Day 3 Mt Ebenezer to Finke River (Bush Camp)

Jeanette was first up today waking around 4.30 am. She is determined to be more organised this morning. All riders out by 7.30 am- tough ride expected for the first 55 kms until we hit the Stuart Hwy.  We have called Erldunda as the morning tea stop (55 kms). The weather today is quite cool due to the wind chill factor and the wind is pretty strong and gusty. I have put on my thermal top and last week we were suffering through 41 degrees heat. The riders should warm up with all the effort required to cycle through this wind.

Collis and I drafted a few of them up the road for a few kms at a time but there was a bit of traffic around so we could only do it in small spurts. Some road works 10 km before Erldunda which was causing mini dust storms. Mark powered ahead from everyone but he said he was still only managing approximately 23 kms/hour. Kirsten & Gareth were averaging 16 kms/hr. Jerry and Jane rode together, Lew and Jeanette and then Ingrid bringing up the rear. Poor Ingrid doesn't have a speedo so can't calculate how far she has ridden or how far she has to go- a bit disheartening when you are out there on your own.

We ran into Theo and his wife at Erldunda and he stated he was very glad he wasn't riding in these conditions- this really cheered everyone up. Hopefully now the headwinds will cease as they head up the Stuart Hwy. This has been the hardest riding section I've seen in the history of Cycle Across Oz and all riders have managed very well and mostly without complaint.

After morning tea the riders were very pleased with the road surface and the wind direction and the mood lifted remarkably.  It was a quick ride of 33 kms down the Stuart Hwy to a very clean rest area with toilets.

Bush camp tonight at the Finke River rest area. Dinner was a chickpea and vegetable curry but disappointing with no real kick to it, so Collis offered around some Tandoori paste to spice it up. Dessert was a banana bread and butter pudding with caramel sauce and cream which was a huge success. 

Gareth thought he heard and saw the lights of a helicopter hovering over his tent tonight and I woke thinking a jumbo jet was about to land on us. But in the light of the morning we think it was probably a huge road train which was very well lit up.