Another not-quite-my-birthday adventure

Monday 31 August Reflections - at Hartley After a night, cool enough to actually get into my sleeping bag in the middle of the night rather than just have it over me. The day has again dawned beautifully and I'm sitting contemplating taking off my mid-layer merino.  Morning at my campsite I have a little time to explore locally and while I had thought to visit Lake Canobolas, the walks there seem to be very park-like and they seem to be either very short or longer than I want to do this morning. Mayfield Garden was suggested to me, but I think that's probably not my preferred so I choose the Gosling Creek reserve walk instead. It is also one recommended by the chap near the peak yesterday. Gosling Creek reservoir It seems that my interpretation that the walk is a circuit around the lake is incorrect. It goes as far as the weir and then stops. This is clarified by a lady in a nearby house. My thoughts about navigating in Orange are not improved upon yeste...

Sunday 30th August "The Dish" It is another amazingly clear day and there was a heavy dew overnight. As I'm about to roll up my awning, a chap, to whom I spoken the night before, was passing and informed me he wasn't loitering outside the lady's toilets this morning - last night he was waiting in a rather suspect location for his wife - and he offered to help me with the awning. I was grateful for that because while I can put it away on my own it does slightly challenge my shoulder.  My first destination (and the main one for the day) is the Parkes Observatory Visitor Centre. A fabulous place to visit and I'm glad I allowed plenty of time to do so.  On the approach to the Parkes Observatory A particularly attractive grevillea in the grounds I had not realised that the concept for the dish started in 1955! And has been in operation for almost 65 years. And the director's hearing of 'Houston we have a problem' resulted in it springing into unplanned...

Saturday 29th August "...and he made the water boiling hot and dipped the razor in..." It's another corker morning. The forecast here at Goolgowi is for 20° today! My second attempt at a hot shower was very satisfactory. The first attempt was finding that some plumbers are sadistic and install the taps to turn in opposite directions. Thus, adjusting the temperature to slightly warmer during my first attempt at a shower resulted in a very cool experience.  I commence my travels and the open road is once again incredibly straight but some roadside verge vegetation adds interest, as do a few undulations and distant hills,  and then even bends! I stopped to admire the silo art in Weethalle. Weethalle silo art And a little further on, as I seek a comfort stop, I notice the Whistle Stop Cafe. Though it appears to have made a mistake with its menu. What??? No fried green tomatoes? As I drive through West Wyalong It seems to me to have the appearance of a slightly pro...

Friday 28th August Dusk at Goolwini Today promises to be another nice day. I have been incredibly lucky with the weather. So far I've only had one rainy day and night and I was in accommodation for that night.  I have chosen my setup orientation well once the sun is above the treetops, it is shining beautifully onto my chair and table and my awning. Once again, I'm hoping it will dry out a little over the next hour. There was a heavy dew last night  The trucks are on the move early and I'm hoping I won't encounter too many of them on my drive today.  During the night I woke up with the illuminating thought that in fact I do have the correct camera for my underwater housing. Bother. I wish I'd realised that before I decided I bought the wrong one. My photos from Kilsby sinkhole would have been much better. Early morning sun at  Manangatang In the vicinity of Tooleybuc, I passed through extensive citrus orchards, some heavy with orange fruit and other orch...