Norseman, Saturday 8.6.22 rest day, ahhhh!

Saturday August 6th, rest day, first one of the trip.

I really needed today. Like all adventures, there is adversity. Starting last Thursday and Friday, Border Village to Kalgoorlie, I’ve been dealing with a cold virus. I’ve gotten better as the week played out but certainly not how I planned to feel the first week of this ride. Long days, cool weather, extreme exertion, rain, not the ideal way to recover.

I’ve been getting better, daily, which is encouraging. I feel like it has effected ever day. Today is a good chance to add to the recovery process. I slept almost 12 hours last night. We went to the local pub for a beer and a feed, busy place, only food and entertainment venue in the small town of Norseman W.A., western edge of the Nullabor Plain, so a busy happening place. Back to the lodging and eventually into bed about 9 P.M.

Today will speed along, laundry, food prep for the next week, grocery run, eating today for tomorrow as Scotty would say.

I’ve been loading a bunch of pictures and video up to a Dropbox site for viewing. It is all raw data, some good, some not so good. If anyone would like a link to view, just reply here or send me a message via FB Messenger or my email (pat@pjwracing.com).

We have modified our ride schedule some, tomorrow was a planned 200 plus k day to the next available lodging, Belladonia W.A. The “towns” are spread thin along the Nullabor Plain. Instead we are breaking the route into two 100 k days. We will camp out tomorrow night at some rest stop along the roadway, just us, the camels, rabbits and kangaroos. The day after will get us to Belladonia for lodging with a shower.

Weather tomorrow, looks cool to start but warming nicely, some sun and the winds may be more helpful N to NW, cross tail winds. Nice!

Bushy (Chris) finally got a ride in this morning, not as much free time every day as we thought when planning. He has been marvelous at being a follow/lead vehicle keeping us safe along the busy narrow Great Eastern Highway. The only road that crosses west to east in this part of Australia. We have walkie talkie coms so he can warn us when traffic is coming up to pass us, very helpful for us to make sure we are hugging the sometimes very narrow “verge” The monster trucks or “Road Trains” as they are called are generally good about giving us space but sometimes with traffic, it is just not possible. They roar by and and suck you along for a few seconds as they pass. If they are coming at us on the right side, there is a big side gust that you have to prep for.

Having the support van along also helps with our hourly feeding and clothing adjustments. Great to be able to adjust layers to stay warm but not overheated along the route.

The boys are downtown, grocery resupply and “a coffee”. Kind of late for the normal routine morning break. I’m sticking to my “do nothing but relax plan”. Oh, and cooking rice and making rice cakes to eat along the route, aka, Skratch Labs ideas.

I’m looking forward to a short 100 k day tomorrow.