20th July - Musgrave Roadhouse to Coen

Nigel says.....A good night's sleep at the Musgrave Roadhouse. A peculiar feeling setting off by myself again. Gordon comatose when I left. Colin joined me for an early breakfast at 0615 hours - I started pedalling across the airfield and cricket pitch with the mist hanging at 0645 hours.

It is great cycling early in the morning. It is cool. There was hardly any traffic - just the road mending guys who were in the next door rooms at the roadhouse who gave me a friendly wave as they trundled north. The bush was noisy and the sun was just coming up - the road wasn't that bad to start with either.

I soon got into the routine of trying to find the best path through the corrugations. Early on it wasn't too bad. After a couple of hours I was faced with a 2 kilometer climb of 8% which was fine as it was on bitumen. I decided to be a bit kinder to myself today and have a brief rest every hour, and I think I was better hydrated and less tired than yesterday - certainly early on. No need to take myself to the cleaners every day!

The route today was more narrow and had more twists and bends. This meant that I could not see the oncoming traffic miles ahead and had to be much more ready to get across the road to avoid oncoming traffic. There were also lots of creeks to get across which meant steep descents and short sharp climbs out. The road was mostly ok, but there was one dreadful section where I had to get off and push several times as it was so sandy and corrugated - really awful cycling conditions.

Gordon and Colin arrived at 1100 hours to give me some cold water. Good to see Gordon looking and sounding better. By that stage I only had 52 kilometers to get to coen, so I was pretty pleased with the progress. I batted on until 1300 hrs when the guys met up with me for lunch.

I drank quite a lot of water today, but even so around midday the heat must have been around 30 degrees and it became a little tiring. The humidity also takes you unawares unless you are careful. Fortunately, after I left the guys to do a little off road winching practice, the road was pretty good and I quickly got to Coen arriving at the accommodation at about 1530 hours.

Accommodation is comfortable and the hosts pleasant. Coen is an interesting place..... Everyone knew Gordon had been to the medical centre the previous day. We dined at the Sexchange Hotel as the only other eating establishment, 'Grunters Beastro' is shut - good meal. Gordon bored for Australia on a range of issues....politics....philosophy... sex in ancient Sparta...tequila...tribal customs in Borneo...radishment (look it up - not sure if he is telling the truth or not, always difficult to tell!)

Thoughts and comments:

• The Sexchange Hotel used to be the Exchange Hotel......
• As a result of seeing me on the road today, one of the young road fixers now has a bet of $250 with his mates that he can cover the 109 kilometers from Musgrave roadhouse to Coen in 4 hours- he was a really good cyclist but is out of condition and was pissed - money safe for his mates I think!
• They sell two flavours of slushi in Coen....
• Snack of the day: 56 kilometers north of Musgrave Roadhouse in the bush - a manadrin orange.
• Tune of the day: Today I was humming 'My Old Man Says Follow The Van' - definately need to get out more...
• They are grading the section of road south of Laura where Gordon fell off today! It is being renamed 'Gordon's Landing'.

Tomorrow going to a road junction somewhere north of Archer River Roadhouse.

No more bog entries possible until Bamaga unfortunately.

Gordon says ...

Feeling pretty depressed really. Drove around all day like the Queeen of England in Colin's Landcruiser - which was great in itself (but which still hurt a lot, in spite of excellent suspension, such is the crappyness of the road) and Colin was fine company - but I felt rotten each time we pulled up next to Nigel to give him food and water. Nothing much I can about it I suppose.

Late drunken news flash: have had a small idea which has cheered me up a bit. The nurse here in Coen gave me six days worth of heavy drugs to get over the initial pain of the injury. I've decided (in consultation with Nigel and Colin, who have given tentative approval to the plan) to take the first two days quota, and save the rest. Then, when I get to Bamaga, take anything I've got left, and see if I can ride the 34 kms to the tip. Sure, I'll be completely zonked, but I may be able to cope with the pain suffiently to get there. That way, at least I'll finish the trip on my bike - not the same as doing the whole thing, but better that nothing. I'll let you know how it goes in a few days.