Day 17 Alligator Creek to Carmila

Bit chilly last night was 10c when I woke up, but was nice and toasty in my sleeping bag. Almost set to go and Jackie popped over with her partner Sherrie. She wants to do a cycle tour so wanted to check out my bike. Wants to do the Great Ocean Road first. That would be a nice ride. She offered me a ride to Sarina and my policy at the moment is to say yes. This stretch of road that Iam coming up to is very boring. Long stretches of nothingness between here and Rockhampton. Les and Mandy told me about it when I was in Cairns and at least 4 people on the way including Sherrie today. She dropped me the other side of Sarina a saving of 16.5km. Had a couple of options for camping tonight one 35km and the other 60km what I usually do is see how I feel when I get to the first one. After an hour of cycling stopped in a park area in a little town ate some nuts and some water. This is actually the first day I have really sweated a lot, It was really hot, not much wind either. Met Neville who was on his way to drop some trailer parts to his son just west of Mackay. Around 10.30 I reached a Caltex roadhouse and decided to get some chips, they were a small portion apparently! And a tea, Iam not really a big tea drinker but in the heat it's quite cooling and I find coffee just dehydrates me. I wanted to sit outside but was joined by a "magpie" who kept hopping closer and closer to my chips! So inside I went. So apart from that no magpie attacks today. The road was quite up and down had to work hard to get up some of the hills, but with that there's always the joy, speed and wind of the decent. I really can feel my legs getting stronger and my average speed on the flat seems to be increasing. Which feels really good. Reached Carmila at 2ish 60 from where I was dropped off, a nice little camp site run by an old couple Dorothy and Dan . Another pitch for $10 and Dorothy gave me a nice cold bottle of water. Had a good chat with Dan about Cornwall where his mother was from. Said he visited in the 80s and couldn't believe how beautiful the beaches were. I cooked another quinoa dish for tea this time with onion, courgette and sweet potato. Delicious! Earlier in the day I got an email from Les in Cairns who said it would be great if I could get a lift to Bundaberg it's a bit more interesting from then on. So I was sitting drinking a Milo and a woman pops over for a chat. Sharon from Victoria who left there in May and has been driving around Australia clockwise. Stuck in park waiting for a part for her van. Talked about my travels and how I want to get of the highway. So she has offered me a lift to Bundaberg. Awesome Iam stoked! So her van is going in at 8 tomorrow should be fixed by 9. Tina's world of coincidences continues. But that's it then no more lifts!