| Day: | 015 |
| Date: | Monday, 10 August 2009 |
| Start: | Barkly Homestead |
| Finish: | 50km short of Cape Crawford |
| Daily Kilometres: | 326 |
| Total Kilometres: | |
| Podcasts: | Here |
| Journal: | My four hours of sleep was interrupted multiple times by some drunks arguing and carousing outside the motel rooms. I got up and left by 2:30am and set off on the road with no services or habitation for 376km. I was already pessimistic because the weather forecast was for northerly winds. They were blowing but only lightly at first. Fatigue caught up with me early and I needed a 15 minute catnap at 4am, followed by two hours at 5am. I could not keep my eyes open. Momentum was already lost for the big day. When I resumed riding the wind was much stronger and there was a slight uphill gradient as the road climbed onto the prairie-like Barkly Tablelands. I struggled to keep my speed above 15kph for about four hours by which time I was exhausted and well behind schedule. The scenery was spectacular with grassland reaching to the horizon in all directions. In the afternoon the wind diminished and I made better progress, but had no hope of reaching Cape Crawford in time for a bed. Met grey nomads at the only two rest areas and they offered food and water to me which was gratefully accepted. Around 11pm I began to lose the plot and decided I had to stop. I found a poor spot off the road and slept fitfully and cold for five hours on the stony ground. |
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