STAGE 9 Carrathool to Griffith 82km

We leave the Carrathool Community Hall at 7am, farewelled by swarming mosquitoes in their thousands, bound for Griffith.
The previous afternoon was a relaxing one at the Family Hotel Carrathool where licensees Donna and Gino Scutti looked after us graciously.
They also waived accommodation costs and charged just $16 (chicken) or $20 (steak) for dinner!
Their pub was built in the 1880's with a classic hardwood bar.
Jack Gillard and the boys depleted their red wine supplies, Geoff Battle drinks them out of lime and Steve Warden has to find a substitute for tomato juice in his drink.
On the road Shane Paul organises a peloton so the riders can work together to push up the speed.
It reaches around 25kmph.
"We were moving," said peloton-novice Tim Coates.
The Tamworth Chamber of Commerce president and the peloton blow apart when we hit 12km of gravel.
Tim jumps in the support bus to have a chat with Brian Birchall.
"Discretion, valour," is all he says to Birchall.
After the flyers have created a 4km gap between the strongest and the slowest we regroup for what is an easy ride into Griffith and the Kidman Inn Motel.
At one break Jack Gillard has a laugh about his fellow riders.
"I've been called Barry, Ross and now Allan," he said.
While he is called Jack or John by his fellow Kurri Mongrel Bastards his real name is Edward John Gillard.
His tall mate Phil Stewart laughs about it on arrival in Griffith.
"He doesn't mind going by Edward either," big Phil alias Bobby Fishlock junior, alias Phyllis, said
"His wife (Julie) calls him Edward."
Jack/John/Barry/Ross/Allan is also king of the punctures stopping to fix another flat just outside Griffith.
Quote of the day goes to Goog Davis.
"I don't have corner graphics," he said in reply to a question from Brian Birchall in the tailing bus as to what was up ahead.