Monday August 14 Route Map
I got away early enough from the truck stop at Mundubbera, proud that I’d persevered to finally fix those troublesome rear tyre punctures for the nth time, and backtracked into town to do some shopping and sightseeing. It’s a nice friendly little town – the ‘mandarin capital’ of Australia – and a magnet for international student backpackers completing work obligations to earn second-year extensions to their 1-year visas.
I started heading down the lesser-travelled western side of the Burnett River in the direction of Gayndah, but chickened out and turned around 5km out of town when I read a sign advising of steep inclines. I didn’t fully trust the rear tyre.
And just as well! I was just passing the previous night’s stop over at Mundubbera Hill again when the rear tyre blew out once more, and I spent the next 3 hours at the truck stop fixing it.
Tyre fixed, I rocketed down the big hill into Gayndah, setting a new top speed of 70.8 km/h in the process, and pfft! another puncture in the rear tyre. I pumped it back up again and barely made it the 3km into Gayndah. I camped at the busy free riverside campground in town with all the other grey nomads, and with the help of one, Hank, finally finally got the courage to remove the rear wheel and put in a new tube (and insert some green slime sealant). At 3,842 km on the odometer, this was the first ‘major’ mechanical replacement on the bike. Major to me anyway, greenhorn mechanic that I am. But I’m learning. Simple when you know how.
So it was early to bed with the mozzies and 2 cans of Jack Daniel and coke. Barking dogs, noisy trucks and a very aggressive possum under whose tree I obviously pitched my tent made for a sleepless night.
