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Thread: Jatz's travels

  1. #526
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    The photo of the sun rise... Wow! That's spectacular.

    Thanks for the write-up and the amazing photos.

  2. #527
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    Good luck. Still loving the pictures, just forget to post to say so.
    Don't you look at my accountant.
    He's the only one I've got.

  3. #528
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    Always an excellent read

    READ AND UDESTAND

  4. #529
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    7th February 2007 - 23:38
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    I thought I'd throw up another of pics from the last 2 days, nothing to exciting...
    I left Alice with a plan, head North then go West just past Dunmarra (where I am now) It should pan out, so long as WA doesn't shut up shop in the next couple of days.
    Nothing much happened, just rode along sobbing into my helmet about the nice new D606 wearing out on the seal. Went past a couple of dead cows together on the roadside yesterday, they were accompanied by a smashed up car. No pic as it didn't seem the right thing to do. Then today past a "fatal" as the police lady called it, still very fresh.Other than the police there was no other services there. The car was on its roof on the roadside with bits of car a luggage strewn about the place. With a speed limit of 130 the results of a mishap are intense. Quite sobering really.
    Anyway, on a brighter note, I spent another night at Devils Marbles
    Just to set the mood...



    Sunset





    And if you'll turn around.... Moonrise



    I ran into a guy today riding a postie round the country, very keen, and he has more gear than me



    And a couple from tonight, taken just after I'd finished arguably theee best risoles I've ever eaten, with heaps of fresh vege's. Sometimes it's the little things that brighten ones day





    Camp for the night



    Seeya...

  5. #530
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    3rd October 2006 - 21:21
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    Nice one!
    Only a Rat can win a Rat Race!

  6. #531
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    7th February 2007 - 23:38
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    Better catch you guys, and gals up....
    I left Dunmarra road house and made my way North a bit before hanging a left onto the Buchanan h/way. It was good to be back on the dirt again and making dust clouds after so much seal. I stopped here to let a couple of 4wd's past and snap a pic, hoping a train didn't suddenly appear



    A bit further on the 4wd's were pulled over and I could see a cloud of dust coming so pulled over too. They didn't move after the first truck went by so I whipped out my phone. You can see why it's best just to get out the way and wait for it to clear



    I stopped in at Top Springs for fuel for me and the bike before carrying on to a ford over the Victoria river.


    According to Wikicamps there was a campsite there. There was and I had the whole place to myself



    I got some firewood together, wandered around taking pics



    and generally enjoying the solitude. It was still hellishly hot so I decided to take a dip, it just looked to good not to. Stipped down to my grutts and about to take the plunge, when I spied this....



    I lobbed a couple of stones in his direction but he didn't care and just lay there. It was only a freshy, about a meter and a half long, but the teeth looked menacing. Swimming was out, so I went and found some shade
    Next day it was through Jasper gorge, another pretty cool place





    And out to the main road and on to Timber creek for fuel and stuff before carrying on towards the WA border. There wasn't really much to take a pic of.... just some trees, termite mounds and cows



    This popped up on the GPS screen....



    I LOL'd... the bikes alright, but it ain't that good

    I made it to the border, pass was checked and the app was scannned, a couple of questions from the customs people and I was through, too easy



    There was quite a number of people there, filling in the online application and waiting for approval. Just as well Telstra had recently put in a cell tower, otherwise they'd be stuffed. Apparently they still have people turning up from NSW without any clearance, they get turned around and told to go home.
    Anyway, onward to Kununarra. Call into the bike shop to see if the chain and sprokets I'd ordered were there, not yet,. A look at Wiki again to find a campsite and sort that, then it was off to the bottla for some refreshments, I think I'd earned a beer. The camp was about 15k's out of town, down a dirt road



    I was given a spot in the shade, with no one else around, set up camp and enjoyed a nice coolish ale


  7. #532
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    Sooooo.... I spent a couple of days hanging around In Kununarra, doing "stuff" and getting "stuff" done.
    There's a lake there, Lake Kununarra



    A rum distillery,



    where I managed to join a tour 1/2 way through and got a couple of wee tasters



    I didn't see the lake this painting was done at. It must be down the back of the farm.



    Still very "Boutique" it seems but they do supply quite a bit around Oz. It's called the Hoochery, if'n you want to look it up. I did end up with a bottle of their product, but that's another story...
    There was some wild life...



