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Both of these were supposed to be photos … Will try uploading soon
Alice to Mt Dare
332kms : 8 hours (about 2 hours for stops).
The day started awesomely (is there such a word)
We read all our info on the Old Andado road & the Old Ghann road & in the end it was decided on the toss of a coin. Heads we went the Old Ghann road.
It’s also the road that runs alongside the Finke race route. The Road was fantastic. Nice & wide smooth hard surface. For about 70 kms.
We collected firewood along the way as new restrictions are in place for collecting once you get to the NP near Mt Dare.
For the next 160kms the road conditions varied from really soft sand to sand & rocks.
I am pleased to say Mark was the first to drop his bike negotiating the soft sand.
I was only 1km out of Finke & I fell over on soft sand. Damn. Bugger. I’d almost made it. Now it’s 1 all.
We drove through Finke for about 10kms til we found a nice shady tree by the Finke river bed. Lunch was great. Had our energy bars & drinks & with the road decidedly better rode on to Mt Dare. What a welcomed site that was.
Some of the country was so barren with nothing but rocks & spinifex.
The 5kms of road before Mt Dare is rocky as.
The camp ground had about a dozen campers & by the visitors book this place is definitely an outback oasis, at this time of year. With many making the pilgrimage to the Birdsville Races.
A group of bikers turned up about dusk on 525’s WR450’s & 1 DR + 2 support vehicles with all their gear. They are heading the same way as us.
Camping here then Dalhousie Springs tomorrow.
Fuel price @ Mt Dare … A surprising $2.21 ULP
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Rock Climb Closed
Ayers Rock
It was a day to walk the rock! All psyched up @ then we found out it was closed due to high winds
. There is the big base walk of 10kms. But we chose a shorter one in case it opened. But it didn’t.
Apart from it being windy it was bitterly cold desert wind for most of the day.
We visited the cultural centre on the way out all about Aboriginal heritage & nothing about the rock formation. We found out through our reading that in 1985 title deeds to Uluru & Olga’s were handed back to the local people who then leased the land to the federal government got 99 years. That explains a few things.
A 45 min trip to the Olga’s for lunch & a walk.
Taking photos of the rock & Olga’s is really hard as they’re SO big you can’t get the perspective.
Then back for a restful afternoon.
A couple if KTM 990s pulled up later in the afternoon. Having a chat to Con & Russ from Inglewood way. a good couple of blokes. They’re going back the plenty.
We have passed about 4 other adventure riders. Some single riders & in pairs. Always give a big wave.
Mark & I went to a buffet last night with Australian meats. Kangaroo – wallaby – crocodile.
It’s strange when you know your eating white meat that’s not chicken, it’s crocodile. A very dense meat. Wallaby was like beef & a bit chewy. The smoked roo was lovely while the roo in prune sauce was very strong.
About 500kms back to Alice today.So that will make it a total of 2,800 with 1,100 on dirt. On the first lot of 606’s.
We will provide photos for reference.
Kings Canyon to Ayers Rock
Darryl got a standing ovation when folding up his 3 second tent — yeah.
A walk around Kings Canyon & then Kathleen Springs on the way to Ayers Rock.
The most noteworthy item on Kathleen Springs was that it used as a for cattle stockyard in the late 1800’s to 1960’s before it was turned to a National Park. The area is naturally shaped that there is only 1 way in & out.
This was all tar road today.
We filled up @ Curtin Springs $2:17. P / ltre. And it’s noted that of all these small roadhouses are staffed by international travellers.
As the 606’s are wearing we decided to go slower. About 95ks. Going @ a slower pace I find the riding harder. Nothing to keep my concentration alert. So the 300 kms was spent playing silly word games. Another good use for intercoms (which are working quite well).
Darryl & Denis went ahead in the car & probably got to the camp an hour ahead of us. At this ‘resort’ it was only $17 pp to camp.
Not a lot to see .. There’s only 1 road to the rock & everyone’s on it. The Grey Nomads have been replaced with international tourists.
There is plenty of road signs to remind them to drive on the left hand side of the road. In about 4 languages.
Arriving @ the camp site we had a beer then organised ourselves to visit the rock for the sunset. Unfortunately the event was clouded by … Clouds
. Having not visited the rock before its the strangest looking thing. It’s SO big & doesn’t fit into the landscape. Did I mention it’s big? It even seems surreal.
We had a guess that 100 people would be there – we were slightly out …. There was probably 100 cars & about 10 buses.
There is now also a $25 fee to visit the rock, valid for 3 days & hopefully allows us to visit The Olga’s. Mark
Had been here a few years ago where it was being run by the Aborigines & now there aren’t big red “Prepare to Stop” signs followed by a clinical building complete with thick glass window where your passes are acquired.General consensus was to stay another night to visit the Olga’s tomorrow then back to Alice on Sunday.
