Distance 36km
I had a good night at Curnow’s Hut, quiet and peaceful, and not too cold. I cooked breakfast thinking I would run out of gas, but I still have a little bit of gas left. I loaded the bike and rode the 1km of Heysen trail back to the gate, and unloaded and hefted the bike over the gate. The the Mawson continued straight opposite the gate. I worked my way up a rough track, then through a gate along a faint track that went through hilly sheep country. About 3km later I descended steeply down to the main road to Spalding. I was cognisant that there was a rainstorm and possibly thunder coming after lunch, so I was prepared to bypass some of the Mawson trail if I needed to. However the weather radar still showed it a way of, so a couple of km down the road I left the R M Williams Way and headed west. The track meandered over the hills eventually going under an ancient railway bridge for a railway line that one time went I don’t know where.
The track went past Bundaleer reservoir, and then onto the Bundaleer road. This road was not very nice, a bit too narrow and too much traffic. I wasn’t going to take the Bundaleer aquifer track because it is notorious for puncture inducing 3 cornered jacks, but the Bundaleer road was so bad I decided to take it anyway. I managed to avoid any three cornered jack punctures, but I opened lots and lots of gates, which is hard to do on a loaded touring bike. I got back onto the R.M. Williams way about 5km out of town and had an easy ride to the Spalding oval where they have free camping. I beat the rain as well. I got some supplies at the local general store, and importantly got another gas canister.
See you are travelling well. Yes weather is chilly. Hope you don’t get caught in too much rain. I wish you warm dry socks and a soft pillow at night. Suzanne.