Day 217 (Australia – Top End)
Today really surprised me with how well it went. I got into a great rhythm with a slight tail wind that took me for 40km for my first leg. I was then able to set my sights on Victoria River, which I wasn’t expecting to reach until tomorrow. I pushed on for another 30km before resting again. I had fairly regular cloud cover which kept the temperature down. Then it was only another 20km. I made it by noon. At the roadhouse I devoured a Calippo and a beer before eating my packed lunch under the shade of a tree. I went back inside for a Powerade and sat at the bar, chatting to a guy called Ian and watching Australia whoop NZ in the first day of a test match. Because cricket is a bit boring (yep), I went outside for a snooze under a tree. It was too hot to sleep so I just listened to some music for a while and rested. I ate one of my snacks under the roadhouse verandah before returning inside and treating myself to a burger and coke. I lazily watched the cricket till 5pm, then jumped back on the bike and rode to Sullivan’s Campground. I gingerly collected water for a bath from the river – I was too scared of crocs to go for a proper swim – and ate a can of peaches and some biscuits. Now I am chilling out on a park bench as it gets dark. Storm clouds are looming over me and every so often a clap of thunder sounds and a bolt of lightning flashes.

More epic storms on their way
Accommodation | Camping (Sullivan’s Campground) |
Distance ridden today | 109.17km |
Average cycling speed | 20.4kph |
Total distance ridden | 7,837km |
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