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At the campground, coffee is usually the first task, then nature’s calls, then breakfast, then breaking camp. While not always in that order, though, it was pretty much the way it went today as we prepped to get to Wagga Wagga. Remember Janet and Ian who we met at the campground in Princetown? Well, we are taking them up on their offer to stay with them and that’s our goal for the day, just 100 km (60 miles) away, and with some moderate climbing compared to what we’ve been doing. I truly thought we’d be on a train to Sydney by now, but Dana had other plans.
Thankfully, there was no more drama at the campsite and we had our breakfast in peace. We were soon on our way to Wagga (another shortening of the name in the Aussie tradition). Along the route, we stopped for lunch in the little hamlet of Mangoplah where the only thing open was the public toilets. The local pub, butcher, and post office/general store were the only other businesses we could see and they were all closed on this early Saturday afternoon. So, we parked at the store and used their outdoor furniture to make our lunches and get out of the sun for a while.
Close to Wagga, we stumbled on an afternoon happy hour at the Tolland Hotel. More of a casino than anything else, there were folks drinking, eating, and watching horse races and sporting events — and we assume — gambling on the outcomes. It was a hot day and the beers were a welcome breake. Dana struck up a conversation with a group of folks outside, and later we ran into them again inside (it was a pretty spacious place). We got a quick selfie with them and headed out to explore more of Wagga before heading to Ian’s and Janet’s.
We headed for the town centre, thanks to some redirection by a guy on his way into an RSL (VFW) who stopped us to ask about out trip. Downtown was very empty for a Saturday, but as we progressed to the mall-like shopping area, traffic picked up. We also did a loop around the local park where there were lots of folks at the beach and rec area on the Murrumbidgee River. Quite nice.
We made our way a little bit south to Tatton, the suburb where Ian and Janet lived. Quite a climb up a hill we later found out we could’ve gone around on a trail. Oh, well. We were warmly welcomed and even though Janet had a cold, she and Ian made a wonderful dinner which we were joined at by their friend Carrie. Carrie and Dana made plans to have Dana join her on a Sunday morning ride with a local group. I was content to stay off the bike, and “piked” on those plans. “Piking” is “not going along” or “baking out of” participating, as we learned from Janet. We hadn’t really had a rest day since starting this trip and I was looking forward to some not-on-the-bike time. Fortunately, I had Janet’s and Ian’s backing, and we together convinced Dana to stay another day and bask in their hospitality.
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