Nearing Blackall, QLD, Australia
Dawn is breaking bright orange on the horizon outside my tent and I gotta pee, again. I situated my tent so that I would have morning sun to warm me up. It gets vodka at night in the Outback, although last night was the warmest it's been in months...most of the night...gets chilliest closer to dawn. I get up and take my socks off. Don't want to walk through the brush with them on in my sandals or they'll just get all dirty and prickery. Off to take care of business. I have lots of stories I could share on what I've learned on that topic, but not right now. It's morning and I'm sitting in the early sun enjoying a cup of Milo coffee, getting warm. Milo coffee is my own concoction. When visiting people and not wanting caffeine in the evening (before giving it up altogether again, for my heart) they would offer Milo. It's a barley chocolate drink. And quite yummy. And quite popular here. In the morning, I add a bit of instant decaf coffee to it with a bit of sugar. Yum!
I sometimes sit and read or knit or as this morning, write in my blog. I feel quite rushed most days. Gotta get going. Getting nowhere if I'm not pedaling. Feeling guilty. That's really when the fact that Blaze is slower than bicycles bothers me. Not when I'm pedaling and can enjoy the scenery more. Never then.
Time to pack up. There's a ritual. Get dressed first. Same clothes as yesterday. No decisions. Easy peasy. Then run a comb through my hair. Once a day, whether it needs it or not. (I have to remind myself every morning because it's something I forget to do since I never see myself in a mirror.) Stuff my warm sleeping bag in a sac. Stuff both bags into the bottom of the pannier, one wrapping around the other to reduce space, I hope. Then goes my clothes stuff sac. All of this is in a plastic pack liner (covered in duct tape as new rips appear) to keep it cleaner and drier, I hope. Then the plastic is rolled and my toiletries, book and notebook and maps, headlamp, pee jar (which is rinsed with soapy water every morning) in plastic bag, knitting. All the things I need at night. As I think about it, the toiletries bag (for showers) could go some place else, properly, as my toothbrush and stuff used daily are separate. Hmm I'll have to think where else would be good so I don't have to touch it every day. That's the rule. Guess I've slipped on that one. But another rule I have is don't change where you put things because I'll forget where it is. And if I go looking for something and it's not in the first place I looked, where I thought it should be, I put it there when I do find it because that's the first place I looked for it. Yes, things do get lost in this small space.
Meanwhile I've been making a pile of my bum bag, camera case, solar panel, anything that doesn't get packed. Next I pack my rear stuff sac with my camp chair, air mattress, sleep sac, fleece, rain jacket, and exercise strap. There are other things in there that never came out: town or other season clothes, backpack, art supplies, extra maps for other areas of Australia than where I am, hiking sandals, tent stuff sac that I don't use...and maybe one or two other things I can't remember:).
Out of the tent. Hang panniers on trike. The other pannier is solely food. Usually odds and ends of things like pasta, ramen, quinoa, lentils, spices, nearly empty jam and peanut butter jars, and whatever's left from the last grocery stop. I carry a lot of food. Always worried I'll get stranded with stores closed or something goes wrong. Always more than I need. So hard to plan. Have I told ya how much I hate planning? Well I do!
Down comes the tent. I load the large stuff sack, hiking pole, and tent on the top of the rack. The two waterproof panniers are on rack. I have two large pods that hang off the seat. One has 2 stoves and fuel (petrol for Muka stove and gas canister for Pocket Rocket that I use in morning...overkill to be sure, but I never know...) and my water bladder. The other pod has repair kits for me and my gear and the trike, as well as all the cables, plug converters, extension cord for my electronics, and bug net, suntan lotion, bike pump, cables and ties for transporting Blaze.
I hang my 3 liter water bottle to one of the flag posts; tie my pee rag to the back of the seat; tie my sac of night water bottle, eating dish with utensils and lid, and the days snacks and vitamins to a flag post, and tie on my trash bag. Then brush my teeth. Done. One last "stupid check" to see what I've left on the ground...after I've pushed Blaze away a bit...and we're off! Another day on the road. And my heart starts to sing!
It's now the next morning and I'm in a campground. There's good and bad with civilization: yes, I had a hot shower and power and people, but also street lights and barking dogs and roosters crowing...and I can't see the sunset or the sunrise:(.
I'll describe yesterday's ride, as best I remember it. The terrain is fairly flat, with undulations. Dusty pastures, scattered scrubby brush. A drought. The mornings have road trains and grey nomads. Then I find the road gets quiet. That's when I like it best. Then my mind starts to work. Hmm. Got this hike coming up. Yup the plan is to get to Longreach (about 200 kms away) then fly to Brisbane, spend a few days touring there, then fly to Perth where I'll store Blaze and extra gear and go hike the longest Australian track, the Bibbulmun Track. It's 1000 kms (600 miles) from outside Perth down to the southern coast at Albany. Much like the Appalachian Trail with shelters all along the way.
So while pedaling, I'm thinking about things like what can I be eating that weighs nothing and is healthy, not junk...nada...nothing. How can I carry so little that it all fits into this large day pack I have with me and used on the Camino and Kepler? What do I need to pack? I need to repair my pack because it's tearing from carrying too much weight. As I thing new things, new ideas, new to-do's, I stop and write them on the list on my phone.
