Update

I'm now in NZ and am documenting everything on FB as its easier than via Blogger - phone signal is more consistent than a dongle.  Postie Tramp is what I'm  up to and Postcards from the Hedge is about the cool people I meet along the way.

They're both open pages so you can access them without being a FB friend. Just search them and they should appear 😄👍

Parked up

You know what? Having spent the best part of a year travelling around a huge country on a very small bike, and now having completed the full lap, seeing loads, meeting great people ( I was fortunate to met only two arses on the whole trip, both were well practised experts long before I stumbled across either😃) and generally making things up as I go along, I'm sort of over it and need a change. That's why I've stayed put in Qld for a while.

I'm still out and about though, either on Gerty or on my pushie.  I went down to Emerald and Mackay a few weeks ago, over to Magnetic Island, up to Cairns, Cape Tribulation, the Daintree, The Atherton Tablelands, have visited friends, or have had friends visit me, worked out a viable plan to keep me occupied for the next few months, and have the beginnings of a longer term plan taking shape. And by longer term, I mean the next couple of years and it involves the Road of Bones.

But for the next few weeks, one of my sons is travelling with me, and it's great to have him here and catch up. He's always been good company but having not seen him for a year makes it even sweeter.

It's quite odd too, having another person around. I'd got so used to being on my own and doing my own thing, that I forget sometimes and am surprised when he speaks ( which he does ALL the time). Sort of makes me jump. I've had conversations every day of course, but not in that familiar, close friend or family way when random things make sense and all parties know instantly what you're going on about.

I've also been reading quite a bit of late, which I've needed to do to keep my brain ticking over. I'm not a fiction reader -information and factual stuff is more my thing, but I always fall asleep as soon as I get into my tent, so staying put has been great. Mind you, I now have to figure out a suitable charging system for my phone and laptop as I won't have a handy 12v on board socket.I also need to get an atlas - an on line version - as it's a bit difficult to plan how to get to some of the more remoter places in the world by guessing their location, even if I do have a fairly good idea of where they are.

I am going to be changing the way I do trip records too. It is important for me to log things that I see or wonder about as I go along, and I generally keep quite detailed notes and pictures. I condense some into a general blog but I have a growing collection of material that I will soon lose control of if I don't do something soon. Lots of stuff from around Europe, even more on Asia, Mongolia and China, as well as stuff from 

the Australian ride. I need to organise and collate it before I go off to NZ as it will be impossible to do when I'm moving again. And I'm quite keen to develop things and move away from reportage. 

Where to next?

So, from late October, it looks like I’ll be touring New Zealand on a pedal cycle, and once again, sleeping in my trusty little tent. Bugger; my poor old bones, but  the more I think about it, the more I’m getting used to the idea, and anyway, its either that or Shanks’ pony, so I’ll just do it.  Long story short, my funds are no more, donated to somebody who was in dire need. But no matter, as on the bright side, I will be able to eat whatever I like and still stay slim: yipee. ( if I can afford to eat that is, lol) Actually, I realised long ago that I don’t really need ( or want) very much to live, and the less I have to carry, the less I have to worry about.

I bought a pushie in Townsville a few weeks ago. It’s a basic trek hybrid thing which will do the job and wasn’t too expensive. It’s fairly light, has front suspension so my previously broken wrists will have a bit more comfort,. It also has quick release wheels, is easy to maintain, tools and repair kit are light, and its pretty but not too posh. I’ve got a helmet ( you have to wear one on the road anywhere in Aus; if you don’t, you get booked) and lights, a lock, and I’ll get a rack and two panniers, and that will be me sorted. Gerty will stay in Aus, but I will be back for her a few months after I leave.

I’ve even got a bit of a plan forming too, which is more prep than usual. If I keep my kit light, which should be easy given that I now own very little, I should be able to include the pushie in my check in luggage, providing that the whole lot comes to under 30kgs, and that I box the bike up, and thoroughly clean her before I do so. NZ won’t allow any Australian germs, soil or plant debris imported on tyres or frame. I’ve found a bike shop which will give me a box, and Air NZ  and Virgin Australia look quite accommodating on the bike in luggage front. 

So I’ll go from Brisbane to Auckland, then head north up to Whangarei. It will be spring in NZ and the north is the warmest bit of course, given that its all back to front and south of the equator. But I’ve sort of got used to seasons being in the wrong months, although Christmas in the heat of summer is till a complete no no for me. However, NZ has wild and dodgy weather just like the UK, so it could be cold, hot, wet, dry, windy, calm, who knows. But if I head north and then pedal south, I’ll have a better chance of getting better weather. I hope.

NZ is also quite hilly, ( mountainous actually) unlike Oz which apart from a bit of NSW, Vic and Tas, is flat. But that doesn’t matter, I wont be on a time limit and I’ll be quite flexible in terms of where I go, and I’ll quite happily get on a bus if I feel like it. The distances are also shorter than in Oz, so water and food won’t be such an issue as towns are closer together. 

I’ve found a couple of interesting looking routes to explore already, the Forgotten World highway and Gentle Annie, so they’re a must just because of their names. And while travelling around oz, I’ve met quite a few Kiwi’s who have told me to contact them once I’m  on Aeoteroan soil, and I will. That is one thing I  have really learnt since I’ve been travelling longterm, especially on my own; people mean it when they  say’ come and see us’. And if they don’t and I turn up, its down to them! The trick though is not to overstay of course.

