Tour Day 4 - 16 October 2011 A Tough Day

I woke early and packed up my camping gear before 7.00am when breakfast was available.  By 8.00am I was on the road.  The wind was still very strong from the South West but our first 34km was east and was comparatively fast and we arrived at morning tea in about and hour and three quarters.  I had my two ladies brom the day before to lead the way.

At the tea stop I didn't feel too great but forced my self to eat some fruit cake and grabbed a handful of "scroggin" (nuts, sultanas and fruit jelly sweets) to keep me going.  We crossed the Murray River on the  Wellington Punt and then headed due south into the strong wind for the next 45Km. I has lost my ladies and rode on my own being overtaken by a stream of much faster riders.  I struggled the first section of 24Km to lunch where I was unable to eat the nice ham salad roll waiting for me but collected some more scroggin.

After lunch I just faded and had worries about finishing.  After a while after stopping regularly,  drinking and forcing scroggin down I bucked up and rode slowly to Meningie which I reached at 3.30pm


After putting up my tent and having a shower I talked to other riders who had also found it a tough day

I covered about 82Km which is the longest ride I have done since 2001 and felt quite good at the finish in-spite of over  50Km into a relentless strong wind.

At dinner I was unable to eat the meal as I had developed severe gastric problems. I was given the necessary tablets and went to bed early with out having my normal ration of wine.  I also did not feel like updating this blog.

 

Morning Tea

On the ferry

 Crossing the Murray

 The wind at the lunch stop

Views of Lake Albert