Tottenham to Warren

Day 14

Arise to a beautiful morning – sun shining – warm delightful – Tom has a special message for the “Barnie Riders” -  “I feel so sorry for you poor guys – fancy having to wear your winter woollies - Time to move north”  says he.

Off he heads towards Warren – not so long today – only 95ks – he looks at the weather – damm! – the wind is from the north at 20kph.

Tom heads out along the Henry Parkes Highway.

I follow along with the now compliant van - she follows the bike with great enthusiasm!

First pass the old hotel in Tottenham - a relic of the past - now of a size, like the catholic church in Tullamore, that is more appropriate to bygone days.

Then past the sign telling us that we are still on the Bogan Way

Oh dear - this road is busy - busy – glad it only a short distance to his turnoff to pick up Tabratong Crossing Road.

The weather is warm – the sky covered with light cloud generously broken to allow the sun to filter through - road is straight and relative wide – the traffic is light and courteous – if only the wind was coming from the opposite direction.

K after K of straight - flat - smooth - quiet road

Catch up with Tom 15k out of Tottenham

Push on to meet him at a suitable lunch spot – the reality is that along this straight, smooth, flat road there are not that many “suitable” lunch stops – pass the first of the large cotton fields – the new irrigation channel cross the road and cross the road again. 

Finally decide on lunch at another turn off about half way to Warren - Wait for Tom - Sit in the car – wander around – hardly a car or truck passes – when a ute passes me he stops – he looks disappointed when I say “I’m ok” – clearly the locals get lonely from time to time.

Onwards towards Nevertire – the road still good, wide and quiet! – the wind still in Tom’s face – approach Nevertire – obviously grain is as important as cotton around here!

Nevertire is true a “Tiny Town” but nevertheless it is an absolutely remarkable place since it can fit 103 people into a space two bricks wide!

The southern entrance sign to Nevertire

The northern entrance sign to Nevertire – just two brick away from the southern entrance sign

Stop at the café – tiny but neat – Vietnamese Australian owner – serves Asian food and Australian hamburgers – excellent – great salesman!
Back out on the Oxley Highway – now the this is a serious road – lots of traffic – lots of road-trains hauling cotton – only 19ks to go to Warren so the traffic is tolerable.

Pass the cotton fields and gins of greater Warren

Start humming to myself - “Oh Lordie – Pick a bale of cotton”

Into Warren – healthy looking place! –

Relax – set up the van – again she is well behaved – I suspect she knows that bike will not arrive until she is all set up! - Tom arrives – the bike and the van snuggle up.

Tom uploads his day's data and heads off for a nanna nap - a rest day tomorrow!