December 11, 2021
Day 4-5: Laura to Quorn
If you don't have a plan you can fail quite easily
Day 4 saw me taking a rest day at Laura to recharge. My quads specifically 😂 A quiet country town, supposedly, but due to the fact it is harvesting time there are heaps of trucks rumbling through right next to the caravan park. And on the main road. Which is also right next to the caravan park. Which is lovely BTW.
I didn't actually do anything apart from wander through the high street, get coffee and some food supplies. Not sure where the day went to be honest. My Beautiful and I use that line a lot with each other. I did cook myself up a pizza...food is always so expensive in the pub, right?!
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Day 5 I set off OK at a super early 8am...even though I was up at 6:15am WTF?! Strapping all that shit on your bike so it does mot launch itself away and in to the ether or your wheels takes a lot of time. It does actually, but I was waiting for my tent to dry and for a bowel movement to occur after a caffiene intake. Got to take care of the basics.
Anyways, I was ready for a big day today but it didn't turn out that bad after all. I came to the realization that it wasn't IF I was going to reach Quorn...but WHEN. That is a big mind shift. I am definitely getting into the groove more. I'm actually really glad I didn't spend weeks and months training for this. I probably would have just injured myself properly 😂
The ride...to Melrose...was beautiful. Tranquil shady tracks, a lot of it rocky and technical...hilly...but awesome just the same. Fantastic vistas. It was like the mid north county's farewell shout: 'Don't Leave. Stay. Turn Back.'
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One of the most amazing parts of the day was going through a section in the forest that was filled with Admiral butterflies. Hundreds of them. Maybe Thousands. Or maybe they were the same 50 going around in circles. Butterflies mean a lot to me and my Beautiful says they are the souls of the departed come back ro visit us for a while. There have been moments on this trip where I have had to dig deep...and during these times I often see a butterfly appear for me. It always makes my heart a bit lighter.
It was hard going on the last stretch to Melrose. I passed by a beautiful looking place with some horses out in the paddock...a big old white stallion chomping down on some hay with his mare nearby. Anyway, his old todger was hanging out for all to see and the thought crossed my mind that maybe he liked his owner a lot... given that he had a fresh feed and all that. It later transpired that it was my friends in Melrose that had just been up to feed him as they were house sitting! Mind you, I don't know who actually went out to the paddock and gave him his bale 😂 I should probably not even have written this let alone thought it, but there we go! I obviously didn't tell them this when we caught up and I wanted to use the toilet 😁
Coffee, lamb roll, magic chain oil from the trendy bike shop to make me go faster, and catch up with aforementioned friends...then I was on my way to Wilmington via the rail trail...then on to Quorn. In my haste I forgot to get a set of brake pads...I changed out a set yesterday on the rear. The downhills are fierce! I think I'll be right. They probably only had organic ones anyway 😅
I didn't take any photos of the rail trail because, quite frankly, it was 25k of loose gravel shit with mediocre views.
But onwards from Wilmingtonn the scenery changed and started to become more arid and open. And there were views of the Flinders looming.
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The actual ride to Quorn started off level and steady...then began to climb in small interval like stages before turning fully undulating. I actually saw two cars pass me by from the opposite direction. One of them was towing a fishing boat. Was a bit surreal that was!
I actually missed a turn off somewhere...I think I was lost in thought...although the markers qere a bit sparse and last minute things on this section...and ended up a bit more east of Quorn than the trail proper. Never mind. I enjoyed the track I was on.
I turned up at Quorn to find the caravan.park had shut for the season. I was contemplating just sneaking in later...it is very strange going through a ghost town caravan park...but I made the fatal error of ducking in the pub first to have a beer and scope things out. So I treated myself to a room for the night and had some fish and chips and another beer 😂 More accurately, my Beautiful treated me as I don't have a job at the moment...so i am looking forward to a good night of sleep and not freezing my gonads off in my crap sleeping bag. I hope the Quorn cowboys are good tonight. This place reminds me of Senghenydd.
I will sign off for today with some more photos. Hawker or bust tomorrow. If I get up 😏
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Today's ride: 120 km (75 miles)
Total: 480 km (298 miles)
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