OMG!!!

Lily looking at the road far, far below us
(that wee yellow strip in the distance)

Day 13. 22/9/11: Trezona camp ground to Bunyeroo Gorge

I think we're getting up earlier and earlier! The sun hadn't even properly risen and we were setting off for the day. It meant watching the sun rise, riding through herds/flocks(?) of emus and kangaroos, who looked even more surprised than usual to see us. Today we rode from Trezona to Bunyeroo Gorge and ran back.

The ride was pretty exhilerating. About half was fire access track and half dirt road with some very steep downhills! We stopped at one lookout to see views of the cliffs and hills and the roads we were to take swooping down the hills below us into Bunyeroo Gorge. Tim got a puncture almost at the end of the ride at the bottom of one of the steepest sections of road, so we stopped for a while before finishing our descent into the Gorge.

As we sat fixing the puncture a small group of schoolgirls and their teachers walked past, towards the steep uphills. They all gave us a weary (but still cheery) hello followed quickly by an 'OMG! check out that HILL!' as they turned the corner.

The ride took us a while longer than expected - mostly due to the puncture being a tricky one, but maybe also because Lily's legs were tired from yesterday. Following yesterday's experience, we've changed the way we run a bit. We're not running to time anymore, but to the contours of the land. It makes so much more sense in this landscape: cruise along the flat and downhill sections and save the walking for when we need it - some of those massive uphills!

Lily decided to give her feet a break today and wore her Merrells instead. They are a little bit too small, but still much kinder on her feet than her FiveFingers. Happy feet.

We passed the group of schoogirls on the run back to Trezona. 'OMG ultra runners!' Lily was a bit chuffed to be called an ultra runner. Gave her a wee spring in her step. So we finished the run in style. Lunch, pack the van, take water and pump to the bikes, on to Wilpena Pound.

Driving to Wilpena was a little hairy in places. It's a very dusty, winding and hilly road. But the views are incredible. Wilpena itself is really just one big resort. There's an information centre, a visitors' shop, a camp site and a more upmarket hotel with a pool. Having to ration our own water and seeing how dry the landscape is here, it seems like such a luxury to have built a swimming pool. The campsite is massive and almost full of people. It's a very touristy spot, but lovely. We just had a curious emu poking around in the bushes near our site!

Ride

Time (hr:min:sec): 18.48

Speed (kph):

Distance (km): 2:21:00

Run

Time (hr:min:sec): 2:20:52

Speed (kph): 7.87

Distance (km): 18.48

At the bottom of the hill, that yellow strip
of road as seen from above, above.
Puncture repair in progress!