The ride in on Friday was ( 108 km) again fast n furious with favourable winds assisting considerably . The only flies in the ointment were the ones that pestered me at about the 80 km point when I broke spoke 5 . Off comes all the gear and the rear wheel while the work is underway.

The money or moony shot 😉 summed up my feelings about spoke no 5 . Fortunately I did bring along about 12 spares so I’m still ok and the my good news came shortly after I started again after the repair. A call from Epic Cycles in Brisbane confirming that my replacement wheel is with AUS Post and I should see it on Monday or Tuesday in Longreach .

Fingers crossed for no breakage tomorrow or if one breaks it happens in the cool first 90 mins where the flies are someplace else .

With that news I decided to have a full weekend off at Barcaldine or Baccy as the locals say . An interesting town that has the distinction of being important historically after an 1891 shearer’s strike that set in place a series of events leading to the formation of labour and union parties.

Someone poisoned this tree , but at huge expense it has been preserved and enshrined in this interesting wind chime like monument – structure. The 1891 strike was broken by the authorities and a bunch of leaders sent to prison for two years hard labour . It was however a turning point and two of those men eventually entered politics and gave the voice of ” labour ” some political clout.

The town has a population of only about 1500 souls , yet in the true blue Aussy style has five working pubs . Think they may all be doing it a bit tough. The caravaners moving through perhaps keep them in business . Not too much activity people wise .

4 of them here

I was quickly on first name terms with the local butcher and very impressed with the high standards and quality of this Aussy beef and lamb

The kiwi presence in the town is very strong due to the number of kiwi shearer’s who live in Australia . The relationship of these guys to their Aussy counterparts is an interesting story due to conflicts about the introduction of wider cutting shears . The union resisted this improvement but I think unsuccessfully.