It had been a while since pulling into Port Augusta. First was waiting over a week for the heat wave to pass, then a couple more days to see off the rain. It gave me the opportunity to fix the remaining leaks in tyres (10 all up). Good thing there was some cricket on TV. Plus I should be well rested for the ride to Port Pirie. Set off yesterday in light drizzle and hadnt gone more than 100m before bumping into another fellow with loaded up bike. He was from Japan and doing a full loop of the country, starting from Cairns. After a few minutes we said our farewells (despite the language barrier) and parted ways. I was forced to travel along the highway for the first 10km before turning off to follow the trail next to the gas pipeline. The trail was generally in good condition, although passing under the powelines while they hissed and buzzed overhead made for a nervous atmosphere. All was going smoothly, enjoying views of the Flinders Ranges to the East and the coast to the West. Until the first mud patch. It looked not much different to the rest of the wet dirt, so the first I knew of it was when experiencing 2 (possibly 3) wheel drift. About 1.2 seconds later I experienced a 0 wheel slide along the left side of my body. I got up, now half covered in mud, and pushed the bike to firmer ground. I shouldnt complain, some people pay good money for a mud treatment like that. Somehow during the mud expedition Id also managed to get a flat tyre. I spent the next while scraping away a few kg of the thick mud from the frame and tyres to allow the wheels to turn again before setting about to fix the puncture. A while later I set off again, but it was only a couple of km later that more mud was encountered. Thankfully I saw it early and found a path over the rocky ground next to the trail to avoid cleaning the bike again. I resolved to get back on the highway at the next opportunity. Back on the black top, it wasnt too long before another chance to hit the dirt presented itself, this time following roads and tracks next to the train lines. The trail was more gravel based so should hold up in the wet a little better. True to form, these tracks held up brilliantly, even if the large chunky gravel made progress a bit slower. I followed these before eventually crossing under the highway where I experienced another flat tyre. Not sure if Ive offended the puncture gods, but from Perth right through to Whyalla I hadnt had a single puncture. The last two days spent on the bike have resulted 12 flats. Soon after fixing the flat and just before dusk, I passed by Port Germein and the track surface returned to the dirt from earlier in the day. The sun appeared briefly and provided brilliant views by lighting up the Ranges. However, it wasnt long before more mud appeared and I got to experience something completely new on the bike. Getting bogged. The mud quickly added a thick layer to the wheels, in turn clogging the frame. The mud was also extremely greasy and made finding footing and walking difficult, let alone with a bike weighed down and stuck full of muck. I left the bike and trudged up track to find a stick to clear the tyres. From there it was a process of clear tyres and frame, push/lift the bike a metre, and repeat. All while the mossies were having a feast as darkness fell. Eventually the mud section was cleared and the trail surface changed once more, this time a mixture of chunky railway gravel and sand. It was slow going, but preferable to dealing with the mud again. The lights were working brilliantly to illuminate the way and I worked my way back to the highway. The caravan park wasnt too far ahead and I arrived there late, after 11:30, but only because Id stopped at the roadhouse for a feed. I woke up sore this morning. Slacking off for a week or two then riding 90km into a headwind over tough terrain will do that. As a result, I resolved to take it easy today and head only as far as Crystal Brook. With a feeling of deja vu, I set off in drizzle and stuck to the highway for a while before taking to the back roads. The riding was pleasant, although when the rain stopped, the humidity sky rocketed. At least it wasnt a head wind today. The roads passed through farm lands with herds of sheep that ran from, and cattle that followed, the bike. Before long the road headed back towards the highway, so I turned off to try my luck next to the railway line again. This time there were no surprises and the riding was extremely enjoyable. Even more so when the wind turned to push me along from behind. Soon the first houses appeared and I rolled into town a short while later. First stop was the bakery for a couple of pies. Not sure if the absence of pastry over the past few weeks has clouded my judgement, but damn they tasted good. Belly full, I plodded along to the caravan park just before a solid dump of rain hit. A good nights rest awaits before I head to Clare tomorrow.
Posted on: Mon, 12 Jan 2015 09:58:52 +0000
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