This was the section in 2019 that caused us pretty much all the trouble, so there was a little bit of apprehension heading into this section. Everyone's hopes were for a trouble-free run this time. Fingers were crossed.
Day 6 - Burra to Hallett
I think there was a feeling of anxiety over the camp as we prepared to head out from Burra. In 2019, this was THE section that pretty much defined the ride. With no rain forecast, it was likely that we would have a good run through the day. Even so, the memories of that day are burned in peoples minds quite deeply.
The day started with a spectacular sunrise. Then again, so did this day in 2019. Hopefully this wasn't some sort of bad omen.
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| Not a bad way to start the day. |
On the way out of Burra we stopped to take photos of the old Burra prison and then later, as is tradition, there was a stop for photos at the Midnight Oil house on the outskirts of Burra. From there it was reasonably smooth sailing for the rest of the day.
Between V and myself there was a lot of chatter along the lines of "I remember trying to walk along here". We stopped to 'recreate' a photo that we took in 2019 at one of the creeks also. Perhaps the demons of this section are purged? Hopefully.
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| Quite a difference compared to 2019 |
This day is the first real taste of remoteness in the ride. If you manage to time things well it's entirely possible to be riding on a stretch of road and not see anyone else in front or behind. Sweeping corners followed by wide vistas extending out to New South Wales at Dares Hill summit.
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| Enjoying the views at Dares Hill Summit |
The entire day was pretty damn awesome to be honest. It was a section that I had really wanted to re-do in 2019 and was denied. This time, everything went super smoothly. We were able to take our time and really appreciate the surroundings.
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| Dusty approach to Hallett |
It was interesting chatting to others who had been on the 2019 Odyssey, and hearing their comments about how they felt riding through there. All of them seemed to mirror our feelings of fear and anxiety, with one referring to PTSD, which sounded like a fair assessment. This time however, we all got in safely and were able to breathe a big sigh of relief.
During dinner in Hallett, V (once again) won the raffle! Woo Hoo!
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| Winners are grinners! |
Day 7 - Hallett to Spalding
Headwinds! Headwinds were the order of the day. In an area where the horizon is dominated by wind farms, I guess you need to prepare yourself for the occasional breeze.
There was some tough going here. The day overall may have been quite short at 45km, but the effort level required in some places was right up there. We were effectively doing a slow-motion pace line in some sections.
The day was broken up with a detour to a ruin that was just off the road as it seemed like a nice spot to take some photos.
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| Ruin which caught many people's attention |
We approached Spalding via a long downhill run with the wind in our back, and then a short section of the channel system that directs water to the nearby reservoir. This is a nice way to end the day.
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| Fun and smiles on the Mawson with V and Tarn |
We arrived in Spalding to be greeted by lunch, which was a baked potato and cake. The rest of the afternoon was spent lounging about and generally relaxing.
Day 8 - Spalding to Laura
We left Spalding via a much longer section of the channel system that we were travelling on yesterday. It must be said, this is quite a relaxing way to start the day.
There were quite a number of photo stops during the day, including at the historic aquaduct. I think we've stopped to take photos of it each time we've passed by. For a piece of infrastructure, it certainly is photogenic!
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| Historic aquaduct |
Rain was threatening to ruin our fun for most of the day with dark clouds seemingly following us along the route. Aside from a few spots here and there, we fortunately arrived in Laura mostly dry. It wasn't all smooth sailing however, as the run into Laura treated us to a 'nice' headwind. That seems to be the theme of this Odyssey edition!
Day 9 - Laura to Melrose
With a rest day on the horizon and a warm and cozy cabin waiting for us at the end of the day, we were fairly keen to get under way. There had been a slight fog in the morning, as well of a chill in the air so we were fairy rugged up against the elements.
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| Leaving Laura. A bit cold for my liking. |
Leaving Laura we took the nice rail trail that runs parallel to the highway. A nice gentle way to start the day. V had a small concern with her knee, so we tended to back off the pace and effort a little where we could so that we weren't stressing things out too much. The last thing we want is a busted knee.
Exiting the rail trail we started heading through Wirrabarra Forest towards our morning tea stop. The run through the forest is amazing. A few rocky and rutted climbs, some fast sweeping downhills; tree-lined for almost the duration. A beautiful bit of the Mawson. Arriving at morning tea we were a little disappointed to see the usual area was unavailable, due to work works going on but we were under some nice trees, so we were all happy, sitting on some logs, munching on our cakes and biscuits.
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| Fun times riding through Wirrabarra Forest |
Rolling out of the forest we were looking forward to the lunch stop. Last time the Laura community went all out for us and the roadside lunch was something else. On arrival .. wow.. Road-side barbecue chicken and potato with salad, wrapped in pita and a collection of cakes and biscuits that wouldn't look out of place at a bake sale. We were truly spoilt. I may have had seconds. :)
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| Our destination for the day, Mt Remarkable, in the background. |
The run from lunch, especially with a full stomach was a bit of an ordeal, but we got there. The undulating nature of the roads certainly tends to test your patience, but we always look forward to bombing down the descent into Melrose. Such a great way to end thee days riding.
We got to our cabin (a 6 bed bunk room!) and somehow negotiated all the laundry related politics to get our washing done.
Dinner was a delicious veg soup, marinated chicken with an assortment of salads and a crumble for dessert. The nice woman serving me felt that I looked hungry and gave me extra chicken, which was much appreciated.
Day 10 - Rest day in Melrose
I had hoped that I could get out for a bit of a spin on the rest day on the easy trails at the base of Mt Remarkable.
The rain had set in over the morning, so things were looking a little ordinary, however I figured that I could get out for a quick spin in the wet weather gear. Everything started off great. Wet, but great nevertheless. Until I hit a big patch of sticky mud. Fear the mud! So I changed course a little, and that's where things went a little bit askew. I got a fraction lost and spent a bit of time trying to work out how to get out of my self-made predicament and back to safety. Eventually I got back, perhaps a little worse for wear.
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| Sorry Lynskey :'( |
The bike was given a decent wash and going over on my return, and is hopefully ready for the final leg of the Mawson Trail. With some good fortune, my shoes will also be sufficiently dry by morning, or else I may be in for a damp ride tomorrow.
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