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All funds raised during my ride across Australia went to either the Australian or New Zealand Heart Foundation depending on the donor’s wish.
It was a thrill to be named Best Individual Fund-raiser for 2011 by the Queensland Branch of the Australian Heart Foundation.
Special thanks to EVERYONE who supported my ride.
It was a thrill to be named Best Individual Fund-raiser for 2011 by the Queensland Branch of the Australian Heart Foundation.
Special thanks to EVERYONE who supported my ride.
Day 35 - May 4th, 2011
Narrabri (NSW) to Moree (NSW)
100.8 kms.
Narrabri (NSW) to Moree (NSW)
100.8 kms.
DAILY PREVIEW:-
Heading pretty much due north today up the Newell Highway - 39. A few ups and downs indicated in the elevation graph - but looks good with the end part of the day pretty much downhill!!
Moree tonight - a town that is twin-towned with Te Awamutu in New Zealand. That's where my horses are in New Zealand!!
It is located on the banks of the Mehi River in the centre of the rich black-soil plains.
Moree is a major agricultural centre. It is noted for its part in the Australian cotton growing industry which was established there in the early 1960s. The town is located at the junction of the Newell Highway and Gwydir Highway and can be reached by daily train and air services from Sydney. Like many towns and cities in Australia, Moree shares its name with a much smaller community in Northern Ireland Moree County Tyrone. Moree is home to artesian hot spring baths which are famous for their reputed healing qualities and was a focal point of 'freedom-ride' protests against racial segregation in the 1960s.
Heading pretty much due north today up the Newell Highway - 39. A few ups and downs indicated in the elevation graph - but looks good with the end part of the day pretty much downhill!!
Moree tonight - a town that is twin-towned with Te Awamutu in New Zealand. That's where my horses are in New Zealand!!
It is located on the banks of the Mehi River in the centre of the rich black-soil plains.
Moree is a major agricultural centre. It is noted for its part in the Australian cotton growing industry which was established there in the early 1960s. The town is located at the junction of the Newell Highway and Gwydir Highway and can be reached by daily train and air services from Sydney. Like many towns and cities in Australia, Moree shares its name with a much smaller community in Northern Ireland Moree County Tyrone. Moree is home to artesian hot spring baths which are famous for their reputed healing qualities and was a focal point of 'freedom-ride' protests against racial segregation in the 1960s.
Narrabri to Moree
Distance travelled:- 100.80kms
Highest speed:- 51.20 kph
Average speed:- 25.10 kph
Nice fine day even though rather crisp first thing – sub 10 degrees is definitely crisp to me!! Got out on the road (on my new tyre configuration) in good time which was pleasing as I thought with only 100 kms to go today, I could get a reasonably early finish!!
For those of you who are sick to death of me moaning about the roads here – I am delighted to be able to have some words of praise today!!! As a cyclist, it thrilled me to have a nice wide “shoulder”. – It probably thrilled all other motorists on this stretch of road today as well!!!!
The tail wind was great, as well as making pedalling easier, it seemed to negate the wind “vacuum” caused when the road trains whoosh by – and to a cyclist – any reduction in that is great!!
I loved the scenery – to my right, in the distance, I could see a range of high hills – I guess part of the Great Dividing Range - they looked fantastic – really fantastic – absolutely fantastic - cos I wasn’t going towards them and having to cross them!
To my left were these vast paddocks – HUGE paddocks, so huge I couldn’t see where they ended. The crop had been harvested for the year – now what that crop might have been is a bit of a mystery to me. A lot of it must have been cotton as along the roadside there was white, cotton wool like “Bolls” that must have flown off the harvester. I thought if I fell off to the left, I would have a nice soft landing.
But, also along the side of the road, were some of my second favourite flower – the sunflower. I suppose I should say “sunflower-like” as I am sure they are from some commercially harvested crop – but anyway, to me, they looked like sunflowers!! They are such a happy looking flower!!!! These roadside ones more so than normal, - I feel they have “escaped” from the fields, missed out on the harvester beating them, and the plough “ploughing” them – they are the lucky ones!!!!
A couple of small stops along the way – Bellata, Gurley and then lunch at a rest place with only 15 kms to go!! Yippppeeee!! At the lunch stop there was a particularly friendly, dapper little bird who sat on the table next to us. He had a very distinct “whistle” – Pat started imitating him, and it appeared they were having a great conversation. When a locust flew by, he deftly caught it, and proceeded to eat it, ripping off its wings and limbs with great dexterity – in preference to the Molenberg we had tried feeding him!!
I had to break up the party to move on – the lure of “spa baths” at the caravan park we had chosen in Moree was beginning to sound better and better. Too long a rest these days and it takes a while longer to "warm up" again when I get back on the bike!
The approaches to Moree indicate a thriving agricultural town, cotton “gins” and HUGE grain storage silo’s and much lower type storage methods that they seem to use a lot as well.
The Caravan Park was on the southern approaches – and the spa pools are FANTASTIC!!! We were very lucky to get a spot in the huge camp as there is a “Veteran’s Golf Tournament” on, so the town is pretty much booked out!!
First call for me were the pools – a beautiful complex with pools ranging thru 34, 35, 36, 37, 38 and 39 degrees C. That felt so good on the poor old legs!!!! A bikers sun-tan in swimming togs though is definitely not a good look!!
The camp noticeboard advertised a “wine tasting” at 5:00 pm – so we were attracted to that. The wine was not that great, but meeting many of the veteran golfers was worth the $5 fee!! Following the “tasting, it was a lovely chance to chat, enjoy our wine of choice, have dinner, compare notes, and enjoy Morish nuts!!!
A very pleasant way to end the day!!!! I really feel in “countdown” mode now. It is “only” about 500 kms to go – seems so close now!!!!
Today ends the 5th week of my riding - and I completed 628.72 kms for the week over 6 riding days, so averaged 104.79 kms per day. My total so far for the trip stands at 3987.16!!
 Bike shop sign in Moree - now that would make for a quicker trip across Australia!! |
 Pool complex at Moree |
 Pool complex Moree |
 Jucy stopped at Moree. |
Jack and Jill were riding a tandem up a hill, but making heavy weather of it. At the top, Jack said: I didn’t think we'd make it! Jill replied, Nor did I – what a good thing I kept the brakes on, or we'd have slid all the way back down!