BRM1000 Murrumbidgee Meander
Saturday 14 February, 5am – off I set for the 1000km BRM organised by Pete Heal, “Murrumbidgee Meander.” Heading towards Yass along a road I know well, with a coffee stop at Kaffeine around 8:30am (I really should get myself a loyalty card!).
After that, the road was less familiar (I came across a massive brown snake on the road – at least three metres long!). I reached Boorowa around 11:30am, where I ran into Pete. Time to grab a bite, as there wouldn’t be much available for quite a while. Sushi – though I got a bit carried away and couldn’t finish it (no waste though, another customer happily polished it off!).
Back on the road towards Harden (and, as every time I pass through, everything was shut – around 1:30pm this time; luckily the public toilets were open and sparkling clean, as they always seem to be here). Cootamundra in the afternoon: pear and ginger juice (excellent) and watermelon ice cream (we’re not savages!).
From there, it was due south to Tumut. Fatigue was starting to creep in, but the temperature dropped a little and the wind wasn’t against me. Gundagai around 8:30pm – the Woolworths supermarket was still open, perfect timing to restock supplies. I rolled out again just after 9pm and reached Tumut at 11:30pm (ginger beer in a pub that was still open – unlike the public loos). Quick nap in a laundromat (this one open!), then back on the bike just after midnight.
The strategy was to ride straight through Saturday night into Sunday – mission accomplished, even if there were a few rough patches (another quick stop in Adelong, once again in spotless public toilets).
Sunday morning, 8:30am, I arrived in Wagga Wagga – 490km done. Breakfast at a café that’s clearly a cyclists’ haunt. I had a chat with a group there; one of them had volunteered on Sydney–Melbourne in April 2025 at Laurel Hill (so we’d technically already met, though I had no memory of it!).
I set off thinking things would feel easier with the sun up – but the sun was ruthless. It was hot, and not a single café or pub open along the way. Hot, and the wind no longer particularly helpful. Just after Collingullie (no resupply possible, everything shut!), I stopped by the river to cool my feet down. I soaked my cap and sleeves too (I wear a long-sleeve summer jersey – sun-safe but not too hot). It improved the heat… for about ten minutes! The level of (warm!) water in my bottles was dropping dangerously, so I decided to cut straight across to Coolamon instead of going all the way to the Matong control. It meant risking not validating the BRM, but it was the sensible call.
I reached Coolamon (630km) around 4pm. And there – salvation! I’d booked a room at the local pub hotel. Absolutely brilliant. Very comfortable, and a great restaurant (with cold beer!). Quick phone call to my parents after a shower and dinner, then off to bed at 8:30pm.
I woke at 4:30am (before my 5am alarm). Took my time getting organised – and enjoyed the hotel’s complimentary breakfast: muesli, yoghurt, tea, coffee, fresh fruit.
Rolled out Monday at 6am for the remaining 370km, heading to Junee (I’d passed through there in September 2025). And just like last time – headwind on rolling terrain (two hours to cover 40km!). I stopped at a servo at 8am for a coffee… and a cheeseburger!
I thought the rest would go smoothly, but it was tougher than expected. A pesky wind, mostly cross or head-on, on lovely but not entirely flat roads. I reached Cootamundra – 760km (yes, again – the route loops around a bit) – around 1pm. That’s when my Wahoo bike computer decided to crash. Thankfully it’s sturdy enough: a reboot and it was good as new.
Another Woolworths resupply: apple–blackcurrant juice and sparkling water, pasta salad and cut melon (not great). I topped up my bottles with the remaining juice and sparkling water and set off full of optimism. It was hot, then I heard a suspicious noise and felt dampness on my right calf – typical! I thought I’d punctured a tyre. But no – just the sparkling water trying to escape from my bottle! Phew.
After that little scare, it was a relentless series of climbs and descents – very wearing. Finally Jugiong, but it was already 5pm and nearly 200km still to go. Oh well. I stopped at a bar where the server was a young French bloke on a working holiday visa; we had a quick chat before I rolled out again (still not home yet, with two gravel sections ahead!).
Two hundred kilometres is manageable – but less so with 800km already in the legs! Last stop in Binalong at 850km (after a gravel stretch and a rather unpleasant section of highway). It was 8:30pm Monday night, and I felt like I wasn’t moving – I’d expected to be in Yass by then! Dinner at a small motel run by a lovely young couple.
Yass around 11pm (public toilets shut here too!). It was dark, but the good news was I was on familiar roads. I had to tweak the original route slightly to make up for the 40km I hadn’t done on Sunday afternoon when I cut across to the hotel. In the end, it went reasonably well – cooler now the sun was down. A few kangaroos to dodge, but honestly less draining than during the day.
I reached Canberra just after 4am Tuesday – but I needed the odometer to show 1000km. So I did a lap of the lake (damp, almost chilly), and arrived less than 250 metres from home with exactly 1000km on the clock!!!
Very happy to be done (4:45am), have a shower, and finally sleep. I needed it – I woke at 11am: just in time for lunch at the restaurant downstairs, coffee with a colleague, and a trip into town for an ice cream (raspberry–chocolate!).
Final tally: 1000km in 72 hours, including 47 hours riding and 25 hours of cumulative stops (21km/h average while moving). And the BRM was officially validated!