Friday, Sept 13

Day 44  (of cycling).             Albury to Wagga Wagga.

Distance: 132 km in 6hrs 32 min at 20 km/hr.

Distance so far: 4367 km.

Climbed: 1415 ft.

Elevation tonight: 875 ft.

AHR: 115 bpm.

Punctures so far: 4.

Out at 8am.     In at 4 pm.

Before leaving Hume Motel this morning, I had the complimentary breakfast. It was of the continental variety but it set me up for the day. Wasn’t expecting the Full Irish!

The day started off chilly. I had the coat and leggings on and they stayed on for the day. After 2 hrs or so, a headwind started and hampered progress. On the flat, I was pedalling to maintain 18 km/hr. that lasted fortune day. For the last 30 km I had a light rain to contend with. It didn’t demand rain gear but I stood in a number of times.

Terrain at the start was undulating as I left Albury, then it flattened out but returned to the rolling idea just before Wagga (in the locality the place is just referred to as ’Wagga’, just like ’Cappa’). For the last 8 km it was all downhill into the city and that left a sweet taste on my mouth. I forgot about the headwind, the rain, the 3% uphills and smiled as I pulled into the motel. All is forgiven.

It took a long while to exit Albury and its suburbs. After 10 km I dropped onto the Hume Highway, one of the major freeways of the country linking Sydney and Melbourne. Cyclists are allowed cycle on the shoulder in the rural sections. At first, the surface was concrete, but then reverted to the broad asphalt shoulder. It was busy but not threatening.

After 22 km I veered off to the left and joined the Olympic Highway to take me all the way to Wagga. It got its name because this was the route that the Olympic torch was taken for the Games in Melbourne 1956. I found it a very quiet road which made the long straights even longer. It did run alongside the railway track so there were no major climbs.

Came across a crop today that left me baffled. Perhaps, someone can come to the rescue.

After 50 km I arrived at Culcairn after crossing over the Billabong Creek. Culcairn is regarded as centre of Morgan country after dangerous Dan Morgan, notorious bushranger who roamed these parts in 1860s. The Culcairn Hotel is a heritage site as is the Stationmasters house. I intended stopping here for morning coffee, but all of a sudden all the shops etc were behind me. I decided to wait till Henty, 15 km further on. Anything rather than turn back!

So Henty (68 km) got my business.....coffee and muffin. The Henty Man was originally shaped from a burnt-out tree which was destroyed by natural processes. In 1986 it was decided to restore the Man and it was dedicated to ’the men of the road who, through no fault of their own had to walk the length and breadth of Australia during the Depression to get work. Many of them regained their dignity by defending Australia during WW2. Some never to return while others enjoyed the better days of the 50s and 60s’.

Across from my coffee stop stands the Headlie Taylor Header and Blacksmith Shop. It was all closed up but I got sufficient through the window. The Header was developed here in Henty by Headlie Taylor, a local grower. It had an elevated blade that just cut off the head and thrashed it immediately, leaving the straw standing. It is regarded as the greatest single contribution to the development of the world cereal industry. Modern combine harvesters are still constructed on the same principle. 

Henty has an impressive Field Day coming up the weekend of Sept 17,18,19. Already notices are out on the roads re heavy machinery moving in and out that weekend. Up to 50,000 are expected to attend.

Shortly after coffee at Henty, rain clouds appeared on the horizon to my right. Light rain did fall and I sheltered for a while to let it pass. Later along my route rain returned but wasn’t sufficient to warrant rain gear.

At 90 km I arrived in The Rock. An imposing Rock stands over this settlement....I didn't notice it until I had passed it.

Just at 4pm I arrived in Wagga. Wagga is an Aboriginal word for ’crow’; and Wagga Wagga means a place of many crows. It has a population of 57,000 and is built on the banks of the Murrumbidgee River. It has a great sporting reputation and many national sports heroes are natives of Wagga.

I checked into Room 12 of Club Motel and availed of a welcome hot shower.

Outside later on, I met up with a number of MG enthusiasts for Geelong who are here as part of the Gathering of the Faithful ie. a daly of such cars. Over 100 cars are here for the weekend...a rally tomorrow and a show on Sunday. (These same Geelong people are keen to see Geelong win in the AFL tonight) they had actually spotted me on the road earlier today. ’Are you the cyclist with the yellow panniers that we saw out the road?’

Tonight, I dined Indian and really enjoined the hot spicy fare.

Today was draining with the headwind.....but it could have been a lot worse. Still, I enjoyed it.

Thank God for the health and thank God for the energy.