Week 5 Katherine(NT) to Darwin(NT)
Day 29 16/5/2022 Rest Day Katherine 185kms
Well a rest day is defined as a day when we ride less than 200km. We managed 185kms today so in strict terms it was a rest day. Off early for breakfast at the tourist centre (which apparently is the best barista in town). Half the airforce from Tindal were there for their morning pickup.
We headed off to the Cutta Cutta Caves 35kms south of Katherine….we were in T-Shirts and shorts doing 130kms/h on dodgy NT roads. The Captain said it wasn’t feeling right and the Big Guy just said suck it up. Russ just went with the flow. We arrived at the appropriate time to be told by the ranger that a 4 metre python was blocking the path into the cave. The big guy said “so what’s your point”. The point apparently is that we have to come back later in the day when the Ranger has had time to move it. So we then did a 60km ride back to the Gorge and did a glorious 5km walk. Russ did the calcs and told the boys that they had burned an extra 100 calories per hour than sitting on the bike. The Captain said give me the bike any day.
Took the pics to prove we were there and then motored fast back to the caves for a second attempt. Very nice, although Jenolan craps all over it but we got the big indigenous and climate overlay from our guide who was very passionate about her job and made us feel good about the environment in the NT.
No time to waste we did the speed limit back into town and settled in for some G and Ts at the Tourist Park, coz it was our rest day. Back to the Country Club for dinner, ( the taxi driver and the staff at the club were pleased to see us again as were the other customers who were there last night). Over dinner, The Big Guy said he preferred to be called The Gibster in the blog…..Russ said he would think about it. The Captain was non-plussed….I think “The Captain is fine.”
Back for a night cap and at 8.30 The Captain retired. This is the latest retirement time stamp since, well, 2010.
Another rest day tomorrow cruising the 3 Gorges.
Day 30 17/5/22 (Norway Day) Rest Day Katherine (65kms)
We have determined that the Gibster has Herpetophobia. All he talks about are crocodiles and impacts on the community if he gets taken by one. The Captain and Russ said get a grip and just get on the boat that took us down three gorges of the Katherine River. Another cloudless 37 degree day, a four hour cruise, swimming and photo ops….what more could you ask for…..well it was a rest day.
When we returned to our digs for G and Ts at 3.30, even the guy that collects the garbage thought we were long term residents…..time to move on. (at least we had a different taxi driver tonight, although they recognised us at the golf club). Even the police that man the liquor outlets just wave us through now without asking the usual boring questions. They know we are hardened foxes.
We learnt today the Brother Hydro has programmed the coordinates of Mt Isa into his on board computer and will meet us there on the 25th. Fun fact he will cover more distance than the Alps trip (without shortcuts) in less time. Russ did point out that the curvatage was near zero though. It will be great to have another fox join for the last leg.
Packing up all the crap that has exploded over the room for the past 3 nights to head up to Litchfield National Park tomorrow.
Day 31 18/5/2022 Katherine(NT) to Bachelor(NT) via Litchfield NP 360kms
This was a short day, so reveille was at 8.30, but we needed the time to pack 3 days worth of mess back into something that a bike can carry. Back to the Black Russian caravan for coffee and toasties. The Captain talked police stuff with the police that were waiting in line for coffee. It was fine until the Captain realised he had left the force before these two had been born (by 2 years). That said we have now met all the officers of the Katherine Command.
Took off north along the bumpy Stuart Highway, stopped at Pine Creek which was an old Gold Town but now not much more than a toilet stop. Powered on to Adelaide River, where the Gibster took time out to call Nat. Out of respect the Captain and Russ wandered up and down the street for 30 minutes until the Gibster had finished his call. Then took the back roads to Bachelor. The Captain has only booked one day of accommodation and this was it….as it transpired they had overbooked and The Gibster and The Captain were bumped to the Caravan Park Russ had booked his own so he was now marooned in Rum Jungle at the original place, but no drama.