Anyway, after NZ, my plan is to go to the Falkland Islands, via Chile. I’ll fly from NZ to Santiago, do a bit of Chile on the pushie if its still in one piece ( the bike that is), and then either get a boat from Punta Arenas down the bottom of SA to Stanley, or fly. Will have to wait and see how that pans out then with the Malvinas thing. I’d like to go by sea if possible, just because it would be cool, but a while ago, Chile was backing Argentina by blocking ships entering its ports if they had been to the Falklands. 

The Falkland Islands is one of those places I’ve always wanted to go, there and Zanzibar, but as Zanzibar is nowhere near the South Atlantic, then it will have to wait. I’ve got close-ish to it in the past but never landed on its soil. One for the future then.

But the best bit is that an RAF passenger plane goes between the Falklands and RAF Brize Norton, refuelling in the Azores. Civilians can use the service too, so if I can, I’ll head back to the UK on that as I have a few things to do and a few people to sort out back in Blighty. I'm not sure how the pushie will have held up by then or if I'll take her back to the UK with me. Might donate her to an unsuspecting local.  

Then I’ll either head back to the Falklands and NZ and onto OZ, or go to Canada, ride across it into the States and to San Fran, and then fly back to Oz from there. Or I might  carry on down the western coast of the Americas and back to Santiago, and then to NZ and OZ that way. All depends I guess on how things work out, how I feel, and other things that I need or want to do. That’s why being flexible with plans is so important; if they’re too rigid, you miss out on opportunities, but if they’re too fluffy, you end up not doing stuff either. I might even do a bit of walking and catching public transport. Not sure yet.

And I’ve decided to call the pushie Verity because its sounds like ‘veritas', which is what an old Italian bloke in Townsville exclaimed when he asked where I was heading on her and I said ‘ London. And Veritas was the mother of Virtue in Roman mythology, so why not.

 

 

Gear review

What worked, what didn’t, what was needed, what I would leave out next time. Just my opinion and just for this ride, but somebody might find it useful. 

Bike

Honda CT110 Postie Bike. Brilliant, didn’t put a tyre wrong. I like little bikes and have ridden across Africa, across Europe, across Asia, all on small hondas, and up and over the Alps on dirt and boulder roads on a small Suzuki pizza delivery bike. They are an excellent way to travel; light, easy to fix, nobody minds if you park on the pavement, ride down alleys, park between cars, and they always attract attention and prompt conversation. 

Riding around Australia on a postie bike is not a new - it's been done many times before, solo, in groups, in stages, in costumes, and as everybody will tell you, there is the annual postie bike challenge, a charity fundraiser which covers a new route every year in Oz. 

But these bikes are proven little workhorses and just keep going. Parts are plentiful, everybody has had one, knows how to fix one, has a bit of one, or knows a good bodge if you need it. People also reckon they are indestructible; well they're not quite, but providing you show them a bit of respect, change the oil and top it up, lube the chain and keep an eye on it and sprockets, it will get you where you want to go. Eventually.

Fast they are not, which is fine if your trip ( like mine) is to travel slowly and see as much as you can see. But there is no kilometre crunching to make up time or squeeze in an extra place a way off your intended route and still keep to your timetable ( if you have one) Top speed loaded is about 85 kph on sealed road, and you won’t get much more out of the little gem, even falling off a cliff with the wind behind you. But would I ride a CT110 again? Yes, most definitely, on a similar trip, and I will be keeping Gerty and travelling longterm on her again. South America is the next big project. And who knows, one day I may even introduce her to the CT110 I still have in Mongolia.

Tyres.

Vee Rubber jobs made in Thailand. Good, hardwearing and cheap ( about $60 AUS each) easy to fit or remove when fixing flats. I've used this brand on all of my little bikes for years. Gerty has a 17 x 3.00 road tyre on the front and a same size dual purpose on the back. I like this set up - good traction, smooth ride, does the job.

Tools

22, 19,17, 14, 12, 10, 8 metric spanners

three thin blade levers, patch kit and rubber glue

1 x Philips, 2 x flatblade screw drivers, long stemmed

Wrapped in an old tea towels ( hand wiping rag) and secured with a velcro strap.

Plug puller ( screwdrivers slip snugly into this too)

It's all I ever needed. But for some reason the front wheel and rear wheel nuts are different sizes; other bikes have the same size nut. But one extra spanner was OK. 

I did separate the tools into essentials ( e.g. flat fixing) and general maintenance though. And I stashed well out of sight because without it, you’re stuffed.

Cable ties, reel of gaffer tape

hand pump for tyres

spare plug, fuses, short length of electrical wire.

Panniers

Australia Post castoffs with rack. Good, waterproof and durable, did the job but ( to me) are unnecessarily heavy even when empty. They keep their structure well, and are great for carrying letters but I wouldn’t use these again because of their weight and size. 

But I would keep the rack and use more compact throw overs such as webbing army packs or giant loop type things. But that’s just my preference; I like to travel as light as possible and with as little clutter as I can.

Satnav.

Wouldn’t bother. I prefer maps anyway and it is pretty hard to get lost in Australia as there is generally only one way in and one way out of the smaller places.

Extra fuel tank

Mounted on step through bar and connected to carb via a Y split pipe. Very useful. A must for long distance travel. The original under seat tank will get you about 125 kms                 (depending on load, terrain, wind etc) but the extra 10L tank gives and extra 250 or so. But I still carried an additional 5L can for those places where there is only likely to be diesel, or out bush, or places with long rides between fuel stops. I kept the 5L can empty unless I really needed it as fluid swishing about and up higher ( the underseat tank and extra tank are still relatively low) affects the ride.

Crate

Part of postie bike lore and useful round town but became a clutter hole long distance. Probably wouldn't bother again.

