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Sunday morning we made for the weekend market for breakfast of Vietnamese soup and iced coffees! Then it was some mall time for the air con before a visit to the new aquarium. Rachel made some great meals for us and we did a lot of relaxing at their place.
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/965/2...9f7a9816_b.jpgIMG_2603 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm1.staticflickr.com/951/4...d4f66de0_b.jpgIMG_2596 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm1.staticflickr.com/906/4...acfa426d_b.jpg |
We are back to out team of 3 for the long ride to Darwin.
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/904/4...b9100ec3_b.jpgScreen Shot 2018-05-13 at 20.04.43 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr Step one get to Hughenden or Charter Towers. https://farm1.staticflickr.com/968/2...14d8387a_z.jpgScreen Shot 2018-04-26 at 16.26.23 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm1.staticflickr.com/827/2...93b966b2_b.jpgScreen Shot 2018-04-26 at 16.31.35 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr We had a nice morning on the Gillies twisty road. https://farm1.staticflickr.com/953/2...8472d1e5_b.jpgScreen Shot 2018-04-26 at 16.27.00 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm1.staticflickr.com/976/4...a1501040_b.jpgFILE4610 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm1.staticflickr.com/947/4...8277dd79_b.jpg |
By 930 we were up on the table lands and though flatter and straighter riding it was not boring. The entire area is overrun with termites!
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/977/2...a7b9154e_b.jpgFILE4642 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm1.staticflickr.com/948/4...4df72282_b.jpgFILE4652 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm1.staticflickr.com/981/2...d7ae8447_b.jpg https://farm1.staticflickr.com/971/4...58117c4b_b.jpgNorth Queensland-41 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr There is almost no other traffic except the occasional road train! https://farm1.staticflickr.com/970/2...c47399d2_b.jpgFILE4675 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm1.staticflickr.com/947/2...2926d72d_b.jpgFILE4681 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm1.staticflickr.com/946/4...2673f23d_b.jpgFILE4686 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr |
We had a “deep fried” Bogan lunch in Mount Garnet and then rode south to The Lynd. So far the scenery is not boring and dire as we have been warned. It seems to change type every 50 km or so from rolling hills, flat farm land, grassy dry marshes, scrub land, and forest. Sometimes the main road is a strip of seal on a dirt road.
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/962/4...15347ac8_b.jpgFILE4698 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm1.staticflickr.com/944/4...d20c7239_b.jpg https://farm1.staticflickr.com/969/2...04e39cb1_b.jpgFILE4713 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm1.staticflickr.com/973/4...c717d176_b.jpg In The Lynd there is a gas station and we asked how the road south was. The gas station attendant said it is 264 km (with absolutely no services on the road) and only half is surfaced, it has water on it in places, and they recommend we ride around. It is 506 km around and actually takes 1 hour less! We also checked with a road train driver who said there is a fair amount of deep sand and that we will have to ride in the ditch and try to avoid the washouts…around it is we can not risk any issues. Its after 2 and we don’t have enough food or water anyway to camp out. If we start out now we will not make it to Hughenden before dark. https://farm1.staticflickr.com/907/2...503fca98_b.jpgScreen Shot 2018-04-26 at 16.28.38 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm1.staticflickr.com/968/4...f9e1ce31_b.jpgNorth Queensland-3 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm1.staticflickr.com/870/4...17ca1445_b.jpgNorth Queensland-2 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm1.staticflickr.com/979/2...048530ea_b.jpgFILE4725 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm1.staticflickr.com/957/2...f5b0c0cf_b.jpg https://farm1.staticflickr.com/955/2...067634e9_b.jpgFILE4738 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr A long day for the Swede! https://farm1.staticflickr.com/823/4...1ea90b39_b.jpgIMG_2627 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr |
It was 430 when we arrived to Charters Towers after 250 km. We headed to the Woolworth for supplies and then to the caravan park. It had a nice shaded grass area for the tents. The camp kitchen was a bit sketchy as they only had BBq’s and a wood stove. Luckily we had bought a cooked chicken and salad for dinner. The wine/ beer helped. We are pretty tired and hit the sac not long after 9. We were woken up not long after by 2 possums fighting, but that did not last too long.
