Day 23 - towards Camooweal and the Northern Territory border - Unfinished Business

May 23, 2023

Day 23 - towards Camooweal and the Northern Territory border

I have just had a marvellous day. Not only did I conquer all of my errands, including retrieving my phone number, but I had the great fortune of doing an interview with MOBFM. Who cares that they broadcast only to Mt Isa? I phoned them, whipped around, met the three J's - Jacob, a Torres Strait man, Jenny, a local Kalkadoon and Jannali, who describes herself as aboriginal and Maori. I did an interview with Jacob and then the three of us chatted before the mandatory photo outside.

Jacob, Janalli and I outside MOBFM. Thanks Jenny for the photo.

This meeting gave me the opportunity to ask about the monument that I mentioned yesterday and whether the bullet holes are vandalism. Jenny confirmed that they are. Here it is again.

The vandalised monument. I have trouble finding words to describe this action but Judy Small hits the target in her song "You don't speak for me".

I admired Mt Isa's industrialism that hangs over the town like some giant beast. Unfortunately it also spews lead all over the show.

This is just a small part; the mines go for kilometres and extract copper and silver-lead-zinc

It was 12.30 by the time I was cycling out of town and I was keen to at least halve the distance to Camooweal.

I thought 1606 km to Darwin; if I knock off 6 then it's just 1000 miles. I did that on a SUAB (sit up and beg) bike last time I was in California.

I set to doing 55 km in one go to a rest area, having a long break and then doing the same again. I could not have cycled harder, especially the last half hour.

The very pleasant WW2 rest area complete with bougainvillea. This road was built during the war. Why can't there be a rest area of similar quality at the Kalkadoon memorial?

The country flattened after Isa and the road straightened as it passed through eucalypt-acacia woodland. There was little traffic and the ride was most pleasant.

River red gums, of course, on a watercourse.

Some readers will be pleased to know that it was a ZERO BUSTARD DAY. The avian highlights were two massive wedgetails I flushed near the road's edge. I finished with a terrific camp just 82 km from Camooweal and less than 100 from the NT border.

Camping 101: The red dirt looked soft but was rock hard. Thus, I used my old tent peg trick to pitch my tent. I carry one sturdy peg that will withstand a battering. I bash this in with a rock, remove it and slip a lightweight peg into the hole. I repeat this step until I have all lightweight pegs secure in the ground.

Today's ride: 114 km (71 miles)
Total: 2,661 km (1,652 miles)

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Paul Williams“Load of shite” that mate..hahaha
(Private joke)
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10 months ago

Ian WallisTo Paul WilliamsPaul
Are you that second-rate artist from the far south coast of NSW
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10 months ago

Paul WilliamsHahaha 👨‍🎨 🎨
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10 months ago