrees. My hands and feet were freezing! Fortunately I’m moving so this cold sensation disappeared after about 30 minutes riding. My plan is to rich Portland, which is 15km away and try to go to the library (if this one is not closed on Fridays). Then I don’t know where I will cycle to yet. I will see that. And I did not spent the last night in my tent for once. I’ve slept in the “change room” of this kind of “hut”. I let you discover that ;-)

Map.

On the other side of the wall there is the table where I had lunch yesterday. There is a campsite 100 metres from where I am and it would be tricky to hide myself in this area. Well, I thought this change room would do the job for one night. The bench was a bit narrow but as soon as I use my mattrees, every surface becomes comfortable :-) And I could even fit my bike next to me so, perfect spot?

Well, almost perfect because I had only a short piece of roof over my head. Fortunately it did not rain last night!

9am and I’m finally ready to go. The weather is cold but it’s not raining so all is good!

I’m travelling along Portland bay now. The city is not too far away.

Youhou! This library is open :-)

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My blog is done! Now I can have lunch. I’m late. Internet there was so slow. It took ages to upload 30 pictures plus the gps map. I had to call the tax office as well… Well, now it’s fine and I’m hungry. I just want to eat and go. Yesterday I’ve done only 59km so I’d like to do at least 70 today.

Portland like Geelong seems to be an industrial city. I recognize the same huge wood chips piles like showed me Alex and Dirk.

And there is tonnes of logs on the left side as well.

This park is nice and there is lots of activities and shops other there.

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I’m on my way again :-) I figured it out my goal for the afternoon. I’d like to reach Nelson. This is a small town next to the ocean. I feel it would be a good place to have a day off. I’ll see :-) This hotel has a nice style by the way.

After the first 8km, trying to get out of the main traffic, the GPS guided me on a small road which is nice and green.

Lama :-)

More lama!

Ouuh, looks like the seal road ends here…

The road called the “telegraph road” is nice and smooth for the moment, hope it’s going to stay like this.

Nope, it’s getting worse… the gravels are getting bigger and bigger. If my stitched tyre can resist to this, it will resist to anything else!

Certainly doesn’t look too bad on picture but I need to slalom between those rocks every half a second to keep my tyre alive.

I’ve just met two young girls on a side of the road. They were sit on a top of a water tank, watching their laptop. We say hello to each over and one of them came closer to have a chat :

• What are you doing here?
• I’m travelling.
• Where are you going?
• I’m going to Adelaide.
• Where?
• Adelaide, the big city.
• On this? (pointing her finger to my bike)
• Yes.
• And you don’t have a car?
• haha, no I don’t.
• Oooh, you have a long way to go oh.
• Yes I know, but I enjoy.
• But it’s faster by car, cycling is too long.
• It doesn’t have to be fast when you travel. By car I feel I miss too much.
• Ah ok :-) Oh, and I’m Jamie, I’m 10. And this is Massie, she is 11.
• I’m Damien :-) How many sibling do you have Jamie?
• Oh, I have one brother and three sisters. How old are you?
• I’m 32.
• My mom is 32.
• Is it your property? like, all around here?
• Hmmm, yes, It belongs to my grand grand grand Pa.
• Oh wow, this is definitely YOUR place.
• But I’m living in Mt Gambier with my mother. I’m just here in holidays to see my dad and my “second” mother. My grand grand grand Pa died when he was young. He would be 240 years old if he were still alive. But he died when he was 8. He felt from a tree.
• 8 years old? And he had children at 8 years old? Are you sure?
• ah, hmmm, maybe it wasn’t him :-)
• But how he would be your grand grand grand Pa then?
• (She gets confused)
• Maybe you should ask to your Dad and listen to his story again :-)
• Look, you like cycling. My dream would be to be a surfer. I can show you now. (And she got up on her board and turn around the water tank).
• Ah, that’s a nice dream and doable :-)
• We can swim in that tank in summer :-)
• Really?
• Yeah!
• I believe you :-)
• So where are you going today?
• I’d like to go to Nelson, I’ve got 45km more to cycle.
• You better hurry up though, you are slow :-)
• Yes, I should go, Thanks Jamie, bye Massie (who did not speaks at all. She might be absorbed by Facebook). Enjoy your holidays :-)
• Enjoy your trip Damien!
• I will!

After the nice chat with Jamie I’ve continue my way on the “Telegraph road” Jamie told me: “If you see the Kennedy road, don’t go there, Then you will reach the highway and turn left”. Thanks Jamie, I’m not lost and my tyre survived! cool :-)

As I knew, I’m going to have to cycle at night if I want to reach Nelson today. That’s ok, my rear light is fully charged and the weather is not to bad. I will do it! That orange light in the sky is actually the sun through a hole in the clouds. It creates a very nice effect. My camera is not good enough to capture the total effect.

Cycling at dawn is good because you can see lots of animals like those emu! They were more than ten! But the time I reach my camera almost all of them were gone. Rah!

Oh, this is where they harvest pine trees. Certainly the one I’ve seen in Portland.

More emus!

A closer look :-)

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And this is it for today. It’s now too dark to take any pictures. I’m cycling at night with only one thing in mind: the time when I will set up my tent and EAT! This is my motivation :-)
More than an hour later, it’s done! I overtake the Nelson sign, I’m here! Youhou! it’s time to pitch, eat and sleep! Few!