Port Lincoln

It was a huge feeling of relief when I finally rolled into Port Lincoln. It had been a 140km day into wind with only a short stop in the scenic Tumby Bay for lunch. I was totally buggered, and it was getting late. I called directory assistance in the evening trying to find a caravan park to stay at before the offices closed. But they were all shut. I was desperate to stay somewhere with a shower to wash the squashed bugs out of my leg-hair and wash my dirty, mattered hair. My hands were black with dirt and chain grease and my face was a mash of red, white and black (sunburn, sunscreen and grease). It had been a very long time since my last wash.

I could have jumped for joy as I rounded a corner to see a caravan park attached to a service-station with 24hour check-in.  

The girl behind the counter was very friendly (and good-looking) and wanted to know all about my trip. Soon after I set up my tent over-looking the beach and hit the shower with gusto. 

Unfortunately my self-inflatable mattress sprung a leak that night, welcoming me to a new world of even less sleep. Each night since day one I had been waking several times to severe cramping in my quads. To add to this the sound of heavy trucks passing on the highway near my tent was taking some getting used to, and my tent was showing some wear-and -tear with small holes allowing ants and small bugs to bunk with me, sometimes resulting in a bite or two. 

The next day I took care and time to wash and check my gear for loose-ends. It was my rest day and it was a beautiful day at that. I went into town to shop for gas, batteries, tubes etc. They had everything, which was a relief because country towns had let me down in the past. That afternoon I headed into the Lincoln National Park to find a camp-spot. The lady in the information shop told me the paths were fine for riding and it was not far to the camp-ground. But she was wrong. The tracks were rocky and steep and designed only for 4WD. It took me hours and I rode well into the dark. At one stage a wallaby jumped out right into me knocking me off my bike (first fall), luckily into a softish bush. We both got up startled to looked at each other. After a polite apology from the wallaby we both set off again. 

When I finally reached the camp-ground to find nobody there, I took my torch into the water and found that prawns were sitting in the sand, thinking that they were too well camouflaged. I could just grab them and put them straight into the pot!! Another tasty seafood delight for dinner. The moon and stars were out, reflected off the mirror-like water of the bay, and in the distance the lights of the city shone out. It was a stunning, relaxing end to my rest day in Port Lincoln.