Clothing

Matador jacket. Very good, and I liked it a lot. Three layers     (all removable) and the outer skin has mesh lined panels ( as opposed to just zips) which open right up and tuck away on the forearms, chest and back, thus allowing plenty of airflow. Integral armour stays in place too. Really good in the outback in the heat of summer, and the flaps close to keep the jacket waterproof and windproof. I did consider swapping it for motocross body armour and a shirt in the summer, but this was far more versatile, did a great job, and is only now showing signs of wear. Not bad after about 45000kms of extreme all weather  ( I also wore it around Europe in the winter before Australia)

Rev’It riding pants.

Lightweight, durable, mesh vents, hip padding, full knee armour, full length inner leg zips.  I really liked these -  except for the colour. The sales pitch reckons they are silver but they're not; they’re white. White FFS! For motorcycle riding? No. Just no, and the ‘ but they’re light coloured for visibility and reflection’ excuse is feeble. But they only do women’s riding pants in black or white ( silver) and I wanted a lighter colour for hot weather riding.

They can be used as over trousers ( hence the long zips so they’re easy to get on/ off over jeans etc) but that was never going to happen in the heat of the Australian summer. But they are perfectly adequate on their own as riding pants, although the mesh can rub a bit and make your thighs sore. That’s easily fixed by wearing lycra cycle shorts underneath. And no, its not because my legs arse are fat; they are not. It's just the mesh rubbing!

Helmet

White, dirt bike style, peak, extra vent at front, integral visor. I usually wear a flip front for road riding and wasn’t sure about a fixed full face job but this lid has been great. A light colour is a must too for anywhere hot. I’d never given it much thought until I saw the effects of heat exhaustion on somebody else, caused partly by a dark helmet and dark jacket when riding across the Sahara desert.

And a built in visor with a peak. The visor makes such a difference in the dust - goggles still leave your nose and mouth exposed and its just too hot to wear a mask. The peak also gives that extra bit of shade in very strong sunlight.

Boots

Please don’t be tempted by joggers; wear something that protects your ankles, especially if you’re likely to ride on dirt, which in Australia is an almost certainty as even major roads are frequently unsealed. Rocks will flick up and they will hit your feet and legs. It hurts, and if your legs or feet get damaged, that's the end of your ride.

You are also likely to encounter spinifex grass ( sharp) as well as other tough and spikey plants and thorns that will cut or scratch you, plus bitey things - snakes, lizards, spiders and stuff. So protect your lower legs and feet people! 

I like Meindel army boots ( desert version). Tough, protect your ankles but are still light enough ( both weight and colour) to be comfortable in hot conditions. They also dry quickly when soaked ( like on river crossings) and are water resistant rather than proof.  Sealsinkz socks ( or plastic bags if you must) are a good way to keep your feet dry and out of the wind. Mine are still going strong and are hardly showing any wear despite having been worn constantly through Russia, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, and now Australia. They’re easy to walk in too, just like regular shoes.

Ortlieb water bladder

I still can’t work out whether its an 8 or 10L job but it works very well, and because its pliable, it fits wherever you put it, making it easy to carry. It hangs up too and stashes away flat for when not in use. I used this plus several 2L plastic bottles to carry water when on long stretches or in the outback. Don’t under estimate the importance of water.

Cooking

I had a gas burner until I found a metho stove for about $20 AUS. Best bit of kit ever. Very compact, buy metho at the supermarket ( usually in the household cleaning aisle). Works very well and lasts much longer than gas. In an ideal world, my Coleman petrol stove would be my first choice,but its miles away, so it was a non starter. 

One pan ( op shop , cost $3AUS) cup, spork

Sleeping

Nanuk sleeping bag and a silk liner. Both scrunch down very small. Silk liner provides and extra layer when cold or a cool cover to sleep in when too hot for the bag. I used the bag as a doona when it got too warm to sleep in.

Swag mattress to sleep on in the tent.Even better folded in half.

Tent

Started off with a dome tent which broke. Good while it lasted though, and because it was a dome, free standing and no need to peg down. Then I bought a biker swag. Bloody brilliant, especially for stealth camping, but then the dark hours brought condensation and there wasn’t room to stash much and I had to get changed outside. Ok when its warm and dry but not so good when its colder and wetter. So I bought a very lightweight  OuterLimits tent, which turned out to be an excellent buy. Theoretically sufficient room for two people but in reality just one and a few bits of baggage, easy to put up, shaped like a wedge of cheese, low profile and green - all great for wild camping and staying hidden. And only $90.00 AUS too.

Foam earplugs

Once settled, they deaden the noise of animals, passing traffic, trains and the weather. No point being woken up or scared of noises once you've settled down for the night. I mean, are you really going to pack up and move in the dark? No, not unless you absolutely have to.

Knife

My Leatherman was stolen so I replaced it with a Smith and Wesson folding knife. Very sharp ( I slipped and cut my knuckle wide open with it ) and I kept this close at all times. By day it was round my neck on a lanyard, by night, next to me as I slept. Just in case....

Two tarps

One nylon green camo tarp, cost $20AUS, great for covering the bike and hiding shiny bits that might reflect light when wild camping.

One heavier but smaller nylon tarp for under the tent; the tent base is very thin ( weight compromise) so the tarp protected it a bit. $8.00AUS. Both rolled or folded up very small and took very little room.

Personal kit

A few clothes, a basic first aid kit ( bandaids, one triangular bandage - can be used as a pad to stem bleeding, a tourniquet, sling or regular bandage) antiseptic, Meopore dressing, eye wash, itch/sting cream.

