What a day…!!
As I left Kununurra, I saw this sign... I would be in Port Hedland after a two day ride...!!
I covered 1 078 km on my ride from Kununurra to Broome, arriving here in the dark, dodging cattle and wild horses in the final hour on the run into town… I spent 11 hours on the road, about nine of them in the saddle, watching the countryside of North Western Australia slide by…
Not the most picturesque part of the world by any means, many parts of it reminding me of the northern Cape and the Kalahari in southern Botswana…
And with the heat to match…!! The temperature remained in the upper 30’s for most of the day…
Tomorrow they will concentrate on more mundane matters such as robbery, house breaking, and auto theft...!!
I have covered 1 913 km in the last two days, equaling the longest consecutive rides I made through Egypt and Libya, and the the two day ride I made starting in Gibraltar and ending near Bordeaux in France last year… So for those of you who have sent messages and emails complaining of my recent inactivity, I hope I have demonstrated that the old boy still has a bit of stamina left in him…!! Tibor in Hungary, take note…!!
It is the fourth time I have exceeded a 1000 km in a single day, and by the time I reached Broome, my body and brain had begun a lengthy discussion about the virtues of stubbornness, versus the effects of fatigue…!!
Road Train and Baobab...
"No worries, Mate...!! With a truck that long, you can bet I'll be a little careful...!!"
On arrival at the home of my South African hosts, Coenrad and Rene Human, I discovered that I had lost one of my video cameras…!! Somewhere between the ride from Willare and Broome, the camera either slipped from it’s mounting, or, it was “removed by unknown hands” whilst I was in a convenience store trying to find directions to the home of my hosts…!!
Either way, I have lost the footage from my last two rides from Darwin to here…!! Not to mention the camera itself…!! Bummer…!!
Long open stretches of road.... Not nearly enough interesting things to keep you awake...!!
After a great dinner with the Human family last night, Coenrad brought out a bottle of Chivas with which I was able to ease the pain of my lost camera…!! Wonderful thing, Chivas…!! Who knew that it contained so many medicinal qualities…??
I am also finding it enjoyable to be speaking Afrikaans again, a language I have always loved for it descriptive qualities… This is as close to that “home feeling” I have had in a long time…!!
In the dry season, many of the creeks and rivers dry up..
My long ride today was not without it’s little stresses…!! I got to the Petrol station at Doon Doon with but a drop to spare in my tanks, and my efforts were not assisted by a missed turnoff which added another 20 kilometres to my ride…!!
After four hours and 400 km behind me, I still had a long way to get to Broome...!!
Also, somewhere between Fitzroy Crossing and the turnoff to Derby, I almost fell asleep on two separate occasions, veering across the road but catching the Big Fella just before we flirted with total disaster…!!
Each time this happened, I pulled over, and took a short walk to stretch my muscles and drink some water… The scorching heat, coupled with a big dose of fatigue, had almost done me in…!!
Before I even reached the final long run into Broome from Willare, I knew that getting to my destination in daylight was going to be tough…!!
I took the last 200 km at a steady clip, chasing the setting sun, and keeping a close eye on the verges of the road, seeing stray cattle grazing amongst the trees and shrubs, but not getting too uptight about them… What really worried me was the Wallabies and the Kangaroos, with whom I had yet to come into contact with…
I had no idea how these animals reacted to the roar of an oncoming bike or car, and until I had seen for myself what they did when confronted by vehicles bearing done on them, I wasn’t sure what to expect…!! Luckily, Skippy and all his brethren remained well hidden all the way into Broome…!!
Parts of the Kimberly's had been ravaged by bush fires...
All the "1's" for the number one touring bike in the world...!!
Writing up my postings on Australia is going to be a difficult task… As things currently stand, I have but 60 odd days to complete my rides here, not nearly enough when I consider the wonderful hospitality of the people I have met in the short time I have been in Australia…!!
There is so much they want to show me, so many things to talk about, and so much ground to cover in between…
And then there is the very high cost, by normal standards, of internet connections…!! I paid A$10 for an hour of access in Kununurra yesterday…!! That’s about R75…!!
