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Well after watching the weather pattern leading up to Xmas I decided the only place guaranteed NO RAIN was Broken Hill / Flinders Ranges / Gammon Ranges. Only had to put up with the heat….. so asked smick400 if he was interested it tagging along for a ride. Didn’t have to twist his arm to hard….with the promise of pub stays, lots of drinking, swims and easy riding ……well only had to twist his arm a little….. they were expecting 40 degrees… anything is better than rain.
Day 1 – Central Coast to Broken Hill (1132km) Depart 3.30am Arrive 4.20pm
So on 26th Dec at 3.30am we left Central Coast and did the 1132km drive (193 litre’s of fuel) with bikes on trailer to Broken Hill. After 12hrs of listening to music, audio books, me yapping about shit and watching me drink his rum/cokes we got to Broken Hill at 4pm. We stayed at Broken Hill Caravan Park and with a small fee of $10 we could leave the car/trailer in their secure yard ….. under a tree….. (not a good move when it comes to bird poop). Bikes were taken off trailer and all prep’d for the next day. Dinner was at the Musical Club and back for a early night to bed.Day 1 Photo’s
Bikes on trailer
Filling in time drinking rum/coke and taking funny photo’s
On our way
Day 2 – Broken Hill to Hawker via Yunta (410km) Depart 7.30am Arrive 2.10pm
We did the 208km tar ride to Yunta and fueled up for the 200km dirt ride to Yunta. We picked up a Flinders map at the service station and noticed we could have covered some of that distance via dirt. We decided to try that on our way back. We got 1 1/2hrs down the road and we were both frozen….. YES…. friggen cold. Mick put on jumper and i put on another layer and borrowed mick’s gloves to put over my summer gloves. My fingers on both hands were white and had no feeling…… wtf…. its suppose to be hot. After a fantastic breakfast we were getting ready to start the dirt section when I luckily did a quick look over of my bike…. the rear axle we loose/sloppy and it explained the strange wobbly feeling I was getting just coming into Yunta… so after a bit of man grunt….Mick tightened my nut up and off we went…Other highlights from Day 2:
– I got distracted by emu and lost sight of track and ended up dry river bed full of large boulders
– Kangaroo decided to bounce at head height between my bike and Mick’s whilst we were doing 90km
– riding side by side doing 100km then realising too late that the road was washed out by a river. My skid mark is impressive
– having a swim in Hawker Caravan Park pool sharing a rum/coke
– dinner in Hawker Pub and meeting a lady in her late 80’s sharing her experience being a 17yr old 7mth pregnant women being doubled on a Velloceettee (Italian Racing Bike)…….she still had that glint in her eyes
– Playing pool – 1 ball each at the end and I decide to hit the black ball bouncing it around my only ball and sinking the black….couldn’t have planned it if i tried.
– Stumbled up the only hill in Hawker to watch the sunset and watch the outback sky come to life. Also got to see a disused gold mine.Day 2 Photo’s to come…
Starting point
First stop for coffee….but closed
Putting cloths on!!!
Meet a mate who drinks rum/cokes and wears motorcross gloves
Tar road to Yunta
Start of the dirt section at Yunta
Nice flowing dirt roads with ranges on the side
Riding side by side getting action shot of Mick
Whoops … found this at the last minute. I went left and Mick went right
Do you like my skid marks?
Ruins – Waukaringa Historic Site
Mick in action
Enjoying a swim in the pool at end of day’s ride…. THIS ADV RIDING is tough going
Walk to top of hill to watch sunset – funny photo time
Game of pool
This made me laugh
More ride report to come…….
Hey There Kat
I was wondering where the buggery you have been the past week or so :laugh:Good onya !!! Sounds like an awsome adventure & great lead up to your APC assault this year
Well Done,,, Now where`s ya piccies ??????????? :laugh:
Cheers
KatGirl wrote:Ruins – Waukaringa Historic Site
…….
Krusty’s place :laugh:
Great report Kat, keep it coming I have been watching your FB spot tracker updates
All looks very much like the last two years we have been there, I love it thanks for the pictures and the report again mateTB
Day 3 – Hawker to Copley (356km) Depart 6.30am Arrive 5.00pm
It was an early start but it paid off seeing the sunrise hitting the mountain ranges. Two emu’s decided to get up close and personal with me to have a head on…. but Honda won the face off.
Anyone going to Flinders MUST do Bunyeroo Gorge… the hoolie doolie counter went off the rickta scales
We meet a lovely couple in Wilpena Pounds on Yamaha TDM 850. Wife was on L’s and rode her bike from Adelaide to Quorn but got a bit tied. So they left her bike there and doubled up to Wilpena. He was trying to entice her into Adventure Riding so we shared a cuppa and told her what its like ……I don’t think she was convinced…. but Paul her husband was hoping my words of wisdom would help (hopefully not scare her).
Highlights:
Moralana Scenic Drive
Wilpena Pound
Bunyeroo Valley
Parachilna – no fuel
Old Beltana – Ghan Railway dirt road
Leigh Creek
Aroona Dam
Myrtie Spring Gorge
Copley PubAnother wonderful day followed by pub drinks, dinner and yak to the locals…. and a nice comfortable bed to sleep in…. this adventure riding is REALLY tough.