EPIRB
Personal distress beacon. Not cheap but if you're riding alone or in inhospitable places, worth it. I didn't use mine but should have when my husband crashed and was knocked out. It just never occurred to me to push the button. But I now know ( having been told by the RFDS and the SES) that such an incident is exactly what it is meant for.

But if you have one, please test the battery just before you go somewhere alone or remote. It can't help you - or somebody you might come across who needs help - if its not working.

And that's about it. This set up suited me and it worked. The sleeping kit is the most important thing for me; if I'm cold or uncomfortable, I can't sleep, and that makes the next day so unpleasant......

Grounded

Voluntarily. Three weeks in Townsville. Almost as long as Broome and Perth, and I’ve been busy. Really busy.

The first week was a bit of down time which I needed, although I didn’t realise that until I was mid way through it. I have been on the road for quite a while now, living  with just basic essentials, finding stuff out on a daily basis and as I get to places, and making friends along the way. Every conversation I have is with a stranger, and whilst I like that, it is also nice to recognise people and have people recognise me, albeit only on a ‘ I’ve seen you riding around town', or       ‘ you were in here yesterday’ type thing. So to stop in one place for any length of time is very welcome but also a bit of a shock to the system, requiring a bit of adjustment. 

It is weird to wake up (in a bed) and not have to get moving instantly or pack stuff up. It’s odd not going to sleep looking up at the nightly display of fabulous stars, or being woken by the birds and bush creatures as they go about their day. And TV; I’ve never been much of a TV watcher, but I had forgotten just how it is part of everyday life, and on  few occasions, realised I was watching it without really being conscious of doing so. I suppose that’s how habits form in the first place; repetitive subconscious behaviour that becomes a ritual.

I caught up with Nadine too, and it was great to see her. She’s now working in Townsville, and we arrived on the east coast at the same time, which was uncanny but useful as I was able to help her find a place to live, as well as provide an additional pair of hands in the moving process. We even managed a few days exploring the area together which was nice - Magnetic Island, the Reef Centre, Charters Towers - formerly known as 'The World' because it was such a lively and thriving place with anything anybody could apparently want, the Italian Australian festival at Ingham, the Wallaman falls and its surrounding tropical rainforest. 

View over low bit of UNESCO World Heritage Park

The Wallaman Falls - 268m and the highest single drop waterfall in Australia

Rain brewing over the rainforest

Jetty on Maggie (Magnetic Island)

Stingers ( brand of jellyfish) live here - but thankfully not this time of year

Allied Rock wallabies thrive on Maggie

Since then, I’ve been getting on with stuff that I really needed to do but was unable to do for various reasons. I had the final scan that I was needed ( check up on the abdo problems I had in Perth) and that seems to be OK, and which I am very glad about. Then I got my haircut - long overdue and much needed. I had to get it chopped shorter than I wanted because my helmet had worn a bit of a hole in it at the back, a combination of wearing a helmet 12 hours a day, the constant dust and grit getting into it, and the heat. My hair is very fine but there is a lot of it, so right at the back on that lump bit at the back of the skull is where my helmet rubbed. Its a bit like that bald spot that babies get when they sleep and before they can really lift their heads on their own. Only I wasn’t bald, just slightly thread bear. 

The lantern Festival was on Saturday. It precedes the annual Cultural Festival which starts later this week.

And the 100 year commemoration of the start of WW1.

Had a chat with the mayor too who has a friend living in Roehampton, London (near my old stomping ground). She really laughed when she discovered I had ridden the whole way round Australia and up through the centre on dirt on a postie bike, living in the bush on my own. A very cool lady.

I’ve also given Gerty a bit of an overhaul, and she is looking trim and rested. I haven’t touched her engine as yet though as she’s running really well so there is little point in fiddling with something that isn’t broken. For now at least.  But I have ‘rearranged’ her and got rid of a few bits. 

Things like the Australia Post panniers. Whilst they were good and did their job OK, they are heavy even when empty and so add unnecessary weight. And whilst the little postie bike is designed for a bit of lugging and is regularly overloaded in places like Asia, what with a pig, a three piece suite and the whole family of seventeen on it at any one time, I prefer to run as light as possible and have as few possessions to worry about or unload, particularly when it comes to crossing rivers, negotiating very rough ground or off loading to fix flats. 

The max weight ( including the rider) is 109kgs, so with me (65kgs, plus riding gear - jacket, boots, riding pants, helmet, back plate - probably nearer 70kgs) an extra 10L of fuel, plus the gear I need to live (as opposed to gear that ‘might be useful’ ), then weight soon ads up. I said many months ago that when I resume travelling longterm on Gerty, which I will after PNG and NZ, I will replace the panniers with smaller, lighter bags without a built in fame.  It is very easy to fill any space that you have, and you always collect stuff as you go, so it makes sense to limit initial space and weight, with that in mind. Nadine and I both used Army webbing bags with liners on our trips across Europe, Africa and Asia, and they were great, but I’m currently investigating a giant loop system. We shall see. Actually, I might do a complete gear review when I get time, assess what was really useful and what could have been left out.

What else. Oh yes; I also removed the bits of pipe that had been bolted to Gerty. A good enough idea but overkill and not really needed. My bike had four bolted on the back and two on the front, far in excess of anything really necessary, and they were never full. I binned three from the back at Christmas and the two at the front have also now gone; good as extra water carrier or tool roll location, but superfluous. 

They attracted too much attention too - people always wanted to know what was in them, and if interested passers by wanted to know, then it was probable  that passing tealeaves might also wonder, so not a good place to leave vital items such as tools. I did contemplate locking them with drilled bolts but shelved that idea too as a lock indicates something worth nicking. And having had all our tools stolen in Mongolia, I found a better, less obvious place to stash them instead.

