Day 18 – Riding to Ogmore

It is starting to feel a bit outback-ish now. Today the question of “my way or the highway” had an easy answer, as it was the same way… Bruce Hwy all the way, but not too bad actually. I am used to those b-doubles sweeping past me quite close and I just have to trust I am not going to become another piece of roadkill for them. That’d be bad for their CV, I think.

The roadworks people seem to have different ways of treating cyclists: some just let you through and look after you, some make you wait for 20 minutes (!) and then put you at the back of the pack with the light about to change. Actually, the roadworks are sometimes OK because the traffic comes in big blobs, all at once, you get rid of it, and then I own the road for the next 10 minutes.

Talking of roadkill, there is too much of it. I cannot look when I see a dead roo and especially, as I saw today, some younger specimens. I had a few pangs of deep sadness. And yet there is nothing one can do. Just more of the scarring we leave behind, together with the built environment (a marvel and a curse). Maybe I am becoming more native by the day.

My Nutella-stuffed muffin was melted nicely when I reached out to it, and I had chocolate all over my fingers and the handlebars. Chocolate bars. Funny. Actually, sticky.

When I got back, Justin and I shared a beer – yes! I had to flush out some frustration from getting stopped for so long under the baking sun.

Did not take many pictures as there is not much to see, but I enjoyed the ride all the same and Strava even gave me a QOM over a very long segment (strange, given I was constantly stopped by the road-people). The thinner tyres are definitely faster though much less comfortable when I hit cracks and irregular pavement, but I was glad for the extra speed today as it made the clock go a bit faster.

A big one tomorrow. We are parked on the side of the highway in a petrol station rest stop which seems actually better than that crock of sh^t where we stayed last night.