Evidently the area around Coonabarabran is one of the best places in the world to view Uranus, I even took a photo to prove it.

Coonabarabran is holding the North West Equestrian Expo over the coming three days, which would account for the large number of horse floats I saw on the road, along with the increased number of Arkubra hats and girls with ponytails.

It’s obvious in rural Australia, that there’s a growing tension between mining and farming. More farms have NO GAS signs on their fences, maybe a radicalisation of rural Australia.

I don’t know if I have ever been colder than at daybreak today.  I’m sure it was zero.  A hot cup of tea and a veggie pastie warmed me up and then it was 120 ks to Narrabri.

It was a ride of two halves: Initially, it was ” lumpy”, rising through the cuttings in great weather conditions. I had good time while enjoying the more open forested country of Pilliga, State Park. At a rest stop an old older couple were taking time out from the road. She made her way over and said “Any rain dear?” of course I was tempted to say that while I had seen lots of kangaroos and the odd wallaby, I hadn’t seen any reindeer, given this is Australia, not Iceland, but I didn’t.

I asked if she would take my picture ” My camera is already set to very attractive”  I joked,

“Is it, gee how do you do that?”

“Mine’s automatic,” I said

What she really wanted to do was tell me the story that was occupying her mind: ” We came up through West Waylong a couple of days back. There was a fog like you’ve never seen we couldn’t hardly see where we were going. Later I heard a couple just behind us had come off the road, crashed, and been killed!”

She was quite animated, somehow her proximity to the accident had enlivened her or so it seemed, she would be telling that story for some time.

The second half of the ride was fairly straight, with no wind to speak of. I barreled along, receiving the occasional toot of approval from the caravan of caravans.

THEY MISSED!!! Around 10 km out of Narrabri a tooting car slowed. It swerved close and took aim, the plastic bottle of water missed me by a   or more, my first hoons on this trip!

Narrabri, barking dogs, utes, pubs, and from what I could see after a quick tour around town at least three Chinese restaurants, all circa ’60s when Chairman Moe sent them out west to raise foreign cash, at least that’s one theory!