Early departure for the day
Tar to Moralana Scenic Drive
Start of Moralana Scenic Drive
Moralana Scenic Drive – learnt how to ride over dry river beds with LARGE boulders
Mt Ide
Tar to Wilpena Pound
Turned into Bunyeroo Valley
Razorback Lookout
One of only a handful of river crossing that actually had water in it
The ‘hoolie doolie’ count was high…. the rock formations were amazing
No fuel at Parachilna – thanks to some tips from the locals we found a dirt rode to get us up to Leigh’s Creek rather than fang it up the tar
The old relics from the old Ghan Railway
Swim in Aroona Dam (sorry no bikini shots available)
Mick in action shot
Coming out of Aroona Dam we found some rock formations worth climbing!!! (on bike and by hand!!)
Doing some single track out the back of Copley
Myrtie Spring Gorge – went for a blast to this gorge to kill some time otherwise it was back in the pub drinking!!
And it looks like you had Crap weather ????? :laugh:
Awsome pics of the landscapes out there ,,,,,,,
Damn it looks so goodThanx for sharing the experience
Day 4: Copley to Hawker (417km) Depart 6.30am Arrive 4.40pm
Drop Count – 4 by Kat (2 bad rut experiences that broke both mirrors and bent the gear lever, one bad sand moment and one dumb blonde drop)….. Mick was entertained…. NOT ….. having to pick my bike up and walk up/down hills riding two bikes…. including taking on/of tool kit
Highlights:
Copley Rd
Owieandana
Yankaninna
Umberatana
Nooldoonooldoona Waterhole
Arkaroola Village
30km loop that took 2 1/2 hrs taking in Ochne Wall, Welcome Pond, Tillite Gorge, Mt Jacob Backtrack
Tea Tree Outstation
Wirrealpa
Flinders Ranges National Park
Wilpena
Hawker
Ghan Restaurant dinnerDay 4 photo’s
Early start… sun just coming up
Dodging Emu family
Giving an emu run for his money
Wild horses
Rockie river crossing
Had to fix the sign to work out way to Arkaroola
Meet Chris the owner of a property in Umberatana
Mick being a gentleman and riding my bike over a river crossing
Nooldoonooldoona Waterhole – what a mouthful
Kat getting out of the Nooldoonooldoona Waterhole
The Pinnacle’s
Kat took a walk
Kat lubing up her lips…
On the road to Arkaroola
Kat got a ‘little’ stuck…
One of the lookouts
Kat contemplating things…….. life has got so much better…. bring on 2012
Most amazing loop around Ochne Wall, Welcome Pond Tillite Gorge and Mt Jacob backtrack
A rut got my lever
Mick coming down a tricky section
Dinner in Hawker at the Ghan Restaurant… this turned out to be an interesting night
Enjoying civilised dinner
After all other patrons left we ended up drinking with the owner Rob, son Wade and their mate Larry till midnight and was shown the hidden route to downstairs!!!
Interesting photo’s downstairs!!!
Mick made friends with Borris
Even got a showing of some history artifacts …. at midnight i wasn’t taking much in that was being shared… the homemade port was taking affect
Good report there Kat
Love the photo’s. Got to get out there one day.Mallee
Top report Kat and Mick.
Looks like a lot of fun.
Kram
Day 5: Hawker to Port Augusta (308km) and back to Hawker ..Depart 9.30am with hangover Arrive 4.30pm
Drop Count – 1 blonde moment by Kat………. put it down to the hangover and heat
Highlights:
Hookina (5 ways)
Followed Railway line with Wyacca Range on left to Port Augusta….. Kat mounted the XR on a mound for a rest (NOT)
Port Augusta
Quorn
Warren Gorge
Mawson
Cradock
Hawker – pool, rum/coke, BBQ then early to bed.Day 5 photo’s
Ruins in the middle of know where
On our way to Port Augusta
Creative shot of bikes thru the windows of some ruins.
Mick at the ruins..
Kat mounted the XR …. didn’t need a side stand..
Mick didn’t have any rope to tie me up…. so I pretended!!
Kat chasing Mick
Kat having a rest in 40 deg heat
At Port Augusta after enjoying an air conditioned pub with rum/coke (or two) with something to eat
So we drunk too many drinks at Port Augusta and got to Quorn … hot, dehydrated and just wanted to hug something cold…. I was thinking of wrapping my arms around a bag of ice….. Mick was happy to just sit.
Warren Gorge…
Warren Gorge… a must to camp at
Warren Gorge
Warren Gorge
I went from this…..(relaxed taking off helmet… feeling very hot)
too….. this…. on my arse…. sort of laughing.. .NOT…. Mick was more interested in getting the photo rather than getting the bike up.
Me walking around counting to 100 whilst my butt was screaming in pain.
Great report n pics there Kat,,thanks for the ride
Awesome report Kat. It looks like a great part of the world to get out and explore. A must do one day.
Cheers,
Lefty
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