Rob 'n BOB on the BNT
Robert's BNT
Journal --
as told to and prepared by Gwen on Wednesday, November 26, 2003:
Innot Hot Springs to Ravenswood
-- November 10 - 18, 2003
Late Tues. evening, Nov. 18th
(Osoyoos time) I finally received a phone call from our "Man on the
Move"! He was calling from a payphone in the "heart of beautiful
downtown Ravenswood" (population in the area anywhere from 15 to 50
people, I expect! But, if I am wrong, I stand to be
corrected!) It's another historic old gold town which Rob and I
visited, together, five years ago. It is interesting, with a good
museum and TWO pubs! (surprise! surprise!) And, it turns
out, a great campground on the Showground property with ANOTHER
swimming pool!
On a couple of the eight days since
last we talked, Rob biked some LONG stretches! One was 98km and
another 102km!, on rough gravel country roads. Pretty boring after the
first 80km, he said. However, it was necessary since he found SO
MANY BONE DRY river beds! And, it was "no fun" camping at those
spots! He was able to get drinking water at various stations,
but, not bathing water. So, he just peddled onwards.
At the end of his 98km day he
found
himself at Rhonella Park station. Five years ago Rob had obtained
water there, although the place certainly seemed abandoned then.
It seemed quite deserted, still, and yet in good working
condition. An odd experience to camp "next door" to what looked
like a fully operative bunkhouse and canteen and yet not another soul
around.
He found "residual puddles" in
parts
of some rivers in which he could bathe (regretfully disturbing the
little "poly-wogs"/fishys, therein!). And, in some others he
could capture enough water for tea. He says tea made with this
water tastes smoky, like lapsang tea. Mmmmmm -- I
think I'm contented to be home writing this "second-hand account",
under such circumstances!
At Kirkland
Downs, he stayed an extra
day as the river there had some water in it and he had such a nice
camping spot under a little grove of trees. 
He mused over the
circumstances when he last camped at that spot in 1999! At that
time, he had a totally broken, so-called "bomb-proof", Spinergy wheel
on his pretty yellow Cannondale bike -- and --
the prospect of having to get to Townsville -- and
-- hopefully, finding ME somewhere in that city! Quite
remarkably, he was able to accomplish that feat, and, with a reasonable
amount of ease! MAGIC!
A bit further south he came upon an
Australian army encampment at Dotswood! Never know WHAT you'll
find out on these tracks! The happy consequence of this encounter
was that the Army Cook gave Rob some cold water to drink and a bag of
various fruits to eat! Very much appreciated by Rob! It was
his pleasure to sit at the army picnic tables, in the shade of the
overhead canopy to sip and sup!
Keeping one's drinking water at an
"amiable temperature" to drink, of course, is quite impossible in such
geographic and atmospheric settings! In the early morning the
water is cool enough, but, by afternoon Rob is SURE it must be up to
40C and SO warm he almost gags when drinking it! That's one of
the realities of this adventure!
The 102km biking day brought him to
Mingela (west of Townsville) where he "sprung" for a $20. hotel room
for overnight; drank beer; ate a SUPERB evening meal ("tea"?) with a
crowd of people around a hotel dining room table; "slept in" until
6:30am; had an ENORMOUS breakfast, again prepared by the owners of the
hotel; and, left for his 50 km ride to Ravenswood at 9am. WHAT
LUXURY!
Once Rob arrived in Ravenswood, he
consumed more litres of what has become his favourite lemon drink AND
FIXED 2 FLAT TIRES! It seems that there in Australia, also
resides an insidious, hard, spiky little weed seed (MUCH like what we
call "Puncture Vine", which is becoming such a scourge here in the
Southern Okanagan, BC) and, this Australian version is every bit as
successful at puncturing bike tires and leaving them QUITE devoid
of air! Another reality of Rob's adventure!
Ravenswood also has wonderfully
helpful ladies at the General Store/Post Office and an ATM (which,
luckily, had money in it!). At the Imperial Hotel he enjoyed 3
pots of beer and a delicious lamb roast dinner all for the price of
$15.00! The second night he ate at the Railway Hotel but I
haven't yet had a report on that repast.
There's STILL gold mining going on at
Ravenswood! It's called "modern pit mining", but, when I heard
that the recovery rate was .9grams per TON, I had to think that SURELY
such a business can't be "cost effective"!! But, maybe Rob and,
consequently, I, have the numbers "wrong".
Next stops -- Connelly
station, Burdekin Dam, Bowen Pub at Strathbowen, and, Collinsville!
