No Flats—For Now. Today’s highlight? No flat tires. I’m crossing my fingers that yesterday’s repairs hold up. After riding 60 kilometers along the busy Warrego Highway, I opted for a longer but quieter route through local backroads.
The entrance to the road was guarded by a snake basking on the sun-scorched asphalt. Even it wouldn’t dare stay there by midday heat.
Smooth Asphalt, Then Reality Strikes
At first, the road seemed perfect—cutting through a forest, with smooth asphalt and no cars in sight. My speedometer hit 30 km/h effortlessly, and for a moment, I felt unstoppable.
But that euphoria was short-lived. After 10 kilometers, the smooth surface gave way to rough gravelly asphalt riddled with bumps and washboards. My already blistered hands screamed in pain, and my backside wasn’t faring much better. Whether there are blisters there too, I’m not entirely sure—that’s a question for Dr. Roman Sokol from urology.sk once I’m back in Slovakia.
A Much-Needed Break in Kogan
Thankfully, the rough ride lasted “only” 30 kilometers before I reached Kogan, a tiny settlement of about twenty houses and a gas station café. The place looked like it had been plucked straight from yesterday’s museum visit.
With my aching body crying for rest, I stopped for a coffee and some chocolate biscuits. Judging by the price, they might have included yesterday’s free coffee on the tab as well.
Refreshed but Not Fly-Free
Whether it was the coffee or just my mental state, the road felt smoother after my break. I tackled the second half of the day with a renewed sense of energy. However, the last 10 kilometers brought a new challenge—flies.
They were everywhere, swarming relentlessly. The only way to keep them at bay was to ride fast enough that most of them couldn’t keep up. Stopping to snap a photo of another snake—bookending today’s journey just like the first one—proved to be a mistake. The slower flies quickly caught up, forcing me to hop back on the bike in a hurry and ride out quickly.
So much for today’s Australian Snake Journey. Now I’m just lying by the pool and relaxing.
