Gundagai was where we woke up for day 11. We need to drive around 20kms back down the Hume to our mark from yesterday…a great big Maccas billboard. This made myself and Ben crave the food again and talk about our dream breakfast meal this time.
But before we made it there Ben was stopped by a car and promptly handed some cash after telling the lady our story. This lady-Chris-told Ben part of her own story-she is a breast cancer survivor so thought highly of what we were doing. Within an hour later another two cars stopped Joel and I to give a donation. One of these donators was Dale, Chris’ husband, and he gave us a wrap (and some money) and off he went. We were trying to set a cracking pace as it was a cold, windy and wet morning, however we just kept getting stopped. The next one was a little different…
Michelle, a journalist from the Gundagai Independent (just as great a read as the Wangaratta Times) stopped us and asked a few questions and snapped a few photos of us in the wet (we took our Pac-Man ponchos off for these first). It turned out that our new mate Dale had told her about this.
As we neared the turnoff to Gundagai we graced McDonalds with our presence for the second time in 12 hours. We were about to get back on the Hume when Mark told us about a “shortcut” that he had found through the centre of town…”Yeah it’ll only add on 100 metres, maybe 150 metres” he explained. What?? Definitely thought shortcuts were meant to be just that-short(er).
But in truth, we were sick of the endless highway and going through Gundagai was a nice change of scenery than roadkill and speeding trucks. However we were on this “longcut” for quite awhile and we began to wonder if Mark had looked into this properly. Sam would later tell us it added about 400 metres, whereas Edge maintained that it was 100 metres maximum. Either way it will still be known as the “the Edge's longcut”.
Just north of Gundagai, and up a long, seemingly endless hill was the famous Dog on the Tuckerbox. We all knew we needed a photo with this famous icon, but weren’t really sure why. We read the history to it all, and we still weren’t really sure. The gist of it was that there was a man who had a dog who sat on his tuckerbox one time. Joel called it a “marvellous story”.
We powered on past the Dog and on past Coolac. A few more long sweeping hills meant we slowed the pace and while having a walk we heard Benny quietly singing a Justin Timberlake song as it blasted from Carlee’s Ipod. This horrid vocal performance turned into a game where one of us would pick a song for another to sing as best as they could. The outcome was pretty bad, with Joelo, Ben and myself all coming equal worst, with Sam winning nearly by default. However I thought my performance of Lady Gaga’s “Pokerface” was half decent.
We finished the 46km day later than usual (just after 4pm) and Ben’s girlfriend Renee was there waiting for us with Ruby and the others, which put a big smile on Ben’s face-she'll be helping out for two days. We ducked back to the caravan park for the arvo to get ready to go into town to watch State of Origin. We headed to the Criterion, the most happening pub in Gundagai, where we accounted for nearly half the patrons. A pub meal was just what we needed…but what came next was better. Our new mates Dale and Chris found us at the pub and had a present for us. Chris works at Wagga Airport, and told her colleagues about our run. By the end of the day she had rounded up $283 in cash and a $4 winning scratchie ticket to add to our total (seriously). It blew us away that someone would help us out like this, and we are very grateful to them.
After realising the pub wasn’t for us for Origin, we went back home to Rubes to watch the footy, where we are now. We’re all going for NSW obviously (except for Carlee, and Ruby-well I guess so because she has QLD number plates). Joel said if Queensland win he will do double kms tomorrow.
We’re expecting a later night than usual, but will be ready to go and do it all again tomorrow, in weather similar to today.
Cheers,
Nick
A dull morning in anything but dull home-made ponchos
Running past a bridge that looked like it was just about to crumble in Gundagai
The boys and the Dog on the tuckerbox talking history and business...but mostly business
Ben and Renee
Chris, the boys and Dale...thanks again guys!
Thanks to Ron from Gundagai Tourist Park for putting us up for free for two nights!
No comments:
Post a Comment