Day 3 - Casino to Grafton

Distance: 101.8Km's
Pain Factor: 7 out of 10.
Magpie attacks:1
Cow sightings: 243
Accommodation Highlight: Tie between the overly friendly SIX MONTH resident of the pub or the awesome staircase out back, bathed in sunshine that allowed us to dry our riding clothes in about an hour flat.

http://www.strava.com/activities/191510971

We were far enough into the trip now that routines were starting to form:

- The daily battle to wash and dry our riding kit in time.
- Santo regularly arriving in town first, thus becoming the accomodation scout.
- The unpacking and strategic re-packing of our pannier bags.
- The daily "charge-off" - an attempt to charge multiple lights, Garmins, headsets and phones off the feeble few power points our luxuriously challenged lodgings would prove us.

A few routines we alternated, just to keep things real spicy, like eating in and out on alternating nights...

Anyway today, navigation wise, was pretty straightforward - a direct southerly run down the Summerland Way. A mildly undulating run, with limited <and very accomodating> traffic. Average speed was relatively high. 101.7 of the 101.8km was on the Summerland way. I couldn't get this song out of my head the whole way (watch it if you know what is good for you!)

Muppets - Moving Right Along

...Sweaty selfie on the Summerland Way - Sydney bound, somewhere between Casino and Grafton:

 

 And here are some totally non-staged photos of us, not far out from Casino:

Mixed dried fruit and nuts, stashed in the back pocket of my cycling jersey became my staple ride diet. Unfortunately, I accidentally bought the kind with white chocolate buttons in it. With experience comes wisdom, and I can tell you that chocolate does not cope well in ones sweaty back jersey pocket. Thus I was resigned to the activity of separating them out each evening. This became a nightly ritual of mine, such that when that supply ran out and I bought a fruit and nut mix only, I had a feeling of emptiness when the separation activity was no longer required.

Here is a photo of me separating the white chocolate buttons ready for feeding to my pet Santo. 

A well earned coffee and fizzy bubblech at the end of the ride:

 




Vertical signage in a state of disrepair - a fail-safe of acceptable lodgings for two boys and their bikes:

And a sighting of the common "Santo" known to occupy the hallowed hallways of such lodgings:

Fuzzy Bear Justin.