September 24, 2022
Day 120: Balladonia to Baxter's rest area
Start: 6:50am
Distance: 117km
Ride time: 4:53hours
Average: 24km/hr
Max: 36km/hr
Finish: 1:15pm
Today is my 12th wedding anniversary. I spoke to Serena this morning before I left. It is so nice of her to support me doing this ride.
It was a nice sunny day and I had a good tailwind.
It is 182kms to the next roadhouse. My plan is to ride until I get tired and camp wherever I am.
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They have a masseuse who puts up a table at every rest break to heal weary muscles. I'm a little jealous.
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I don't have enough room in my bags for a drone.
The tailwind today was fantastic. At times I was cruising along at 30km/hr.
I would catch up to the Ride for Compassion people when they had their rest breaks. They were nice and friendly.
At one of the rest areas I met a guy travelling in a caravan that recognised me from when I was in Borroloola last year. A very good memory. He has been travelling for 3 years.
The wind gradually increased and I was flying along. If the wind stayed like this I was thinking of riding the 182kms to the roadhouse.
I must have jinxed myself because a few minutes before I stopped at the rest area, the wind changed direction and became a 40-50km/hr crosswind.
I had a rest and some food. I had done 117kms and that was enough for me today. The crosswind was too bad for me to continue.
The Compassion people were still here and I watched the riders depart. One of the support staff Emily asked if she could give me a blessing.
I agreed even though I'm not a religious person. She put her hand on my shoulder and said lots of nice things for me. It was kind of her and I was grateful she took the time to be nice.
The wind became stronger afterwards. Gusting at maybe 60kms/hr. I had made the right decision to stay.
Shortly after Craig arrived. He will camp here tonight too.
Scott left early this morning and I didn't see him for the rest of the day.
I saw Thomas at a rest area and then he overtook me. He was talking about doing 250kms due to the good tailwind.
I made camp and enjoyed lying in my warm tent out of the wind in the afternoon.
Today's ride: 117 km (73 miles)
Total: 6,930 km (4,304 miles)
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