Then I think about getting a flight out of Longreach. Don't want to book until I know they'll take the bike. These are small planes. I decide to go to the airport with it unloaded and ask. I think with it left unfolded, but the seat removed it would fit through any cargo door and I think they'll be helpful. It's the Outback, for crying out loud. Everybody helps everybody out here!!
I think about where to stay in Brisbane and what I want/need to do there. Warmshowers? Hostel? Near airport? In city? When should I book flight to Perth. When should I book it for? Decisions! Decisions!
I think about what I need to toss from my gear to get it ready to fly. All the food stuff. Anything else? What about that blood pressure monitor? Do you really need to keep that? Pressure's still up. Oh well. Maybe hiking will be good for it? Hmmm? Then I probably want to check it when I finish hiking. Give it up. It'll be what it will be. And you're not doing anything more about it out here. Tried all your old tricks and they haven't helped. Ignore it now. That sometimes fixes things:)
And on and on. I think about coming back to the States and try to figure out what I would do there. Do I come back for the winter and get my thumbs operated on? The basil joints are getting worse and worse. Quite inflamed. I wouldn't want to do they surgery in summer. Is it bad enough she would do it now? What's the criteria for surgery? I have two friends that have had it done. I should write them and ask. There must be a million other things flying through too. Oh, look at that eagle flying overhead! It's checking me out!! And watch out for the dead kangaroo. Oh the smell of the Outback is rotting meat. Yuck! Then I just stare across the expanse and feel the wonder of it all. Feel it in my core where there are no words.
Then I think about how far it is to Blackall, 35 kms. What time will I get there. Are there any campgrounds? Do I want to stay in a campground? I stop and check WikiCamps. Yup. Expensive. $25 for a tent site. Camp dinner for $23. They sounds fun. Why not check it out. No rush today. I like that. The Outback is winding down too fast. Only 4 more cycling days:( I'm not ready for the city again. But it's getting hot out here, so it's time to leave. The heat will be unbearable. Then I think that I shouldn't have stayed 3 weeks in Toowoomba. Guilt. Shoulda pushed on. But it was fun. A great break. Wonderful family. Kids to play with. Nope it was right. This is right. New things are a-coming!
I'm hungry. 10:30. Time for breakfast. Pull to roadside, in ditch. Lay hi viz jacket on ground for sit cloth. Get out apple half, peanut butter, tortillas, raisins and nuts. Makes a great breakfast wrap.
And away I go again. Until I see a rest stop where I can pull in for lunch around 12:30. There's a campervan that's just pulled in ahead of me. And a lady hops out. "Crazy lady!" Or something like that, she says. And that's how I meet Karaleen and Glenith (I think) from Perth. Such fun sharing stories. They told me I can get a stagecoach ride in Longreach. I'm doing that!! I got contact info so we can connect up in Perth after my hike. They probably won't be back before I start walking. After an hour and a half break, no hurry today, I pedal off.
And run into a mob of cattle and horses grazing "the long paddock". Because of the drought up north, some ranchers are having to take their cattle to graze the wide sides of the road. They have to keep them moving, about 10 kms a day. And they stay out here indefinitely. It was wild! Cows and horses wandering on each side of the road, crossing over. Cars and trucks slowly creeping through the mob.
And then I come into town:
Tambo entrance.
Tambo Public Library
Blackall hotel.
My day usually ends with me looking for a bush campsite. I like to find a side road I can go up a bit to get away from the noise of the road trains. I start looking about 5 pm now with it not getting dark until after 6. That's a relief.
So I pull up and set up my tent. I need to find a spot with dirt not pokers that could prick through my tent or clumps of dried grass. It's not easy out here finding a spot, that's for sure. If there are trees around I try and figure where the dun will set and rise so I can maximize its warmth. That's always a guess too. After it's up, I crawl in and check again for anything that could puncture my sir mattress and remove it. Then I unpack Blaze putting everything inside that I'll need for the night and getting out my chair. Ahhh! Funny how it feels good to sit down after fitting all day. But I'm not pedaling! I usually read a bit just to unwind. Now that it's lighter, longer, I usually do a quick wash up with a cup of water and my bandana, just to rinse off the grime and dust from the day. Then I change into my long johns for sleeping. Refreshed and warm as the day is cooling.
Then I start some dinner.
Veggies mostly. Either a cold salad or a stir fry over pasta or polenta. Simple. Tasty. My salads have egg and avocado and feta cheese mixed with chopped whatever I have on hand. A bit of olive oil and a squeeze of lemon, some salt...oh, my mouth is watering now! My favorite supper!
If it's warm I sit outside a bit and watch the stars come out. It's so dark. And so quiet. And I'm so happy.
Then I crawl in, inflate my air mattress, put it in a silk sleeping sac, stuff my pillow case with one sleeping bag, fluff the other one over me, and grab my book to read or play games on my phone. And rest. And sleep 10+ hours!
Livin' the life!
BagLady
