Another Forest Gump day. We left just after 7am, after a pack up and a couple of crackers and cheese and a cup of tea. Straight into open road riding and we figured that we would get a couple of hours in before stopping for breakfast. Plain sailing for a couple of hours and after 2 hours we had covered 200km and it was 9am, I was getting a few waves of hunger coming over me and a lot of day dreaming starting up, and called out over the RT about time we stop for a cuppa soon, “quite right” came the reply from Dad who was leading the charge at this point. We were at Bowen at this point with lots of options for stopping but Dad hunkered down and kept riding past all of them, determined I think to cover a few more k’s. Eventually after another hour Dad started looking at Roadhouses and rest areas, we pulled into Ayr and after abet of riding around found a café with an all day breakfast. Before I knew it two big breakfasts had been ordered and we were sat down a chewing into a huge mixed grill mid morning. Cripes not what I am used to but had a crack at it all the same and after a massive challenge to the coronaries finally threw in the towel with a sausage and half a fatty bit of steak left. Back on the bike and a bit of a challenge staying awake with such a protein and fat load on board. Lions and indeed most carnivores spend huge amounts of time sleeping after eating, I guess partly because they have expended a lot of energy catching the prey, but also because it takes a fair bit of energy digesting a protein load like that and it is very soporific. So on one hand it set us up for the day, but maybe for a few days, but on the other I was struggling to maintain focus on the riding. We stopped for fuel just south of Townsville then carried on past Townsville, neither of us were inspired about going into Townsville so just kept on trucking. The scenery has gradually changed to a more tropical flavour as we have headed further north, and now feels very tropical with rainforest all around and mangoes and bananas all around. The sugar cane continues to be a dominant crop. We followed a truck on a couple of occasions with sugar in its bins and the sugar was slowly poring out the back. Up close behind the truck it felt like we were being sand blasted with sugar. A painful and sweat experience. We stopped at a small town, possibly Ingham, for a couple of coffees as I was fading, and this perked me up no end. After this we just kept on riding as Cairns was in our sights. I got my first warning from a Queensland Cop, I came down a hill and around the corner and naturally gave a bit of accelerator through the corner, I was maybe doing 105 – 110km/hr and there coming the other way was a Bright red Cop Car, The driver gave me the Universal sign of “you’re not busted but watch it” with him giving me the thumbs down sign out his windscreen. We did pass an accident of a Ute and a station wagon that had had a head on and this was a bit sobering. Fir the last two hours of the ride we came into some weather with a sudden heavy downpour. Dad was leading at one point and went through a puddle and did an almighty wobble, not sure if this was just aquaplaning or a combination of diesel and water. We rolled into Cairns at about 5.30 as the light was fading and cruised through town looking for a place to stay. Found a good spot and after a long day in the saddle felt very relieved to have a shower and dry set of clothes to put on. A great total distance for the day, we are both very pleased, and it makes it easier to be happy with having a day off tomorrow. Had a few beers in the Motel bar and a very nice Vegetarian meal at their fine restaurant, to try to appease my coronaries for this mornings attack. Practiced my conversation repair skills. Then off to bed. ZZZZZZ
No comments:
Post a Comment