This morning I left Alice at about 8:30 ready for a 500km ish ride. I wasn’t looking forward to a longish ride after quite a few days off but I didn’t really have an option. The ride passed pretty smoothly. Crossing the tropic of capricorn shortly after leaving alice it was all going quite quickly and smoothly.
Not much interesting to report until passing the Devils Marbles. This was quite interesting and just to make my fears of missing them seem silly, you basically drive right through them. I could spend lots of time there taking photos, it would be gret at sunset and sunrise, but I had to get moving on.
When I got to tennant creek, I got some fuel (3rd fuel for the day) and decided to get to Threeways for the night.
On arriving there, I was told there was no more rooms. I wasn’t that happy as it was either back tracking 25k to Tennant creek or heading on 187km to Barkley Homestead Roadhouse. Its the only roadhouse mentioned on my map so I assumed it was going to be substantial.
So, counting down the k’s (the last 50 always seems to take ages) I finally arrived, filled up and went inside to get a room (and pay for fuel, 4th fill up).
I was a little disappointed when they told me that there were no rooms left and I need a tent (which I left in the caravan in Alice this morning).
Bugger again.
The options I had were 187 + 25k back to Tennant creek or 280km to camooweal. I chose to proceed rather than going back. My shadow was getting long and I really really didn’t want to be riding at night. I had visions of starting all over again and needing to go the extra 200kmish to Mt Isa.
On entering camooweal (again with the last 50km taking ages) I found a room. The last 50k was even worse this time because the last 13 of it were in Qld where theres a 110 limit. IT seems so slow now that I’m used to a tad faster than that.
Anyway, the room they offered me was $28 with shared everything. I opted for the only other available room at $70 with its own shower, toilet, kettle and TV.
So, from me worring about a 500km ride, i ended up doing 990km.
I have tried to make some calls on the sat phone (no Optus here) and its not working either. The internet connection (Telstra) says theres signal only until you start to connect, then it goes away.
Its 189km to Mt Isa tomorrow so theres no reason to leave too early (but I probably will anyway).