The satnav cradle is not wired to the battery and I only used the satnav once, along the Oodndatta when the track split. It was useless, but the cradle makes a useful phone holder for riding around town and using Google maps. But I will take that off when I get round to it. 

I’ve moved the crate forward too. It had been suspended off the backrack on a steel brace which flexed and lasted surprisingly better than expected. But I have moved it forward and got rid of the brace, halving the backrack capacity, but leaving enough room for my tent and sleeping mat. The bike rides so much better too with weight further forward over the back wheel, and that makes it better too riding off road and through the bush, which I do a lot of.

So all of that took a few days, doing a bit here and there. Then I bought a bike. Yes, a leg powered velocipede, which I have been riding around Townsville and exploring on. I love it and it is a great way to get out and about in a place which is essentially flat, although it does get very windy here in the afternoon, which makes the going a bit hard if you don’t plan your direction of travel ( it usually blows in from the ocean so I try and use it to propel me home). I bought it as my main means of transport around New Zealand. I will leave Gerty here because the faff and expense of getting her across the Tasman for a few months outweighs the benefits, and also restricts where I go next. If it is PNG, then sorting passage for her to there and then out again is likely to be even more of a fag. But a pushie is far more simple. I hope. 

Exploring Townsville

I like this place; it's bigger than I thought and a bit sprawled out but nice. Got a good camping place right opposite the beach although I haven't actually been on the beach as yet.

But I have been up Castle Hill - apparently pronounced ' Cassle Hill'round these parts - which gives amazing views over the whole Townsville  area, and also over Magnetic Island, a smallish island  just off the coast. It's mostly a holiday/ fishing place ( I think ) but I'll find out more next week when  I take a wander over there. 

There is a monument on the top of the viewpoint to Captain Robert Towns, formerly of Northumberland, UK, who founded Townsville. It was originally over his grave in Sydney but was moved up here at a later date.

It's nice and warm too, a comfortable 25  during the day but dropping at night to quite chilly. Funny thing is, people up here are all whinging about how cold it us; apparently they're having a cold snap and people are wearing winter coats and fleeces etc FFS! 

My plan is to give poor old Gerty a well deserved rest and a bit of a farkle while I'm in Townsville. I will remove some of the extra bits that were fixed to her before I got her and are now no

longer needed as I won't be so remote anymore. Things like the rocket launchers and also the panniers. Were I to ride long distance on a postie bike again, I wouldn't use the pikka postie bags but would use either a loop system ( but not giant) or two army webbing bags lashed together and slung across the rack. It not only cuts down on clutter but is much lighter. The panniers are very good but are heavy, even when empty. But they did their job and lasted the ride round the block and some very rough riding, so I have no complaints.

But I now need a bit of a change from riding and I know Gerty could do with a bit of Gert time too. I have looked after her ( regular oil changes, not overloaded, kept her chain and sprockets well maintained)  but I think I'll strip her down and give her some proper TLC over the next few weeks. I acquired a pushie to get around on too, so that will help.

A real WTF ? Day today...

Do you ever have days where at the end of it, when you've sat down or whatever, you wonder how on earth it all happened? Me too, and it's been one such day today.

I didn't sleep too well last night. No reason other than I wasn't particularly tired. I find that with riding sometimes; once I've slept for a few hours and recovered the energy spent during the day, I wake up and stay awake. But in the pitch black, in the bush, there is no TV to put on and making a cuppa isn't that easy. So usually, I just listen to Radio 4 podcasts and hope their soothing to tones send me to sleep.

It didn't work too well last night and I was a bit cold, so consequently I was a bit stressed this morning, despite packing up quickly.

But no matter; my plan was to ride 100 kms to Charters Towers and have a good feed.

So how pissed off was I when two kms down the road, Gerty started to weave all over the place like she was on ice? I slowed to a stop without coming off and accepted the worst; another bloody flat tyre. 

So off came the bags once again - this time we were on the verge alongside the highway rather than up a remote track - out came the tools, and off came the rear wheel and then the tyre.  A succession of caravans passed, all waving cheerily, and two bikers who make a big effort pretending not to notice me, suddenly becoming very interested in the trees on the otherside of the road. But they were riding  Harleys and so probably had no idea at all about anything to do with bikes anyway, but they could have at least checked to see if I needed anything. So you two, may your piles forever play up and remain in your respective anus' for a very long time. 

But I was Ok and just got on with it. It wasn't hot like the other day so that was good. But could I find the source if the puncture? Nope, nothing in the tyre wall at all, anywhere.I even checked the outside to see if it had just penetrated. Still nothing, so I looked at the tube. Nothing. So I put some air into it, which rather annoyingly stayed put. So was it a loose valve? Nope. (A valve tool is one thing I've never had and one I keep meaning to get, so a thumb and the tip of a flat made screwdriver had to suffice. )

But another look at the tube revealed the cause, two  4cm scores along the tube sides but at different locations. 

And one had burst. Looked like a manufacturing fault and there was no point repairing that tube as the scores were too big, so I decided to patch the tube I'd removed two days ago but had not had time to fix. I knew that was just a thorn hole, so it was a pretty easy job. 

And while the blue set on it, I sliced the scored tube, removed the valve, and lined the tyre with the butchered tube as an extra layer. The tyre was getting a bit thin anyway, so an extra layer could save the day until at least Townsville, a tantalising 350 kms to the east.

