Today is the first day of my holiday and the start of the Border Run Ride. Home to Border Village – be there by Saturday 4pm to check-in and knock off 1000km in 24hrs on a day to Border Village – OK challenge accepted.
This morning up at 2:45am dark o’clock go to leave and Dudley won’t start….ARGH!!! Have to wake Karl up and he came to the rescue. Sweety, you are MY Knight in Shining Armour!!!! Having now made the servo, docket in hand and we are off.
It’s uneventful down the highway, a bit cool but I have my heated gear pulled in and playing….noice. Sutton Forest I have to stop for an emergency comfort stop……first day ride belly gets me still after 10 years of riding…..LOL. The fog comes and goes and the further south the colder it gets. Marulan and Dudley tells me it’s -1 degrees – thanks mate by the time we get to Yass, it’s a balmy -3 degrees and I need a power nap. So after fuelling up Dudley and parking him nicely under the covered area of the servo, I go off to the IBA table and have a little lay down. Did I say how good this heated gear is…worth every penny!!!
Good morning Yass
Yes, that is ICE and I also had ice on my gloves….BRRR
With all the rain that the country’s had, the livestock are happy…they are eating “green” grass or weeds not dried up brown crunchy yuk. Through Wagga Wagga in school times….what was I thinking. Anyway, I’m outta town in no time and heading to Narrandera.
The repairs to the road since that last lot of flooding is amazing, don’t get me wrong there are still sections under repair and others that could do with repair…hint hint mr council. Smurfette was excited to be out again but not happy that I didn’t get her a heated vest…..oops. So my pennants was that I had to stop at the Altina Zoo for a photo op for her.
Look at that Smile!!
Narrandera for breakfast and it’s a summery 10 degrees…..YAY, it made it above zero 🙂 A nice hot coffee and raisin toast and we are off again, next stop Balranald.
But wait, I gets to South Hay and there are 2x riders in the Mobil so I detour and say hi. It’s Dene and friend John on their way tot Border Village. Had a chat and then I am off. They pass me cos I stopped to check out my parcel of land “Hells Gate”…..Smurfette insisted that I stop as she hadn’t been there.
While the road isn’t particularly exciting, the changing scenery happening above me is magical. The clouds dance around up there, shifting and changing providing a sensational pantomime for me to watch today.
Into Balranald for fuel and a late lunch and I tag with Dene and John and give them a heads up of impending bad weather for Mildura – thanks for the heads up Ronnie. I stop for a bit here, my ride fitness is suffering a little bit and I’m getting tired.
Now since the camera battery died early on in the day, I don’t have any on the fly pics – sorry folks.
Back out on the road and watching the sky pantomime and the story isn’t look great, I’m just wondering whether I’ll make it to Renmark dry? Not being “strictly” on the clock, I have spent a little bit more time on my stops and am 1hr 30min behind the schedule. Phone call to the caravan park to let them know I’ll be a late arrival so they can leave the keys out for me.
Mildura is a bustle, people coming home from work and school so I take the back parallel road to main street which avoids all the traffic lights and pop out at the bottom end of town. the clouds are getting darker and I’m doubtful I’m gonna make it in dry. Anyway push on and stop at the Yamba SA border crossing. The guys greet me with a lovely smile and welcome to the state and ask me the all important question “Do you have any fruit?” I answer “no sir” and he sends me on my way. Thanks guys.
Tucked up nice and warm and dry in my cabin in Renmark (cos it’s pissing down outside). Too wet for Dudley to test out his brand new overnight cover…..I’d end up having a second shower outside covering him….so he’ll have to wait til tomorrow night
Summary…….
Well, what a day! 1190km from home to Renmark.
Got my passport stamped twice – no evidence of the VIC one cos it’s in the middle of a bridge….like who does that…silly Mexicans. But did manage to get my SA stamp and a lovely welcome from the blokes at the quarantine crossing.
Nighty night folks…this little black duck is just a tad tired.
Another early morning tomorrow…..
