8 days in the Aussie outback...

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Leon H

Pack Dog
Joined
Feb 22, 2006
Messages
204
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Location
Townsville, Australia
Bike
BMW R1200GS
Well, Melissa and I got back this afternoon from our ride through the North Queensland outback to Boodjamulla (Lawn Hill) National Park. Now begins the onerous task of sorting through the photos, unpacking the bikes, and putting together a ride report for all of you. Can?t promise I will get it done very quickly, but will post a day by day account as I find time to throw some words together. So if you can bear with me I?ll share the yarn with you ? it was a pretty epic adventure! To throw a few teasers: 2424km, 2 bikes, 44 degree heat, 8 days, and me drinking so much wine that I needed a visit from the flying doctor to stop the constant vomiting! Sound like your cup of tea?....

?..read on??

Day 1: Townsville to Georgetown ? 540km

Up early, bikes packed, and headed west out of town along Herveys Range Road. As you would have heard me whine about he Bruce Highway whenever we go riding, this trip we managed to stay off it the whole time. So we headed out this back road up towards the gulf savanna, and within 20 minutes of leaving the house we were standing on top of the range, adjusting the luggage and looking back down into Townsville, excited about the adventure ahead.

Looking back down Herveys Range towards the coast and Townsville.
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The bikes at the lookout ready to go. We had decided not to camp, so that I could carry everything required on the BMW and Melissa would not need to take anything on the KLE besides herself.
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Once we got to the top of the range, the scenery changed from the dry coastal scrub, into a cooler and altogether more lush high country feel.
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We rode along the gently sweeping road through the high country which was becoming progressively more scenic, and invigorating. Although we were not even 100km from town, up here is like a whole different world to the coast, and totally empty as there are no towns, and no people. Most prefer to stick to the coast.

We cruised along until I spied a brown marker sign indicating a historical site or point of interest. I?m nuts for a bit of brown sign action and if there is a sign then I have to stop and check it out. And man I wasn?t disappointed. Picture this ? 110km from the nearest town, middle of nowhere, and someone built an arty monument to??.bitumen!! The road was only recently tarred, so they thought it worthy of a probably fairly expensive and deeply bizarre display. Check it out!
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Also a great opportunity to take some snaps of ourselves. Melissa and the KLE
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And myself and the BMW. Big thanks here to Wino, I got the wilddog buffs and they are probably the best riding accessory I have ever received! ? but more on them later!
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And of course a snapshot of the very excellent bitumen work at Herveys Range Road
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We hopped back on the bikes and pressed on for another 15 minutes or so until we joined up with the Greenvale Road. On the edge of the region known as ?Gulf Savanna?, the countryside was already starting to look a lot dryer and a lot redder.
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We pressed on for another hour or so to the north and reached the very small village of Greenvale. Once a prosperous mining town, now really nothing, but a pleasant place none the less, and good spot to sit under a shady tree and reflect on how much the countryside was different than 200km ago at our house. Only 2 hours riding and we already felt worlds away.
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The road leaving Greenvale to the north, along the top of the Great Dividing Range.
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We pressed on deeper into the Gulf Savanna, and it became hotter, and drier, but mostly HOTTER! The road surface varied from dirt to crappy single lane bitumen. Was always good for a challenge though?
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This area near Undara lava tubes was quite green following a recent fire and some rains. As you can see the difference on the road between cloud shadow and sun on the road was quite marked, and riding out of the cloud was like riding into an oven.
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And in typical outback style we shared this pretty narrow and twisty road with some big trucks. Little did we know this truck situation was going to get a LOT more hardcore?
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We stopped at Mt Surprise at about 1500, for a fuel up for mel and a cool drink for each of us. The heat was insane at the time, but looking back, it was probably pretty mild for what was to come. Stopped at an old caf�© with the classic Australian ?angry old guy? sign out the front.
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We hopped back on the bikes to do the final 90km west to Georgetown, our planned destination for the night. And it just kept getting hotter, and hotter, and drier, and drier. At a little range about halfway to Georgetown we surveyed the landscape. Stunning scenery, it was almost like I had come to ?Australia? for the first time!
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Pulling into Georgetown the heat was insane at 1600. As we hauled our bedraggled arses into the caravan park we were staying, the lady who worked there gleefully told us it was 42 degrees and 1% humidity. That?s pretty hot to be riding around. We were shown to our delightful little (cheap) cabin where we set about unpacking all our crap and sitting in front of the air conditioner.
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Fortunately the park had a very pleasant pool, so we ducked in there for a quick swim?
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Before heading down to the local pub on the main street..
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We walked in the door and were the only people in the bar at 1700! I tell you what the beer there was the coldest, best beer I think we ever had ? just the ticket on a hot day.
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We smashed down a quick brew, grabbed a six pack, then headed back up the caravan park where I ate the biggest hamburger I think I ever had. From there it was off to bed for an early night and a massive 10 hours sleep, filled with strange hamburger induced hallucinations??

That?s all for today, will write up the other 7 days as I find the energy and remember what happened!

Leon
 
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