Day 5: Neville to Carcoar

We didn't have to leave our quirky station until ten, and we used every available minute to soak up the sun on the verandah and scrub the coffee cups with the 100 year old scourer. Breakfast was a bit light on, with a bit of toast and a cup of tea, but we thought we would fuel up at Barry, only 10 kms down the road.

Unfortunately Barry didn't have any facilities, so we had a coupla apricots and a drink of water. Half the trip was on gravel, which was ok until large trucks passed. The road was only one vehicle wide, until we nearly died discovering that it is wide enough for a car and a truck, but not cyclists.

We travelled along the Carcoar Vistas, which overlook the Carcoar dam. Vista is another word for scenic, and you know what that means. There was a very steep gravel hill. We had to travel in the middle of the road to avoid the piled up gravel, and all the while I was petrified that a truck would come over the hill and kill us. Obviously it didn't.

We rolled into the town at 59.8kph. It was our fastest downhill to date, which tells you something about the steepness. And guess what? We have to ride back up it tomorrow. In the mean time, we visited the 20th century toy museum. It is just incredible, and well worth a visit if you are passing this way.

Over lunch, we were amused by a couple trying to get down a lane way next to the pub with their huge caravan in tow. Everybody in the coffee shop, which was right opposite the lane, had helpful hints. Finally, they got through without knocking the corner off the pub. We met them later, whilst sipping a tasty Prosecco from Orange. Turns out that the driver knows Ray's cousins in Mt Isa.

I was hoping that they might be going up the hill in the morning, so I could cadge a ride. Unfortunately they are travelling in the opposite direction. Oh well, at least tomorrow is the last day.

Sunrise in the kingdom of "Unique Accommodation", Neville Siding

A "sunrise shower" out the side of our train station. That tree has obviously been there long before 1987 (see yesterday's story)

Haven't seen a log this big since we visited Wondai (here). Hate to be "pushing" that little rail car whist the log was attached.

Neville Siding in all its glory.Our digs was the station building mid right of picture.

Anyone for a game? Looks like they stopped playing when all the train stuff arrived from Mandurama.

Now that's what I'm talking about... A vista with water, apparently called the Carcoar Vistas

Our first close up of a New South Wales windmill. Bird killers. Give me a coal fired power station belching out soot and CO2 anyday.

Carcoar Dam (with the road on top), just at the end.

If you use a magnifying glass you might make out the dam, or the top of it anyway. The dam itself cannot be seen as the water goes right to the top at present. Edit: Ignore all that as Brenda disregarded my request to take a photo of the dam wall from a different angle. It was completely full, so only the road on top was visible. This is just water - my apologies.

Bloody caravans everywhere you look!

You heard me, everywhere.

A granite (and road base) collossus

Art imitating life

Ride Notes

• A short easy day with the wind mainly at our backs (south easterlies seem to be the prevailing winds around here - at this time of year at least)
• The first stretch of gravel was a really pleasant cycle down a quiet country lane, plenty of trees lining the route, almost no traffic, and pleasant scenery
• Unfortunately the second gravel section around the Carcoar Dam brought us face to face with trucks again. There seemed to be a hell of a lot of traffic for what appears to be a quiet country road. Maybe there is something happening in the district that we are not aware of which is the souce of all this truck traffic. At least on this road the drivers seemed to be more courteous and obliging, slowing down and showing some respect for those less powerful than they.
• We did not venture into Barry as Carcoar is so close and there is a good cafe in town and the pub is also more or less in the 21st century
• Our great run down hill into the main street was later tempered by the fact we have to go out the same way.