    I think thats a blue faced honey eater. I took a scenic flight over Lake Argyle and the Bungle Bungles
    A local being escorted to a private flight while we going through the pre flight stuff. He's hand cuffed to the guy on his right. Must've done something really bad.



    Lake Argyle





    I'm pretty sure that's a banana plantation down there, and sandalwood growing on the right



    Quite a few things are grown around there simply because they have the massive irrigation scheme. Here's part of it...



    Bow River, the one Jimmy Barnes screaches about



    There's quite a story about the lake and irrigation scheme if you want to look it up, some pretty big figures.
    Here's a sub standard shot of part of the Bungle Bungles. The plane windows didn't make for nice shots





    Northern Tanamai desert



    and a gorge



    Got back just as the sun was going down, grabbed a burger and beetled out to camp. I thought it was strange I had a few vehicles pull out right in front of me on the way to camp, I thought they were just being dicks, but it turns out I had no low beam, so they couldn't see me I got back to camp, inhaled the burger and then rode about a K to have a beer with another camper I'd run into that morning, along a very sandy track. I got some good intell on places to see where I was heading.
    Here's one from the camp



    and another tree, simply because I think they're pretty cool


  8. #533
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    I figured 3 nights was long enough in 1 place so packed my swag and hit the road
    Not far though, I still had to sort out the headlight issue



    Sooo much easier on a beemer
    Just a short strop up the road to Wyndham (WA's most northerly town) I went past "the Grotto" on the way



    Apparently it's a stunning swimming spot way down in a gorge.... down 144 steps



    Then back up those 144 steps.
    I'm sure it is stunning but I was not going down there in this heat. Even some locals were admitting it is warmer than usual.
    I got up to Wyndham and went up to the five rivers lookout. It's a pretty good view of the area from up there



    Other than that there's not much there. I did hear the bakery is pretty good but there was a tour bus pulled up outside so I gave it a miss. Just fuel, a milk drink and a fridge magnet from the servo and I was out.
    I did stop to get a pic of the giant croc, but thought what this woman was doing with the fruit from the Baobab tree was much more interesting



    Then I just made my way back south and turned right onto the Gibb river road. I reached the turn off to El Questro



    Where I figured I pitch up for a couple of days. I actually got wet feet crossing the Pentecost river getting into the camp/station/resort. It was deeper and rougher than I was expecting. Anyway... after about a week sleeping in a tent, I figured I'd splash out and get something with a bit of comfort.... I ended up in .....



    a tent At least this one has proper beds and lectricity. They also have phone signal, a restaurant/cafe and a bar.

    Next update probably won't be till I get to Derby, or even Broome.


  9. #534
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    That painting on the barn might be a scene from the movie "Sirens" (Sam Neil, Elle MacPherson, among others)
    it's not a bad thing till you throw a KLR into the mix.
    those cheap ass bitches can do anything with ductape.
    (PostalDave on ADVrider)

  10. #535
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    Jeez, tough life there Mr! Loving the pics.😁😁
    Only a Rat can win a Rat Race!

  11. #536
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    7th February 2007 - 23:38
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    Guess I'd better catch you mob up...

    Naturally, I spent the evening at the bar, chitchatting to other travelers and listening to the live music, which was actually pretty good, even the open mic bit turned up some talent.
    I'd planned to do walks around the place the next day. First up was El Questro Gorge. Unfortunately the river crossing to get there was way to deep. So a visit to Zebedee springs seemed in order. Quite a cool place, however the pics I took look rubbish so I'll leave them out. except this one of a palm I thought was quite striking



    It was heaving with people though, so I left. Next on the list was Emma Gorge. Once again very cool.







    I even saw a snake



    First one I've seen in the wild. I got back to the bike about 11, half dead from the heat and beetled back to my tent to recover, the rest of the day I just pottered around.
    After living in the lap of luxury for a couple of nights it was time to hit the road again.

