Kiwi XplorOz

**ducatijim** · 7th June 2008, 18:57

Oh well, last nite in civilisation tonite. Everything cleaned/checked/repacked this arvo ready for an early getaway in the morning.

I did get a permit from the NLC to transit Arnhem land out to Nhulunbuy( Gove peninsular), however the 'top' road; thru Oenpelli-Maningrida-Ramingining is still closed and we would have to transit the central Arnhem road (720km) both ways, and need to backtrack nearly to Mataranka to do it...so...thats off.

So, in the morning we will head out thru Kakadu nat park to the Arnhem land border at Cahills xing; for a photo shoot of us doing the xing; 400mm of water over the causeway apparantly and a couple of good sized 'lurkers' waiting in the upstream slack water! Shall camp out that ways before heading down to Katherine and turning west...Buntine hiway down to Halls creek and on to the Wolfe creek metiorite crater. Then back north to Wyndham and the start of the Gibb river road...............and 2 weeks later....Broome! Will spend some time there I'm sure, on Sunset beach watching the scenery; being a 'clothes optional' beach there are bound to be some fine looking scandinavian backpacking lasses trying to look like Ozzi sheilas, ALL over!!

Oh yes...the Barra and Prawn feed was superb!! ( 2 small slabs barra= $27...ouch!).

Will update in Broome folks, cheers now....Jamie.

**tri boy** · 7th June 2008, 23:03

Cool report Jamie.
Broome is a pretty laid back town, and time the beach trip, low tide on a clear night. (big tide if possible)
It's not called "stairway to heaven" for nuthin.
Jump onto a Camel ride on a sunny afternoon, and perv from a height.
Try a meal of west Aus mudcrab if you get a chance. Bets crayfish hands down.
I'm jealous as hell.

**OV Lander** · 19th June 2008, 20:15

Jim,

Can you let us know how you get on for fuel on the Gibb River Road? Have been looking at it and it looks like it might be a bit far between drinks for the bike, esp. given that one of the 3 fuel stops on the 670Km tar seal free route is rumoured to be diesel only.

Is this info correct? Did you manage to complete the road?

**Bass** · 23rd June 2008, 22:29

I'm sure Jamie would love to answer your questions, but I seem to have misplaced him somehow. Very careless of me I know, but I last saw him this afternoon about 50 km west of Uluru (Ayres Rock) and I haven't been able to find him since. I am sure he is just fine - I just don't know where he is. I will keep you posted when I can get on the net.

**OV Lander** · 25th June 2008, 19:15

Dare we ask?

Have you found him yet?

**tri boy** · 25th June 2008, 19:25

Mrs Bass posted something about it on Adv rider.
Basically, Jamie was ahead of Bass I think, and stopped for the night a bit further on.
Main thing is they are both safe.

**ducatijim** · 4th July 2008, 17:05

Originally Posted by OV Lander

Jim,

Can you let us know how you get on for fuel on the Gibb River Road? Have been looking at it and it looks like it might be a bit far between drinks for the bike, esp. given that one of the 3 fuel stops on the 670Km tar seal free route is rumoured to be diesel only.

Is this info correct? Did you manage to complete the road?

Oh yes, we did complete it. Only after dropping my bike in the Pentecost river x-ing!

120m across and 5-600 deep with football sized slippery rox on bottom!

Everything wet. Canoe sax are NOT immersion proof. Pasport doesn't look much like me now! Zumo called it quits too! DO NOT buy a Garmin Zumo GPS...they are a 'psuedo' adventurers piece of k(sh)it !! At least the camera/sat fone/ and my PAPER dairy were all recoverable, whew!

Unleaded is available at Drysdale river station, about 1/2 wayz along the Gibb and a damn fine place to stop. I reccomend it.

**ducatijim** · 4th July 2008, 17:30

Hi folks, am in Brisbane now, we have been here since Wednesday arvo and have washed the bikes as best we can, the red stains are right into all plastic parts and well caked onto spokes etc. Got them re-crated yesterday arvo and dropped to the freighters this morning, now for a couple of daze R & R !!

