Whoah yeah, it is cold this morning! Hard to get out of bed. But Will did some crazy mans sit ups and push ups in the tent, in his sleeping bag, then dressed and got out to resurrect the fire. It was a great fire last night, and we enjoyed sitting watching it and the cute family of possums in the tree next to us.
I warmed myself by packing up all the sleeping gear, and then finally dragged myself out of the tent. By his time, Will had offer and porridge ready for me. Mmmm, nice warm stuff. Then to the wet tent, we'd had a couple of small showers overnight, there was no hope of getting the fly dry, but the rest was ok. So pack it anyway, and hope we can get it dry later on.
After a quick discussion on our route out of here, to Wickepin, we agreed to hand it over to Davo GPS, for a go. And wouldn't you know it, at first he tried to send us on a doubtful track, but we ignored him, and he just shook it off and delivered us a most beautiful ride through the Dryandra Forest. Wow! It was dirt, but good, firm, wide road, with no traffic. The bush was gorgeous, the sun shone (but it was still pretty cold), and the wildflowers are just starting to blossom.
Almost as good as sealed road, this bit. Nice a hard. No mud!
Such a great area, you should get out here. It's cold, but nice.
Check out these weird flowers. Cool!
We had a brief stop at the Dryandra Arboretum, where they have planted many different species of Eucalypts, Mallets, Acacias and ones I can't remember. They used to harvest the bark from the Mallet for the tannins, which they used in tanning, in the 1900's. They replanted, over 10,000 acres, in the 1950's and 60's. It was very pretty bush.
We were going uphill a lot, with one good down hill run. I went first, so paparazzi man could get his shot. Then I thought I would Gary GoPRo Will coming around the bend at speed, but as Gary is on the front of my bike, I had to try and turn around quick on the gravel, and well.....no, people, I did not crash again, I was just too slow. Bummer!
No silly buggers on this bit, I don't need to break any speed records right now.
We passed by the Dryandra settlement, which is now a bit like Donelly Mill and has cottages for holiday rent, and tourist information. Then we had a really big climb, before a steady run to the Wandering/Narrogin road. No shoulder, but a nice ride with bugger all traffic. It wasn't long before we reached the Cuballing road, with only 11kms to town, and the rain closing in on us. So heads down people, and push your Fat Betty up those hills.
G'day folks, how's it goin'? Silly old bugger has lost his head...
Turning left are we Jen? Soon is it?
Hurry Jen, the rain is coming, pedal, pedal, pedal!
I was tiring, all that dirt and hills, but Will, he was getting wet for no one. He was powering away from me, and I had no hope. With only two or three kays to town, it started to spit, so as I was cresting the last hill, I reached to the back with my right arm, steered with the left, to get my rain jacket and attempt to put it on, all the while watching Will get further away. Then, he was out of sight around a bend. I pedalled like mad down the hill, the last kilometre into town and finally spotted Will again, turning right to the Cuballing Tavern. The rain was just starting to fall properly as we got under the veranda.
Aah, saved by the tavern.... Is it open Jen? Nope, not for 3 hours....argh!
"Thanks for waiting?" I say. "I didn't want to get wet!"
"I thought you said we always stay together?" I reply. "Yeah, but it was raining and It's ever man for himself." We both laugh, so it just takes a bit of rain, a couple kays to a town, and I'm forgotten....he forgets I carry the Minties.
Well we'd beaten the rain, but the pub opened at 12:00pm every day, except Monday's, today is Monday, and it opens at 3:00pm. It is 11:50am. Bugger!
So it rained and rained, and the temperature dropped and dropped. It was freezing! We ate some ham and Sundried Tomato corn thins, drank some coffee, and waited on the verandah. After two hours, we'd put more clothes on, and were freezing, so rang the pub we were out front of, (we could hear them inside) and booked a room. They invited us out the back for a coffee, while we waited for them to open, which was awesome, as it was out of the wind, and nice conversation.
Nope, not going anywhere in that. Hope tomorrow is nicer.
So we met some really nice locals, had a nice hot shower and a hot meal, then went to bed early. The cold is really energy draining. Karen and Brian, the owners of the pub for ten years now, we're great people, and left us at their pub overnight, to sort out our own brekkie (which was included in the price of the room, cheap) and see ourselves out. Great country people, trusting and helpful. The Cuballing Tavern is worth a stop, stay and definitely a meal. Thanks so much guys, you saved two freezing cyclists.
It's going to be colder tomorrow....all the farmers said so! Aaargh!
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