Mungallala to Morven

Mungallala to Morven = 46km
Cummulative total = 2750km

I didn't sleep to well last night and I think it was because I was too hot! Everyone keeps saying that "oh it can get cold out here in the night, below 0" and we have yet to have a cold night and I am beginning to wonder just exactly how long ago was this night this person experienced where it got below 0? I am thinking that it is not too often that it does dip below 0 and if it does that it is a freak occurance!
Anyway while we had breaky this morning I looked around at the rest area didn't look half as bad as what it did last night! I could see it in a different light, ie. the morning light!

I particularly liked the toilet block - clean and had toilet paper and they had painted it and labelled the mens 'rams' and womens 'ewes' ... in fact they do that alot out here in the country ... I wonder how it would go if they did it in the city!!!
We started off at around 8.30am and it was a beautiful bright sunny day and my first thought was just how long this was going to last before the BIG rolling clouds come through? (just for reference the sun stayed all day!!).
Unless it is our imagination but it felt like we were climbing a fair bit this morning and even neil thought so and he clocked it at 11.5km before we dipped down. It is not overyly hilly but you just know that you are climbing.
We had our first break at 17km and it was in a driveway of a farm and a stock route area and I loved the letterbox of the farm

We continued on and it was up and down but we had a nice shoulder and the traffic was very courteous to us. The landscape is still beautiful and there was alot of scrubby type trees with a few large pine trees but it is very green and the dirt is red!
We took another break at 31km and had a cuppa and decided to stop at Morven instead of continuing on. We got to Morven just before 12 and decided to stay at the Recreation ground which has a few vans here, no more powered spots available for vans, but there is a huge shed and we can use one of the power points there. It is a lovely spot and our tent is well away from the vans. It has toilets and showers which are new and really clean.
The internet reception here is not great - dial up speed! Not too sure if we will stay here tomorrow or move on.

Amby to Mungallala

Amby to Mungallala = 70km
Cummulative total = 2704km

There were at least 7 lots of vans at the Amby hotel last night and only 2 had power and the rest of us were free to camp and everyone that was there (with the exception of us) spent money on either drinks or a meal at the pub so that is probably why the pubs offer free camping as they make the money at the pub itself!
We woke nice and early and had breakfast to a cloudy day and reports on the news said there was fog and next thing you know there was fog all around us - thick fog! We started just after 8am and it wasn't long before we decided to pull up and sit the fog out - I was petrified that cars couldn't see us as we even had trouble seeing them in the fog even though they had lights on - the trucks were okay as you could hear them well before you could see them! So after around 30mins of riding with white knuckles we found a pull over and stayed there for around 1 and 1/2 hours! we started just before 10am. By then the fog had lifted and it was the usual cloudy day!

It was cold to say the least and I rode with my polyprop on all day again - it is getting to the point that it is quite smelly but I am not caring about that as it keeps me warm!
We got to Mitchell just on lunchtime and stocked up on dinner meals and had our cuppa there. Since it was so late and we still had another 45km to go I decided that it was too cold and too late to take a dip in the Artesian baths.
The road to Mungallala was up and down with some long climbs, not difficult mind you, just that you knew you were climbing alot and coupled with a headwind that made things difficult and it wasn't until 3.30pm that we got to Mt Mungallala which is quite late for us. By the time we got there we were worn out since the day was so looooooong! So it wasn't a very exciting day for us ... as Neil described it, it was 'ho-hum'.
We stayed at the Cobb and Co. rest stop which had a toilet, raintank and a table with shelter. At that time of the day it didn't look too appealing but there wasn't anything else - the pub but that looked just as bad! It was close to the road so we could hear the traffic (especially trucks) but that didn't worry us we seem to be getting use to the sound of them now during the night and most of the time we will sleep through them.

