Day 11 Sunday 6/6/21 Trundle to Ballimore, icy to sunny 0-17

If you hadn’t heard of Trundle then you won’t have heard of Ballimore.

As we realised when groping in the dark for the electric blanket switch, the power went out during the night. Thankfully it came back on a few hours later, but still it is an icy start to the day with frost on the lawn grass. The last two mornings the shower roof hatch seal has been frozen and emits a loud crack upon opening.

Ignoring Gabbi Garmin, VeeWee and I follow Mrs Google’s opposite advice for the road to Peak Hill. We stop to allow a flock of sheep across the road only to find ourselves in the middle of nowhere with no alternative but 25kms of unmade road which seemingly drags on and on while Woody reverts to his grumbling Outback Jack mode cursing dirt roads. It looks like VeeWee and I are in the bad books.

At Peak Hill we pick up the Newell Highway and cruise up to and through Dubbo and onto the Golden Highway to Ballimore which is part way to Dunedoo (not Inaloo, that’s in WA). We’ll later be thankful for not stopping in Dubbo.

Now the O’Leary’s of Ballimore run The Hair of the Dog Inn. She’s an old brick boozer that’s been given a shiny new roof and seems to be constantly busy with trail bikers, Sunday lunchers and a cycle tour. We’re directed to a patch of lawn near the beer garden (and a lovely garden it is) with power. There’s also a free camp opposite for those who Woody calls the Tight Arsed Tuesdays.

Seduced by aromas, we weaken and are lured by VeeWee into the sunny beer garden to demolish the Sunday Roast Chicken. That girl is really getting a reputation. The cycle tour folks are staying the night here in beautifully restored rooms with French doors that open onto a sun-drenched inner courtyard.

After a quick snooze to allow the chicken to move over we’re back in the pub for dinner followed by a quiet evening without TV. I doubt we missed much on that score.

Accom: $15.00

Towing Kms: 171kms

Note: Unbeknown to us some Victorian lockdown escapees passed through Dubbo about this time causing infection concerns.