2016-10-08 -19 146

Location

In the bush on a low hill on pastoral land. Somewhat near Charters Towers.

Participants

Felix Dance (talk)

Expedition

I saw this hash as I was leaving Townsville. I'd woken up on Magnetic Island and had dragged my feet having a coffee, getting on the ferry back to the mainland and going to the shops, so I believed it was way too far away for me that day, despite being quite close to my route. It was 110 kms off and I was already approaching the afternoon.

After a leisurely ride I stopped for a late lunch at Reid Creek and had another look. Only 48kms away. I could do this.

I immediately got up and rode off. I didn't stop after that. It was only a few hours before I'd turned off the Charters Towers road into the tiny town of Mongolia. The sun lowered towards the horizon. I rode on for another 5 kms or so, then hit the dirt tracks behind some farms.

These tracks steadily got crappier and crappier. Soon I was pushing my bike through sandy creek beds and over barbed wire fences. Again Google had invented roads where none existed (see 2016-10-05 -18 146).

Ignoring curious red kangaroos and self-herding cattle, I raced against the sunset. The dry bushland would be very hazardous to navigate at night, and I still had 2.3kms to go.

A few twists and log-dodgings and I was there. I took some photos and set up my tent directly over the hash. Some cattle looked on, but moved away. I cooked and ate dinner and fell asleep reading The New Yorker.

In the morning I packed up and continued on my way, taking about an hour to reach the road again. I punctured an Ortlieb pannier on my way out.