Roma to Amby

Roma to Amby = 66km
Cummulative total = 2634km

We are on our way towards Longreach and will follow the Warrego highway for a few days. We could do 3 x 80-90km days or 4 x 60-70km days - we have opted for the 4 x 60-70km days as that means we could do 3 nights free camping! we are beginning to get to know the ins and outs of these tiny little towns along the way - so although we have free camping we can still incorporate a shower in there! like our free one in Surat, some places (ie. pubs) will offer free camping with shower and toilets (we are in one tonight) or some towns have public toilets with a shower like at Muckadilla or a town will have a recreation ground with shower and toilet and you leave a donation!
This morning we woke to a SUNNY morning! yes it was actually sunny instead of immensely cloudy! so we were able to recharge the solar light as it cut out on us last night so we should get a few hours of reading in tonight!
The Warrego highway is really good - it wasn't as busy as what we were led to believe, ie. heaps of road trains and general trafftic but in fact it was quite the opposite - there was hardly any traffic while we were on it but watching it now from the pub/campground it seems to be alot more busy now at 4.30pm! The highway surface is really good and we have a small shoulder to seek refuge in when the traffic gets a bit hairy.
While at Roma the campground was really full and every man and his dog wanted to hear our story ... it is getting to the point where we love to go bushcamping not just because it is free but so we can have a bit of peace and quiet! Anyway everyone warns us about the road trains (thinking that we don't know what it is like!) and they all ask us how the road trains are with us - they are very surprised when we both say that we don't have problems with roadtrains they are really good to us and give us plenty of room or toot when there is not enough room for them (the toot means to get off the road!). Then we have to listen to their stories of how the road trains sit on their tails and intimidate them ... which I can feel for them and I suppose it is alot easier for the road trains to over take Neil and I compared to a car and caravan. Anyhow my point is that I have always felt that a great deal of caravans do not give us enough room when they over take - they have a tendancy to forget that their caravan is wider than their car or they just can't be bothered! and it dawned on me today as a few caravaners came quite close to us for no reason at all as they could have gone on the other side of the road but they choose not too ... (I am getting to the point!) my point is that caravaners don't like how road trains treat them and tail gate them ... yet they (caravaners) treat us like the road trains treat them!!! and what is worse is they cannot see it!
Anyhow take a look at the big sky picture below of the road we are on!

It is rolling territory to Muckadilla which is where we had our lunch 43km west of Roma.

It is a town of around 90 people and has a pub where you can camp free and also a rest area with a shower and toilets but that was too early for us so we decided to continue on to Amby which is another 23km further and that is a town of only 30. We are at the pub which offers free camping and $5 for power - we wanted power for the computer but the lady said don't worry as the computer doesn't use much - so how nice is that! Before we got across to the campground a council worker pulled up and started to chat and wanted to take a photo of us and one of kouta in his trailer! He lives in Mitchell which we will pass through tomorrow - not sure if we will stop for a dip in the artesian springs there - would like to but not sure if I could continue on cycling after - it may make be just a bit too relaxed!

Rest day @ Roma

Below are photos of our rest day at Roma. There is alot of things to do but with the dog it is difficult to go into alot of things - usually one stands outside and waits for the other. But we did go on a little walk around town before we stopped at one of our favourite tourists spots - Woolworths! especially the bakery department!

Above is our campspot at the Big Rig Tourist Park and we are camped next to a 'bottle' tree.

This is Romas largest 'bottle' tree and has a girth of around 8.9m

I tried to get Neil into a more 'sexier' pose but this is all he could come up with! (maybe I should gave got him to wear his 'mincing' pants!

The above Anglican church is famous for its stained glass windows and it is open on Tuesdays and Thursdays for viewings (it was a wednesday when I took this!) you can see it from the outside but it has metal grates on them!

Below is a 3-D mural which is in the inside of the Cultural Center

below is one of the MANY pub hotels that are in town!

and below is the main street of Roma

50km South of Roma to Roma

50km South of Roma to Roma = 52km
Cummulative total = 2568km

We all didn't sleep that well last night - Kouta had small burrs caught in his fur especially around the paws and legs and he was licking and grubbing all night so that kept waking Neil and I up so this morning there were some grumpy people at the breaky table and one very grumpy dog! Before we left this morning we sat down and brushed the burrs out of koutas fur but he is still licking and so we are back to putting ointment on his paws and belly to stop the itching - we are not sure what it is - maybe the grass up here.
So we left a little later this morning at 8.30am and I thought it was going to be a loooooooong day to Roma but luckily for us there was no wind so we cruised along at 17-18kph and less when we had to cycle the small undulations! which seem very big when you have weary legs but they weren't really just the right size!
At one point along the way we came down to this place called the 'green swamp' and it was really lovely to ride through and had there been heavy rain in the past week or so we would have had to ride through the water as the water on both sides of the road was less than a meter from it!

