Day 982 Friday 21st June
Waking as the early morning light turned the tent inner fabric from grey to orange we made a venture, for us, into porridge!! Peter and Kay had told us how to make non messy hot oats for breakfast, using powdered milk. Sounds like rocket science but it just takes advise or imagination. Oats and tea consumed we headed out.
The road was tree lined, flat and wide open to the horizons. Not desert but may have as well been. The towns we passed through were small but not really offering and reason to stop other than for a warming coffee and maybe a fat boy pie.
Arriving at our planned camp nice and early at two thirty we looked about at the gravel surface and little all else. Diane said about a camp a few clicks away. The camp was ideal being next to a river, heaps of fire wood lying around, iron briaa sites and green grass to pitch a tent on.
As supper was done we set a fire and a Dutch couple from Tasmania joined us for a warm by the raging fire. We talked of places where we had been and where we should go. When the fire was done and the chill had set into our bones we made a warm nest amongst our sleeping bags and mats.
Day 982 Friday 21st June
Thirty km north of Jerilderie we made our best free camp of the trip. It was no more than a truck stop with toilets. With heaps of wood we made another fire and as our supper cooked the fire kept the chill from our bones. Being not close to water meant the morning was not soaked with dew.
Day 983 Saturday 22nd June
Taking a slow start to the day we emerged from the tent as the sun warmed the air. Getting the fire going again we made hot oats and packed our gear for the last leg of the journey to Jack and Dot’s in Melbourne. Sat around the fire made the start to the day special as the total bans in the north had stopped us from having them.
As Melbourne drew closer the road got increasingly busier, even for a Sunday. It may just have been that we have spent so long in the less populated areas, wits and reaction to the other road users had to be sharpened. Using the GPS for the last ten clicks ensured that we did not make too many wrong turns.
I rode passed Jack and Dots home and watched in my mirrors Diane turn on to their drive, as Jack waved his arms at me! Executing a swift ‘U’ turn I eventually rode through their garage doors.
With a warm welcome and a cold beer we caught up about what we all had done since Pine Creek.
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