    Pentecost river... time to drop some tyre pressures



    No dramas at all, It can be quite treacherous closer to the wet season.
    I popped into Home station, before carrying on. It was just a case of keeping on keeping on, Hills, trees, sweeping vistas, rocks and corrugations. I made it to Ellenbrae station for the night, nice swimming hole. It was still blazing hot though. This 'lill tyke was just hopping across the path in the sun



    The DR got put on firewood gathering duties



    A quiet night was had, contemplating the stars and what it all means. I saddled up next morning with a plan to head up the Kalumburu rd and go see Mitchell falls. I'd heard through the grapevine that the road was in pretty bad shape, confirmed by a couple I was chatting to at the turnoff. I carried on though, the road into Drysdale station was pretty bad, heavily corrrugated, deep loose sand sometimes mixed with pea metal. I asked the dude who came out to fill my tank what it was like, hoping a report form someone who lives there would paint a better picture. His response..... "It's Fucked" And there's a group of riders ahead of you, one of them is here waiting for the RFDS to pick him up. But the road gets better from here to the turnoff. OK, I'll go that far then. I went past where the rider had fallen off and looking at the marks it wasn't hard to see what'd happened.
    The road only got marginally better.... in places The pic really doesn't do it justice



    I got to the turnoff and made my way to a campground there. Another stunning evening



    After a fitfull night, there was bats whizzing around and making a hell of a racket in the trees. I got up and went to check out some local falls on the King Edward river



    The rocks were pretty cool



    As were these holes, made by a smaller rock grinding it's way down when the river's in flood



    I had a couple of swims as my clothes were getting pretty dusty by this stage, and checked out some local Indigenous art



    I thought this rock was pretty cool, it just needed an eye



    Once again DR was turned into a pack mule for firewood.
    I got away early next morning as I find it easier to pick my line when the sun is lower in the sky, before it becomes just monochrome dirt/sand/rock. At one stage I stopped to check on my chain and have a drink (water) and noticed my bag had moved, not surprising really, as the tent had jettisoned itself some where. I don't know how many times I've tied a load on the back over the years, and never lost anything. This road was different though. I started back tracking and had done about 10k's when a ute coming towards me stopped, I asked if he'd seen my house, he indicated the back of his ute. He'd found it about 30k's back.
    Made it back to Drysdale for more gas, and find out another couple of riders required medical treatment. To be fair, when talking to other road users who'd seen them they were riding like dicks.

  12. #537
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    The next 35k's from Drysdale were pure EVIL !! The sun was getting up, the sand/pea metal was thick and the corrugations were steeper and taller. I prevailed though Back to the Gibb river/Kulumburu turn off and onward to Mt Barnett station, where I fueled up again. I could've stayed there but it involved a fee to camp and a park entry fee, I reckon I could do better. I found a spot on a ridge about 20k's down the road, no one else around and the price was right
    I did some route calculations over night and figured I'd best get back to the roadhouse for more fuel and chuck a few liters in the (fuel0 bladder, while I was there.



    I stopped at Galvins gorge on the way, another quite pretty spot, had the place to myself so took a quick dip Got to the road house, fueled up and grabbed a decent coffee. While I was sipping away at that a couple of 4WD's came in, I thought they were going a bit quick. They pulled up at the bowser and a guy I assume was the owner came out and had a go at the speeders. Some bad words were said. The owner stalked off telling driver, he could pick up the nozzle all he liked, he wasn't getting served. The nearest other option was 80k's back the way they'd come or another 170k's to Drysdale. He was parked under a tree as I drove past. Don't know what happened there, but I'm confident he wouldn't speed into a roadhouse again.
    Carrying on it was more of the same.... still pretty cool though, beats working I made it Windjana gorge for the night.



    Found a spot for my tent and went strolling





    I took so many pics, but they don't fully capture it. It is one seriously cool spot. If you're ever in the hood I can recommend it. Just be carefull if you do decide you'd like a dip though



    There's 4 crocs in that pic, and plenty more scattered around the place. Spent the evening with a couple from Perth, chatting about this 'n' that. They even gave me some salad to go with my curry, how cool is that ?
    I packed up next morning and made my way to the next significant gorge. Sadly it was shut due to an unstable looking rock. Nevermind, a nice couple made me a proper coffee out of the back of their camper in the carpark while we discussed stuff.
    I got back out on the main rd, aired up and beetled into Fitzroy Crossing for gas. I think the Maori girl in the shop was surprised to be greeted with a Kia Ora. Then it was just a slog along the h/way. Into Derby for some fresh meat and fuel/water. Past this prison Boab tree



    And onto a free camp on the Fitzroy river.