So that all worked and I shoved it all back into the tyre and was struggling levering the tyre back onto the rim when Glen and  Karen stopped. Unbeknown to me, they had passed, realised I had a problem and so came back; how kind was that? (Harley riders please note). Glen helped me lever it back on then get the wheel back onto Gerty, and then followed me to a small taown a few kms down the highway to a servo and a proper air compressor.and to save me the weight on a newly mended flat, they took my bags in their ute. Super nice, and very cool people.

So at the servo, after borrowing old mate's air line, we had a drink and a jaw. Turns out they are on honeymoon, having married last November, but are travelling for two months up the top end in the dry season. Glen is in the RAAF, rides bikes and has just been posted to RAAF TIndall  up near Katherine. So a big thumbs up to them and many many thanks!

So after parting ways an hour or so later, I carried on riding towards Townsville, fearful that if I stopped, I'd get stranded again. I kept going all the way to just short of Charters Towers, where I stopped to eat.

 However, there was no food, the lady just having come back from a shopping trip to town. So as I bought a packet of crisps, she started to tell me all about her recent cosmetic surgery trip to Thailand, and their near incarceration by the military in the recent troubles. This was all unsolicited too, and it was the most interesting packet of crisps( chips) I've had in a long time.

The story is that she (Sandra) and her daughter both lost a lot of weight (Sandra 45 kilos, daughter Pam 60) but they had folds of hanging skin which they decided to have surgically  sorted. So off they went to Thailand, much to the annoyance of John, Sandra's husband, who right up until they left for the airport, was whinging that he needed them to stay and look after him. So they ignored him

And when they got there, they decided on more than they'd planned with Sandra also having a face lift, her eyes done, a new denture, a boob job and a tummy tuck, as well as the bingo wing flesh removed from her arms. Then I got shown the scars and the stitches - not really my thing as I am a bit squeamish when it comes to injuries after the event - but it was ok. In the end I had to extract myself and get back on the road I would still be there now. But what a nice lady. And she looked fabulous and is very happy with her bionic body. However, she did admit to having been more scared of being caught up in the recent disturbances there than any of the medical stuff.

Once back on the road, I managed another 100 kms before stopping for the night and watching the sun sink over the hills. 

I'm now just 50 kms west of Townsville, and providing we remain puncture less Nd other fiascoless I should make it by tomorrow late morning. Fingers crossed.

Onwards .... Yet again

  I hadn't planned on riding very far today and was pottering up through the hills outside Mount Isa, which are beautiful in an orange and scrubby sort of way. After about 40 mins, I saw the turn to Mary Kathleen and decided it was worth a look. 

Its a ghost town now, with just plots, no buildings, but it's not very old. 1954 think, pegged out for the iron ore that was found here by two blokes, one of who named the town after his late wife.

The first hurdle was the cattle grill which looked a bit hardcore and more suited to dinosaurs than cows, but nothing a bit of a run up and a prayer couldnt fix, and Gerty was over it like it was nothing. Phew. The gaps between the bars looked leg breakingly spaced.

And of course because the town is derelict, so is the road, so the ride in is another off road experience without actually getting off road. 

It was bone dry too but it clearly gets very wet round there if the washouts are anything to go by. Fortunately for me, a thoughtful soul had put a branch and some boulders just where the road disappeared. Luckily I saw it- wouldnt have fancied the consequences otherwise.

The old mine is still there, disused of course, but you can still get up to it for a look. 

But then disaster.... I happened to glance down at Gert's back wheel and noticed the tyre was flat as...... Not a job that I relished, especially in the hot sun, but it had to be done. So off came the bags and off came her wheel, then the tyre. I had a new tube so I put that in instead of patching the old one and risking the glue not setting.

 A nasty thorn turned out to be the culprit. Actually, it was a bit of a bugger because when I got a new tyre in Broome, I asked them to tape the inside of the new tyre as I  was going up the Gibb River Road. I even offered them my reel of gaffer tape which they declined. They told me they did tape it.....but guess what? Yep, no taping....lying little shits. Who knows, that layer could have been enough to stop the thorn. 

Anyway I sorted it and was just pumping it up when car came by and loaned me  their compressor. I was using a hand pump but the compressor was a luxury, esp in the heat. Thank you nice people!

Just goes to show though how important it is to be able to get yourself out of a fix. It's a no brainier and I have never understood why anybody would wander off the beaten track ( and even many of the main roads in Australia qualify as that) without being able to fix a flat, adjust the clutch,or swap a cable. To me, it is a must and I think anybody who habitually relies on the help of others ( professional or friends) or dies not have a usable rescue service, without knowing the basics shouldnt be on the road. It's so not on. 

Anyway, I was filthy after all that and didn't dare stop anywhere civilised  for fear of being chased out of town,  so carried on until 90 kms west of Julia Creek and camped.

Big catchup

Well, I haven’t written anything much for a few weeks now because I had to attend to some medical stuff in Perth, recover from that, and then get back on the road. Consequently, I spent more time in Broome, but nothing new, just occupying my time and hanging out with various fantastic people whom I had met there.

I did a litter pick up one day, helping the Keep Broome Clean Team. That was a good way to spend a few hours, particularly as the clear up spot was an indigenous community on the outskirts of town. I didnt know that when I signed up, so going in there was an added bonus, but crikey, did it need a cleanup; there were only about ten houses in the place but enough beer cans, bottles and assorted trash strewn around the place to make it look like the rubbish dump of a small city.

I have never understood why people live like that. We all make rubbish, but why would you want to live amongst it? I think it's got much to do with responsibility and the failure to be held accountable. You see it in London and other places too; chuck your crap anywhere, and somebody will sort it out for you. Its nothing to do with race or class , although both seem to offer convenient excuses to hide behind, but it has much to do with individuals who can't be bothered. 

