Days 10-12: Coolah- Gulgong- to Wellington 195 Kms.
Coolah Rodeo Grounds made an excellent camp after the 55km ride from Premer on a very chilly day . We three crew made an executive decision it was way too cold to strip and have a shower so we opted instead to stay close to the fire! Joe made a ripper campfire and proceeded to cook garlic bread in the coals followed by sausages and potatoes then straight into our swags in the truck. Coolah is home to the Black Stump which in the 1800’s became a demarcation line for land thus the term ‘Beyond the Black Stump’.
Hotondo Homes Kempsey have offered to pay $10 into the Hannah Rose Melanoma Research Fund each time we take a photo of the ‘Hugo’ the Hotondo Mascot bear, and Hotondo Australia Head Office will match it dollar for dollar. So Joe and I took photos of Hugo at the golden guitar in Tamworth and also on the Bicentennial National Trail crossing the Great Dividing Range, then also at Coolah on the Black Stump. Hugo travels in the front of the truck with Joe and I and he’s become a real part of the ride4acure Crew. Hugo took a dive off the Black Stump the other day and both Joe and I realised he’d become a fixture with the ride4acure crew when we found ourselves talking to him and making sure he was ok!
After the Premer to Coolah Esther rode 80kms to Gulgong in the freezing cold arriving in Gulgong about 5.30pm. We camped at the rodeo grounds and a friend I’d met in Sydney at a Cancer Council MP Liaison Training last year Lloyd Coleman and his friend Margie (a school teacher who knew both my brother Joe Luxford and his wife Trish when they lived in Mudgee in the 80’s), generously came and picked us up and took us out for a counter meal at a local hotel. Lloyd works at Ulan mine just out of Mudgee, a mine my brother Joe had a lot to do with back in the 80’s. My sister Kate also had a connection with Gulgong having co-owned the ‘Saints and Sinners’ Café in the 80’s. Esther rode through the main street aptly named ‘Mayne Street’ and Joe took a few photo’s.
It was hard riding for Esther and Lofty as there was no ‘shoulder’ on the road and very rough rocky ground forcing her to ride on the bitumen from Gulgong out to the 12 Mile Road at Goolma (over 20kms) where she got to ride on dirt for a further 20 odd kms to get to Glenwood where we’re staying with Pip and Norm Smith (SRS Merino Breeders.-soft rolling skin a new breed of merino with less wrinkles than traditional breeds). It was here at Wellington we came in spring 2010 and the SRS Merino Breeders Ram Sale donated 10% from the sale of the top 8 rams sold on the day to the Hannah Rose Melanoma Research Fund.
Today Sunday 15th we’re having a catch up day, doing paperwork; sorting photo’s and files etc. Our truck has been completely repacked, yet again. It’s amazing how much we don’t need!
May 15th, 2011 at 5:14 am
Repack. Pack. Rethink. Repack…
Yep sounds familiar. Mark and Shannon went around Aus in their beat up Mitsubishi station wagon. After trialling a few short camps, our garage kept filling up with stuff that they decided not to take after all. When their tent shredded in an awful Newcastle storm they decided not to replace it until Shannon landed a job in Broome for three months. At least Mark could put up the little tent in the car space to house his esky while he set off looking for a job too! Took them just under a year living out of the little station wagon or under the stars.
Marvelous what basics we can live with and what baggage we can shed. Just don’t lose those warm layers!
Suppose there’s a lot to be said for repacking on an emotional level too!
Happy repacking and happy trails
Lesleigh