I cannot for the life of me understand why the hotels here do not offer free access to Wifi like the rest of the world does…!! And when you consider the high price of accommodation, the mystery deepens even further…!!
Come on Aussie Hotel Trade…!! Get with the program…!!
Last known position of my forward facing video camera -Willare Roadhouse on the way to Broome...
In order to catch up on my writing, I often need a few days straight, to get it all done, and I find it difficult to do this when enjoying the hospitality of friends… I am torn between the enormous enjoyment of lively conversation, and the odd thirst quenching session; and the rather anti-social task of sitting quietly in a corner for hours at a time to bring my site up to date…!!
The sun begins to set on this grand-daddy of a Baobab... Broome was still 200 km away...!!
So, posts are going to be short and hardly as entertaining and news-filled as I would like, but with the expense of touring Australia, and the limited time I have here, that is how I see it panning out… Too bad, so sad…!!
Riding directly into the sinking sun and still 48 km to go...I guess when I set out earlier that morning, I knew it was always going to be a race against time...!!
I will however go back and upload photos and captions on previous rides and fill in as many gaps as I can along the way…!! Messy, but that’s the way this particular cookie is set to crumble…!!
(Note to self: I guess I could always fly back to that pretty “island” north of here to do a stint of writing…!!)
GB
Broome, Western Australia
Glad you have had some time to really ride. Lucky you arrived in the cool season. Enjoy!
Wow, even here in South Africa, hotels have free wifi. It seems you will have to ride like a mad man to get out of expensive Australia a.s.a.p. By the sounds of things, the country lives on alcohol and skippy’s. Sorry to hear about your camera, that’s a real bummer!!!
Jy moenie so veel drink nie, boetie, Vat dit stadig… 🙂
any Starbucks or MacD’s en-route? both offer free wifi in the uk. or else try the local library?
this site may be of some help when you get to Victoria/NSW/Queensland
http://www.freewifi.com.au/listing_summary.php?region_id=27&listing_type=free
nando’s may be another bet?
http://v4.jiwire.com/wi-fi-wireless-hotspot-Northbridge-Western-Australia-AU-Nandos-Mt-Lawley-1930214.htm
not nearly as convenient as having it in the hotel though!
had similar experience when doing our rtw trip 15 odd years ago – internet cafe’s were numerous and cheap in SE Asia, but not so in Aus/NZ
issh – just looked at the map. thought you were on outskirts of Perth after 2k km’s!
As I was addressed…
I was always a real admirer of your endurance, physical and mental stamina as well.
I know it was my fault suggesting to take the 7C road in Romania and to take roundtrip in Albania where vendetta is an everyday routine of the male population. Albeit the Albanian leg was shortened by Willi for a not disclosed reason ( not enough food? )
Anyways, great progress again, 2000kms in two days in the saddle, 30 degrees… I know what I am talking about: my record is 760 kms a day – I’ll always remember the feeling of that evening!
Good luck, careful with the road trains and wallabies! The rest of the World is expecting you back!!!
Tibor…. You say the kindest things…!! Don’t stop…!! Riding the 7C in Romania was one of the highlights of Europe for me, and the Albanians had enough vendettas without me joining in…!! Pick a route thru Europe and together we can break your record one day…!! R.
Yeah Tony, it’s a long way round this island…!! Still have 2 800 km to do before I get to Perth, and five days to do it in…!! Thanks for the info, but as you say, nothing beats the convenience of being able to work until the wee hours of the morning….!!
When my Sunshine & I have travelled over the last year we have maxed out at 450km, I used to do 900 in 10hrs when I drove interstate in the Semi-Trailer.
When I 1st went up to Darwin in the 80’s (on a old Honda 550/4) it took me 6 days, they reckon the roads are better now?
When you get to Brisbane, you can sit in the airconditioned study and post all afternoon and evening. Mornings will be to show you a few things so don’t worry about your site – we will get it ship-shape before you move on !!!