We had our first stop at 20km - it was a truck stop with a water tank again and also an environmental toilet (had to suppy your own toilet paper though!). So that water stop is 47km north of Surat or 32km South of Roma. There was also another water stop (but no toilet) a further 16km on so they are quite regular - all the water in the tanks are from the rain water running of the shelter and so they claim they are not potable but the water is perfectly good just not treated through a water treatment plant ... but I think the tank water is better than most town water which can be really suspect sometimes with the colour and flavour!!! so I think councils put the note up on the tank to say they are not potable just to cover themselves!
Riding along today and over the past 3-4 days we have noticed alot more victorians coming up in their caravans so the mass exodus from Victoria has begun! Neil says it must be end of the lawn bowls season! I sometimes wonder why they are coming up here as it isn't exactly warmer than victoria and it is most definitely not sunnier! ... again it was another grey cloudy day - but slightly warmer.
When we got to Roma about lunchtime the temperature guage said 24 and it was warm too!
It seems everyone turns up at around lunchtime as there was a queue to book in ... the campground is currently full and they only have unpowered left. There are 2 other caravan parks in Roma and I think they are also full - the 2 motels we passed before the caravan park were also full (and that was at lunchtime) and it is due to the gas lines being built around here apparently alot of the accomodation is taken up by the workers etc.
But since we are unpowered we got in easily and our tent spot is on a grassed area that is about 50m by 30m and we are surrounded by caravaners ... Neil said he felt a bit out of place since we are the only tenters ... I look at it differently and think we are out of place because we are younger!
Tonights dinner was Canton chicken and vege noodle soup - yummmmmmmmy! it is nice to have fresh veges every now and then.
We are here 2 nights and tomorrow will take in the sites of the town.
We went for a quick walk before and over at the tourist information place there was this old house that apparently was built over a hundred years ago and housed a family of 11 - it has a small kitchen, small lounge and 1 bedroom so I am not sure where all the kids slept ... maybe on the verandah!

40km South of Surat to 50km South of Roma

40km South of Surat to 50km South of Roma = 69km
Cummulative total = 2516km

It rained a bit last night but the tent was mostly dry by the time we got up. We did wake up early and got out to face another grey cloudy day! there was no wind to start with and we started around 8.10am. After a hard day yesterday the legs felt a bit heavy this morning while cycling but after a few kms they soon loosened up. Since it was still early the road was really quiet and for the first 1/2 hour I would say it was just us 3 on the road! The wind picked up again at around 9am and was blowing from the south west so it was sort of behind us to Surat.
The 40km to Surat was rolling and with tired legs I had to drop a gear or 2 to get up the small rises but then again the small down hills were ideal as I didn't have to pedal and so I could get up out of the seat!
We took a quick break at a historical marker alongside the road at 17km - if I remember right it was to signify the change over of horses and wagons for the mail run from or to Rosehill - I should have taken a photo so I could remember it right! But at the historical site it gave us a good view of what was ahead and the scenery was really nice it is a pity it is so cloudy!

Just before we got to Surat there was a creek called Jones Creek and off course Neil wanted his photo taken with it ... why are there no O'Briens Creeks or Janets Creeks?

We got to Surat at around 10.45am and stopped at the small park opposite the state school. Neil pointed out that there was public toilet and showers! So we decided to have a shower since we only had a British bath last night and we were both a little grotty and sweaty and since we were going to bush camp again tonight and still not have a shower except for a British bath we thought that when we rock up to Roma tomorrow (2 days without a shower) we might be a little high on the nose! So it felt great to have a hot shower ... even though I did have mine with a very small brown frog! but it didn't worry me! One thing is for sure at St George and at Surat the shower water is really 'soft' and I washed my hair and it has gone all bouncy and soft on me! Since we had a shower (and also wash our cycling clothes while in the shower!) we decided to stay a little longer than usual and boiled up some water for coffee and something to eat and we even managed to wash Kouta!
One thing with Neil and the clothes he has bought along with him - they hardly take up any room but they are at the butt of all my jokes with him .. he has a pair of "mincing" tights (the ones with puma symbols all over them), he even has a pair of "mincing" bike shorts (they were a $5 buy from Dimmeys before they closed in Ringwood) and today he came out with his ... now I am not too sure what to call them ... but I think I will call them his "mincing" ballerina tights!!!

Now Neil informs me that a Japanese cyclist we saw last year had a pair on ... so he thinks that justifies bringing them along ... I inform him that the Japanese guy was bulky enough to fill them out where as Neils pair just hang of him ... why? ... because they were $5 from Dimmeys (again!) and they had strange sizes and even though they were too big for Neil he still bought them because they were $5 and he couldn't pass up that bargain!
We didn't leave until around 12.15 and even then we still had to find somewhere in town to stock up on drinking water and buy a loaf of bread. We finally found the drinking water and a loaf of bakery bread cost us $4.30 !!!
We did pass a strange looking building and Neil had passed through before and took a photo of it and he wanted to take a photo of it again with Kouta and I out front.

