Sunday 10 Mar 2019

We headed out at a gentlemanly time of about 10:00, Malcolm and I. We rode the beautiful pathways to Gungahlin where we stopped for coffee and gelato.

The pathway system ends at the NSW border, so we continued on the road. I saw my very first live echidna, but it was all balled up and wouldn’t show it’s face.

The road became gravel for about 10k and we were headed into the wind as well, so it became slow going for a while. But the last stretch to Gundaroo, along the Murrumbateman Road and Sutton Road, were slightly downhill and the wind was from behind.

We were actually following the BNT for a while. Notice the marker on the fence post?

We got to Gundaroo just before 3pm and after a quick beer at the pub went to the campground to pitch our tents, shower, have a cup of tea, and then a couple walked up that are bicycling the BNT! The very first other BNT trail users I have ever met! Arthur and Lynne started their bike ride in Healesville and plan to make it to Mareeba, where they live. Lynne knows Mushgang and has heard him speak of “Rob and Bob” being on the trail, not knowing that Bob is really BOB, my trailer. What great fun to finally meet some other BNT-ers! Of course they have just come through Kosciusko National Park and were at Oldfield’s Hut, where I am planning to go next week, only days ago.

After our visit with them we went back to the pub to have a meal and some more brewskies. Then back to our tent camp to have a final cuppa before hitting the sack. It had become almost stormy windy and it started to spit a bit in addition, so we crawled into our tents a bit sooner than planned.

Today’s totals 54k 3:45h 325m+ 320m-