Day 4: Cowra to Neville

And as predicted, a punishing day was had by all. After more than six hours on the bikes, riding into a head wind, not to mention all those hills, we finally made it to our converted railway station for the night.

Ray immediately set about analysing every little thing that his watch was telling him about the ride. Thanks Rach! I told him a thing or two about the ride, but he wasn't much interested in my perspective.

We arranged for dinner to be delivered to our station, as there is nowhere to eat in Neville (population 100). We arrived about 4.30 and by 5pm, Ray was worried that our meals might not turn up. I am convinced that he only rides these punishing days so that he can eat more. (He did expend more than 2000 calories today - ref his watch, thanks Rach).

Unfortunately we forgot to order some wine, so had to make do with a cup of tea on the verandah. And while we were soaking in the view and the tea, our dinner arrived. Woohoo. Spaghetti in the station master's office.

Tomorrow is shaping up to be the best day of our ride - only 30kms and not much climbing.

Apparently the last of the vista shots for now. This is Cow Day

Cows. Are they black or are they brown? They couldn't tell us. Edit: Apparently these are Angus and they are black. (If you are a customer of Hungry Jack's you might recognise them)

I was hoping to have a pic of the sign coming into town, but there was none - probably had heaps of them stolen. I have only this to say: We are stardust, we are golden, and we've got to get ourselves back to the garden. Apologies CSNY.

And I cannot see how these could possibly be brown.

Sorry, a vista without cows.

You can't tell here, but this is at the top of a very big long hill. Brenda must have taken the pic to celebrate.

Mandurama Station, now at Neville Siding (moved there in 1987) is now the home of "Unique Accommodation". We were staying in the train station building itself

Not spitting whilst waiting at Mandurama station for a train that will never come to Neville

Ride Notes

• A relatively hard day not made any easier by a constant head/cross wind cutting down our downhill speed especially.
• There are quite a few big trucks on these roads - passing one when going downhill just about blew me off the road! - Be careful.
• The gravel roads were quite good. The initial section of gravel had only recently been graded - happy days as they were only very faint remnants of what were probably serious corrugations previously.
• Could not see too much available in Woodstock, although the bowls club may have food - we did not stop to find out. Has a park with toilets and tables
• Mandurama has a pub and small store along with toilets and tables