Today’s blog written by Rod

Desert Park

I take Hamish and Eli to the Desert Park for some easy strolling activity which does not involve attachment to a screen. The birds of prey show is the big drawcard and it starts at 10. Things have been busy here in The Centre and I am wary of queues, so I get us there just after 9. There is nobody about and we amble in, with 40 minutes or so to wander around before taking our seats. Eli is a little anxious about missing the show, so we get there with 15 minutes to kill. Now it gets crowded. The show starts and it is a lot of fun. The birds are well-trained and/or just following their instincts. The star of the show is not a bird of prey but a humble little local Willie Wagtail. It follows the presenter everywhere and does every swoop with the big birds as they try to catch the scraps. The show is enjoyed by all and then Hamish waits to get a photo with a wedgie (eagle.) We resume our pleasant stroll around the park. We all love the Nocturnal House and the boys are extremely well-behaved. The only downer was the closure of the café. But we make do with a couple of pies from the kiosk.

Afterwards (thanks to Eli’s recommendation of ‘Desert Dwellers’)  we manage to find a replacement cable for the car fridge that I clumsily broke at Yulara. My conscience is eased.

Back on the bikes

Belinda has hired a bike (hard tail Orbea) from the Outback Cycling bike shop (where they have bikes AND coffee) and I have borrowed Stewart’s dual-suspension Polygon. A bit of logistics follow; I drop Belinda at the shop, drive back to the house and then ride my bike to meet her there. It all works out as I try to remember my way around town. Belinda has a route picked out, but the man in the shop recommends another trail. So, we head off, past our old school and follow the Todd River towards the telegraph Station and beyond. The trail is coloured green (beginner) on the bike shop map and blue (intermediate) on Trail Forks (MTB app – which Belinda uses all the time). Blue wins. No question. It is quite rocky, fairly narrow and often quite steep.

There is also a (sand) river crossing to contend with. We manage the trail well, though; only having to walk our bikes occasionally. Neither of us has a fall and we feel pretty satisfied with our effort, given that neither of us have been mountain biking since Belinda’s injury. A pleasant ride home, mostly following the Todd River follows. We start planning our next ride, tomorrow.