We ticked off half the points of interest in Litchfield NP, but at about G and T O’Clock the Gibster had had enough. Falls Smalls he said, Ive seen enough time to get back. Warp speed back to the BP/Bar/Restaurant at Batchelor for some Bulldog Gin. Russ left while still under the limit to ride back to Rum Jungle (btw the first Uranium mine in Australia).
This blog writer will be on hiatus for 4 days so the Captain and the Gibster have agreed to provide some dot points for the next 4 days……back on on Monday!
Day 32 19/5/22 Bachelor(NT) to Jabiru(NT) 340 kms
Interpretation of the Gibsters dot points follows.
The night was characterised by a massive bug infestation, Russ said they must do Kakadu by plane (not necessarily correlated). A flight was duly booked by the captain coz he reckons the Gibster is not usually seen near a screen. The boys went back into analogue direction mode and pulled out the crinkled map from day6 to work out which way to go. They decided the longer route, back to pine creek and and onto Jabiru.
Breakfast was at the little ripper where they serve monster lattes. The Gibster got his photo taken with the “big termite mound” (don’t know where that rates in the list of big things). Went past another control burn by the side of the road (it is a past time up here) and then proceeded at Warp speed on the road to Jabiru from pine creek. No other vehicles on it.
The Gibster had to join the Jabiru golf club to get a drink as it was the only place with a license in town and then found he was only allowed two bottles anyway. Past the Ranger mine on the way to dinner (check for luminescence in the morning). The captain calls it a night at 8pm. The heat and alcohol take its toll!
Day 33 20/5/22 Rest Day Kakadu
The Gibster was up early coz the bats in the Anbinilk (sic) tree were going off at 5am. The Captain was up early coz he was exited to go on another plane trip, this time in a more modern plane over Kakadu NP. Russ had worded the Gibster up about trying to get a two engine plane for redundancy purposes, but alas one was deemed good enough. The Captain was disappointed that the Gibster shot gunned to co pilot seat. The Big Guy reckons he could use the horizontal situation indicator on his bike, but the speed indicator didn’t even go as high as the Beamer.
Flew over the closed Ranger mine, the Alligator River and north to the Van Diemen’s Gulf. Spectacular and well worth the entrance fee the Captain muttered.
Back on earth, the Gibster had to dig his bike off the ants nest he parked on, Very hard to get rid off those guys even at 200km/h; they just cling on! After all that excitement off for a kip and the back to the Golf Club for dinner. At the end of this trip we will be members of every golf club in the NT
Day 34 21/5/22 Jabiru(NT) to Darwin(NT) 183kms
After talking about replacing his rear tyre for a month and purchasing one in Cairns (now redundant), the Gibster got up early and raced into Darwin to get a new one fitted avoiding a number of wallabies by testing the brakes along the way. Arrived to find the tyre there but no mechanics to fit it. WTF don’t they know who I am. Back for Monday morning (hopefully).
Caught up with the Captain in Darwin City and after raiding a salad bar (the Gibster hasn’t seen any green stuff for a while) did the tourist stuff in Darwin and ran into Brett from our sons school days at the Art Gallery.
Accommodation tonight at Noonamah (30kms from Darwin) coz there is a festival in Darwin and the motel prices extortionate. The Captain and the Gibster braved the Tavern for dinner and they said it looked scary, but a mans got to eat!
Day 35 22/5/22 Darwin Rest Day
The Captain and the Gibster were up early again as they had to have their curiosity of all things Darwin satiated. They met Gazza for a military highlights tour, The Captain was happy being among historical aircraft and the Gibster was ecstatic being surrounded by Rolls Royce Engines.
Back to the digs after lunch, there was domestic duties to perform before the big pushoff tomorrow back down to Katherine and then over east. Russ is supposed to rejoin but anything can happen….stay tuned.
Silver Foxes Motorcycle Club Australia 