Friday 25 Jan 2019

A bit of a slow start, but that is a bit deceiving since NSW is an hour ahead. Initially the road continued to be paved and I bought some eggs at a road stand. I had to call at the house because I didn’t want a whole 12, so the fellow got me a half carton from their own fridge. Eggs for dinner tonight, yummy!

A ways before Harrigans Lane the road became gravel, but a much nicer gravel than yesterday. That was severely corrugated and a pain to ride, but this was nice and smooth. No wonder, a bit further on they we just grading the road. After I turned into Harrigans Lane I didn’t see a single vehicle all day long.

At the end you plunge into the Boonoo Boonoo Valley and that went down steep, like 17 – 20%. I had been planning to do a really short day and camp at the river. Previous times it looked so inviting but I didn’t stop then, too driven to continue on. Now I would have, but there wasn’t a drop of water flowing! Just a few mud holes, not particularly attractive, and not only that, but the owners put upa sign that camping was no longer allowed because of “dick heads” leaving a mess. What a disappointment.

BTW, for your non Aussies out there, it is pronounced Bunna Boonoo. Logical eh? Before going down into the valley I could have detoured to Bald Rock, which is really worthwhile visiting, but I’ve been there twice already, so I have it a miss.

So on I went to Gilgurry Creek, the next BNT camp site, but it was virtually dry too. Actually there was a little bit of flow, a trickle really, but brown in colour, no doubt from cattle dropping their #2s in the creek. Also a no go. So on again, and the country is quite hilly with very steep ups and downs, and I was getting sort of pooped. The next TSR (Travelling Stock Reserve, more meant for travelers in horse back, but alright for me to use too) is at Boorook Creek, but guess what! Dry. Another 9 kms further and finally a bit less up/down is a newer BNT site at Sandy Creek, right beside the Bruxner Highway. There was a clear new sign pointing down a little track where you also ford the “river”, but no sign of the promised holding yards and shelter. And by “river” (the Cataract River) in quotation marks I mean: yes, you guessed it, no flow! But at least some stagnant puddles that don’t look too bad. Good enough for a wash up and with enough ClO² it will be safe to drink too. And it is right below and beside the highway. But when I went for a little walk down the highway I found the real BNT campsite. Well, a nice effort and thank you everybody for providing it, but I’m camping right beside the water holes, thank you. It’s a little rocky and moist sand, but it will work. And the water was actually very clear and clean tasting.

Total 51k 5:05h 995m+ 1395m-