Temora to Narrandera, NSW – 83 miles & 494m climbing

Narrandera to Jerilderie, NSW – 68 miles & 176m

It’s not often I wake to horse’s hooves on the gallop but in the dark on this oval sand racetrack a horse was following an ute. I was staying at this stadium. It was a hot morning and as I wandered around unpacking my tent and getting ready to depart I didn’t put on my jersey, it was very warm. Poor Trigger, no wonder he was out doing circuits in the cool/dark.

Loaded I faced a long day, I was worried. Not least because there were several routes I could pick to Narrandera all indirect and some carrying the risk of being dirt tracks as opposed to tarmac. Anyway I first trundled into the town centre and bought some lunch before heading out.

The first couple of hours on most days are easy: the wind is down, the temperature early 20s and my butt and legs are not complaining. On this latter matter they were quite tolerant for up to two hours and then I knew I was in for a long day. I also knew I wouldn’t pass any shops or restaurants for the whole day. I had to carry enough water to see me through. I suppose in desperation I could have found a farm house, which were few and far between and well set back from the road and was anyone in? However, I carried over four litres on the bike (which I drank as the temperatures eventually hit the mid 30s.) Riding on the flat the weight is less of an issue but water still weighs about 1kg per litre. The surrounding land seemed mainly scrub. Some had harvested crops but the other land looked like grazing albeit now parched at this time of year.

I ground on wondering if I should have chanced the odd dirt track to reduce the distance and listening to podcasts until my AirPods ran flat. Podcasts today included ‘The Price of Football’ and the ‘History of England’. One is a forensic analysis of the finances of English football clubs and the other is the long slow demise of Charles I through the long English Civil War. As I plodded along I noticed to my delight/thrill two kangaroos bouncing along in a field. The overtook me and when ahead they leapt the low fence, crossed the road in front of me and disappeared into some bushes and trees. It’s taken a lot of miles in 2020 and this year to see them although Heaven knows I am into double figures seeing road kill.

It’s clear that the afternoon sees winds rise and inevitably it has to be a headwind. I reached Narrandera out for the count due to a 45 mile grind into this steady breeze. Also reappearing is that horror – the rumble strip. This is a popular US feature where drivers presumably lose concentration as they drive deserted roads at 70 or 80 mph. This strip is meant to drag them to their senses and make them concentrate keeping the truck on the road. For a cyclist it means that when combined with a negligible hard shoulder you spend a lot of time balancing the bike on a foot wide strip of tarmac or driving on the road.

Now I know you think I’m a gritty Tyke but I just happened to stop, to reconnoitre my evening accommodation solutions, near a motel. Noting my Finance Director was still asleep and unable to dissuade me, I dived in and for £50 got a room. Tony was a tired boy. Please forgive me.

I feel walking is good for tired cycling legs and I washed up and then ambled into Narrandera and had some fish and chips at an RSL.

You can make a faster start in the morning if you don’t have to pack panniers and a tent and it wasn’t long after waking I’m asking for a tuna mayo sandwich at a bakery. A very pretty young girl served me and with short sleeves proudly displayed her ‘sleeve’ of tattoos. What was she thinking? I despair. Yes, I know, I’m old.

However, those lovely folk at TalkSport were covering the Leeds Utd vs Leicester City match. I joined the commentary as Leicester are missing gilt edged chances in the second half to increase their 0-1 lead. On a long hill we not only equalised but took the lead. It’s truly troubling how this bloody football team can make or ruin a day. For those fans back in Blighty I knew their weekend would now be perfect.

After this initial climbing the road was flat but the countryside offered no shade just wide open spaces with no trees near the road. By the middle of the day my tuna mayo was torturing me to be eaten (5/10) from my pannier and stopping in bright hot sunlight I quickly devoured it. Again, I must stress a regular calorific consumption is not an option it’s essential.

Jerilderie eventually came into view. I’ve cycled 497 miles so far. For A$32 my landlady, Ali, found me a piece of grass with a tree to afford some shade. Before showering I cycled down the wide open vista of a Main Street to the centre to find a supermarket. Tonight I was going to make dinner and I needed some bits including a sponge (more will be revealed.)

As I’m cruising around I found a Leopard tank, water skiing on a lake and lots of graphics and old buildings concerning Ned Kelly and his gang knocking over a bank and staying in town for three days in 1879 as they toured the area generally killing and robbing. The town seemed very proud of this association! These towns are set in the middle of wide open spaces of arable and livestock farming activity. The town inevitably simply exists to service the population involved in the farming. So there was a small hospital, a school, vets, doctors, a post office, garages, petrol stations etc. The settlements are 60 to 80 miles apart. In between there are farms with vast acreages.

Near the campsite was a sports club that offered a/c and ice cold beer. However, before 7pm I found myself asleep in the tent. Oh so nice.