An official rest day. I wake up and discover that the local unofficial drag strip is a whole 10 metres from my bed. Lucky there was the rodeo on last night I guess, Saturday night is presumably drag night out here. I wander into town to find out that Sunday morning, 7am is not a good time to go shopping in Newman. Not even the convenience stores are open.
I wait. And wait. And wait. Eventually I get to buy junk food for breakfast, and explore the town a little. By 10am the novelty has worn off and I've found a bookshop. Well, alleged bookshop. More of a newsagent. They have more porno mags than books, put it that way. I buy a book (am I the first to do so this month? Do I win a prize?) About 11am this strange hippy-like woman wanders past and asks if I'm "one of the cyclists". I wonder a little, but say yes politely because she's the closest thing to human I've seen in this town. A good thing, really, as this turns out to be Emma, who we're staying with. What joy!
She guides me up to the home of Emma, Haylin and Sage. Sage is 3. I get to have a shower and clean up, and talk to Emma. As more people arrive it becomes obvious that Emma is a bit shy, and Haylin is a bit hyperactive when there are too many people. So is Sage, but much, much more obviously. You get that in a three year old. We drive off to get firewood from a local river, and horse poo from the horse yards.
About 3pm the first riders start to peter in. Things rapidly revert to group mechanics, which is a bit of a shame after having Emma and Haylin to myself much of the day.