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In my postingsThe better photos & videos will be loaded onto YouTube – & I will post the link here when it’s done
Tilmouth to expensive Kings Canyon (Resort)
We had a team meeting last Evening, to determine our days left & how we were going to spend them. Working backwards we had 6 days spare.
Prior to our leaving on the trip we thought we might take the Sandy Blight Junction road. Via Kintor & Docker River. It’s approx 800kms way out west into WA again. All dirt. 350km of dunes & tracks. 1 was keen-as & 3 where against. Hard decision.
We decided to spend more time around Alice – Kings Canyon – Ayres Rock etc.
Leaving after another great night sleep. We headed to Alice. 2 hours away. Fuel – shop – source tyre changing shop.
Fueled up – found Coles. We were running low on beer & found out that Alice bottle shops don’t open til 2pm. Oh no!!!
Anyhow found 2 bike shops on Larapinda Drive & would you believe it … Neither of them would change our tyres!!! Do don’t go to Race motorcycles or Desert Edge_. Instead we will use Garth @ Percy Power.
We were stunned on the bike shops attitude.
Anyhow moving on …. An hours drive to Hermannsburg to get our road permits to Kings Canyon. Yes on some NT roads you are required to produce a permit to travel. So we arrive in Hermannsburg (another Aboriginal community) find the issuing place and find out the $2.20 is now $5.50.
To note : unfortunately that $5.50 isn’t going to fix the road. All other roads around the Mereenie Loop is tar. Mmm. The do it differently in the NT.
It’s now 2:30 and with 200kms of dirt to travel we made tracks.
We bikes went first. Travelling side by side as we’ve done previously. The road was wide and varied. & not particularly good for the 4WD. It was rocky for us bikes. With some big hits on the bash plate & some nasty smacks into the front tyre.
With the amount of dirt roads we’ve travelled we’ve noticed lots of willy willy’s. Been caught in 1 or 2. & one thermal pushed me from the centre of a (tar) road. they are amazing to watch
Bikes made good time. The 4WD drive was about 20min behind.
We’d booked into the camp ground. $19 pp. our most expensive stay yet!!
$82 carton of beer. And we really needed it
Tomorrow we’ll walk around Kings Canyon.
Wolfe Crater to some where on the Tanami (270km north of Yuendumu)
I asked Darryl last night if he could ride some of the day for me. I was quite rattled from last afternoons trip from the start of the Tanami to WC NP.
Thankfully he did all day. I rode in the prado & watched the sand – corrugations – & gravel get worse then better. Worse then better then worse. Mostly I know it’s my mental attitude … Something to work on.
So much for local knowledge .. & not to mention the lady in the Halls Creek info centre saying “you can’t go down the Tanami on your bike!!, you’re mad!!”. So much for impartial information.
40odd k’s down the road @ Bililuna was an Aboriginal Mission. We drive in to get fuel $2.60 litre. Opal fuel – a special non sniffing fuel.
The road sign (for fuel) said Do Not Enter without permit. After much deliberation we decided to ride / drive in. Following the handwritten signs we navigate to the fuel bowser fully enclosed in a wire cage.
We were advised (by the note on the sign) to go straight to the office however without anything signed Mark finally found the office, came out with a white guy. Strange I know. Apparently the guy has only signed about 3 permits in as many years.
To set the scene… Fenced houses – cars & car bodies, car parts everywhere. Burnt cars. Nothing really well kept. Nothing to do & all day to do it in.
We were mindful not to take photos as the Aborigines don’t like it.
The fuel was paid by fuel card purchased from the white guy.
To note this is the start/end of the Canning Stock Route.
Filled up & off we went.
The Tanami desert is mostly rocky With very little wildlife. Flat / undulating. Lots of spinifex. The road is as wide as a 4 lane highway.
We couldn’t source much online info on the state of the road & we now know that the info we gathered from people we spoke to was incorrect.
From our experience the road condition is difficult to moderate. Fuel is a serious factor. Even with 34l tanks we still would’ve run out due to Rabbit Flat Roadhouse being closed.
So with Rabbit Flat closed we rode & rode on til we found a suitable roadside camp.
This was just over 1/2 way down the Tanami. (~approx 450kms). Taking into account dirt & fuel only.
I thanked Darryl profusely. He did a great job & I’m sure had it by the end. Average spd about 95kms. So very good time.
