April 26, 2024
Cycle day 3 - Adelaide River to Hayes Creek bushcamp
Cycled 59km today and the total journey is 160km so far
Temperature is 36 degrees with last nights low of 24 degrees
Winds today were from the South East and stronger at approx. 22km per hour - headwinds.
Bush camping = on old Stuart Hwy!
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So glad we had a rest day on ANZAC day at Adelaide River. And no we didn't get to the dawn service - had a very poor nights sleep as there was the forecast of a storm so the winter fly had to go on the tent and that made the tent 10 degrees hotter than what it was outside and then to top it all off we had some ignorant bastards turn up after 9pm and one guy parked his ute right near the tent and then decided to take a piss right next to our tent! Neil had words with him to make him aware that we were here and could he piss somewhere else. A few moments later they (all 4 cars) decided to move elsewhere - possibly someone else had words with them as every second word was a swear word and there were a few oldies and families around. I drifted of to sleep.
In the morning we moved to a shadier campsite as the guy wanted to keep it for potential powered caravan but it was available the next day so we spent most of yesterday under the shade of a massive tree and thankfully the wind was strong so it was very cooling.
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Junonia_orithya
2 weeks ago
The summer tent was up last night and we both had a good nights sleep and on the road just after 8am. The road swings in a south east direction all the way to Katherine now and the forecasted winds are for stronger south easterlies so head winds from now on.
So it was a funny sort of day and wasn't a good one for Neil. We have started with a full load of water (27L between us) as Hayes Creek roadhouse and caravan park has closed down as has the Emerald one a bit further on. So we knew we would be doing a bushcamp. Researching Wikicamps there was a few good ones in the vicinity of Hayes Creek roadhouse but the problem is there is so much over growth that it is very hard to spot the tracks and dirt roads coming of the highway. It is very over grown and not necessarily obvious at first.
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The road is good and we do have a shoulder for most of todays ride, but there are large chunks of road that have rumble strips and a very narrow shoulder so we just ride in the lane. The terrain is slow gradual climbing and on normal days without a headwind you would be ok and not really feel it that much but today there is a stronger headwind and so you drop down a gear but for Neil he was really struggling and just after taking this photo I could see he was struggling and really pale looking. He said he just doesn't have the energy in the legs. We are both perplexed and continue on. The small gradual hills are really taking it out of him and he has to walk a bit of it and having to pull over alot. So I continue and wait for him at the top of the hill. Eventually we came to a truck stop and pulled over under the shade and he is just flat out on the ground. I take his 6l bladder of water and put it on my trailer so there is less weight for him to carry (I have just under 19kg of water on my bike at this point!) and I made him eat some snake lollies and we said we'll go to the next rest area which was only about 5km away and take a longer break and maybe stay there tonight and see how he feels tomorrow.
Neil seemed to perk up for the next 5km to the rest area - wasn't sure if it was the 6kg less he wasn't carrying or the sugar hit with the snakes. Turns out it was the snakes! I was a little surprised at that as he was feeling fatigued almost straight away at the start and not long after brekky.
Relieved it was just a lack of sugar we stopped for our cuppa and had our jam sandwich and bickies. At least he started out with alot of sugar in his system. However you could see that he was struggling for the rest of the ride. So we pulled over alot for drinks breaks and to sit on the side of the road.
But as the day wore on and the wind was still hanging around and the road became hillier again (albeit like in the morning the long gradual climbs with no real downhill as you are pedalling into a headwind) Neil began to dwindle. I am trying to get him to eat the snakes for a good sugar hit and he being stubbon and doing not only a Ray pose but also a Ray action and not listening and won't carry the snakes in his front bag. At one point he stopped part of the way up a climb and says he'll have snakes and for me to carry on and we'll meet at the top of the hill - but I have the snakes in my bag as he said he doesn't need them so I have to stop and park the bike and walk back down the hill to him with the bag of snakes - now on my walk down to him (and I can feel my father is on the edge of his seat reading this thinking oh Neil is about to get an absolute blasting - picturing that I have Neils head in a head lock punching away at it!!!) I am thinking shit I am at my wits end with Neil as I have never seen him like this and there is nothing I can do except throw the bag of snakes at him and say "I told you!" but I didn't and just put them in his bag for him to eat when he is ready and just walk back to my bike and continue as I too was getting very tired and the sun is just belting down on you so I wait at the top of the climb in a little bit of shade.
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We finally get to Hayes Creek and try to figure out where the wikicamps lagoon site is but couldn't find it as it is so overgrown but we did find the old Stuart highway road and also an abandoned car.
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Not a great spot but it will do and continuing on is not an option as I can clearly see Neil is not fit to ride any further.
So Dad you'll like my perspective on today - it felt like a sense of de ja vue - having an old man draft behind me the entire ride today!
A further analysis of Neil today - we both agree that he needs to snack and drink more as his body is really struggling with the heat. His body is using alot of the sugar and carbs he consumes to combat the heat. And just my opinion he has the wrong type of cycle shirt on - has a heavy cotton lycra t shirt that is not loose (yet!) where he should be like me and have a loose fitting cotton shirt that billows in the wind (and sometimes up as the wash from the passing trucks!)
So tomorrow we will endeavour to get up at 5am to get away when it is slightly cooler and before the wind which starts around 8am!
As we are hanging out on the old Stuart highway in any bit of shade we can find Neil calculates our water consumption and we have used 10l so far today and by the time we have dinner (weetbix!) we will use about 12L all up.
Tomorrow is to Pine Creek.
Today's ride: 59 km (37 miles)
Total: 160 km (99 miles)
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Well done Neil, awesome effort...and well done Janet for not blasting him but being calm & full of empathy for your beloved 😀
2 weeks ago