Day 47: Childers to Bundaberg - A happy ride around Australia (second attempt) - CycleBlaze

April 2, 2021

Day 47: Childers to Bundaberg

Start: 8:40am
Distance: 86kms
Ride time: 5:18hrs
Average: 16km/hr
Max: 58km/hr 
Finish: 2:30pm

My tent was shaded by the trees so I had a little sleep in.

I rode a few kms to get back on the Bruce Highway. It was very busy with holiday traffic.

After a few more kms, I arrived in Childers. I found a bakery that was open. Normally I choose salad rolls but that place only had pies. So I had a pie for breakfast. It was a delicious pie! The best bakery pie I've eaten. I should have bought two.

Nice building in the main street.
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From Childers, I turned north away from the hwy and onto the Goodwood Road, it's a back way to Bundaberg. 

I had macadamia trees on my left and sugar cane on my right.
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Nuts.
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After about 20kms, google maps suggested I take a short cut along Garryowen Road.

The short cut would save me 5kms and I get to travel on a quiet road. There was still a moderate level of traffic on the other road so I agreed to follow google maps advice.

I was surprised to see the railway tracks are only 2 foot apart.
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I later found out this is only for carting sugar cane. This link has lots of information about it.

I rode along a quiet bitumen road for 5 kms. Then it turned into a gravel road.

And then the gravel road turned into a dirt track. I was starting to get a little concerned at this time.
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I was still following google maps, even into cane sugar plantations. I was hoping I would pop out onto a bitumen road any minute.
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Then more dirt track. At least I was out of the cane.
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Veronica Joinerbrave to keep following Google. I would have stopped by now
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2 years ago
Vince McCarthyThe lure of a short cut kept me going when I should have turned around.
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2 years ago
And then the dirt track just ended in an impenetrable ravine.
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Steve Miller/GrampiesYep, Google maps has variously routed us through a fenced in farm to someone's front door, into 6 inch deep mud at the side of a farm field, down a very steep hill onto a totally blocked off road, etc. We tend to take Google's directions with a healthy dose of salt.
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2 years ago
Vince McCarthyHi Steve,

It sounds like you've had your fair share of bad directions. I'm sorry for your inconvenience but I'm also glad I'm not the only one.
Cheers
Vince
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2 years ago
Rachael AndersonWe sure have had our share of taking the wrong road but nothing quite like that. Glad you made it to your end destination okay!
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2 years ago

I think I may have swore at google maps.

I had travelled 7kms from the main road to this dead end. And I forgot to mention I had a big tailwind on the way in. Now I have another 7kms to backtrack into a headwind.

I need to learn from these errors although I'm sure I'll make the same mistake again before I get home.

I took the opportunity to taste some of the sugar cane and yep, it tasted like sugar.

I also saw a big goanna. He ran across the road and then climbed this tree while I was trying to get a pic of him.
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Sandra LawnWow that’s a big fella great picture
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2 years ago
Vince McCarthyThank you Sandra.
He climbed the tree very quickly.
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2 years ago

Eventually I made it back to the main road and I continued heading north with the holiday traffic. I got several toots and waves of support which is always welcomed.

After a long day, I made it to Bundy.
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Burnett bridge.
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Burnett River.
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Riverdale caravan park. $15.
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Today's ride: 86 km (53 miles)
Total: 2,255 km (1,400 miles)

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