I must say .. We are into our
4th day no shower. Mmm. We’ve been having bird baths. & surprisingly it’s ok. Everything is red dust. And I mean Everything!!!Fantastic sunset. Beautiful nights. Great weather.
It’s almost a new moon @ the stars are amazing. We slept with the fly off the tent & watched the stars. Got a little chilly but what an amazing night.
We had a 360 view and could see the horizon in every direction. With no interruptions. That was very special.
We lost an hour half crossing from WA to NT.
Ps. For those who’ve watched Wolf Creek 1 too many times. We got away ok. There was no suspicious person.
Bungle Bungles to Wolfe Crater.
Brrr quite cold last night. 1 degree when we got up. Heard our first barking owl last night (sounding so much like a dog someone thought we were near a farm
)Then @ about 5am we heard our first dingo cry. Probably 2 or 3. Went on for a while. Quite vocal.
All I kept thinking about was getting across those water crossings without falling over or getting my boots soaked like I did in the way in. … Then I thought … Whether you think you can of think you can’t … You’re right (thanks Kat)
So, no brekky (too nervous) & away we went. I did awesome on way out. Hardly even got my boots wet!! About 10mins quicker over all.
Then onto the Great Northern HWY & it’s Hall Creek here we come.
Passed our 4,000 k mark.
The 2 night stay @ BB was unplanned so after the Tanami we’ll reassess our trip.
Early lunch refuel & off we go to Wolfe Crater – we forgot to fill water so fingers crossed.
We’ve heard the worst part of the Tanami is the worst. Lets hope so. I struggled on the road. Loose gravel, slippery, sand & dips. No trouble for Mark though. I should’ve stayed on 80 but struggled with 60 – 70. The worst of it was the road to Wolfe Crater. Large corrugations + sand. Again no trouble for Mark.
Mmm I wonder how many days you can wear the same shirt???? For riding? MmmFantastic sunset!! Expecting it to cold … Will wait & see
Made it to Kununurra today.
Had a great night sleep (even with the generators running all night @ Top Springs) another lovely meal @ the pub.
Left on a section of the Binns Track north to the Victoria HWay. (234kms) – it was more varied than yesterday. Took me a while to find my mojo. More loose gravel & large rocks. A couple of water crossings one nice one @ Dashwood Crossing not far from Victoria Downs (I think that’s where Australia was filmed).
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Search more info in the Binns Track it’s a popular bike track.
We took some of the alt Savannah Way a road from Cairns to Derby.
Lunch @ Timber creek, then high tailed into Kununurra for a tyre change.
Go see Lenny @ Tyres Plus. Excellent service. Just hand him your tyres @ he may do them on the spot
. I think we’re up near 3,000kms.
Fantastic place Kununurra. Lots to see & many places to visit. Good place to start for the Gibb River Rd. Wyndham. Lake Argyle (Ord River).
We camped on the lake … The Grey Nomads have returned.
It’s our last (major) place to get food & water so we’re stocking up.
At Top Springs
Spent the night @ threeways.
Mark fixed (& mine) his fuel problem by taking out the inline (factory) filter.
350km north of tar then onto Buchanan H’Way (to Top Springs). Our first dirt road!! 190kms. Gravel with a few soft bits & several minor to medium corrugations. Our avg was 90kms. Excellent for me. No stops. Denis avgd about the same. Was quite dusty.
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Staying the night @ Top Springs.
On to Timber Creek tomorrow then Kununurra.
Tyre changing time
those factory tyres are hanging in there quite nicely. We are experiencing so many changes in scenery & temperature. Our first night was sub zero while now we are experiencing top temps of 30+. We’ll be back in the desert soon so the night temps are bound to drop.
Travellers Bio
Denis : The P (where P is for Patriarch)
– he’s the encyclopaedia when we can’t get onto the Internet, the carrier of all our extra goodies (of which we are extremely grateful – it would’ve been a completely different trip if Denis hadn’t come along). He also designed our panniers & has a wealth of knowledge on all things bikes / cars.Darryl : the city boy, who hadn’t been further west than Toowoomba. With some quick travel plans & a gracious leave pass from his lovely wife Julie – complete with bike boots & plenty of riding experience he jumped @ the chance.
Mark : started thinking about this trip some 18 months ago while we were riding around Tassie. He’s done extensive research on the bike purchases & set up. + most the itinerary & 35years riding experience.
Brenda : happy to partake in the experience & helped where possible. – with 5 years bike experience.
