stats.
Today	5km
Trip	117km

There was little to do all day except walk around town and look at the floods. Some of our more quick-witted friends ignored the BNSW organisers, arranged to have their bags taken in a van, and rode the 100+ km straight down the highway to Newcastle. Others, who had friends in the area, arranged to be picked up and taken there in cars. The rest of us sat around wondering what miracle of logistics was going to occur that would take over a thousand wet and pissed off cyclists, their luggage and their bikes, away from the flooded back roads, and over a hundred and twenty kilometres to get them back on the planned route.

We walked around the streets and looked at the flooded gardens.

We sat in the pub and looked at the flooded river.

We sat in the coffee shop and looked at the flooded streets.

All praise went to the owner of the sawmill! From losing half a day’s production yesterday he got the staff to make the mill safe, let the entire ride stay the night, then arranged to work a half shift between nine and four today, cleared up again and gave the mill back to BNSW for the evening meals and shelter for a second night!

Alex shuffled up to Rod and I just before dinner with a twinkle in his eyes. “Guess what guys, I think we’ve been asked to volunteer…—. Sure enough, then there came the big announcement: First thing in the morning the bikes were going to be loaded into trucks, the riders were going in busses, and we were all going to Raymond Terrace, then to ride to Newcastle. Impressed by JB’s ability to pull order out of chaos, BNSW had asked him to oversee the loading of all thousand-plus bikes into the trucks again! JB agreed, but on two conditions: First, get him the same guys who helped him yesterday, two, BNSW volunteers to stay off his back and out of his way!

Turned in for an early night, knowing we’d be up at 4 am to start the loading!

Where?

Bulahdelah