The stench of death hung heavily on the wind today: Kangaroos and foxes mostly. Not much out here dies of natural causes, cars, trucks and hunting account for most.
We had a punishing head winds with little cover all day as we headed North West through the cotton and grain country out of Moree. Cotton buds litter the roadway like snow as massive road trains with their gargantuan bales slowed down for us or toot hello as they head to the nearby small town of Ashley and the Cotton Gin.
We took the back road to Boomi (pronounced Boom-eye) which was open and mostly paved. Grain farmers, having recently harvested, were burning off the stubble, thick smoke filled the air. We were a bit nervous as we travelled west, to see the huge plume of smoke heading our way, blown onward us by a fierce northerly wind. We managed to get ahead of the fire as it grew to huge proportions and watched willie-willies (Australian for mini-tornadoes) form and emus run for their lives.
Cattle on the road near Garah were startled by our presence and started to run wildly along side us. The mob grew into a stampede ! We got to Boomi just before the storm and jumped in the hot artesian spa. Setting up camp under the barbecue awning so managed to survive the torrential downpour overnight, before pushing into the wet morning, crossing the McIntyre River into Queensland.
Everyday cycling is an adventure within itself.