I finally left Broome for the final time.  ( this trip) on June 30th, camped in the bush that night just past Fitzroy Crossing, the next night between Halls Creek and Doon Doon Roadhouse, and then two nights in Kununurra, where I met up with Peter and Lesley, whom I had met on the road several weeks ago. They were staying with their daughter on a property in Kununurra, so they put me up too - very nice of them, and a real treat to spend time being shown around the town by them.

The Ord Valley is a huge irrigated area which is an agricultural  development area. Over the years since the dam was built, its seen cotton, sugar cane, rice, veggies and fruits all growing on a large scale, but for various reasons - some political, some pests - they have all failed. But now it is the turn of mangoes and sandlewood, both of which seem to be taking off.

Sandlewood in particular is interesting. It's a parasite tree which needs a companion to live off, and is planted between rows of them. The wood is used and the oil extracted and much is sent to India. But to put it's value in perspective - it is known as wooden gold-  a tonne of sandalwood chippings fetches $100,000 on the current market. Not bad for a bag of old sawdust.

I also did a bit more of the Gibb River Road too, riding down to El Questro, but its sealed road, so it wasn’t quite the same as the other end. However, as I’ve had gashed my finger quite badly, riding over rough stuff was quite difficult, so once again, I reluctantly tempered my venturing and didn’t go as far as I planned.

Then after two nights with Peter and Lesley, I left for  Darwin. I made good time on the bitumen, reaching Victoria River, flowing through a spectacular river gorge with massive cliffs of orange rock. I bush camped just past there in a free camp for the night. It was cold too and I was glad of the extra sleeping bag I’d bought in Kununurra, albeit that its a only a cheapo job.

By the time I reached Katherine,I was on a roll, and even after a bit of faffing about, refuelling and just generally bumbling, I still had sufficient time to get to Darwin. 

I had heard bad things about both hostels and campsites up there, dirty and expensive according to wiki camps, so I was a bit unsure what to do. As it was, I stopped bout 30 kms south of the city near Humpty Doo - ridiculous name for a suburb - and bush camped just off the highway. I didn’t fancy the city traffic and trawling for a place to stay  so late in the day.

The following morning, I rode into the city via the airport because I noticed that the road leading to it was called “Amy Johnson Drive’, Amy Johnson of course being the first woman to fly solo from London to Australia , way back in 1930. And she flew from Croydon. It took her 19 1/2 days - a bit longer than the red eye 24 hours we moan about these days.

I poked around Darwin, found the deck chair theatre - like the open air place in Broome, went to the waterfront, looked at the city, and even found the YHA, and stopped, intending to go in, but as I got off my bike, a load of back packers were having a party in the courtyard. Whilst it was the middle of the day and they were only being social, I remembered some of the additional bits in the reviews I’d read, things like ‘ party throughout the night’ ‘backpackers brawls’ noisey, etc and thought ‘ you know what? Not for me, I’ll go elsewhere’. So I did - via the beer can regatta on Mindel Beach.

That was worth seeing, various events and competitions and people dressed up, all having fun.

I watched that for a few hours and then rode back south, stopping just north of Adelaide River at a proper campsite - I needed a shower and to do some washing. 

That’s the only problem with longterm bush camping; its hard to keep clean when its hot and sticky and dusty, so I’ll stop when I can.The place was really good too. It looked fairly ramshackle but was pristine and the bloke running it was nice.

Further south next morning, I called in at Adelaide River and the war cemetery. It was built to bury the dead from Darwin and the NT from WW2. Only a few months ago, it had flooded due to heavy rain, but today it was as dry and hot as.

photo courtesy of Adelaide River War Graves commission

But despite the stop there, I still made Katherine that night, and camped in the bush just outside the city. I wasn't that happy there and thought I might get rumbled as a cycle path was fairly nearby, but the ground was uneven, and I managed to park Gerty down a hole and cover her with the tarp so she was camouflaged, then put the tent a few metres away under some scrabby bushes. It worked well and nobody saw us, but I’m not really that comfortable being so close, and where people are likely to appear.

I was hoping to catch up with Hannes whom I knew was on his way from Kununurra along the Gibb River Road but I also knew that he probably had no signal along the route, as I hadn’t had one when I rode it. So I gave up and went into town, bought some oil, got a tip for a good cafe for breakfast, and had just ordered when Hannes rang. He had actually ridden through and out of town and was heading to Darwin when he realised he had missed Katherine town centre and so had turned around and ridden back in - and spotted Gerty! And I was in the cafe immediately in front, so that was great.

After a coffee, we went to the hot springs just down the road  and sat in there for several hours, chatting, getting clean and enjoying a bit of time off the bikes. It was really good to see him. I first met him before Christmas in Tasmania and then a few months later, I stayed with him in the Barossa valley.

Later that afternoon, we parted company, me heading south towards Tennant Creek and him northwards towards Darwin.

It was a bit of a weird day though because I still managed to get a few kms done, despite not actually getting going until about 2pm. I stopped at Mataranka and had a look at a huge termite hill too, bought some food, then found a bush camp.

Sometimes when I’m riding along, I still get lost in how big this place is. I had a vague notion that Tennant Creek was quite a way off - about 600kms - but I didn’t  comprehend it until later in the afternoon when I still hadn’t gone through any towns or got anywhere of note, and it was time to find a sleeping spot - again. It still amazes me how big and empty Australia is, and how quiet it is too.