We had planned to get up early for the 830 ANZAC day parade, but despite actually getting up at 730 with the birds we did not leave the park until almost 930. This was after boiling eggs on the bbq (takes longer than you think). We rode into town and caught the last half of the ceremonies and the wreath laying at the ANZAC monument. There is one in almost every town. The poor school kids standing in the hot sun were dropping like flies. https://farm1.staticflickr.com/828/4...05a45ef2_b.jpgNorth Queensland-11 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm1.staticflickr.com/904/4...fdbf0dae_b.jpgNorth Queensland-10 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm1.staticflickr.com/947/2...7553977a_b.jpgNorth Queensland-12 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm1.staticflickr.com/829/2...3754fa2d_b.jpgNorth Queensland-7 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm1.staticflickr.com/957/4...561a5fdc_b.jpgNorth Queensland-8 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm1.staticflickr.com/827/4...500b5dd9_b.jpgNorth Queensland-9 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr |
We headed out of town west after 11 and made for Hughenden to the road house, which was THE ONLY thing open as it is a national holiday. The road here is flat and straight with mostly grassland. There is almost no other vehicles and you might see a few every 50-60 km. There are not even that many road trains either.
Sara had a “toastie” , which is a grilled cheese of sorts and here it is made with laughing cow, which does not really melt. The guys had deluxe burgers, which had a bun, a burger patty, a thin steak, bacon, cheese, a fried egg, a slice of pineapple, lettuce, tomato, and a slice of pickled beet root. Dan ordered a large fires, which would feed 8! https://farm1.staticflickr.com/948/2...60390587_b.jpgScreen Shot 2018-04-26 at 16.32.10 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm1.staticflickr.com/945/4...c7ac6f17_b.jpg https://farm1.staticflickr.com/964/4...b7f75eb9_b.jpgFILE4755 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm1.staticflickr.com/909/4...c74c34b3_b.jpg https://farm1.staticflickr.com/952/4...63f8f672_b.jpgNorth Queensland-6 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm1.staticflickr.com/827/4...c1b34189_b.jpg https://farm1.staticflickr.com/864/4...77493a45_b.jpgNorth Queensland-27 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm1.staticflickr.com/977/4...81fda3f4_b.jpgNorth Queensland-25 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm1.staticflickr.com/951/4...ecacc83c_b.jpgNorth Queensland-22 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr |
We have just 120 km left today to Richmond. We planned a shorter day as we knew we would leave last and we plan to stay in a hotel in Mount Isa 406 km from Richmond tomorrow. The road continued to be straight, there are quite a few dead kangaroos on the road side, but still little traffic. The speed limit is 110 km/h mostly and time flies. We did note that the road closure sign said there is a caution between Julia creek and Cloncurry ??
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/975/4...c857b37b_b.jpgNorth Queensland-13 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm1.staticflickr.com/952/4...740c4d6a_b.jpgNorth Queensland-4 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm1.staticflickr.com/952/4...edd57b1b_b.jpgNorth Queensland-17 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm1.staticflickr.com/865/4...c6db407c_b.jpgNorth Queensland-18 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm1.staticflickr.com/825/4...25f1e5a4_b.jpgNorth Queensland-16 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm1.staticflickr.com/943/4...0af88ba8_b.jpgNorth Queensland-31 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm1.staticflickr.com/970/4...7ca61a72_b.jpgFILE4770 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm1.staticflickr.com/970/4...5278658b_b.jpgFILE4778 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm1.staticflickr.com/957/4...86729406_b.jpgFILE4782 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr We arrived to Richmond and it was 32 degrees. Our idea to free camp went out the window as it was 10$ at the caravan park with huge shade trees and hot showers! We set up under the trees on the grassy “unpowered” site 3. This is on what look like a nice lake, but is a marsh. This means the place is infested with flies that really drove us crazy until after sunset. We were so full from the lunch we skipped dinner and were all asleep by 9. https://farm1.staticflickr.com/981/4...8dbcfc7e_b.jpgNorth Queensland-23 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm1.staticflickr.com/964/4...f2e8cfdf_b.jpgNorth Queensland-24 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr |
We were woken just after first light at 630 by the crazy squawking of hundreds of parrots. We had been told by numerous people that there was a plague of locust ahead. One couple in a car said they were 3 inches deep on the road and like a carpet. We had noted yesterday on the road warning sign board there was a caution for the section from Julia creek west. We did then get on the road early and had 407 km to go to get to Mount Isa.
