Julie and I were supposed to be hiking the 5,000km Continental Divide Trail in the US in 2020, but COVID-19 derailed that plan. Instead, we will have an adventure in Australia, circumnavigating the country on our bikes, a distance of about 16,500km taking approximately five and a half months. We will use minor roads where possible and occasionally catch ferries across rivers and inlets to avoid busier inland routes. We will camp some of the time and stay in motels, hotels, etc, at others. There will be stretches of up to five days with no accommodation or resupply available, so we will need to be self-sufficient.

Round Australia Bike Ride - Day 036 - Undara to Georgetown

Day:  036

Date: Thursday, 06 August 2020

Start:  Undara Volcanic National Park

Finish:  Georgetown

Daily Kilometres:  145 (click for Julie's Strava and photos)

Total Kilometres:  3809

Weather:  Cool and sunny early. Warm and mostly sunny later.

Accommodation:  Cabin

Nutrition:

  Breakfast:  Egg & bacon rolls

  Lunch:  Ham, cheese & tomato sandwich/Chicken salad sandwich

  Dinner:  Spaghetti & meatballs, ice cream

Aches:  Nothing significant

Highlight:  None really

Lowlight:  None really

Pictures: Click here

Map and Position: Click here for Google Map

Journal:

We left the resort around 6:20am, just as it was getting light, and first had to cycle the 14km back to the highway, primarily eastwards towards the rising sun, so the opposite to our general direction of travel for the day, which was westwards.  It was very quiet, and there were a few kangaroos and plenty of birds about, so it was pleasant riding despite a light headwind and a few hills.

When we reached the main road and turned westwards, the riding became very easy, with a following breeze, relatively flat and almost traffic-free road, and the soft light of the sun rising behind us illuminating the savannah woodland.  We made very good time to the tiny hamlet of Mount Surprise, arriving there at 8:30am with 50 kilometres under our belt.  A small cafe/service station was the only option for breakfast and resupply, so we purchased what we needed, and ate our breakfast at a cafe table.

The road after Mount Surprise was more undulating, and traffic increased, about half of it campervans and caravans, but also a few road trains.  In places, the sealed road was only wide enough for one vehicle with wide gravel edges, and trucks and large vehicles have priority, so we had to head for the gravel on occasions, and were tested by wind and dust as the behemoths passed.  However, most of the time, we had the road to ourselves and savoured the quiet bush and frequent sandy and mostly dry rivers we crossed.

As lunchtime approached, we had to climb up the Newcastle Range, which was scenic but very warm work.  At the top, we found a roadside rest stop and had lunch, purchased from the roadhouse this morning, at the sole picnic table.  With only 28 kilometres to go, mostly downhill or flat, we left in good spirits, and reached Georgetown soon after 2pm.  Before checking in at the caravan park where we had booked a cabin, we bought some drinks and snacks for the afternoon.

We were checked in by 2:30pm, which was great, and had time to do laundry and have a relaxing afternoon, before later walking into town and buying some microwaveable dinner and supplies for tomorrow's ride.

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