Day 9 - Mataranka to Gorrie WWII Aistrip - 92km
I've hit my rhythm now, or at least it's improving, my aim is 100km a day and im slowly getting there. I've decided to do the Mount Isa way across to Queensland, stick to the bitumen, as a friend said its better to ride then push your bike around Australia.
I was in the zone my mind was elsewhere just 10km to go to the campsite, there over the horizon came this mirage, rising from the pavement. I didn't acknowledge it at first, what is it? It's moving in pace with me, is there a giant mirror in the middle of the road? I'm looking at myself, then I noticed the detail, feathers rising from its helmet, that was how I met Gernot.
Gernot was a cyclist heading the opposite way, he was travelling the same route but in reverse, Cairns to Darwin, he was on his 32nd day, we stopped by the side of the road and Gernot offered a joint the timing was perfect.
We talked about the subtle enjoyments of the ride only cyclists in our position could describe. We swapped information and details about where we came from, water sources, suggestions.
I always find when I travel I meet the right people at the right time, even in the middle of nowhere on the Stuart Highway.