stats. Today ??km Trip total ??km
A thirty kilometre loop out of Tumut to the south-east first thing this morning — designed to give us some extra distance and to get the cyclists off the road while the trucks all drove through to the next campsite. A beautiful stretch of quiet country road, almost flat along the plains of the Tumut river, and another great autumn day.
Lunch was at a tiny place called Brungle — population 60, according to the sign on the road — the primary school was hidden off somewhere in the trees and had gone to all sorts of effort over the last few weeks to get ready for the visit by the ride. All that effort, but they’d neglected to put any signs out so nobody knew they were there at all! Some of the Bike NSW marshalls at the lunch stop asked if some of the riders could ride back for a visit — I did, but then couldn’t escape!
Mayhem of excitement at the school; 26 students, two teachers, and absolutely everyone falling over themselves to show off every little detail of their school. The only name I can remember from the group who showed me around was Dakota — a tiny kid who all the bigger kids looked after.
I’ve promised to send them a print of the photo — mustn’t dissapoint them.
Brungle school
1 Brungle street
Brungle, NSW, 2722
The last hill before Gundagai came as a surprise, hot and long and unexpected from the map and route drawings, but followed by a wonderful sweeping descent into South Gundagai and a ride into town past the students of another school — South Gundagai primary, I think.
A warm afternoon with time for a beer or two, a stroll up and down the main street which used to be the old Hume highway, off to view the historic trestle bridges, then a doze in the shade by the pool.
It was also a day for losing things — at least temporarily. This morning I left my bike computer in my tent, so spent the whole day glancing down at the empty spot on the handlebars. This afternoon I managed to misplace my coin pouch, ransacked tent and pockets with no success, and was convinced I’d left it up at the historic Niagra café and was about to walk all the way back up the street to check when it magically reappeared in a spot I’m sure I’d already checked.
Part 2 of the “guaranteed bike ride songs” is now over. The cover band at dinner played Paul Kelly’s To her door. I wouldn’t have won any money on it this year, normal predictions are that we hear both To her door and Brown Eyed Girl within 24 hours of joining a ride.
Where?
- Tumut (35° 17’ 60”S, 148° 13’ 0”E)
- Lacmalac (35° 19’ 0S, 148° 19’ 0E)
- Brungle (35° 8’ 60S, 148° 13’ 60E)
- Gundagai (35° 4’ 0S, 148° 5’ 60E)
