Day 17 – Port Pirie to Port Augusta 96 K / 60 Miles

Joe has been keeping a road-kill count:
6 Emus
3 Wombats
19 Kangaroos/Wallabies
4 Foxes
1 Dingo
3 Magpie Larks
1 Eclectus Parrot (Male)
1 Sulphur-Crested Cockatoo
1 Falcon
1 Deer
1 Brown Snake
1 House Cat
2 Seagulls
15 unidentifiable piles of fur and bone.

The funny things we do while riding….

Today was a challenge like just about all the previous days of this trip, save for maybe one or two portions of days when we were not riding into the wind. We rested yesterday when 25-30 mph winds and rain were predicted. Today we were treated to “only” 15-20 mph direct headwinds for the entire 60 miles. We got a bit of a late start out of Port Pirie so we could stop by and resupply spokes for David’s rear wheel. While fresh in the morning, those kinds of winds take their toll relatively quickly and after a couple hours we tend to find ways to distract ourselves from task ahead. For Joe, keeping a running count in his head of road-kill. For me, running the conversions of kilometers and miles to go then imagining that distance with familiar rides in the Champaign – Urbana area. Anything to take one’s attention from the painfully slow progress we make. Even the slightest break in the winds, from a line of trees or mounds of scrub, are noticed and appreciated.

To night we rolled into Port Augusta after dark. Tomorrow we will spend time preparing to head into the outback. It will start just north of town. Tomorrow we anticipate our stop will be a bush camp somewhere along the Stuart Highway. Due to its remoteness we anticipate being out of contact for a couple days. Weather patterns change as we move from the coastal area into more arid environs. We hope the winds will follow suit, otherwise this will be a real long trek.