Stray Tag-a-long Tales: Port Augusta: rest day and then heading south!

Here we are in sunny Port Augusta, yes the weather gods once again have prevailed and a sunny 20C is our day. I wish I had packed some 3/4 trousers, it gets too hot in long ones all the time!
Our day once again was a big one with 155kms traveled. (Ray told me a statistic today: the riders have averaged 150 kms per day, over the past 5 days. Not bad for some novice riders). The other thing I found out from our riders was to never mention "only" or "just" when telling them how long they have to ride. They are just nasty words that appear to be swearing at them!

Halfway home!

Most riders were back in their seats today completing the full day, although I did hear poor old Simone had a 'psychedelic yawn' about 14kms from home after 'borrowing' some Hydralite from Darren. Seems what works for one, certainly doesn't work for the other. David and Sally decided to take the day off as the hectic pace of the days were taking their toll. Getting out of bed at a 'normal' time this morning seems to have paid off as both David and Sally now looked quite refreshed. An extra day of doing 'nothing' (whatever that entails) will no doubt also work wonders for their health.
People ask "aren't you bored going so slow?" I assure you boring is not a word that enters our vocabulary, because if you do mention it you will be given a task by someone. By the time 11 - 12 riders and 7 support staff are fed and watered several times a day, it leaves little time for much else.
I once again became Pilot-guide for part of the trip trying to keep everyone safe and out of truck wheels! It's never an easy job to keep 2 road-trains, coming in opposite directions, away from a pack of 8 riders, usually it is "get off the bikes" until all is clear! We had more wide-loads to contend with again today, but nothing has topped yesterdays load or 8MT wide! Both lanes of the highway were used with 2 police car escorts, plus a pilot car. The money to move machinery around this country must be staggering! The big load was a dump-truck body going to or from a mine site.
Paul is bitterly disappointed as the SA roads have very little 'treasures' to pick-up: he even resorted to a badly beaten up padlock that even Darren told Ray to "throw it as far as you can, so Paul can't find it!"
The biggest news is that we have a budding writer/blogger on our hands who wants to tell you his story. He is very keen and because I would like this page to be the 'formal' side of our trip I will set up a special page for Robert 'Cowboy' Rowley to do his thing. Believe me folks you will want to read this page as this quirky individual tells yarns like no other.

Robert 'Cowboy' Rowley - your new correspondent.

The other thing is, once again I will post some pictures on the "Photos" page, not related to the bikes, but just some tid-bits that I have seen along the way. Have fun - the sun is smiling!