Week 6 Darwin(NT) to Yepoon QLD
Day 36 23/5/22 Darwin(NT) to Katherine(NT) 320kms
So our readers know, Russ has now taken back the blog so there will be the usual embellishments and fabrications that you are used to.
Well The Gibster was up early coz he had to get his tyre replaced today, the captain was sleeping and Russ was on a plane to Darwin. He quizzed Marcel at Darwin Motorcycles why his tyre had worn just as much as Russ’s even though he was doing the slalom on the bike for the last 12,000 km to preserve the profile. Marcell said that does bugger all, you just rode an extra 10% for no reason. Russ was happy as The Gibster hopefully will not continue the practise going forward and Russ wont get car sick following him. The Gibster wrote a few dot points about how the mechanic loved his bike blah blah blah which doesn’t need to be repeated ad verbatim.
The Gibster met the Captain after his long rest and they proceeded together to the Adelaide River where Gazza has told them to check out the war cemetery. The whole of the NT is a WW2 monument. Russ arrived at Darwin at 12.30 to find his bike intact and proceeded down to Katherine. A reunion was enacted at 3.50pm, celebrated by G and Ts which the Gibster quickly materialised. The Captain arose from his afternoon sleep and said Im glad you made it back. Russ said that was the nicest thing he had said on tour.
This was our 4th night (not contiguous) at the salubrious Riverside Tourist Park and the owner said we should pay some of his rates as we were becoming permanent residents. We said don’t worry, its doubtful we will be back again and then it was off to the golf club to see all our friends again.
The usual chilled Merlot and the chilly prawn spaghetti. Its getting weird when the Taxi drivers in Katherine know our names. Time to get out of here. Tennant Creek Tomorrow.
Day 37 24/5/22 Katherine(NT) to Three Ways(NT) (Tennant Creek) 680kms
All the boys a bit weary this morning. Russ thinks it might have been too many chilled Merlots at the Golf Club last night. Hit up the Black Russian Café , they know our orders off by heart now. It was going to be a long day and a fairly boring road (straight). We gassed up and went at speed (well 130km/h which is the speed limit). At this point The Captain and Russ were starting to see the Gibster as a bit of a liability. At 130km/h, the Gibster was only able to knock off 250kms before having to refuel, which was interrupting the ebb and flow of the others. He kept saying it will be OK when we get to QLD and the speed limit is 110km/h. So as to keep the peace Russ and the Captain pretended to refuel when the Gibster went into the pits every 150kms.
Stopped off at the eclectic Daly Waters Pub for an early lunch that ended up as a late lunch by the time it arrived, and pushed on to our destination at the 3 ways road house on the corner of the Stuart Highway and Barckly Highway. Lots of Wedge Tail Eagles circling and as road kill today, they are clearly slow to take off. Arrived at our digs and The Gibster and Russ did a quick tour into Tennant Creek. The Telegraph Stations was closed due to covid and the town was well just like any other NT town, so back for dinner and some repartee on Mt Isa, where Hydro is going to rondez vous tomorrow. Every restaurant booking the Gibster tried to make he was met with…nah sorry mate closed or fully booked for you tomorrow. Will report in on our success or failure for securing dinner in the blog tomorrow.
Day 38 25/3/22 Three Ways Roadhouse(NT) to Mount Isa(QLD) 646kms
There was an air of excitement today as it was a rondez vous with Hydro at Mount Isa. However we had to run down 640kms of the most boring scenery on earth, red soil scrub, transforming to pasture over 600kms. The Barkly Highway was exceptionally boring, so it was batteries to power and engines to speed to just run down the kms. The Gibster was hit by two birds (why are they so slow in northern Australia) A stop off at the Barkly Homestead for breakfast and then what the hell, just power on to Mount Isa. The Gibster just managed to limp into Comoweel to refuel coz the pump to pump distance was at the BMWs limit. Rolled into Mount Isa and met up with Hydro who has a long blog of his own (but he will have to write it). Dinner at Giuseppe’s with a few laughs, but the Captain and the Gibster had to get home for tonight. They are somewhere out of town. Russ and Hydro just walked home.
Day 39 26/5/22 Mount Isa(QLD) to Kurumba(QLD) 568kms
Early start at 7.30 with a refuel and a run to the mexican for a morning injection of cafeine. The Gibster thought $2 at coles express was better value than the $5 mexican foo foo stuff, but Hydro and Russ just ignored him. The run into Cloncurry was very nice and so different from the last 3 weeks. Green rolling hills and CORNERS!! Road trains and miners everywhere but we rolled into Cloncurry hoping to find a breakfast place, but the only shop in town was the servo. The Captain exclaimed I’m so sick of roadhouse breakfasts; but then hooked into a scrambled eggs on toast. Then off up the Matilda Way. Russ was adjusting his song list and looked up and the Gibster and Captain had disappeared. At least Hydro was still around. Rocked up to the Burke and Wills roadhouse to find Waldorf and Statler (The Captain and the Gibster) lollygagging around like they had been there for 30 minutes waiting for us. (Apparently true). Purchased the appropriate sticker and then pushed on to Normanton where we had to get photographs with the big crocodile. The Captain was anxious to get to our destination so he overtook and was negotiating with the villas manager when we arrived. He did really well, he negotiated himself into sharing a room with the Gibster with only one bed. He was heard to say “I love you like a brother Gibster, but Im not sharing a room as he rode off to the pub to find alternate arrangements.
