Simply cycling around
I’m still not sure if I’m going to the Festival or not as I’ve discovered that the price was $40 per person and not free as said the woman I met about a week ago at the Pink Panther Roadhouse. I know the turn off is something like 50km after Mataranka so I will stop somewhere there for the night and will decide tonight.
Another hot day today and it’s certainly gonna be like this all the up now. This is why I’m cycling early the morning, then find a place where I can stay out of the sun until 4pm, then I’m coming back on the road for the rest of the afternoon and find a spot in the bush because of the lack of rest area. Fortunately, Larrimah is on my way, about 60km from where I’ve slept last night. FOr the first time in Australia, I’ve seen a real crocodile. It’s in a cage, it’s a tiny one, but it’s a real one! :-)
Today is the first day when I can ride some few hills. There is still some long flat bit but I can enjoy the view sometimes. I expect to ride at least until Eliott and then I will improvise. I will sleep there or continue a bit more. I’ve met another cyclist too today. An English guy, George. He decided to cycle when he was in Darwin and he is going down to Adelaide. It’s gonna be cold down there, good luck man!
Last night was very good. I’ve heard someone driving around maybe around 9, 10 or 11pm. I was asleep and heard a engine outside. The car disappeared and it stayed quiet the whole night. BIG day ever today! I’ve never thought I would be able to cycle 150 on day but that’s it :-) I remember the day I met a german motorcyclist back on the west coast of New Zealand. He told me when I would be in Australia I would do 150km to 200km per day with a good tailwind. It did not happen very often though. I’m not trying to be as fast as I can as I’ve got time but after that lazy day yesterday, I don’t know, I feel like cycling :-) And look at that landscape! Amazing sky! Amazing straight road! Everything is perfect haha :-)
Today is another travel through not much. I’ve stopped for lunchtime in the only roadhouse along the way in Barrow Creek. The last few days, people told me about a famous bad story around this area. Years ago, a guy murdered a man and kidnapped his wife. Fortunately the woman escaped and this guy is now in prison. The police never found the man’s body. Good story, isn’t it? I’ve heard that story maybe three times during the last two days. Australians want (even enjoy maybe) to scare backpackers I guess. Anyway, Around 4:30pm, when the sun became smoother, I continued cycling for another 41km to reach the next rest area on Taylor creek.
Wow! Well… I don’t know… I’m not sure… At least this is different again from what I’ve seen previously but the road from Alice to Darwin is not amazing as Port Augusta to Alice. I know from the English cyclist who told me that the road would be different after Tenant Creek which is 500km from Alice. For now, there is very long strech with zero bend and mainly the same landscape. This morning I had a very good tail wind and done more than 60km in 2h30. That’s pretty quick! This afternoon I was a bit slower as the wind came from the side. But I’m on holiday so it doesn’t matter ;-)
Everyone followed his own path yesterday and I’ve spent the night on my own. This morning I’ve been to the library to upload as much picture as I could but it did not work very well. Anyway, I thought about leaving today or tomorrow but I could not wait anymore. So I’ve done a short trip from 4pm to 5:30pm, just enough to reach the first rest area out of Alice. I’m back on track!