Good day from Griffith,

After waking before 5 this morning, unable to get back to sleep (too excited?), I departed at 7:10, after showering, breakfasting, and packing the car. I was in Yass by 9:45, where I filled the tank, and spent a few minutes chatting with the proprietor, about Pajero diesels (the service station was part of the local Mitsubishi dealership). I then frequented a bakery that I frequently frequent, to stock up on victuals for the rest of the day.

I had morning coffee at a rest area just outside Yass, and was back on the road at 10:30. I left the Hume Freeway near Bowning, heading along the Burley Griffin Way. Shortly after leaving the freeway, I came out from under a blanket of fog that had enveloped me, with varying degrees of visibility, since Goulburn. It was a relief to get off the freeway, away from morons who tailgate you at 110km/h, overtake you, then pull in two car lengths ahead, without any indication! Don’t get me started on the B-double that overtook me; he must have been doing 130km/h, or more!

I could have followed the Burley Griffin Way all the way to Griffith, but I elected to take a less direct route, as I wanted to pass through Leeton. At Wallendbeen, I headed for Leeton, via Cootamundra, Junee, and Narrandera. I stopped for lunch at 12:10 at a rest area in Illabo, between “Coota” and Junee, and was on the road again at 12:30. I arrived at the motel in Griffith around 3:30.

Sorry, no photos today. I was planning to take a shot of the Walter Burley Griffin designed water tower tops in Leeton (the dude was everywhere; he planned Leeton, Griffith, Oak Flats,…). I expected they would be visible from the main street, but I didn’t see them, and couldn’t be bothered searching for them.

Today’s leg was 581 km. Here’s a map of the route:

I’ll be heading north tomorrow. I elected to go west today, rather than north-west, through Dubbo, to take in some routes that I haven’t done before. I probably have been this way, as a child, but I don’t recall doing so; mum and dad were inveterate car tourers (but tenting, or caravanning, rather than “motelling”), and I must have inherited the gene for it.

Cheers,
Julian

1. J and J says:

   June 16, 2009 at 8:59 PM

   We can smell the aromas of freshly baked pies from here in shellharbour.
   Which flavours to buy today,decisions decisions.
   Shame about the photos.
   This is as exciting as The wrong way around with Charlie and Ieuan.
   Keep safe and keep on going on.
   Torrential rain here the kind that fills water tanks.