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Published: September 10th 2018
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Woke up to a wet windy cold day, maybe thats' why it is called Watervale, plenty of water in da valley. Quick brekky, jumped on the bikes, rode out to start another job at a new winery, We were hoping that it is better than the slave drivers in the Barossa. After 8 gruelling Ks, we arrived at the winery. made ourselves known to the foreman and started picking soaking grapes in the pouring rain. Not a very happy way to start the new job, Ironically the rain was more pleasant than the moronic crew working alongside us, we soon clicked why Kirk and Bruno chucked it in. These moronic dickheads make the village idiot look like Einstein. But at least the grapes were trellised up high, making the picking a lot easier than the backbreakers in the Barossa. So we signed on with dodgy names to dodge the taxman, Colin Forest and Daryl Black were our pseudonyms, had to keep our first names to make sure when someone called out to us, we would actually turn around to answer them. Glad to report no chain gang or bossman cracking the whip, as we were employed by contractors, with cushy hours
from 7.30 to 3.30. Still raining at knockoff time, rode back to camp in the freezing rain, "that's it"!, straight to the pub for a $1 hot shower, a lot of beer, hustle the pool table and crank up the juke box. Ah! this is the life Colin old chap!
It seemed like we were on the set of Groundhog Day, as the next day was exactly the same. We rode to work in the pouring rain, picked soggy grapes, listen to moronic neanderthal dickheads articulating crap. Time bell rings, ride to the pub for more of the same. However ironically the movie on the pub T.V was Stir Crazy, "Yep that sure as hell sounds like us Colin." So now its the first of April, marking one month of our big cycling adventure. Its also the one day of the year to pull practicals on unsuspecting victims. "Colin, you've got a big rip in the bum of your jeans", unsuspecting Colin fell for it, surprisingly there was no retaliatory pranks, but I kept a watchful eye out for them. We set off for another day of grape picking under a cold blue sky. We started a new vineyard
today at Garths' fathers winery. Around mid morning some warm sun was warm and pleasant to work in, we almost felt human, something I can't say for our Troglodyte picking crew.
Met a good Samaritan, Brenton in the pub who offered to drive me back to Saddleworth church/cemetery camp, hoping to find my lost tent pole, I had left behind in the manic packup. Amazingly it was still there, so we dropped in to the good ole' Rising Sun hotel at Auburn, for a few celebratory coldies. Hooked up with Colin at the Watervale Hotel, told him my good news re tent pole, "Well we better have a few more celebratory coldies Dazz!". In the long history of humanity, I doubt that a mere tent pole has never been celebrated like this one, but maybe its about the beer. After said coldies were imbibed with much delight, we returned to our tents, "and its goodbye trusty stick, welcome back tent pole". Woke up inside my tent and marvelled at my long lost tent pole, Over breakfast we could feel the heat building up to a hot day, so its, Hi Ho Hi Ho, well I think you know the
rest of it. We had set a cracking pace on the vines, and as the rows were finished, pickers were jumping onto the other rows and Voila the job would be finished just after lunch. It was like the last day of school, it immediately dawned on me, that's it, no more work for the trip!.
3rd of April. We decided to get our cycling legs back into action, before we resume the big ride, with a 15k day trip to nearby Clare for a few supplies. We met Brenton on the way back at a Roadside stall, that had an excellent herb and vegie garden, I stocked up on some fine herbs to spice up bland camp food, there is only so much one can do with rice and pasta etc. On return to camp my much over burdened bike stand broke again, I stuck it up with good ole "Super Glue" but not sure how ,long it will last, I am going to have to reinvest at the next bike shop for a wanganui. So its off to the pub again for another night of much beer. We mentioned our travel plans to the relief barman, he told us about an old historic town just north west of the "Flinders Ranges" called Beltana. It was really good to get an insight to the landscape and terrain of our future travels into the "outback" country".
4th of April. Today would be hot and windy around 30 degrees, we were planning another day trip this time to Historic Mintaro, to check out the heritage listed buildings including the iconic Martindale Hall. However the hot weather and strong winds, soon put the Kybosh on that. "Hot and windy, hey Colin ole chap, there is only one remedy for that ailment, you guessed it more Ale, and plenty of it. So it was another day at the pub, hustle the pool tables crank up the juke box. Got chatting to Harry the relief barman, who used to play aussie rules for Port Adelaide and is related to the great Collingwood player Thorold Merrett, so we talked about footy over many beers until the pub restaurant opened for business. I ordered my usual elcheapo counter tea for the princely sum of $3, and for that you get 4 eggs, 2 sausages 2 grilled tomatoes and a heap of chips, a lot of bang bang for your buck! I washed it down with more portagaff ( a favourite concoction of beer, ginger beer and lemonade) drink heaps and not get pissed!
Some band dudes were hauling in the gear for tonights gig, the sign on the bass drum read "No Guarantee", No guarantee of what! I asked myself? just after darkl the saturday nights regulars were settling in and it wasn't long before the joint was rockin'. Nothing like a good loud rock band, and for a country pub in the sticks, they were pretty good. knocking out classic 70's rock, rhythm and blues. Kirk produced a hip flask of Johnny Walker, we passed it around and between Kirk, Colin and I, we soon polished it off, and headed back to camp as the band were playing the "doors" Roadhouse Blues. Yeah it was a pretty good way to wind up Watervale after all the cold, wet, windy hot madness. And just for good measure when we got back to camp I reciprocated Kirks generosity with a good bottle of Cab. Sav before turning in.
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Colin
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Young ones
I think it was in the Watervale pub that we got the barman to change channels on the tv so we could watch the young ones . A few people in the bar said “ what the the hell is this wierdo stuff about . I thought the Young’s ones were hilarious but obviously I bit to far out for those country folk !