Neil and I met up again the next arvo from our seperation in Alice, we both had business at the bike shop so it was a no-brainer really! Too hard to describe how we got mis-laid, lets just say Uluru and the Olgas are a rabbit warren like area with roads and lots of cars/buses/campas and 1 wrong choice of direction, by me, and there was no getting back togeather again there!

I did not find time/location to update in Broome, sorry...its a fantastic place, really laid back and beautiful weather. A bit too 'touristy' and 1/2 full of foreign backpackers takes a little away from it but still a very nice place.

We scrapped the WA 'coastal' route, everyone said it was a grind, so we went thru the Pilbara and what a great choice that was...Fan-bloody-tastic,,,,we did not spend nearly enough time there for sure. Did however get a drinks and evening meal each, courtsey of a mate of Neils wife, at the BHP compound for singles in Newman....1600 people in a complete micro city of dongas!! Great food they get....but the wages....blow ur mind it would wot a person can earn there!!!

From here and right across the deserts we were bombarded with south easterly winds and cold temperatures, 2-12/18ish was normal everyday until we dropped off the plateau down to Brisbane....Brrrrr. I bought a new fullface helmet, a trackpant and a fleece top in Alice to try and improve the comfort, we each had been wearing all our clothes each day until then!!

I will try and come back each day for a while if I can, and answer questions and fill in details, but just let me sum up;

It was an ADVENTURE, not always fun, sometimes very tedious,the highs were often not what or where you expect, the lows likewise. Above all else, I must say the folk we met out there, to a 1, were the making of this trip. Everyone a gem, taken the right way we were never short of company/help/advice, and most of all....they KNEW what they were talking about. Oh yes, the respect given for our style of travel was moving, most could not even imagine these places via motorbike.

Do it again with the benefit of hindsight? Yes, I would.

**tri boy** · 4th July 2008, 19:24

Borders are closed by proxy of Herr Helen.
Looks like you two are stuck there.

**ducatijim** · 7th July 2008, 18:43

Originally Posted by OV Lander

Jim,

Can you let us know how you get on for fuel on the Gibb River Road? Have been looking at it and it looks like it might be a bit far between drinks for the bike, esp. given that one of the 3 fuel stops on the 670Km tar seal free route is rumoured to be diesel only.

Is this info correct? Did you manage to complete the road?

I forgot, ULP is also at MT Barnett roadhouse.

There is really no fuel/distance issues on the GRR even with a reasonable sized tank.

**ducatijim** · 7th July 2008, 18:47

Originally Posted by tri boy

Borders are closed by proxy of Herr Helen.
Looks like you two are stuck there.

M8, I am planning to spend a good portion of my retirement over here rideing my motorcycle, so Helen can go whistle dixie

The news of the sad loss of Zukin has tempered my post adventure high. It no longer seems appropriate to be gushing over my good fortune at a time like this. Sorry.

So long now, jamie

**ducatijim** · 11th July 2008, 13:14

Julie & I flew out of Brisbane @ 9 yesterday(thursday) morning, after a long day we made it back to Reporoa @ 7 last nite, whew....

Its kinda nice to be back on the farm today, even thou its a grey and miserable day here: it is soooo nice to be able to see the horizon and have everything in between GREEN ! The vista anywhere in Oz is so very differant.

The Bass's made it home yesterday too.

Now I am down to the hard work of planning the NEXT 1: being the southern states from Brisbane to Perth in the L8 summer,2 up, lay over the bike in Perth until L8 winter, then resume northwards to take Julie to visit Broome,Darwin and Alice( plus another trek across the deserts just to show her(and get a chance next time to STAY in the Birdsville Hotel)).

I don't think the BMW F800gs will be the bike for the job however!( now I know wot the 'job' entails!!)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!