Dec 31, 2014
Old car, still used every day in Holbrook.
I stop for lunch, restock with food and water then leave.
Hannah, an older lady, not as spry on her legs as she once was, comes over to talk with me. When she was 18 she rode her bicycle through Sweden and Germany. Her eyes sparkled remembering the times.
On the way toward Culcairn, I'm not feeling the best. The helpings of roadside plums probably didn't help. I stop early. My stomach rolling, and dig several cat holes. By the time darkness falls, I've used them up. Thankfully, I fall asleep without further problems.
Dec 31, 2014
A spectacular sunrise over the valley.
On the road into Holbrook, I'm walking. The slope was gentle and I should be riding, but the energy wasn't flowing. I stumble along slowly.
A motorcycle passes, slows, turns around and returns. John was on his way to work, and wondered if I had mechanical problems. We talk for an hour about bicycles, bush, to many cars, the climate of fear in Australia and the country life.
Dec 31, 2014
Christmas has come! Crunchy peanut butter marked way down. Okay, expiry it's listed as 3rd Jan 2015. As if that matters. It won't last that long! I get the last two jars.
Manfred, on holidays from German invites me to have a coffee with him. We have a wonderful chat about life, holidays and the beauty of nature.
Back roads towards Holbrook. A farmer stops to see if I'm lost. As he says "don't see many of your type out here". I think he was meaning the bike.
I pass an old church in a sea of yellow. Then spend another peaceful night in the pine forest.
Dec 27, 2014
Or Tumba, as Australians shorten it to. Took the slow road from Batlow. Weaved about the logging roads, avoiding the showers and storms, and feed the mossies. Also avoided the dropping branches. Unlike the the park in Batlow, I did see branches falling.
Yesterday was the first fine sunny day in a while. Was cool and windy, so I sat in the sun, read and knitted. Was near a rural fire building at first. But people stopped to ask if I was breaking in. What sort of question is that? Would a thief have answered "yes"? Did my "no" convince them? I noticed other drivers slowing down and looking my way. I didn't like the attention, so moved on up the road out of sight.
Dec 22, 2014
The sign meant no one else wanted this great tent spot!