Day 12. Saturday 11 March, 2023. Mildura to Renmark

     Nb1:  This blog is being created by an AI chatbot (ChatGPT)

Nb2: Click on photos to enlarge.

A long day's ride of 141 km from Mildura in Victoria over the border

to Renmark in SA.

Conditions were again perfect for riding with a cross tailwind for most of the day.  We rode all day along the Sturt Highway which is the main artery for traffic coming or going west (to Adelaide or WA) or east. (the other way).  

Lunch

was 100 kms down the road in the middle of nowhere and with no reception.  Antonio was soon on the bananaphone to let his Mamma know how far he had ridden due west and was that much closer to Fremantle.  He told her he had spoken to his Uncle Antonio,

captain of the ‘NoMoreSheepies’ sheep carrier  who said he had a vacant sheep pen Antonio could use now that King McClownan has banned live sheep exports to the Middle East.

Before setting off after lunch, OneOfThem gave Chalkie some TLC.

Look at him, he just laps it up!

Soon after lunch we were into SA and being checked

by the strict lady from quarantine to ensure we weren't carrying any nasty NSW bugs.

Then it was through the Dunlop tyre

and into Renmark.

Along the way we started seeing plenty of grape vines

as we move into wine growing country in SA.

An accident

As the riders crossed the Renmark Bridge,

3 kms from the end of the ride, two riders nudged wheels and ended up closer to the bridge than they would normally wish to be.  Antonio came out the worse for wear from this little encounter and his spotless, tubeless titanium racing monster suffered terminal damage with a broken spoke and flat tyre.

  He was forced into the SASMobile to complete the ride to the hotel where Nurse Sandrino was called upon and again lovingly tendered to the gory mess.

As the nudger and the nudgee were both leading contenders for the ‘Selfish Rider’ award, rumours are swirling in the group as to how ‘accidental’ was this ‘accident’.  Antonio is now pretty well out of contention as he will lose kms over the next two days getting his bike repaired.  When asked for a comment his reply was “who gives a sh*t”, masking a sense of deep disappointment. When nudger (Would you trust this man?  We certainly don't)

was asked for his views his reply was “no comment”.  PubServ and Twinkletoes, the only other two serious contenders for this award were seen asking other riders if they would ride between themselves and chief nudger until the end of the ride.

At dinner at the Renmark Hotel where we are staying, Ganners presented OneOfThem with a beautifully crafted cheese board

that he had made for her as it was her birthday.  

There was a birthday cake prepared and presented in her honour and OneOfThem then looked on in awe 

as some of the boys presented a cabaret act they had prepared for her (nb: photo edited for reasons of modesty).

On the ride today, Faybie took the opportunity to smell the roses,

or should that be sunflowers?

And having complained that she is the only rider without a published image of her riding, we have included one showing her cruising down Sturt Highway.

PubServ decided had had enough riding for one day so hopped on the "Jinker"

for a ride to town.  

Ms Tradies 'little mate' who was again along for the ride thought he had found some of his relatives at morning tea.

He wasn't completely sure so he left a signature widdle on the post, anyway.

SCANDAL

In a shocking development on the Source to Sea Ride, three riders

were today discovered to be riding electric bikes, unknown to the other riders.  There could actually be a fourth (Would you trust this man?  We certainly don't)

who would not allow his bike to be tested for electrical connection.  At an emotionally-charged meeting which sparked claims of cheating and calls for life-time bans, decapitation, or even castration, one more level-headed participant pointed out that the damage was not terminal as none of the riders known to be involved were likely to win either of the two major awards.  At this, the leading contenders for these awards who had been among the most strident calling for harsh penalties, were happy for the punishment to reduced to a bit of light assault and battery.

Selfish Rider Award
Name	Kms ridden day	Total kms ridden	Name	Kms ridden day	Total kms ridden
Antonio	138	839	Ms Tradie	58	338
Chalkie	141	842	Ms Twinkletoes	83	639
Cockie	84	544	PubServ	141	842
Faybie	57	351	SASMan	83	478
Ganners	58	570	Twinkletoes	141	811
Kaybie	58	364

Helpful Driver Award
Name	Kms unridden day	Total kms unridden	Name	Kms unridden day	Total kms unridden
Antonio	3	3	Ms Tradie	83	554
Chalkie	0	0	Ms Twinkletoes	58	203
Cockie	57	298	PubServ	0	0
Faybie	84	491	SASMan	54*	341
Ganners	83	272	Twinkletoes	0	31
Kaybie	75*	445
·         Includes agreed reduction according to formula.