Day 13: Wakool to Deniliquin

May 23, 2023

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We woke up to a very frosty, misty morning, quite pretty looking across the oval. Not a morning for setting off too early, as if we would have done, best to wait until the mist clears. Waking up and seeing that makes you glad you bought good camping equipment. Anyone reading this and wanting advice on gear, don't go cheap with supermarket type stores like Anaconda or Decathalon etc. Get specialist gear, you'll soon forget the price you paid and won't regret the quality.

Annette didn't even get out to take the picture.

An early morning shot of the Wakool pub that I never got a chance to visit last night.

Can't remember much about the ride to Deniliquin, or Deni as the locals call it. You can see from the profile that it was just more of the same from the day before until we came to more irrigated land as we got closer to Deni. We had lunch opposite a cotton crop that looked almost ready for harvest.

This was much more pleasant than it may appear to some people. Then again, you do need the weather to cooperate.

Not the most scenic lunch spot but when you feel the need to stop.

An interesting thing happened after lunch. Whilst we were peacefully having lunch a crop duster came to spray the cotton. Seemed like a sign to move on. As we headed towards Deni, watching the Ariel show, it was clear that we were rapidly approaching a point where our paths would intersect and as I was sure that I wasn't suffering from Variegated Cutworm, I wasn't keen on getting sprayed. The pilot seemed to shift and do other bits to avoid us but eventually there was no escape, I'm pleased to say that he spent 5 minutes or more just putting on a show without spraying until we passed. I gave him a thank you wave as he came in low over our heads, I hope he realised that I appreciated it.

Deniliquin is a lovely riverside town, not so overgrown and commercial as some of the more well know towns. It has a lot of the obvious commercial/industrial places on the way in which don't look very pretty but the town centre itself has retained that old river charm that all of these towns used to have. The camp ground is just across the river but still within walking distance of the town centre. Again, the caravan park caretaker was friendly and helpful and made sure that we had a good sheltered spot between some cabins and close to the facilities. May sound like a given but a lot places treat tents like third class citizens and make no allowances even at off peak periods like this. The camp had all the usual facilities, hot showers, laundry and camp kitchen. It was right on the river and had places to light fires scattered around the place.

After setting up camp we went for a walk along the river, it was good to see some ungentrified riverfront, parks are all well and good but now and again it's good to see something that hasn't changed with the times.

As mentioned before, we decided that tonight was time for a treat, we were going out for pizza. Unfortunately, the two pizza bars, which were next door to each other, didn't have a restaurant, just take away. The one we went with a t least had a table and chairs in the serving area so that we could sit and eat. The Pizza was actually good, I'm always prepared to be disappointed with pizza.

I preferred the days when Annette didn't eat her full share.

Today's ride: 66 km (41 miles)
Total: 798 km (496 miles)

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