Day 32 - and on to Katherine - Unfinished Business

June 1, 2023

Day 32 - and on to Katherine

And so, a pinch and a punch........The last time I said that was the day I left home. It's the first day of winter but you wouldn't know it here.

Mataranka Manor Caravan Park was a fine place to stay - live music, bar, vibrant, a few interesting people and good camping all for $15.

I didn't rush out this morning and instead pedalled out at 8.30. After all, I intended going only to Katherine 104 km away. A sign a little later indicated 107 km! Another sign indicated a rest area in 59 km- that's something to aim for. I got there in one go, stopping only for photos. Conditions were good - hot with a slight tailwind, but sometimes hard when the air was smoky.

No better way of saying "I hate the planet". What's the answer?

Here's something a little more pleasant. The colour of the mounds changed quickly today; a good way of tracking the soil.

Today's mound. A km further and they were back to red.

And here's something I found remarkable.

Look and you will see - remarkable tree anatomy that I have seen just a few times

I hadn't gone much further when I spotted the first buffalo of the trip. The adults were terrified of a cyclist, or at least this one. In contrast, nothing on the road could frighten this juvenile.

A young Asian water buffalo. I expect to see many more.

The rest area was pleasant in all respects. I poured down a litre of orange juice mixed with water and gorged on biscuits, scroggin and chocolate that was liquid yesterday. Some people from a caravan asked where I was going. When I said Katherine they advised against it - there's a lot of crime and you're pretty vulnerable on a bike.

I crossed the King River and looked down and saw Pandanus. It is getting tropical, I thought. I also saw a pheasant coucal which, like its relatives, has one testicle.

I raced along and before I knew it was on the outskirts of Katherine and there was a hay field.

I took a photo to check that I wasn't hallucinating

And then I arrived. It felt something of a landmark I'd been aiming at.

But has Cadel ridden from Canberra to his birthplace? I'm not playing anything with the glasses; I can't see the screen with the polarisers!

And then the most exciting thing since Mount Isa, about 1300 km back. I like these things, regardless of where they have been or their colour. I don't discriminate!

I rode past a police station that resembled a palace, found a supermarket, chatted to the locals outside and then left my bike while I shopped. All good!

Today's ride: 111 km (69 miles)
Total: 3,922 km (2,436 miles)

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