    Lamb curry for tea



    It was recommended I keep the tent zipped up as there was a crock just on the other side of the river
    Here's the view from my bed in the morning, not bad for cheap accommodation



    I buzzed into Broome next morning, did some stuff, sorted out a possible camp for the next night or 2, picked up some food
    and water for the next couple of days and hit the road. I didn't get far from the turnoff before this happened



    That extra food and water made themselves known at this point. Luckily a passer by stopped and gave me a hand to get it upright. The "road" didn't get any better apparently. I put my tail between my legs and turned round. I found another place only a hundred k's or so away so set off. Found the turnoff..... the next one.... Oh Dear



    Nobody else around this time, and for the first time in my life I had to unload a bike to pick it up, oh the shame.
    I got to my destination, grabbed a waaaay overpriced cabin and licked my wounds. I couldn't face the bike next day so just mooched around, wandering here, snuffling there, reading my new book and not taking many pics. I liked this one though



    Today.... I let some air out of the tyres and hit the track early, before the sand got to loose and churned up by 4wd's. And made my way back down to Broome and an AirBnB. Once again, not to many pics were taken, but I thought the colours were pretty cool in this one...





  13. #538
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    Nice. .
    Don't you look at my accountant.
    He's the only one I've got.

  14. #539
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    Update again.... Seeing as how I'm in a town and have decent cell, However, it's surprising where I can get enough cell to video call home.
    I diddled around in Broome for a couple of days, looking at thisnthat, and I changed my flight to leave from Perth instead of Sydney, for obvious reasons.
    There's Cable beach there.



    It seemed alright as far as beaches go, Some people rave about it. Of course I had to try and find the dinosaur footprints out at Gantheaum point, once again, another quite cool spot.





    I couldn't see any dinosaur footprints, apparently they're hard to spot if you don't know what your looking for. I did find this ancient bottle. I wonder how long it's been buried for



    and a pair of sunnies



    The pink would've clashed with my outfit so I left them for someone else.
    I'd heard from several people about a bar called Matso's. It was supposed to be the place to go, so I went It was alright. I didn't stay long though.
    I hung around a bit the next morning, actually had breakfast, and set off around lunch time. Stopped at Roebuck roadhouse for fuel and to introduce myself to this guy



    Before beetling off South. I'd actually had a decent haircut in Broome and managed to scrape a couple of weeks growth of my face, Looking pretty sharp...



    I didn't go far, only about 150 odd k's down the road to a free camp. One of the more unsociable ones I've visited.
    Packed up the next morning..... again.... and made my way to Sandfire roadhouse



    The place was heaving with caravans, lined up waiting to get diesel



    You cant see the line behind me coming from the other direction, or all the other ones parked to the side. I rode right past the lot of them to the unleaded pump where there was no one Fueled up and with a belly full of giant sausage roll I carried on south. There really is not much to see between Roebuck and Port Hedland. A lot of nothing



    The meter + lizard sunning himself on the side of a termite mound was probably the highlight of that stretch. I got to the turnoff to my next port of call and indicated right. Out to a camp at Cape Keraudran, just West of Pardo roadhouse.


  15. #540
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    This post is coming to you live from a free camp about 100 k's from anywhere. Gotta love the Telstra cell coverage...

    Cape K was a very cool spot. Water almost the same color as lake Pukaki, red rocks and stunning white sand. I got chatting to a guy from Tekapo there who works for Meridian energy, he's having his annual 6 month break and touring around WA. I set up and lounged around a bit, as you do, did some jawing with my other neighbors and went for a wander along the beach. Just as I was starting to cook tea, neighbor comes and tells me he's got some left over fish cakes if I'm keen. Took about 2 sec's to reply, and I was in his camper having an entre. They told me turtles and occies sometimes get caught in the rock pools as the tide goes out (it goes out a looooong way) even showed me some pics and vids. My entertainment was sorted for the a.m.
    I got up early next morning, tide was waaaaaaay out, and went strolling. I walked for miles, looking here and looking there but I didn't see any turtles or occies. Lots of other stuff though









    The rocks are pretty gnarly and some are covered in oysters, if you tripped over it would most certainly involve stitches.



    I reckon these are turtle tracks, from a leeedle one



    But I could be wrong I'd been for a long walk during the day up to the end of the point and reckoned I'd found a good spot to watch the sun go down, so I beetled up there at the appropriate time.
    It was pretty cool, but some turkey parked a bike in the road



    Then it was back to camp to have a beer with left hand neighbor before heading over to right hand neighbor's for crumbed fresh blue thread and vege's with a glass of white. Sometimes life is great
    I packed up next morning and made my way down to Port Hedland. The pics from that are still on the SD card in the phone. I'll transfer them at some stage and carry on with the tale.

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