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/947/2...cd844f42_b.jpgScreen Shot 2018-04-26 at 17.03.46 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm1.staticflickr.com/951/4...79220d51_b.jpgFILE4808 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr We stopped for fuel in Julia creek after 150 km with little evidence of grasshoppers. https://farm1.staticflickr.com/953/4...8340ccb3_b.jpgNorth Queensland-51 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm1.staticflickr.com/972/4...23126d9a_b.jpgNorth Queensland-29 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr We met a man at the fuel stop who told us there was a good bakery in Cloncurry (oasis) in another 137 km, and we actually ran into him again there. Well the road had a few bugs on it, but nothing noteworthy. We had seen the cars with their grills plugged with them over the last few days, but all we got was a few splotches on our pant legs and boots. The route itself is again quite varied today with sections of grassland and scrub (AND termites). https://farm1.staticflickr.com/825/4...62e1c713_b.jpgIMG_2634 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm1.staticflickr.com/972/2...000a68b0_b.jpg https://farm1.staticflickr.com/965/4...d079b02f_b.jpgNorth Queensland-38 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm1.staticflickr.com/970/4...f251ab47_b.jpg https://farm1.staticflickr.com/868/4...1ece77ab_b.jpgNorth Queensland-34 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm1.staticflickr.com/908/4...cbd01c3b_b.jpgNorth Queensland-32 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr It is another 122 km to Mount Isa and this is quite scenic with some curves and rolling treed hills that are very green as they had so much rain recently. The ride into the town itself is less so with the huge mills and smoke towers billowing on the hill just past town. Grasshopper guts. https://farm1.staticflickr.com/967/4...a006d5e4_b.jpgIMG_2637 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr |
"We were woken just after first light at 630 by the crazy squawking of hundreds of parrots."
Back in 1996 I rode through that region on an F650 and stopped for the night in Camooweal (sp?). Right before sunset an enormous flock of white birds, some kind of parrots or cockatiels, flew over. They made an incredible racket and blocked the sun like a thick cloud for a good 3 or 4 minutes as they flew overhead. It was an amazing sight! |
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We checked out a few motel and several were quite expensive and sketchy. At one the disheveled desk attendant propositioned Daniel, while I was looking at the less than ideal room. In the end we found a “vending” machine hotel where you book and check in at the kiosk. It is new and very clean, with modern decor and fast wifi (rare in Oz).
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/910/4...8c1bee04_b.jpgIMG_2636 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr We walked the 1.5 km into the centre to the mall and then the dollar store so Orvar could replace his stock of reading glasses. The last broke this morning. We then decided on a real Australian cultural “experience” with dinner at the RSL. Visitor must check in with ID and we of course had the roast pork special all round. One visit was enough for us all. The food is hospitalish at best and the drinks no cheeper. Oz in general is very expensive, not as bad as NZ, but close. We stopped at Woothworth on the way home for supplies and a few more beers. What a relaxing evening in our swank pad with time to catch up on the web. https://farm1.staticflickr.com/949/4...6cacced7_b.jpgNorth Queensland-44 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm1.staticflickr.com/824/4...ab53e6be_b.jpgIMG_2639 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr Daniel fixed us an amazing smoked salmon eggs Benedict to start our big day of 663 km from Mount Isa to 3 ways. https://farm1.staticflickr.com/823/4...7e604ffe_b.jpgIMG_2640 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm1.staticflickr.com/867/4...daaa1551_b.jpgScreen Shot 2018-04-30 at 14.49.27 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr We started as usual with a full tank and noted they sell OPAL here. https://farm1.staticflickr.com/976/4...064899ee_b.jpgIMG_2642 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr |
Just as we left town we saw the first road marker for Darwin!
