Day: 035
Date: Thursday, 31 August 2006
Summary: Riding from Seisia to tip of Cape York and return.
Start: Seisia
Finish: Seisia
Daily Kilometres: 35
Total Kilometres: 4170
Weather: Warm to hot and sunny with south-easterly winds.
Accommodation: Cabin at Seisia Campground , Queensland.
Nutrition:
Breakfast: Bacon and egg roll
Lunch: Snacks
Dinner: Hamburger and chips for dinner.
Encounters: It seemed that many people and groups I had met in the last week converged on the tip of Cape York today. Firstly, as I passed a little souvenir shack about half-way to the Cape, the members of a tour group I had met three days ago (who must have been told a cyclist was coming by the driver of a vehicle that passed me earlier) came out to the side of the road and clapped and cheered me past. Secondly, when I finally reached the Cape, Barry and Jan, one of the couples who had offered me dinner at the Jardine River two nights ago were there to greet me. Thirdly, a couple of trail bike riders I had met a week ago in Lakefield NP were just arriving at the Cape as I left. Additionally, a number of other people around the Cape at the time came up to me and said they had seen me on the road earlier, etc., and wanted to know more about the trip. All in all, it was like a reunion of old friends and made it a very pleasant day.
Highlights: On my way riding back from the Cape , there was a great stretch of a couple of kilometres of gradually downhill narrow hard-packed red clay road which wound through an exotic leafy and cool rainforest. With no bags on the bike and the pleasure of having completed the mission in my mind, it was a fast and exhilarating descent.
Lowlights: Only that I couldn’t get my camera fixed and had to buy a disposable for the last photos of my trip.
Journal:
I slept well, in contrast to the previous night, and took my time packing up and getting some breakfast in the morning, before calling Canon to see if there was some way to unjam my digital camera. Unfortunately there was not, so I rode to the small nearby supermarket and bought a disposable camera to use for the remainder of my trip.
I then set off for the tip of Cape York , taking a little-used rough back road for the first part of the trip, before joining the main road to the tip. Actually, “main” is a bit of an exaggeration, since it was still quite corrugated and sandy in parts, and not very busy. Nearer to the Cape it narrowed as it passed through some very pretty rainforest. The total journey was 35km, but without bags on the bike, it was an easy and quite fast ride. From the end of the road there is a boardwalk through some rainforest before the path leads over a rocky headland and down to the tip where there is a sign. It was a bit of a struggle pushing the bike over the rocky trail, but I wanted to take it to the tip.
On the way to and from the tip, I met quite a number of people I had encountered on the road in the past week, and enjoyed chatting with them all.
I reached the actual tip about 11:30am and symbolically tipped my little jar of salt water from the southern tip into the sea, while one of the people I had met along the road took a picture of me with my new disposable camera.
It was a beautiful sunny and warm day. On the western side of the Cape , back from the rocky tip, was a sweeping brilliantly white sandy beach lapped by a calm and perfectly clear aquamarine sea and bordered by verdant rainforest. Offshore was a sizeable sea-going yacht that would have looked at home next to any South Pacific island. On the eastern side, the sea was swept by a brisk south-easterly wind which caused some whitecaps, and the sea was more translucent than transparent. In all directions and at all distances could be seen big and small islands, all looking exotic and enticing.
I hung around at the tip for about an hour savouring the moment and taking in the view. There was a steady stream of tourists, a number of whom were taking the opportunity to cast a line into the sea in the hope of catching something, and a story to tell. I didn’t see any fish get caught.
I then walked slowly back to the road and rode straight into Bamaga, enjoying the sense of accomplishment and completion. In Bamaga, I bought some sandals and a pair of shorts (to double the size of my casual wardrobe) and then returned to the campsite at Seisia where I dismantled my camp and moved into the basic cabin that will be my home until Monday when the cargo boat I am booked on leaves for Cairns. I will spend tomorrow cleaning some of my gear, which is all permeated with fine red dust, and visiting a library with internet access about 10km away to file the final part of my trip diary. I have booked a day trip to Thursday Island for Saturday and will take it easy on Sunday. From Cairns I am catching a train to Brisbane , which will take about a day and a half, and then a train from Brisbane to Gosford which will take a day. I will be home on Saturday evening, 9 September 2006.
Wilsons Promontory to Cape York by bike - Jardine River to Seisia
Day: 034
Date: Wednesday, 30 August 2006
Summary: Riding from Jardine River Ferry to Seisia.
Start: Jardine River Ferry
Finish: Seisia
Daily Kilometres: 51
Total Kilometres: 4135
Weather: Warm to hot and sunny with easterly winds.
Accommodation: Camping at Seisia Campground , Queensland.
