Gundaroo

March 17, 2024

With only thirty kilometers to ride today there was no need to hurry this morning. After a few cups of coffee and breakfast it was after ten o'clock by the time we got going. We first rode back into town to buy food for the road and then crossed over the Hume Highway, which bypasses the town to the south east, heading slowly uphill for about fourteen kilometers after which it was mostly downhill to Gundaroo.

Morning coffee at the Gunning showgrounds.

A busy flock of Yellow-rumped Thornbills (Acanthiza chrysorrhoa) in the tree next to which we camped had our attention during our lazy start to the day.

There were a few interesting buildings in Gunning. The old courthouse and the shire offices caught my eye but this was my favourite.

Somewhere south of Gunning a road leads off to who knows where.

Another less conventional post box. It's certainly not a smiley. Is it a grimace?

The area through which we have cycled the past two days is an important wool producing area. Merino sheep, famed for their fine wool, were developed in Spain in the middle ages. They were fiercely protected and exporting them was a capital crime. During the eighteenth century, flocks were sent by the Spanish king to the courts of a number of European countries, including the Netherlands. The Dutch Government donated two Spanish Merino Rams and four Spanish Merino Ewes to Col. Jacob Gordon, the military commander at the Cape at that time, on an experimental basis. These formed the basis for South Africa's wool industry. In 1796 John Macarthur od New South Wales bought Merino sheep from the flock in South Africa - apparently they had to be smuggled out! These in turn formed the basis for Australia's wool industry.

A flock of Merinos on a hillside we passed today.

The Gundaroo recreation ground, which allows camping, was on our right as we entered town. Leigh pulled off there to answer Nature's call while I carried on to get to the local store before they closed. The store is set back from the main road and while I was taking my time buying our groceries Leigh cycled right past it to the other side of town without finding me. By the time I got back to the campground she had already returned and was busy scouting the best place to pitch our tent.

The past two days have been overcast with occasional periods of light rain. It is forecast to be even wetter from tomorrow but we had luckily booked accommodation near the center of Canberra for the next three nights. Leigh has identified a few places for us to visit in the city. On Thursday we will start heading northwards, Yass being our first objective.

Today's ride: 32 km (20 miles)
Total: 446 km (277 miles)

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