I knew today would be a long one so got an early start. Tea and a veggie pastie for breakfast from the Jerilderie bakery. “Ned Kelly’s favourite!” I said to the none too impressed bakers assistant . I guess Ned was more of a meat man.

On the road across mostly flat, open big sky country. It was hard going at times but fun in masochistic kind of way. There were no services for 110 kms so I took extra tucker and water, which was just as well because pulling into a rest area I was unable to drink the water there.

A group of grey nomads resting up came over to check out the bike. One guy felt up my leather Brooks B17 saddle and said it was too hard and that if he were riding he would need a woolen cover. His wife added sardonically you would need the whole bloody sheep! Just before the Kidman Way to Queensland I came upon a road crew erecting signs. I asked if for a lark they ever think of pointing the signs in the wrong direction? They laughed and said it would cost them their jobs if they did .

For many periods today there wasn’t much traffic at all. Most people are heading in the other direction to Griffith. The big prime movers give me plenty of space and I received many toots of approval. I am surprised at the sheer number of people caravaning.