Day 35 Numurkah to Seymour 117 km and home 12 km

Traction Engines - Numurkah 

Steam Engine - Numurkah

With the low pressure front forecast to hit the area around 11:00 am I wanted to get as many kilometres done as I could before the change. I was riding from 6:20 am under grey cloudy sky. The wind had settled down but the breeze was still helpful as I rode out of town towards Shepparton.  I passed through Tallygaroopna, Wunghu and Congulpna in covering 35 km before breakfast.

Water Tower in Wunghnu - Pronounced One Ewe

Coffee and a croissant in Shepparton - no photos of cows this time. The sky was getting darker and the wind more gusty so I didn't hang around .

Another 66 km to Nagambie, a town I have visited often in the last 10 years. Just as I hit town it started to rain so I quickly took shelter in a cafe. The pot of tea was supposed to be a 2 cup job - turned out to be 2 thimbles. Very disappointing. The lake was grey and windy - not kayaking weather

There was a display of veteran cars in Nagambie

Lake Nagambie

The temperature had dropped 5 degrees while I was in the cafe so I put my jacket and gloves and set off in the rain. Fortunately the rain was slackening and the wind was still helpful. The road was wet and there were some puddles to dodge around but generally it was still easy riding.

Canola crops contrasting with the grey skies

Just before the Hume Freeway entrance I stopped in the Taungarung Rest Stop. I tried to get a cup of tea from the food truck but they had run out of teabags. As I had plenty of teabags I gave them mine and got a cup of tea and $5. I also got some advice about potential ways of getting to Melbourne from Seymour.

On the VLine train to Southern Cross Station

In the end I opted to hop on the VLine train. Riding on the Hume Freeway wasn't an option. The other choices involved riding through the hills to the northern suburbs or riding via Yea and Yarra Glen to Lilydale. That would have meant at least 1 or 2 more nights away from home with variable weather forecast. Getting the train from Seymour meant I was home before i ran out of clean underwear!

After arriving at Southern Cross Station I rode the rest of the way home. It felt strange riding along the Yarra bank and down familiar roads. All of a sudden my adventure was over.

Summary of my journey

Map showing the route I took from Cairns to Seymour

35 days including 3 rest days. 2835 kilometres cycled in 3 states. Average 88 kilometres a day

Day 34 Jerilderie to Numurkah 102 km

The wind continued to blow all night and was still from the north east. I packed up and exited the caravan park before anyone else was awake.

 A quick stop at the bakery and then on the road to Finley. 35 km done before 9:30 am. Stopped for a pot of tea - excellent 3 cup pot! Took the opportunity to have a chat with Lisa and my sister Anne on the phone.

Back on the road for another 25 km to Tocumwal. It went quickly - I stopped for another break. I bought some fruit and headed to park by the Murray River opposite where Simon, Tony and I camped when we paddled our kayaks through in 2015.

I was puzzled by the Air Force theme on this sign. I discovered later that the town has an airshow and is a center for gliding

Murray River. Simon, Tony and I camped on the opposite bank when we paddled through here  

While I was there I had a chat with Laurie a retired taxi driver. He used to drive for Dandenong Taxis and his father worked at Dandenong Saleyards. My 1st full time job was in Dandenong in 1979 and most of the last 16 years was also working in Dandenong so we had a lot in common.

Shortly after Laurie I met 2 woman who were interested in my journey. One of women has a son who has just completed riding from Melbourne to the top of Scotland. It took 2 years and he went via China, "the Stans", Georgia, Turkey and Greece. Apparently he like me is more wary of grey nomads on the road than trucks.

Big Strawberry at Koonoomoo

After an hour of chatting I was back on the road but not for long. Across the river and into Victoria - 12 km down the track I was at the Big Strawberry at Koonoomoo. Hard to resist a strawberry milkshake particularly as it was 30 degrees. Also an opportunity for another chat - this time a local lady and we had a good natter about everything.

Time to get serious. It was only 1:00 pm and I had already covered 58 km - where to next? Numurkah was another 46 km and the wind was blowing in the right direction. I rolled into Numurkah at 3:30 pm and decided it was far enough. I seemed to have cycled all around this area on various GVBRs but never been here before.

Irrigation wheel on display in middle of a roundabout in Numurkah

lake in Numurkah

Originally surveyed in 1895 it was the centre of the largest soldier settlement program in 1947. It is an irrigation area using water diverted at Mulwala.

Another pub room so I can watch the footy final tonight. This time $35 with a TV.

550 km in the 5 days - approx 220 km to Melbourne. Of course being Melbourne the weather is an issue - 30 degrees and sunny today - next few days cold and rainy.

Day 33 Narrandera to Jerilderie 107 km

foundation in park off the main street in Jerilderie

Someone was vacuuming in the pub at 5:00 am. Not long after other guests were packing up loudly and leaving via the back door. I lay in bed until 5:50 am before getting up. My legs felt stiff and I resolved that I would take it easy today even though it is 105 km to Jerilderie.

Outside it was already 16 degrees so no need of the jacket this morning. There was a cafe close by the pub and it provided coffee and breakfast.

A quick spin around town including chatting to a local who told me of his dispute with a local stock and station agent. Apparently the agent had sold land that he kept his farm machinery on while he was in hospital and he hadn't been able to remove the equipment. Now it is gone and he wants compensation.

