The mention of a specific country usually conjures up images, stereotypes, or ideas commonly associated with said country.
In the case of Australia, people tend to imagine things like kangaroos, deadly spiders or snakes, the Sydney Opera House, or putting shrimp on barbies.
Of course, I too imagine all these things, but I also imagine sheep – more specifically, merino wool.
I always imagined Australia being casually filled with merino wool bearing sheep, and guess what? I was right.
Sheep are by and large the most common animal I have seen thus far, but they are also the most skittish.
Cows, horses, alpaca, and even birds don’t pay my approach much mind, but sheep display a completely different (and somewhat unexpected) behavior.
Their reaction involves first freezing in place with eyes transfixed on the encroaching threat (that’s me). Then, after I pass some invisible and arbitrary threshold, they collectively take off running into their paddock until they’ve put a satisfactory distance between us.
Cars do not seem to bother them, and despite my best bleating, I cannot seem to draw them back to me.
I just want a pet.
Aside from all the sheep (and being my second 60+ mi / 100+ km day), today wasn’t particularly exciting.
However (and I say this with some hesitation), today did mark my third day in a row without getting a flat.
It would seem that the new tire I bought in Adelaide was an excellent investment. Not having to deal with punctures once, twice, or thrice a day has meant fewer frustrations, more miles, and less riding after dark.
It would be legitimately horrible to have to change a tire with all these flies around.
And on that note, my knee has been giving me a lot fewer problems (but this knee brace is giving me a wicked tan line).
BAAAAAA!!!
- START: Snowtown, South Australia
- END: Rest Stop, South Australia
- DAY’S DISTANCE: 70.6 mi / 113.6 km
- TOTAL DISTANCE: 669.09 mi / 1,076.54 km