Journey To The West - Rob McNeilly

[Ang]

Hi all,
Dene asked me to post this to the forum.
Ang


Journey to the West
20 February - 12 April 2010
About 15,200 Km

Saturday 20th February I met Jen, Leo, Peter and Colin at the Gungahlin servo. It was the start of the trip to the Albany AGM. The plan was to overnight at Nyngan, Leo had planned for us to take the less travelled roads to add interest to the trip, but the plan almost came unstuck when we arrived in Tottenham hoping to get fuel and found the servo shut. Luckily a helpful local at the pub located the owner who opened up for us. The stop for the night was at a caravan park next to the river which had breached its banks due to the recent rains.

Nyngan to Broken Hill showed more evidence of the rain as there was much standing water at the side of the road. The weather was hot so we had a stopover at the Cobar museum. There was a big storm overnight which had cleared by morning. Having an overnighter gave us an opportunity to visit Silverstone where Mad Max had been filmed. One highlight was fording the swollen river in order to enter the town.



Leaving Broken Hill, the temperature was really cold and stopping at the border sign to SA gave us an opportunity to put on more layers, Leo informed me that it was 18 degrees. Riding the next section of country I had this feeling that I was riding in the best country in the world, the scenery was just so inspiring. At the next stop Leo told me that both our bikes had lost low beam. Not a problem; Port Augusta was just 200Km away and parts should be available. At the servo I was the last to leave when I went to start the bike nothing happened as the starter would not work. Turns out that the lights and starter run off the same 20 Amp fuse and that the bike did not like running without a light. Many dark thoughts passed through my mind before I worked out what the problem was. We ended up staying at Port Augusta, putting us 150Km short of our intended stop.

The next planned stop was the Nullabor Roadhouse which meant a longer day than planned. Lunch at Ceduna was on the foreshore at a very new and upmarket resort hotel. The 784Km day put us back on track with our plans. Got up early and got photos of the sun rising up over the Nullabor.
Stopped to take photos of the Bight and when we returned to the bikes the Google car filming the road swung past us. Lunch was at Eucla which gave us a chance to check out the sand covered telegraph station. Arrived at Caiguna and chose to stay in a motel room rather than camp in the windy conditions. The rooms quickly filled up as there were guys fighting bushfires being put up in many of the rooms.

Left Caiguna and took photos of the bikes next to the sign for the longest straight stretch in Australia. The day got progressively hotter and reached 38 degrees before we arrived in Kalgoorlie. While stopped for a break I noticed that the gravel on the side of the road had perfectly round stones, talk about walking on ball bearings. Arrived in a heat affected condition; luckily the plan was for a two night stay over.

Took the opportunity to check out the town centre and do a tour of the Super Pit. This is a mammoth open cut gold mine using trucks that haul a load of 250 tonne.

I decided to leave Kalgoorlie at first light the next morning as the day was predicted to be another hot one and I wanted to be in Perth before the full force of the sun was on me. I did get there as the temperatures were getting really hot.

Had five days with my sister in Perth, meeting up with Jen and Leo in the city and going to the outdoor theatre one night. Friday before the AGM I rode to Bundaberg and met up with Hazen, a friend who used to live in Canberra. Hazen gave me a guided tour of her back yard, the Bunbury/ Margaret river area. The next morning her partner Steve, Hazen and I did more of a tour on bikes and then dropped me off at another friend's place.

Lindy lives on a property at Wellington Mills. When I arrived, Robyn and Peter’s bikes were parked at the bottom of the driveway and there was a note on the gate advising me not to try to ride up as the drive had been graded the day before and was difficult to negotiate. So I got to walk up the hill. The house was half way up and the view would have been great except they had not had any rain in the last month. Saturday night we went to a local winery and checked out the grape while watching ‘Bran Nu Dae’ at the temporary theatre.

Monday morning it was off to Albany, slight drizzle as we got close, checked into the Banksia Gardens resort with Robyn and Peter then off to the airport to pick up Pam. Registered for the AGM and settled in. Had a great week. The weather was very warm; unusual for Albany. Did the Whale Museum and visited the Valley of the Giants with Derek and Margie. On the way back, stopped off at Greens pool - a very pleasant spot for a swim.

The meeting spot for the Saturday parade was on a peninsula above the inlet. It must be one of the best meeting points for any of the AGM's, the parade was one of the best as the crowds got thicker the further we went. The only down side was the bushfire set off by one of our members when he crashed his bike, at least everyone in WA knew we were there as it made the news.

Monday morning Pam headed for the airport, Robyn and Pete for Esperance and me for Perth. Wednesday met up with Derek and Margie to head to Denham, my sister Donna decided to join us as she had never been to Monkey Mia, she was driving her tin top. Overnighter at Geraldton, the next day stopped in and checked out the pinnacles near Cervantes.

Checked out the Stromatolites at Hamelin. Arrived at Denham and walked over the road opposite the motel to go for a swim. The next day got in the car and drove to Monkey Mia arrived just in time for the feeding of the dolphins. Had a tour of a pearl farm and cruised the bay for dugongs and loggerhead turtles. The next day did a three hour quad bike tour of the Denham area, great fun.