This is not the council building or anything like that (that is around the corner) but I suppose the local hall ... it looks really 'country bumpkin' like or something out of Dukes of Hazzards!
We finally left around 1pm and just north of town was a fishing club area that is a free rest area with toilets (not too sure about a shower) and when we passed there there were heaps of caravans there and by the looks of some with their laundry hanging up on makeshift clotheslines some were there for quite a while! We wanted to continue on for at least another 30km so then tomorrows ride is smaller.
We continued on and 15km north of Surat there was another water tank but we didn't need to fill up with water we already had enough. By now the legs were getting really weary and the road had swung around to a north west direction and believe it or not the wind had also swung around to a west north west direction! So we were relieved to find a nice little bush campsite at about the 69km mark which would leave us about 52km for tomorrow!

We found a driveway and that lead us to what looks like a stock route as there are cattle hoof marks everywhere and so we are pitched right in the middle behind some shurbs and the road is about 50m away but again it will be a quiet night.
For dinner tonight we had weetbix, apple, dried fruit and nuts and yoghurt and also 4 slices of bread and honey/jam! Lovely - we decided that since I got a 1.2kg weetbix at St George there is no reason why we can't repeat our breakfast at dinner but have a little more (Neil had 5 weetbix and I had 4!) It is a completely nutrutious meal and we will have it again tomorrow for breakfast!
Even Kouta had a double meal - we gave him a meal at lunch and again at dinner ... I think he is becoming like Me ... always hungry even after I have eaten!

St George to 40km South of Surat

St George to 40km South of Surat = 79km
Cummulative total = 2447km

We got a nice early start this morning but unfortunately the wind was up well before us and it was blowing from the west at about 20kph so it was going to be a very strong cross wind for us. But fortunately for us once we turned to go north east to Roma there was alot of trees and shrubs with thick foliage which blocked out the brunt of the cross winds so the going was easier cycling along at around 16-17kph.
Something that wasn't in the camp 5 book were the truck stops along the Carnarvon highway - they are not really great rest areas to stay over night for either a caravan, campervan or tent but one thing they all had were rain water tanks which for us cycling are excellent drinking water sources. So for future reference for us they are at (starting from St George) 10km, 30km, 50km, 78km and then none until Surat.
It wasn't warm today around 17 degrees and cloudy (as per usual!) and I would say it was even colder than 17 with the cold wind blowing so every time we stopped we had to put the layers of clothing back on! the traffic today is very quiet (as it is a Sunday) a few trucks here and there but mostly caravaners but they all seem to pass us at the same time.
The Carnarvon highway shows alot of evidence from flooding and the road is in really good condition except for some places which are in the process of being repaired.

A few times along this road we would come to a traffic light that they have when there are roadworks but since it was a Sunday there wasn't anyone working so both lights at each end of the road works would be flashing amber.
At around the 45km mark we were riding along and next thing you know a 4WD pulls up alongside of us and asks if we would like some apples or mandarins and off course I am absolutely shocked and Neil says okay so they pull up in front of us and next thing I know 4 guys jump out and I think OMG but then I take a closer look and they are all well dressed middle aged men with smiles! They were all wearing kathmandu type clothing, all neat, clean, fit and healthy looking white colar workers! One pulls out a shopping bag full of apples and mandarins so Neil takes 4 mandarins and asks what is their story - they are going to Carnarvon National Park to do a 6 day hike (hence the kathmandu outfits!). So they ask us ours and believe it or not 2 of these men had adult children that had or are currently cycle touring! so we think that is why they stopped. the one that did the most talking has a daughter that is currently cycling along the coast (about 10 days out of Sydney). After they left we were absolutely chuffed that they stopped and gave us some fruit and the mandarins were really nice and sweet to eat!

Doesn't Neil have a big cheesy grin!
At around the 70km mark we began looking for bush campsites and up to then there weren't many opportunities as for both sides of the roads the farm fences were pretty close but at the 75km mark the fences were well back and alot more bush camping sites became available. At the 78km water tank mark we topped up our water bottles as we had carried most of our water as we didn't know about the water tanks and we pitched up our tent at the 79km mark as there was a small track leading of the road.

By now I was beginning to get cold from the wind so we set up tent, boiled the water for a cuppa and again for our British baths and then had an early dinner of curried tuna burritos and jumped in the tent to escape the wind!