Nutrition:
Breakfast: Muesli bars and scroggin/gorp
Lunch: Two pies
Dinner: Fish, chips and salad for dinner.
Encounters: None really. Saw some Army truck learner drivers heading south towards the Jardine River ferry. It recalled memories of 35 years ago when my National Service job was leading a platoon teaching soldiers to drive trucks.
Highlights: Reaching the sealed road just before getting to Bamaga was a relief. The morning had again been hard riding on sand and corrugations, and the sealed road signalled the virtual end of such roads. The road construction crew that was staying at the same campground at the Jardine River last night have apparently just finished upgrading the road from Bamaga to the tip of Cape York.
Lowlights: My camera has malfunctioned/jammed and I can’t get it working. I tried calling Barb to see if there was anything in the Manual, but it was no help. She got a Canon Helpline number and I’ll try that tomorrow. If no success, I guess I’ll buy a disposable for the final pictures of my trip to the Cape tomorrow.
Journal:
I had trouble getting to sleep last night, maybe because the trip is almost over, or maybe because I had too much Diet Coke before going to bed (probably the latter!). I spent the sleepless time thinking about what the next adventure might be. I got up at 6am when the camp started stirring and had a leisurely pack up and breakfast, since the ferry wasn’t due to begin operating until 8am. As it turned out, the ferry had some engine problems and I didn’t get across until 8:30am.
Yet again, the road was a lot worse than I remembered and the 45km to Bamaga involved plenty of walking through sand and innumerable corrugations. The country was mostly dry undulating forests with some good views here and there. Along the way, I met the German family I had first met at Archer River several days ago who were now on their way back down the Cape .
Just before arriving in Bamaga, when I finally got some mobile phone reception, I called the campground at Seisia (on the beach 6km from Bamaga and adjacent to the jetty where I will catch the boat back to Cairns next Monday) to see if I could get a cabin. They had nothing available for tonight, but I should be OK for the remaining nights, so I said I would come and camp there tonight and move into a cabin tomorrow.
I rolled into Bamaga, literally, since there was a long downhill sealed road, about noon (3.5 hours for 45km) and found the bakery where I had a couple of pies for lunch. I then went to the store and bought some replacement sunglasses and a replacement bike lock, before riding the 6km to Seisia. I checked in, set up camp, showered, and generally lounged around for the afternoon before getting fish and chips for dinner at the local café. I’ll ride to the 35km to the tip of Cape York tomorrow, but won’t leave until I’ve had a chance to call Canon about my camera. I would like to get to the tip around noon so that it would be exactly 34 days from the moment I left the southern tip of Wilsons Promontory, but it may not work out depending on the road and the camera.
Date: Wednesday, 30 August 2006
Summary: Riding from Jardine River Ferry to Seisia.
Start: Jardine River Ferry
Finish: Seisia
Daily Kilometres: 51
Total Kilometres: 4135
Weather: Warm to hot and sunny with easterly winds.
Accommodation: Camping at Seisia Campground , Queensland.
Nutrition:
Breakfast: Muesli bars and scroggin/gorp
Lunch: Two pies
Dinner: Fish, chips and salad for dinner.
Encounters: None really. Saw some Army truck learner drivers heading south towards the Jardine River ferry. It recalled memories of 35 years ago when my National Service job was leading a platoon teaching soldiers to drive trucks.
Highlights: Reaching the sealed road just before getting to Bamaga was a relief. The morning had again been hard riding on sand and corrugations, and the sealed road signalled the virtual end of such roads. The road construction crew that was staying at the same campground at the Jardine River last night have apparently just finished upgrading the road from Bamaga to the tip of Cape York.
Lowlights: My camera has malfunctioned/jammed and I can’t get it working. I tried calling Barb to see if there was anything in the Manual, but it was no help. She got a Canon Helpline number and I’ll try that tomorrow. If no success, I guess I’ll buy a disposable for the final pictures of my trip to the Cape tomorrow.
Journal:
I had trouble getting to sleep last night, maybe because the trip is almost over, or maybe because I had too much Diet Coke before going to bed (probably the latter!). I spent the sleepless time thinking about what the next adventure might be. I got up at 6am when the camp started stirring and had a leisurely pack up and breakfast, since the ferry wasn’t due to begin operating until 8am. As it turned out, the ferry had some engine problems and I didn’t get across until 8:30am.
Yet again, the road was a lot worse than I remembered and the 45km to Bamaga involved plenty of walking through sand and innumerable corrugations. The country was mostly dry undulating forests with some good views here and there. Along the way, I met the German family I had first met at Archer River several days ago who were now on their way back down the Cape .
Just before arriving in Bamaga, when I finally got some mobile phone reception, I called the campground at Seisia (on the beach 6km from Bamaga and adjacent to the jetty where I will catch the boat back to Cairns next Monday) to see if I could get a cabin. They had nothing available for tonight, but I should be OK for the remaining nights, so I said I would come and camp there tonight and move into a cabin tomorrow.