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/967/4...f3b209ca_b.jpgNorth Queensland-46 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr The route today varied quite a bit. Some stretches were hilly, treed, and quite green. Others were flat grassland. We stopped in Camooweal the small town just before the Northern territory border for some gas. We met Daniel riding east. He warned us that we MUST buy bug hats here even at the inflated 10$ each. He said you can not stop anywhere in the next 400 km without going crazy from the flies. https://farm1.staticflickr.com/962/4...297f28f6_b.jpgNorth Queensland-47 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm1.staticflickr.com/952/2...01c1a082_b.jpgNorth Queensland-48 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm1.staticflickr.com/976/4...3cbfac45_b.jpgNorth Queensland-49 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm1.staticflickr.com/910/4...2bf8955f_b.jpgNorth Queensland-50 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr Just out of town we crossed the border and stopped at the sign. The flies here are insane! https://farm1.staticflickr.com/963/2...de774b08_b.jpgIMG_2645 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm1.staticflickr.com/831/2...6f9f92a5_b.jpgNT-3 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm1.staticflickr.com/973/2...77ed1aa2_b.jpgNT-2 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1756/...e4e66b1a_b.jpgDarwin_-2 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr |
We rode 260 km to Barkley Homestead of expensive gas fame (195/l) since there is none from here to Camooweal or 3 ways. There are a few stations along the way but no services. We stopped for a break on the road side and could not get the bug nets on fast enough.
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/870/2...e2556210_b.jpgNorth Queensland-53 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm1.staticflickr.com/967/2...ddbf1170_b.jpgNorth Queensland-58 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm1.staticflickr.com/903/2...d2578de5_b.jpgIMG_2647 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm1.staticflickr.com/976/2...8672bea9_b.jpgIMG_2649 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr We stopped again in Barkley for something to eat as well. There were hundreds of pink headed parrots here. https://farm1.staticflickr.com/943/2...545d5811_b.jpgNT-5 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm1.staticflickr.com/975/2...4e923fd7_b.jpgNT-6 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr |
Now it is just another 185 km to Warumungu or 3 ways and it is 34 degrees. It is more flat and desolate here and the number of dead Kangaroos does not help.
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/979/4...7fb311e7_b.jpgNorth Queensland-54 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm1.staticflickr.com/959/2...021490eb_b.jpgNorth Queensland-56 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr We are late in the day and riding west directly into the sun, which is never fun. It was sort of cool to arrive at the Stewart highway at 3 ways where the roads meet. https://farm1.staticflickr.com/966/2...05f6d6ac_b.jpgNT-7 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm1.staticflickr.com/825/4...a48e116b_b.jpgNT-8 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm1.staticflickr.com/903/4...df81377c_b.jpgNT-9 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm1.staticflickr.com/906/4...d5e41c4e_b.jpgNT-10 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm1.staticflickr.com/831/4...75efe522_b.jpgNT-11 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr It is just another 300 m to the roadhouse. It is staffed like most of the places we have been in the last 4 days by non Australians. Here there are a bunch of rude German students, who laughed when we asked if there was a fridge for the use of the campers. The camp ground is the worst we have seen in OZ. The pool is green and not in a goon way, but cold so we could put our left over beers in there to cool. The camp kitchen is tragic and so the guys ate in the cafe. We were woken up by the yelling from the next tent. There was a family there with young kids and the mom had had 6-7 Jim beam and cokes last night. To top it off the camp was littered with spines from some tree and 2 of the expeds now have tiny impossible to see holes in them. https://farm1.staticflickr.com/970/4...2d6df7a7_b.jpgNT-12 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm1.staticflickr.com/966/4...21c36518_b.jpgNT-13 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr |
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