I can’t even recall where it was I stopped - somewhere south of Elliott I think - but it was probably the best spot I’ve found yet, off the road, up a bit higher, screened all round by bushes. And I slept well..... but I also dropped Gerty as I got off her. Poor old thing. But she was OK.

I made Tennant Creek fairly early the following afternoon, after pottering down the Stuart Highway,  stopping to look at various things. As usual, I met several people in doing so, including John  and Malinda, who made me coffee. Turns out John used to be a biker but got wiped up 18 years ago, sustained a bit of a brain injury but is much better now, and Malinda is training to be a school chaplain. Very nice people, and more fabulous chance conversations.

In Tennant Creek I stopped at the youth hostel. I only found it by chance and it is with out a doubt, the dirtiest hostel I have ever stayed in, which is a shame because old and tatty I can do, but dirty is not really on, particularly when you’re paying the same rate as for a clean place. But the water was hot and I only had to sleep there. And it made a change to sleep inside, and in a bed. 

In the end, I stayed at the Tennant Creek hostel for three nights regardless of the dirt because I met some really great people there and it was worth staying for their company. Dale, the tunnel boring machine driver, Mick the mechanic, Jeff and Narelle who live there, plus Maria the Swiss girl who was stuck there, waiting for a bus, Robert and Ian, from NZ, both of whom were travelling without wives and so staying in the skankiest places possible, just because they could. 

That is one of the really good things about independent travel; meeting other independents and sharing whatever is there to be shared. Fortunately though it wasn’t bed bugs.

It also gave me a better opportunity to look around the place. Tennant creek is not known for its attractions, although once in the not too distant past, it was a vibrant town with gold mines.  But much seems to have shut down now, the various local mines having ceased much excavation. 

Mind you, it wasn’t as shut down as I thought; I hadn’t realised that Friday was a public holiday in the Territory, so the closed shutters were due to a day off rather than abandonment. Whoops.

Even so, there were plenty of people hanging about. Just sitting around, doing nothing in particular. There was also a fair, creating the usual processions of people leaving with giant stuffed toys, balloons and other fairground paraphernalia. 

I had also considered heading down to Alice Springs, a mere 650 odd kms, but decided against it as I want to be in Townsville for Saturday. If I went to Alice, I would have to ride on to Uluru, another 300 kms and would not have the time too look round, and would have to tonk it back up the same route as there is no real alternative. It would have added about 1800kms but time ( on this occasion) was a deciding factor.

So instead, I headed north to Threeways then east along the Barkly highway towards Queensland. I had given the long suffering Gerty a good old going over the day before - oil change, tyres, chain tightening and lube, and she was ready for another long haul.

It was windy too - a cold head/side wind coming up from the south. It was OK while I was heading north from Tennant to Threeways - I was sitting on 80kms easy, on half throttle as it was blowing me along - but after turning east along the Barkly, I struggled to get 60 kph. And that lasted all day. In the end, I had a cold killer layer, a leather jacket and my riding jacket on and was just about comfortable. I’d forgotten what cold was like.

I pulled into the Barkly Homestead roadhouse for fuel, and immediately bumped into Frank, travelling Australia in his car, and then Giampierro, an Italian rider on a dakar, heading north. 

This was the most expensive roadhouse I have yet encountered, something which is clearly mentioned by other people stopping there as there is a big notice, excusing their very high prices. It doesn’t make much difference to me with my small tank but it must cost the big rigs quite a bit. Stuff inside was pretty pricey too, which is a shame because it doesn’t have to be like that. 

I bush camped again in the middle of nowhere, about 100 kms west of the Queensland border. I was pretty tired after fighting the wind all day, so I just set up, cooked a feed and then went to sleep.

Upon waking, I was encouraged to discover that the wind had dropped substantially, but I still donned both jackets and my coldkiller, which I kept on all the way to Queensland. It was easer to ride though, so that was good.

After about an hour, I spotted a cyclist riding towards me. Turned out to be a bloke called Paul, originally from Gosford NSW, now living permanently on the road. 

He was on way to Perth but had no gear, other than a puncture repair kit and some emergency food. Hardcore I thought! But then he explained that he was actually with his wife Val, who would leave the previous night’s camp several hours after him in their motorhome and they would meet at a prearranged spot for lunch and in the evening. He also told me that he had only got into cycling because about six years ago, he had got crook, lost his balance, and the doctor suggested he start riding in order to train his body the art of balance. So he did, and now he regularly does audax rides ( uber long distance), and his balance is tickety boo. As we chatted, Val turned up, parked at the side of the road and mafde us a cuppa. Lovely.

Actually, that day was quite a chatty day. After I met Paul, I stopped at the border and from then on, met a succession of other travellers in motorhomes, all on their way to Queensland. 

One in particular, John, was wandering in his ute with the minimum of kit ( he slept in the back of it) and had done many of the dirt roads that I had done. He also told me that he had driven along the Plenty Highway but had encountered heavy rain and flooding which had forced him to turn around and drive up the bitumen. That was only a few days ago, and had I ridden to Alice, it is one of the dirt tracks I would have taken. Good call not to ride it then!

I stayed in Mount Isa that night and the next, in a hostel - a clean one this time. It gave me the opportunity to look around the place too. Its funny how after all that open space and big skies, I found the industrial landscape of a major mining town fascinating, especially the lights at night.

I had a poke around the following day too, looking over the city from the look out and finding the last remaining tent house - part canvas part tin - which were erected to cope with the arrival of workers. 

There is also an underground hospital in Mt Isa- built during WW2 when it was thought that the Japanese might try a bit harder and invade northern Australia.

So it's Townsville next; got some stuff to do there. It will be weird to be back amongst people too.