Monday 4 September 2017

CQ17 - Day 3 Deep in he heart of Texas

So yesterday I promised to fill you in on shower conversations on CQ.  

First, let me describe the showers - converted shipping containers with a row of showers (about ten) split up by plastic sheeting to make individualised stalls and shower curtains on front for privacy.  No room for changing in the stalls so you come out into a communal area to dress.

If there are vents to draw out the hot air, they aren't particularly effective, so it gets oppressingly hot in there. So here's how just about every shower conversation starts...

Woman enters through slatted plastic flaps (door) - "Oh my god it is so hot in here". Someone in the shower "welcome to your sauna and shower" someone else "at least it will open the pores and give them a good cleanse".  Followed by "anyone else having problems with the hot water?" "Is this shower free?"

That is pretty much the standard convo.  Then follows a dissection of the day's ride, the good, the bad and the ugly.  Then we talk about the next day and the next day we repeat again.  But the difference is that each day, it's a different set of woman sharing the communal area, rarely are we all showering at the same time each day.  Again, it's a community that we share and enjoy.  

This year I've also enjoyed showing of my new towel - a lightweight, full-sized, blue, microfibre towel that I picked up from Aldi for the paltry price of $10.  It folds down into a tiny pocket about the size of two tennis balls.  When I first showed Phoebe from BQ, we were sceptical about the ability to pack it back down after use.  Actually I was sceptical that I wouldn't end up looking like a giant smurf after using it!

But I am pleased to say that not only did I not morph into a big blue smurfette, but it also packs down perfectly.  Worth every cent!

Now onto today's ride.  A lovely 64k trundle, with the last of the dead flat scenery now behind us.  Would you believe we had tailwinds for the better part of the day? It was nice not to be battling against them but to have them buffeting us on our way to Texas.  We were even rewarded with sightings of emus and kangaroos in the paddocks.

Spent the afternoon exploring Texas township and have now settled into my tent to rest up ready for tomorrow's 100k slog up and down the Texas-Stanthorpe Rd.

So it's see you later for now.  Hopefully I'll make it so you can read my blog tomorrow 😊

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