Day 129

Date:- 21 July 2010
Distance:- 104.42 Km
Distance to Date:- 7091.1 Km
Start:- Leycester’s Rest Area
Finish:- Halls Creek Caravan Park
Comment:- Yesterday afternoon after I had finished my diary someone came up for a chat. It was Philip who I had met in a previous rest area and he had a nice cold beer he gave me. He told me his wife was baking some bread and would I like to try some. I said yes so he would call me when it was ready.

I then wandered around the rest area, reading the various info boards and started to go back to my tent when I got the call. Bread ready, so over I went. Josie, Philips wife made me a coffee and gave me a slice of her bread with butter and plum jam on it. It was very nice.

I cooked tea and then washed up then got talking to a couple of young men from Victoria. David from Melbourne and Andrew from Shepparton. They had travellel up from Victoria fairly quickly and slipping into tourist mode. Into the Bungle Bungles, then the Gibb River Road and then who knows. After sampling a nice spot of Port with the boys I excused my self and went to bed.

Up at 5am and on the road by 6am after saying my goodbyes to everyone. A beautiful morning with the sun just rising behind me.
About 7am I hit a new milestone 7000 km or half way. I am on my way home dear. I won’t be long.

Spotted something running across the road about 200 metres in front of me. Possibly a wild cat. Light brown in colour, rounded head and a long curved tail.

An easterly breeze has come in offering a little assistance. The first 30 km was quite hilly and with the side wind was hard work. The road flattened out a bit but it seemed like I was gradually climbing.

Rode past Springvale Station where they were loading cattle onto trucks. I don’t know what their destination was. Stopped for my break about 50km out at 10am.

Road works soon after and they had one lane closed as they repaired the erosion caused by the recent rain. I was under pressure as I lead a line of cars through about 1.5 km. Another set of road works 5km further on but no delays as they were working on improving the drainage.

I then had about 15km run into Halls Creek arriving about 3.30pm at the caravan park. Booked in, tent up, shave and shower, then hand washed two sets of riding gear, then it was off downtown for a quick look around. Had a very nice meal at the local hotel, then back to the park to do my diary.

A gentleman with a GPS told me I had been climbing since I left Kununarra. Kununarra was about 120 metres above sea level and Halls Creek was about 650 metres. That made me feel better.

Off to Mary Pool tomorrow a distance of 117 km, next day will be Ngumban Cliff Rest Area, then Fitzroy Crossing. So I will be off the air till I get to Fitzroy Crossing

A small thing to remember, someone was using a mobile phone in Leycesters Rest Area. He had coverage with Optus.