The next day I was off on my own, the others heading south and me north. Before parting we stopped off at shell beach. The whole foreshore is made up of small shells built up over thousands of years.



Camped at Carnarvon for the night. The next day I stopped off at Coral Bay before continuing on to Exmouth. At the caravan park I booked a backpacker room which was air conditioned - $50.00 per night. I heard that the Whale Sharks had arrived in the area a couple of days before so booked myself a tour which gives you the opportunity to swim with them. The next morning I was picked up at the caravan park and the group was transported to the other side of the peninsula and boarded the boat out to the reef to snorkel on the reef. An amazing variety of tropical fish. Morning tea then outside the reef to find a Whale Shark, found a baby to swim with which was only 3.6 metres. Dropped off in front and as he approached parted in order to swim beside him before dropping off to allow the other group from the boat to have a go. Managed to swim with a couple of them; such a great experience.

Left Exmouth at 8.00am to avoid the heat of the day. 180 Km to the next fuel, expecting to get to the reserve at 150-170. It came on at 130 with 50 Km to go. It is not the speed limits that restrict you, but the fuel range. With 50 Km to the next stop I reduced speed to 90-100 and made it with .8 of a litre to spare. As I left the servo I passed a ute towing a gold wing with a trailer, looks like he got the fuel range wrong too. Spent the night at Dampier at the Peninsula Palms, which is a resort style place set up for workers. Price of the bed included dinner, breakfast and lunch. The advantage was that the reception opened at 5.30, so aided an early start and I planned to get to Broome 890 Km away. By the time I got to Sand Fire it was 40 degrees. Got as much fuel in the tank as possible as the next fuel was 291 Km away. Kept the speed down to 90-110 and reserve came on at 274, so no problem making the distance.

Planned to stay in Broome for four days, temperature about 36-38 degrees and 90 percent humidity. May-September seems to be the best time to be there, unfortunate that I was there early but I did benefit by being there out of season. Seemed to arrive just as they were gearing up for the tourists. Was advised to do the Horizontal Falls. Very expensive but a great experience. Took a Flying boat up the coast to Cape Leveque and across the Kimberly coast to a couple of land locked inlets with narrow entrances. As the tide changes, the water rushes through these narrow entrances like a waterfall. Landed in an inlet and transferred to a catamaran for morning tea, into a high speed boat to experience the falls, back for lunch of Barramundi (best I have ever had) then an eco tour of the inlet at a more leisurely pace. Back to the flying boat and returned to the Motel by 4 pm. Really enjoyed the time in Broome even with the heat. Had Pearl meat as an entree at a restaurant one night, very much like abalone.



Broome to Halls creek was the next section, stopped for fuel at Fitzroy Crossing and almost lost the helmet, left it on the bike and a local brought it into me. When I left and put it on I could smell that someone else had had it on their head. Halls Creek to Kununurra decided I should camp as the temperature was quite comfortable. Kununurra to Katherine you pass near the Bungles, it is amazing country to ride through. Arrived at Katherine and as the day was still young decided to continue on to Darwin, which was only another 300 Km.

Booked into the Value Inn in the centre of the city for six nights as I needed to get an oil change for the bike and it was Thursday before Easter when I arrived, so I had to stay till Tuesday to get the work done. Rang the brother of a friend of mine and he invited me to join them for a sail on the harbour to watch the sun go down. He rides a bike so we met on Sunday and rode to Mandurah for breakfast. It is popular to do this with the local riders. Can't do it late in the day as it gets too hot.

The Harbour Precinct of Darwin is going through a big change, very upmarket with wave pool and very expensive looking units. Tuesday morning heading out to the Honda dealer, got caught in a massive tropical storm, at one stage I had to ride on the white line as the water was too deep near the edge of the road, and of course I left the wets in the room at the Inn.

Headed off early Tuesday just before dawn, planned to stop at Three Ways but ended up continuing on to the Barkley Homestead, 1158 Km, most I have done on a bike in one day. Up early again and stopped at Mt Isa for a late brunch. Ended up in Longreach another 1105 Km. Planned to stay with Pam's niece at Warren, couldn't be that far. Just short of Wyandra, unknown to me, the gear sack frame broke and I lost the bag off the back of the bike. I stopped just out of town and decided to go back for fuel in the town as I was not certain I would make it to Cunnamulla.

When I turned back I was stopped by a guy who returned my bag with the broken rack, it broke off just after I passed him and he stopped and picked it up. Luck was with me that day. I was advised that there was a place in Cunnamulla that could probably fix the rack. Strapped it on the bike and rode the 100 km and managed to find the place and he fixed it for me. Arrived at Warren at 7.30 pm another 1141 Km. Don't know why I was so keen to get home. Spent the weekend with Pam’s niece and her partner and had an easy 550 Km to home on the Monday. Warren to Cowra was freezing, welcome back to the South!

Robert
_________________
Ang

“He who travels for love finds a thousand miles not longer than one.” Japanese Proverb