Wood Wood to Robinvale – 61 miles & 159m climbed

Robinvale to Mildura – 55 miles & 243m climbed

So in a scene from ‘Groundhog Day’ the day started with a bacon and egg sandwich. Frankly at this rate I will return to Blighty clucking and snorting due to my massive consumption. I think the type of person who starts at Stupid O’Clock (trades or ‘tradies’ as they’re known here) has this diet. What I would give for granola! However, fortified, I got on the road and headed north.

This day wasn’t scheduled. I omitted the ride from Wood Wood to Robinvale in my scheduling, I’d assumed I’d get to Mildura today. I have ‘float’ in my total programme but I would have rather have not initially got it wrong and lost a day! I was riding up the Murray Valley Highway and it offered one stop before I climbed into Robinvale. A coffee and a Bounty, in air conditioning was just what the doctor ordered.

Along the route there were many fruit farms. Produce included citrus fruits, avocados, chilli’s, grapes (table and wine), olives and nuts. By the time I got to Robinvale I came across many fruit pickers around the town, noticeable by their ethnicity and hi viz clothing. The nationalities included Fijian, Chinese and South Asian and one person I talked to said aboriginal. It seemed a miserable job but judging by the scale of production I’m sure most of the picking was automated. It was high season, for picking, almonds and pistachios.

After last night’s energy depleting campsite experience in the heat I decided I needed air conditioning and opted for a cabin at a campsite. This, in reality, was like staying in a caravan and would also facilitate an early getaway the next day.

Checking into my shed I was offered some grapes.

So I was off by 7am to Mildura. This time along the Sturt Highway (no, not Stuart!). I stopped to buy a sandwich (5/10) in the town and some other folk at the cafe were interested in my ride. I even had my photo taken and got engrossed in a discussion on the specification of tyre I was riding. That was nice.

What a horrid road. A single carriageway with often missing hard shoulder. This was not fun and one humongous truck got so close that I nearly lost my balance as I got caught up in his draught at 60mph. Where there was anything like a hard shoulder then my old friend the rumble strip appeared. (This was the worst road I have ever ridden in Australia. Sadly I think it continues past Mildura when I resume my ride.)

I’m resilient about cycling with traffic but I do like a sporting chance at safety.

If the truth be told the heat climbed again and I got to Mildura shot. The ride to Wood Wood had come at a price. My average speeds are good but that’s mainly due to no climbing. When I came to inclines I slowed and I knew I needed a rest day. I booked a motel and decided to flop, meanwhile outside the temperature soared.

However, lest I leave you glum at my weariness I was lifted by finding another car museum on the way into the town. You may or may not know that Australia had two dedicated manufacturers, namely Holden (eventually bought out by General Motors) and Ford. Both now no longer manufacture in Australia with Holden shutting its facilities in 2017. There is great nostalgia for this brand and hence the museums.