Day 128 | 36 km from Warrakurna Roadhouse: just a stroll in tomorrow
60 km | zzOz total: 6,504 km
Out here in the desert, it must be there’s both tall sand dunes and camels, I occupy some of my time with memory in two ways: remembering and attempting to forget.
The madness that now grips me, enumerating the cast-off car collection, has given time for the consideration of each decade of my life, each number another year of my life, and trust me, there’s plenty raised that should be placed in the forgetting basket.
I now almost can’t believe that I spent close to 2 decades working in inner city Melbourne, seems a long time since I was chasing my tail back there, mostly treading water, sleep walking through life, creating dreams anyone could tell would never come to fruition, not for lack of ability, just weak connections. The alternative, just get a standard job with someone else and stop striving, well, just shows how little they understood me.
This morning, still 90 km to the roadhouse, the wind still full wind tunnel strength, a huge roadtrain out doing the rounds to the Aboriginal communities ground to a shuddering halt. Steve asked me if I needed water and the wind requiring I take another day, with water the major aspect not sorted on budgeting sheet, I say yes. Then without asking he hands me a Coke and an orange straight from the cab’s fridge.
I grab enough water to split today into two, I’ll do two thirds today, then roll into the roadhouse at lunchtime tomorrow.
In 10 colourful minutes we dissect the world and its inconsistencies, cheerily. There are no illusions out here and delusions can be cut down.
Life is very straightforward, I must remember this time, just ride today and pick up more supplies at the roadhouse tomorrow. No complications at all and the days on the GCR are turning into weeks, I’m now into my third.
The most memorable moment this afternoon when I stumbled on a large camel clan up close. I was counting them, they were somewhat scattered in the shrubbery but then drifted towards each other, 3 babies, not too big at all. The mums were dropping their lower lip and looking menacing. I counted twelve. A couple of big mums started towards me, 40 m away, I’m thinking time to pack up and move on, they make that threatening water-down-a-large-drain gurglings.
There’s an ugly cough directly behind me.
I’m quickly aware of Big Daddy, he’s been on the other side of the road, only 20 m behind me, white foam at his mouth, although no doubt only from munching the vegetation.
My legs are whirring faster than they have for a while, a second wind.
Yes, quite the memorable moment.