Loxton, SA. Day 2. Cold night- the coldest so far. It’s on the Murray, Maurie.

About to cross the Ferry, near Loxton, SA. We though we were lost, but we got the ferry (free!) and went about our business.

Lake Eyre. We fell over twice on the road out. Sandy, then wet, then rutted, then OVER WE GO!

Camping rough stytle, somewhere near Oodnadatta. We fell over getting to this campsite as well. I got the bike stuck on my leg and Rachel stood there laughing. Next crash, it’s going on her leg- exhaust side too!

Cars only? Screw that, we’re here! Uluru, NT.
Umm this requires some explaining. we stole Kat’s bikini top and Duncan summer PJs and… well, we are going to take pics all over this wide brown land with said items.. umm… on our heads. Here we see a nice example of the items in full flight on the top of Uluru. (yes, I know, I bloody know I shouldn’t have clombed, but Rachel would have gone on her own and then no doubt fallen off the bloody thing.)

Last night’s campsite out near Palm Valley, NT. Lotsa dingoes, brumbies, donkeys and few people.
Umm the bikini top and the PJs- end of the Ooodnadatta track, northern SA. 650k’s of dirt DONE!
Rachel asleep on the bike as the sun sets on Uluru, NT.

After two nights out at the rather amazing Palm Springs, we are in dear old Alice. Rachel is even reading “A Town Like Alice” to get in the spirit of things.

Palm Valley was a suprise- a near oasis in the desert- the “cabbage palm” grows there. It is a leftover fromn the days when Central Oz was a rainforest and survives thanks to a lucky combination of geology, rain, shelter and adaption. Met some great people there too- Newlyweds Neil and Anna along with funky Grey Nomads Don and Dorothy. We’re having a blast.

Off to Kakadu via the usual spots on the Stuart Highway next. Darwin by Sunday…

Short story:
Day 1
Victoria said “goodbye” with rain, wind, cold and horrors. Arriving at sister Krista’s on 4:30, we celebrated being warm by letting the bike fall over and breaking a spotlight. Hooray. we stopped somewhere just out of Melbourne and put on Every bit of clothing we had. Seriously- four t shirts, thermal top, long sleeve t, trackie style top, bike jacket and still froze. We then fired off one of them fancy heat packs and placed it insode upir jackets. Still froze.
Day 2
Late start due to broken light fix, plus I decided to build a GPS holder as there was no room in the tank bag for said GPS. Made it to somewhere on the Murray (Loxton), where the temperature proceeded to go Arctic. Hooray X 2.
Woke to a quiet, foggy morning. Decided we would ride 1000k’s that day.
Day 3
Flinders ranges. Amazing riding alongside the ranges. Rachel took her first turn at riding for 30 k’s. Made it to LEigh Creek late, so we went with the hotel, counter meal whole 9 yards. Rachel and I remained on speaking terms, so it was a good move.
Day 4
To Lake Eyre- Onto the Oodnadatta track
After leaving Lydhurst, we hit the dirt for the first time, and promptly crashed… say 200 yards down teh road. Rachel laughed so much she cried. Or justcried. They had just graded the road after rain and it was clay-ish goop from hell*. This was followed by a great save when both wheels went sideways in the clay. Late, late arrival (tent up in the dark) at Lake Eyre. Met some cool Grey Nomads in their 4WDs who gave us a glass of red, a warm fire and some soup.
Day 5
Early up for a quick jog out to the lake. Run around, take a pic, get outta there. Fall twice on the way back. My fault again. Sand, ruts, mud, etc. Onto Ooodnadatta for camping nearby. All good, fresh food. One more fall to finish things off.
Day 6
Finishing up the Oodnadatta track, onto the Stuart Hwy.
After mopping up the last of the track, we hit the unrestricted speed limits of the NT. 170 kmh was achieved briefly before a dig in the ribs ended that. Camping in Kulgera. During the night a cattle truck stopped next to the camp while full, so that was nice. MOOOO to you too.
Day 7,8
To the Rock
Rachel is a cultural imperialist, iconocast and Pauline Hanson devotee and THAT is why she climbed the Rock. I climbed as I didn’t want her to fall off- and frankly she could do it. Was breezy and bloody tough climbing. My “newish” boots crapped themselves and hole opened up in the sole. perhaps mimicking the hole in my soul for climbing this sacred icon. Not my fault, not my fault. Ok, I’m weak.

*tom’s excuse

As Rachel and I are off round Oz THIS FREAKING SATURDAY, we bought new spanky “flip chin” style helmets. They need time to settle or bed in so… well, Rachel wore hers in bed*.

*not a kinky sex thing.