DAY 99 - HAWKER SA

HAWKER SA

DAY 99

PARACHILNA - HAWKER

96.85 km

Total Time: 08.00 – 14.30 (6h 30m)

Time on Bike: 5h 41m 38s

Max. Speed: 44.7 km/h

Av. Speed: 17 km/h


Today’s ride wasn’t high on the fun meter.

Sometimes everything looks so nice and flat but that’s not how it is.

The incline is so slight and constant as to not be even registering but you have to concede it is there.

Either this or my computer was stuck on 12 km/h all morning.

Stock grids and floodways are the main companions along Route B83.

The going was difficult enough and these special features are as helpful as rare disease.

Stock grids weren’t exactly designed with bicycle riders in mind and I’m not sure what happens when stray stock are actually caught in them.

As far as I can imagine they would be waiting for the next road train to come along and the rest is up to the ravens.

And as for floodways (which are only ever of use with water in them) – these are similar to sliding down a small hill on a pizza box and spending 2 hours climbing back to the top.

I only started to tire of these after the first dozen or so…..

Rewind some hours and well before embarking an ongoing series of swearing fits, I actually spotted my first wedge-tailed eagle this morning.

And it sure was a big whopper.

Even more impressive as it took off and gave a full working display of its wing span.

Majestic.

A little less exciting however, were the emus who gave me a foot race every so often.

Out of fear and stupidity more than anything but it was rather entertaining to watch these ridiculous flightless birds trying to run somewhere or anywhere trying to get away from me.

Turning inside and outside, shimmying straight across the road one way, then another and still not quite working it out.

Not quite as thick-witted as a sheep but quite close I would suggest….

The final insult of the day came 15 km north of Hawker and one of the steepest pinches of the trip to date.

Memories of Rocks Pass between Bathurst and Orange resonated.

This one was a little shorter but a whole lot steeper - complete in all its grandeur – all 6 kilometres of it and in 3 mouth-watering sections.

The downhill drop was even more exhilarating – a gentle 1500 meter coast to the bottom and a penultimate 12 km/h grind for the final 10 km into Hawker.

I was just a little grizzly on arrival but after a slightly restful afternoon, I will live to ride another day.

And tomorrow it is to destination Orroroo.