I rolled into Bamaga, literally, since there was a long downhill sealed road, about noon (3.5 hours for 45km) and found the bakery where I had a couple of pies for lunch. I then went to the store and bought some replacement sunglasses and a replacement bike lock, before riding the 6km to Seisia. I checked in, set up camp, showered, and generally lounged around for the afternoon before getting fish and chips for dinner at the local café. I’ll ride to the 35km to the tip of Cape York tomorrow, but won’t leave until I’ve had a chance to call Canon about my camera. I would like to get to the tip around noon so that it would be exactly 34 days from the moment I left the southern tip of Wilsons Promontory, but it may not work out depending on the road and the camera.
Wilsons Promontory to Cape York by bike - Gunshot Creek to Jardine River
Day: 033
Date: Tuesday, 29 August 2006
Summary: Riding from Gunshot Creek to Jardine River Ferry.
Start: Gunshot Creek
Finish: Jardine River Ferry
Daily Kilometres: 86
Total Kilometres: 4084
Weather: Warm to hot and sunny with easterly winds.
Accommodation: Camping at Jardine River Ferry, Queensland .
Nutrition:
Breakfast: Muesli
Lunch: Snacks
Dinner: Salmon, sausages and vegetables
Encounters: Two couples of similar age to me, who had passed me on the road during the day, invited me to join them for dinner. They were good company and the salmon, sausages and vegetables they gave me were a welcome alternative to the peanut butter rolls I had been planning.
Highlights: Reaching the Jardine River Ferry, which only operates between 8am and 5pm, at 4:45pm was the highlight of the day. Not so much because I wanted to catch the ferry across, which was my original intention, but because the kiosk where the ferry tickets were sold also sold cold drinks and ice-creams. I was parched after a very long day on the road and immediately bought four 600ml bottles of Diet Coke, downing one in a nanosecond, and an icecream.
Lowlights: My expectation had been that the going would be tough for the first 26km until I reached the Development Road (Northern Bypass Road) and then would be easier (but not easy) to the Jardine River Ferry. As it turned out the Development Road was nearly as tough as the OTL, with very long stretches of soft sand and plenty of huge corrugations. I had hoped the 53km would take me three hours but instead it took five. It was hot hard work and, to top it off, I was running short on water, so was rationing myself until a kind motorist stopped and asked me if I would like any water. They gave me a litre of water with ice in it!
Journal:
By the time I packed, breakfasted and filled water bottles from the creek (200+ metres away), it was about 7:45am before I got rolling. I had also spent a bit of time trying to work out what was making the strange clicking noise in my front wheel and put some air into the shocks in case that was the problem. No progress! The OTL continued as before, but was more pleasant in the early morning light and cooler temperatures and I was expecting slow progress. The countryside continued to be mostly heathland with some nice views from the higher elevations. I had intended to refill my water bottles at Sailor Creek, the last creek I would cross for the day, but was past it before I realised, so was left a bit short of water when I reached theNorthern Bypass Road at about 11:00am, which was roughly in line with my estimate – 3+hours for 24km. At that time I thought I still had a very good chance of making it to Bamaga for the night (107km) but after another hour realised that I wasn’t making much better time than I had been on the OTL. There were very long stretches of sand, often with just a few hundred metres of firmer going or corrugations in between, and I was constantly getting on and off the bike and occasionally still falling off when I misjudged sand depth. It was exhausting and hot work. The road was generally quite wide, meaning shade from the forest seldom sheltered the road. Without my sunglasses I was constantly getting grit from passing cars and the gusty wind in my eyes as well. I must have looked a grimy and exhausted sight. A few cars and minibuses passed me and gave me waves and occasionally stopped to ask if I needed anything. I took up one of the later offers, when I was down to my last litre of water, and got a litre of iced water which was delicious. The last 24km, although rough, had shallower sand which allowed me to keep moving at a better rate, and I reached the Jardine River Ferry at 4:45pm. I was still thinking of pushing on to Bamaga (45km), but the lady in the kiosk selling ferry tickets persuaded me that I would be better to stay in her campground, which had hot showers, than end up travelling in the dark on rough roads with no certain place to stay. She said I could stay for free, and also said I needn’t pay for the ferry ($88 per car!).
I set up camp and two separate groups of people came over to me and asked whether I had got a lift to the campground. They had passed me back on the road and could not believe I had made it to the campground so quickly. One couple had also seen my wheel-tracks and footprints on the OTL and were trying to work out who made them and how. It never occurred to them that someone would ride a bike along the OTL.
