Stage 5: Mt Mulligan Station to Granite Dam
160km - 3,700m climbing
Thank goodness it is over, as that was the hardest day i have ever done on the bike. 161km, 3,700m climbing, 99% off road, and rough for a lot of it. At least for the first 70km, i was in the leaders group been pulled along in the pelation.
So all over, and it was a long day 7hrs 13mins, i think was the final time, and second to Hans again. He put 20 minutes into me, and i put another 20 minutes in the third place overall in my age group, so they are now out to over an hour. That feels good to increase the time gaps even more.
So how was the stage. The first 70km were fast and exciting as we were in the leading group. I would also say incredibly dusty as well, as it was like been behind a car on a very dusty road for 70 km. I finished today, and my face was orange with the dust, and my legs were coated think with the orange red dust. Photos to come.
After the 70km mark, it got hard, and slow, and nasty, and hilly and not so much fun you could say. The fast guys took of and had their fun, and it was a race against one, me. Hard going, up-down-up-down all day, as well as been really hot. In one 20km stretch, i drank 3 bottles in what must have been 1.5hrs. The only blessing was i rode with two Belgium brothers for the last 30km, and that saved me, as we were all in a deep exhausted hole. The road would go up, and then down, and then up and then down again. Down the hill at 50km/hr, and up the other side at 5km/hr. Even some of the cars commented how steep the hills were. The road was put in for the solar eclipse last year in Maytown, and there is not ANY flat on it. I am pretty sure it just follows the ridge for the sake of been horrible.
In the end we rocked into camp after 7hrs 13mins. A long day, and shattered at the end.
The camp tonight is a true camp, as the organization has created a camp for the night. Water is pumped from the dam, where the fresh water crocs live, for the showers and bike cleaning. The kitchen is build on the spot, and the tents etc up. All will come down tomorrow and we move to Laura.
Tomorrow's stage is another 118km, and we have been told it is hilly again, and rough, although the last leg into Laura is meant to be pretty spectacular as long straights, which may also mean some flat... Lets see how it goes. Hopefully the legs recover, and we will do it all again.
