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