Day 17 wild camp to Injune 86 km

Cold morning - 1 degree when I hop on the bike just after 7:00 am. Sun is breaking through the trees so I am looking forward to my fingers and toes thawing out.

Immediately there are hills to climb, I pass through an area of rocky escarpments, I am in the Carnarvon Range. The air is heavy and my legs feel like lead. I was hoping to get through the range before the wind picks up. After 2 hours I have only done 16 km, it is a struggle.

It was a lot steeper than the photos appears

At one point the roads climbs steeply through a cutting, there is very little room between the road and the rock sides of the cutting. The channel beside the road is full of the shattered bones of cattle that have wandered into cutting and been mown down by road trains. Fortunately I make it through the 2 km cutting without any trucks having to dodge around me.

The rest of the morning is rolling hills into the wind. I take a break at 40 km - the food bag offers little joy. I finish the biscuits and drink a bottle of water. I'm almost halfway to Injune. I plan to ride another 20 km and the take another break.

Another 10 km of slogging when for no obvious reason I am suddenly in the groove. I do another 15 km before stopping for lunch. I'm not hungry but I am I need a break. I set up my chair by the road at the top of a hill. A few truckies blow their horn as they pass. I think there are some who have seen me multiple times now as they are back and forward on this road on a regular route.

I check the GPS, 14 km to Injune, the wind is settling down and it is mostly downhill.
I roll into Injune at 3:00 pm and head straight to the supermarket to stock up the food bag. Mainly snacks as for the next week I will be in towns everyday.

My room was the last one on the left upstairs

As I head for the caravan park I see the pub has budget accommodation - $50 for a basic room. Bathroom down the corridor. I'm sold - no need to unpack a tent and I can charge all my electric devices.

The room is basic and the bathroom is from the 1950s - showering though was magic - the water pressure was great. This area is in severe drought so I limit my time reluctantly. All day long I have been passing drought stressed paddocks and trees. Even the bottle trees here in town appear to be struggling.

In the bar there is a tame parrot, when I had my 1st drink it was walking along the bar. Later it was on one of it's perches above the bar.

Bangers and mash for dinner. Watching the news I discover the Southern Downs where I am is experiencing unusually hot weather for this early in September - more than 10 degrees above the average. It was 33 in Injune today. No wonder I was suffering on the road. More hot weather predicted for the rest of the week too.