Murrumbidgee River

Out of town across the Murrumbidgee river - I've seen where the  Murrumbidgee joins the Murray- this is a river to paddle the kayaks down!

Hurrah! Tailwind - blowing East North East. Sitting on 25 kph comfortably powering along. After 30 km I turn into Morundah looking for a cup of tea. Only a pub here so I set up in the park and make tea on my stove.

not one of the Shepparton cows

Sculptures in park at Morundah

While I am there a truck pulls up with agricultural machinery on the back. I chat with the driver - he and his offsider are spreading fertiliser on a local crop field. He has 2 days to complete the job but the wind is giving him problems.

Back on the road the wind continues to blow me along - I am fortunate to have this wind on this stretch, it is just one big open plain all day. It would have been a long day if the wind was going the other way. The forecast is for 2 more days of northerlies which should help get me close to home.

Lunch is at a lovely Rest Stop at Goonung. I set up in a picnic shelter, boil water for soup and eat my sandwiches. I read a book and relax for an hour. I only have 40 km more to do with this wind I can relax and enjoy a good break.

90 minutes later I rock into Jerilderie and stop and have a chat to a bloke (Lindsay) sitting outside the bakery. He is also a cyclist and has ridden the Munda Biddi Trail in WA. It is on my "to do" list. He is staying in the caravan park - it seems the best option for me too. I head there and get an unpowered site with power. It is actually a powered site but I was only charged for the unpowered rate. It is in a nice quiet corner.

Nice to get set up early as the tent was still a little damp from the rain at Forbes 3 days ago. I enjoyed sitting in the afternoon sunshine relaxing.

I'm 330 km from Melbourne via the most direct route - as that includes the Hume Freeway i will have to go another way.

Day 32 West Wyalong to Narrandera 137 km

DC3 in park in West Wyalong

War Memorial - West Wyalong

truck unloading sheep at salesyards in West Wyalong

Started the day with a nice chat to Lisa as she drove to work for a morning shift. Sadly it turned out she was on an evening shift so she hadn't needed to get up early.
I was the beneficiary as I got to catch up while packing up.

I was on the way out of town at 7:30 am still marvelling at what a nice town it was and how I had failed to pass through it last year. It is so easy to bypass places when you are in a car. The lesson for me is that sometimes it is worthwhile making the effort to not bypass. So it turned out for me today.

My aim was to get to Narrandera 135 km down the road. This would be the longest day of this trip. As I wasn't able to get a gas canister for my stove yesterday I don't want to camp by the side of the road tonight.

A lovely sunny morning with an easterly breeze, about 6 degrees when I started but it wasn't long before it 20 degrees. I bought 2 rounds of sandwiches at the bakery to take for lunch. I ate 1 round at 10:00 am after 40 km washing it down with water.

Mirroul Pub - closed and "for sale"

4 km later I saw signs for the little village of Mirroul (Population 21). As it was just off the highway I diverted to take a look. The pub looked great however it closed and up for sale. Free camping nearby but without a pub and/or general store it won't get many takers.

Back on the highway it was only another 12 km to a BP Roadhouse. Lisa and I stopped there last year for tea and coffee and were unimpressed. This time I stopped for a drink and a toasted sandwich. It was much improved.

Sculptures in Ardlethan park. Probably by the same sculptor as Mirroul

Not much further I detoured to visit Ardlethan. By now I had covered 65 km and it had warmed up so I wanted to change from long cycling tights to shorts. Ardlethan is 2 km from the Newell - well worth the effort. Some nice sculptures in the park opposite the shops.

I had a chat with a local who said he had seen on Facebook that there was cyclist coming through from West Wyalong today. Apparently some of the local truckies have been following my progress down the Newell. There is a Newell Highway Facebook group but it's membership is limited to participants in the transport industry. I have noticed that more trucks are tooting me so perhaps that is the reason.

After Ardlethan I still had 70 km to go and it was already 1:00 pm - fortunately it had been fairly easy riding so far. The scenery was pleasant too - ripening fields of canola had started to appear and it was clear this region has had recent rain. The road reserve was lush and green and the crop fields looked quite healthy for the most part.

After 110 km I was beginning to feel weary when I saw signs for a turnoff to Grong Grong. I diverted and found a General Store where I got a big cup of tea and a cup cake. While I was there a young woman was collecting some parcels for a Grong Grong Earth Park - some sort of hippy outfit. She was trying to get the shopkeeper to come for dinner. I was hoping for an invitation too but struck out there - pretty sure I wasn't her sort in any case.

Refreshed from the cup tea I rode the remaining kilometres to Narrandera. Probably my second or third longest day ever.

Managed to get a gas canister in the Mitre 10 and scored a $40 pub room in the Murrumbidgee Hotel.

Murrumbidgee Hotel - there are likely to be better options

Main St in Narranderra is decoratively lit at night

I should explain that I like pub rooms because they are cheap and save me having to set up and pack up my tent. They are also a lottery - sometimes you get really nice rooms and facilities in well renovated historic buildings and other times... let's just say $40 was overpriced for this room. I'm not complaining it has the basics and I will sleep well but I don't think this room has had much done to it since the pub was built in 1901.

440 km left to Melbourne