Day 33 - north from Katherine; the hardest day - Unfinished Business

June 2, 2023

Day 33 - north from Katherine; the hardest day

I had an interesting chat with Jane before leaving. She had a photo of me cycling near Barkly Homestead that she wanted to give me. I asked my two standard questions: what has excited you on your journey and do both you and Ian drive? We could have talked for a long time.

Jane's photo sums up the apparent loneliness of the touring cyclist

Leaving Katherine I crossed the river. How can you not be amazed at the floods earlier in the year?

The floods reached 15.65 m - above the white painted scale on the railway bridge.

I had no idea that this was to be by far the hardest day of my ride. I have been this way before but had forgotten the subtle hills, the winding road, increased traffic, heat and humidity and burning off. It made for very hard cycling.

This will go bang in 23 hours and 47 minutes. Touring cyclists, don't say that you weren't warned

I needed a reasonably big day - 135 km to have a decent chance of rolling into Darwin - 315 km away, on Sunday morning. Again I had distances to aim at - 77 km would be 4000 km and then another 15 would see me in Pine Creek.

I did the 77 km in one go and celebrated with tie, chair, food and drink next to an interesting tree.

It's not my blood! It's kino, a gum, secreted by this eucalypt probably due to damage from fire.

It was a quick ride to the old gold-mining town of Pine Creek. About 2 km out, my phone rang. It was Brad and I will tell you about the significance of his call in my next entry.

I sat in the park in Pine Creek for lunch. An indigenous fellow asked if I'd buy a slab - he had money. I explained that it was wrong for me to do that, gave him and others mandarins and then the talk turned to my bike ride. We parted ways on jovial terms.

I looked at the old railway as I left and nearby noticed a colony of fruit bats.

Leaving town I couldn't resist a photo of this marvel.

Mound of the day: many were larger but I could get to this one. They've evolved to evade bogan dressing. Perhaps Christo could wrap them.

So, another 50 km and I'd be looking good. A sign indicated a caravan park at Emerald Springs in 32 km. I'd grab water there and push on further. It was a hard ride to the long-closed Emerald. There was no sign of water so I pushed on to Hayes Creek. It wasn't 50 km from Pine Creek but 60 and I found another long- closed establishment. But this place had a light and barking dogs. Bravely, I knocked and a fellow answered and told me it closed five years ago and was now his home. Warren gave me water and suggested I camp near the creek. What an end to the day! I set up and then sat in the creek letting fish clean my feet as I wondered how I did 150 km.

Today's ride: 150 km (93 miles)
Total: 4,072 km (2,529 miles)

Rate this entry's writing	Heart	4
Comment on this entry	Comment	0