2017-07-13 Day 88


Decided to put the inside bike on rack over Cab. The tyre had broken the rack so John did a repair and the tyre came inside wedged with the bike panniers.

Lots of gums and undergrowth, banana palm, ferns, and orange trees. Mostly horticulture.

At a much lower altitude now down under 2000m. Roads becoming more dusty and rough. With lots more traffic.
We do not trust the outside edge and often it is washed away with drops of up to 700m almost vertical, no stopping if you went over. In some places it is so narrow that there is only 300mm between us and nothing. On saying this 40 seater buses travel the route and a truck with a grader on board.

In general the traffic is well behaved and normally give way when it is their turn. Downhill vehicle normally gives way and on the flattish section the smaller vehicle. If we were on the outside we’d just give way on a nice wide section of road where it was safe even if we had to wait awhile.

Lots of gum trees. They seem to cut them down while still quite small; about 10cm in diameter. Then they await the regrowth pruning it back to 3-4 poles and then cut them at same size. This way they get lots of poles off the one set of roots.


Had trouble finding a camp. Everywhere was very dusty. Finally found a spot near a river just off the road. People doing washing and washing their car. Andreaus and Michelle set up camp a little ways away in the bush and we waited ages for the locals to leave. Finally got camp set up just on dusk. John cooked a chicken stir fry for dinner. 4 inside is a little squishy