Day 568 | Khancoban: just nestled under a tree
72 km | zzOz total: 18,778 km
Day 14 since I had my last day off and my body is suggesting another day at this terrific waterhole.
The mind overrules, the hot weather is marching on remorselessly and will really crank it up on Friday, 41ºC, (106ºF), is the forecast, I’m intent on elevation in the mountains, it will only be 25º up there, better conditions for riding a still loaded caravan up steep hills.
Before I leave I’m entertained by the mating rituals of the P plate driving fishermen, two small tinnies with small outboards which fit on their two Hilux 4WDs, how is it teens get to drive around in fully optioned $50k wheels, it sure is the Lucky Country.
They take three similarly aged gals, who camp nearby, out in a small boat, the waterline is high, the gals are carrying quite a bit in the rump department, lots of giggling and fast talking, you can tell they are running rings around the strong, silent, inarticulate yoofs, the city gals have been crammed into some small vehicle with their luggage no match for the country boys.
Still, they are manly enough, they each have well trained large dogs, seems there’s some frision, but three and two don’t really match up and somehow I feel they are all the odd ones out, the fisherman having equal luck out on the water or on land.
Today, well, I’m pretty tired, the low undulations before lunch OK, a fantastic view of Mt Kossie and Townsend, the two highest bumps in Australia part of the full sweep of the landscape, probably the best view of the Alps from a road available. I’m the solitary appreciator today.
After that the road turns from dirt to bitumen and the bigger climbs begin, four half hour grinds away from the river, one descent I crack 50 km/hour, a frightening pace with my ill balanced load, a slightly bumpy surface, some cross wind and a little shimmying.
Tomorrow the real climbs will begin.