DAY 22 - COLEAMBALLY NSW

COLEAMBALLY NSW

DAY 22

GRIFFITH - COLEAMBALLY

83.97 km

Total Time – 07.30 – 15.00 (7h 30m)

Time on Bike – 3h 34m 33s

Max. speed – 38.4 km/h

Av. Speed – 23.5 km/h


Coleambally is easily the last place I expected to be.

I am stuck.

Stuck in Coleambally and it will be several days before I am back on the road and all because of this morning.

This morning was just too good to be true; an absolute flyer – the easiest 70 kilometres of the trip – dead flat and a blustering tailwind to die for.

I was on target for a big 170 km day to Finley, but not before stopping in here at “Coly”, just shy of 11 am.

There is a big rest park on the highway full of shady trees and a kiddies playground.

I’d just allowed some of those kiddies and turn on my bike – they thought it was a Go-Kart and I wasn’t about to disappoint them.

A quick refuel and back into it.

I followed a loose, sandy car track out of the rest park and back towards the highway, but it seemed instead to lead towards a private residence after 400 metres or so.

In one of my more irresponsible moments, I flinched and made a snap decision to rough ride a direct line towards the highway.

And straight through a verdant field of the fattest, juiciest Catheads you ever did see.

5 working tyres – 5 spares and upwards of 40 punctures was the net total as at 4 pm this afternoon.

And not a replacement tube within at least 70 km.

A complete cat (head)astrpohe.

The good news is that there is no good news.

Well, Coly is actually quite a nice little town. Nothing open on a Sunday, but I should get by.

Val is only charging me $7 to camp for as many nights as I need to be here.

There are a number of plans that may or may not come off.

I may even end up on a train to Melbourne if one of the more extreme versions comes to pass.

Still, it sure looks like there will be a few days ahead to work things out.

If I’m back in the game by Tuesday, I’ll have done well.

Until then, good night, God Bless America and God Bless your Catheads……