Headwinds

Day 2 – 96km Wood Wood to Robinvale.

A proper day's riding – albeit one with more than a few trucks and caravans. We achieved our 90km goal (although if we want rest days we'll need to improve on this. If we can achieve 120km every riding day we'll build up some 'credit' to look around. That said we are giving ourselves a bit of time to find our road legs.

Today was a day of highway riding. We are following B400 - the Murray Valley Highway. B roads tend to be fairly busy, but they usually have better shoulders than the quieter C roads. That's only a rough guide - Google maps street view is a far better judge. We are generally heading west, into the wind, so the riding was a bit of work. However, the lunch stops (Boundary Bend) and the camp spot (outside Robinvale) were both on the Murray river so it's all worth it.

A few hours into the ride I passed a fruit stall in the middle of nowhere. I bought the smallest bag of oranges on offer (2 kilos) and proceeded to devour three oranges in a row. They were juicy and lovely. Of course didn't make much of a dint in the fruit bag and I now I have over a kilo of oranges left over. This buying in bulk lark doesn't really work when you are bike touring.

Lunch was at Boundary Bend a roadhouse with a gorgeous view of the Murray. I arrived completely bombed, having spent the last hour or two pedaling into a headwind. Is I queued to get some much needed food I got my first “Where you riding to?” I was so fried all I could do was make nonsense noises and point roughly west. I had used the last of my energy getting here and could hardly think, let alone exchange traveller's pleasantries. If you are ever inclined to strike up a conversation a bike tourist, remember – food first, questions later.

Camp was another Murray River spot, just out of Robinvale. As we arrived twenty or more birds took to flight. It was a magnificent sight but wild life doesn't play nice for the camera so you'll have to take my word for it. Here's a picture of the camp site by night, with the conjunction of Jupiter and Venus above instead.
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