I'd forgotten how nice it was for a motorcycle journey to involve corners, till later today. Granted, I still didn't have to slow down for these particular corners, but I had to actually lean the bike over a bit which is more than can be said for anywhere else we've been lately, and they reminded me how much they help you focus too. It's just been pack up, turn right onto stuart highway, get bike to 110kph, do that for 80kms, pull into rest stop (where there is just a bin and a table, if the table hasn't been burnt or the bin hasn't had a shotgun shell put through it) wait for ten minutes, pull out of rest stop, turn right onto stuart highway, get bike to 110kph, go for 80kms etc.. Most of the time on the way up into a head wind. It's tiring, and boring. Just in a straight line at 110, for as long as your head can take the wind, and your fuel lasts. Can't wait to have to slow down for a corner tomorrow!
I made a few mistakes today. I put it down to tiredness and sore hands, but I could just be a bit uncoordinated... I was filling up the jerry can with fuel for the run from coober pedy to glendambo (i didn't want to repeat our feat of running out of fuel again) and I slipped with the nozzle and poured a whole squirt of fuel over the bottle, which then ran down onto the sleeping mat and sleeping bag that it was strapped to. I rinsed it all with a bit of water as best I could, but here I am in the tent tonight writing this blog post and the tent has the rather strong aroma of petrol permeating it. Not only that, but the tent smells like stale milk for some reason. I think something must have got jammed in with it by accident 3 days ago when we slept in it last. I could go on about the food too (just truckers food everywhere (burgers, chips, dimsims, egg and bacon rolls)) but all I've done is whinge here so I better stop moaning, just get some sleep and cheer up a bit!
While we were in Alice Springs (which was roasting, as you can see from the pictures) I went and got the chain on Norman seen to. I seemed to be making a bit more noise than it had at the start, and remembering how often I used to lubricate the chain on my old bike which was every 300kms or so (i'd done 3000kms or something on Norman and hadn't even checked it) and also that new chains stretched a lot in the first couple of thousand kilometers, I thought it prudent to have someone who knew what they were about to have a look over it. I think I heard the word "floppy" a few times, so Norman got tightened up and lubed, ready to turn around and head back the way we came.
Cadney homestead was a wierd wee place, with a wierd wee cabin we stayed in, but we got a pretty good nights sleep and that's what matters really. There was an amazing rainbow after the storm we narrowly dodged, because of the really bright sunshine I think.
I'll let Bridget explain the last picture tomorrow...
I made a few mistakes today. I put it down to tiredness and sore hands, but I could just be a bit uncoordinated... I was filling up the jerry can with fuel for the run from coober pedy to glendambo (i didn't want to repeat our feat of running out of fuel again) and I slipped with the nozzle and poured a whole squirt of fuel over the bottle, which then ran down onto the sleeping mat and sleeping bag that it was strapped to. I rinsed it all with a bit of water as best I could, but here I am in the tent tonight writing this blog post and the tent has the rather strong aroma of petrol permeating it. Not only that, but the tent smells like stale milk for some reason. I think something must have got jammed in with it by accident 3 days ago when we slept in it last. I could go on about the food too (just truckers food everywhere (burgers, chips, dimsims, egg and bacon rolls)) but all I've done is whinge here so I better stop moaning, just get some sleep and cheer up a bit!
While we were in Alice Springs (which was roasting, as you can see from the pictures) I went and got the chain on Norman seen to. I seemed to be making a bit more noise than it had at the start, and remembering how often I used to lubricate the chain on my old bike which was every 300kms or so (i'd done 3000kms or something on Norman and hadn't even checked it) and also that new chains stretched a lot in the first couple of thousand kilometers, I thought it prudent to have someone who knew what they were about to have a look over it. I think I heard the word "floppy" a few times, so Norman got tightened up and lubed, ready to turn around and head back the way we came.
Cadney homestead was a wierd wee place, with a wierd wee cabin we stayed in, but we got a pretty good nights sleep and that's what matters really. There was an amazing rainbow after the storm we narrowly dodged, because of the really bright sunshine I think.
I'll let Bridget explain the last picture tomorrow...
2 comments:
that weird wee cabin is a donga ..
loved by many a minesite worker across the nation
Thanks roz for that info, a donga eh? I liked it!
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