Hydro Gibster and Russ meanwhile went to the Animal Bar for a refresher. Russ suggested the sunset bar for dinner, which involved a 5km ride to the point. We agreed to hold back on beverages so we could get there and back. It was spectacular and the sunset was an hour in total and the food was pretty good as well. Some lively discussion around the table . The Gibster made the comment of the day. “If you go to bed early, you get up early” We all agreed.
Cairns tomorrow…longest ride so far.
Day 40 27/5/22 Kurumba(QLD) to Cairns(QLD) 780kms
Yep, longest riding day on tour. We were up early coz the Gibster had bought a tyre in Cairns which he didnt need now, but they wouldnt refund him the cash, so he had to be in Cairns before the store closed. Hydro and Russ were having their Coffees at Micks cafe at 6.30 am. The Captain arrived direct from his waterfront suite which he procured in desperation yesterday.
It seems everyone in this town is up at 6.30. Everyone wanted to have a chat, to the extent that one guy brought over a chair so he could join us and regale us with stories about their round Australia Tour. (Yawn). Russ doesnt relate well to these people, but The Gibster came over at that time and was very engaging. (He speaks the lingo of the Grey Nomads). Then the Taxi Driver who stood us up last night come out to appologise (She also runs the general store) Russ said no drama (how did she know it was us she stood up?)
Rode back to Normanton avoiding the early morning wildlife and turned onto the Savanah Way…..only 700kms to Cairns. Some of this road was crazy weird as it was only one lane of tar with two sholders of dirt, but the speed limit was still 110. Suffice to say with an oncomiing road train you hit the dirt pretty rapidly. The Gibster was doing a great job out front alerting us to all the various dangers .
The Captain made a very anti climactic farewell by peeling off the back of the group and heading to Townsville. The Gibster has frightened him into getting a new tyre for the trip back and they could only fit on Sat Morning.
Hit up the Atherton Tablelands and got the first corners since Margaret river, Russ couldnt work out why he felt the tyres where slippery. Hydro pointed out that coz the tyres were new in Darwin, he had only been riding straight roads, ergo on corners they were still new tyres, “Check out the chicken strips”, he said
The Gibster picked up his tyre, strapped it to the bike and checked into the Hotel with it. A great night at an Italian place, then a cleanser at the RSL. Hydros niece and friends came to say hi just as we had finished that cleanser, so we continued with one more.
The blog is now a bit discombobulated as there are 3 different groups after the big split; but we will work something out!
Day 41 Cairns to Airlie Beach 28/5/22 675km
The Gibster, Hydro and Russ went for a coffee at 7am with all the push bike wanabes at the best cafe in Cairns. The Gibster was teary eyed about saying good bye, but Hydro and Russ said they weren’t his support group and it was his choice to continue alone. That said The Gibster had lead the 40 day trip to date exceptionally well to which we all give our gratitude.
Hydro and Russ headed down to A1 south…..seriously why has Queensland decided to repair every single road to and from Cairns at the same time. A very frustrating trip in and out of road repair areas. Hydro was over heating from the weather and the road situation. We made a resolution not to use the A1 again. Got into Airlie beach at 4.30. Russ was exhausted. He has come up with a new measurement scale for exhaustion. It is the seven day rolling average kilomitage multiplied by the standard drinks consumed that night divided by the number of hours slept. Russ’s index was the highest on tour for today, but Hydro didn’t care he wasn’t his support group. Rolled into the Discovery park (packed coz there was a car show???), had a savy blanc and chips and salsa courtesy of the gibster who didn’t have enough room to carry it. Walked down to the Tavern and had the usual (its been a long tour) and Russ went to bed at 9, meanwhile Hydro settled back for 3 hours of Scandi Noir.
Day 42 29/5/22 Airlie Beach to Yepoon via Dingo (680kms)
Russ was back in action today and the exhaustion index had fallen. Breakfast on the beach at Airlie. The place is heaving ….all the tourists are back! Hydro had planned a route inland to avoid the Bruce Highway. Russ was happy coz he thought it would be relaxing, but true to form Hydro informed Russ late into the ride that it was 200kms longer. Russ already knew coz he was riding north for the last 100kms….what have we just done a circle? Ended up at a very quirky place in Yepoon. Aviaries, fish tanks and very stylish rooms. Dinner at the pub (a thai salad washed down with cabernet merlot). Checked in on the Captain who was at 1770 and The Gibster who had made his way to Townsville by a police radar,,,,first ticket in 43 years! Catch you tomorrow
Silver Foxes Motorcycle Club Australia 