I got the tent down, packed everything up, did my daily stretches and ate breakfast, and was on the road by 0730. All against the backdrop of another beautiful sky.
That is a record for me; usually the simpler the task, then longer it takes because I fanny about and don't get on with stuff.
Actually. I didn't want to leave before the anyway as the ride out from where I'd camped was quite rocky and sandy and I needed to see where I was going. I nearly came a cropper on the way in last night when I slipped on some loose soil, and although I slid a few metres backwards, I stayed upright. Fortunately.
I really need a proper site tonight though. I badly need a shower, I need to wash clothes, to charge my laptop and cameras, and to do some admin - pictures to editors, words to various places, and catch up on messages etc.
The ride northwards is a bit monotonous. It's pretty flat out here, with the odd huge hill dotted around. And some more anthills, particularly near to the Onslow turn. I had originally planned to ride there but that would mean a 120km detour and I wasnt sure whether I could get fuel. Diesel yes. But petrol? Not a risk I was going to take.
Onslow is unusual in Australia as it as bombed in WW2. The old submarine base was the target but the place is now a quiet fishing location. It would have been interesting to see the base ruins and the old town, which is apparently being restored, but I've see so many ww2 relic sites in my time, that the lure didnt overcome logistics. So I carried on, enjoying the cool of the morning.
I came across a caravan wreck at one point. It had happened fairly recently but not too recently. It was in a bend and looked like the van had missed the road curve and gone straight on. It's easy to do out here, get mesmerised by the stillness and emptiness and before to know it, you're off the road and in a ditch.
I played cat and mouse with a couple of pedal cyclists for a while too, tooting and waving to them and them yelling out to me as they passed me when I stopped to take a photo or have a drink. It must be quite an ordeal on a pushie; this place is so huge that you must feel you're on the road to nowhere at times, although I can see the attraction of the physical exertion and the mental obsession of conquering such massive mileage. Maybe I will give it ago one day.
I'm well I nto mining country up here, and great swathes of soil have been laid bare by the companies. I'm not sure if they are actually building a road or whether these tippers were just using the dirt highway to get between locations, but it was impressive. Megatrucks, really big vehicles, a corridor of red soil and nothing else around,
But you don't get any sense if just how big the trucks really are until you get up close.
Gerty was dwarfed but only is actual size, not might!
As well as mines, there are a few gas plants too, dotted around up here.
By now, the cool early morning had become a hot mid morning but there was nowhere shady to to stop for a drink, so I kept going. At least the moving air regulated my temperature.
I popped into Karatha intending to find the Honda dealer for my sprockets, but it was too hot and dusty so i rode onto Roebourne.
That was even hotter and dustier so I kept going to Point Samson on the coast.
Camping is expensive here but I needed the amenities so it had to be done.
I love signs like this; regional winner of what? Craphole of the year? Biggest camping rip off? Most seagulls?
But somehow I've ended up on a secluded terrace on my own, on soft grass and with my own shower and toilet. A bit of a result, and all because the usual tent spaces are taken. Yay!
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