After I set up camp, I had a nice shower, which made me feel much better, and was then invited to join two couples for dinner. The salmon and sausages were a lot better than my three-day-old (at least) breadrolls and peanut butter so I accepted.
I will catch the first ferry in the morning and head to Bamaga for brunch. As soon as I have good phone reception, I’ll try to book a cabin on the beach at Seisia, adjacent to where my boat leaves, for the remainder of my time on the Cape . Seisia is 5km from Bamaga, but a much more desirable place to stay. I’ll plan to travel to the tip of theCape on Thursday.
Date: Tuesday, 29 August 2006
Summary: Riding from Gunshot Creek to Jardine River Ferry.
Start: Gunshot Creek
Finish: Jardine River Ferry
Daily Kilometres: 86
Total Kilometres: 4084
Weather: Warm to hot and sunny with easterly winds.
Accommodation: Camping at Jardine River Ferry, Queensland .
Nutrition:
Breakfast: Muesli
Lunch: Snacks
Dinner: Salmon, sausages and vegetables
Encounters: Two couples of similar age to me, who had passed me on the road during the day, invited me to join them for dinner. They were good company and the salmon, sausages and vegetables they gave me were a welcome alternative to the peanut butter rolls I had been planning.
Highlights: Reaching the Jardine River Ferry, which only operates between 8am and 5pm, at 4:45pm was the highlight of the day. Not so much because I wanted to catch the ferry across, which was my original intention, but because the kiosk where the ferry tickets were sold also sold cold drinks and ice-creams. I was parched after a very long day on the road and immediately bought four 600ml bottles of Diet Coke, downing one in a nanosecond, and an icecream.
Lowlights: My expectation had been that the going would be tough for the first 26km until I reached the Development Road (Northern Bypass Road) and then would be easier (but not easy) to the Jardine River Ferry. As it turned out the Development Road was nearly as tough as the OTL, with very long stretches of soft sand and plenty of huge corrugations. I had hoped the 53km would take me three hours but instead it took five. It was hot hard work and, to top it off, I was running short on water, so was rationing myself until a kind motorist stopped and asked me if I would like any water. They gave me a litre of water with ice in it!
Journal:
By the time I packed, breakfasted and filled water bottles from the creek (200+ metres away), it was about 7:45am before I got rolling. I had also spent a bit of time trying to work out what was making the strange clicking noise in my front wheel and put some air into the shocks in case that was the problem. No progress! The OTL continued as before, but was more pleasant in the early morning light and cooler temperatures and I was expecting slow progress. The countryside continued to be mostly heathland with some nice views from the higher elevations. I had intended to refill my water bottles at Sailor Creek, the last creek I would cross for the day, but was past it before I realised, so was left a bit short of water when I reached theNorthern Bypass Road at about 11:00am, which was roughly in line with my estimate – 3+hours for 24km. At that time I thought I still had a very good chance of making it to Bamaga for the night (107km) but after another hour realised that I wasn’t making much better time than I had been on the OTL. There were very long stretches of sand, often with just a few hundred metres of firmer going or corrugations in between, and I was constantly getting on and off the bike and occasionally still falling off when I misjudged sand depth. It was exhausting and hot work. The road was generally quite wide, meaning shade from the forest seldom sheltered the road. Without my sunglasses I was constantly getting grit from passing cars and the gusty wind in my eyes as well. I must have looked a grimy and exhausted sight. A few cars and minibuses passed me and gave me waves and occasionally stopped to ask if I needed anything. I took up one of the later offers, when I was down to my last litre of water, and got a litre of iced water which was delicious. The last 24km, although rough, had shallower sand which allowed me to keep moving at a better rate, and I reached the Jardine River Ferry at 4:45pm. I was still thinking of pushing on to Bamaga (45km), but the lady in the kiosk selling ferry tickets persuaded me that I would be better to stay in her campground, which had hot showers, than end up travelling in the dark on rough roads with no certain place to stay. She said I could stay for free, and also said I needn’t pay for the ferry ($88 per car!).
I set up camp and two separate groups of people came over to me and asked whether I had got a lift to the campground. They had passed me back on the road and could not believe I had made it to the campground so quickly. One couple had also seen my wheel-tracks and footprints on the OTL and were trying to work out who made them and how. It never occurred to them that someone would ride a bike along the OTL.
After I set up camp, I had a nice shower, which made me feel much better, and was then invited to join two couples for dinner. The salmon and sausages were a lot better than my three-day-old (at least) breadrolls and peanut butter so I accepted.
I will catch the first ferry in the morning and head to Bamaga for brunch. As soon as I have good phone reception, I’ll try to book a cabin on the beach at Seisia, adjacent to where my boat leaves, for the remainder of my time on the Cape . Seisia is 5km from Bamaga, but a much more desirable place to stay. I’ll plan to travel to the tip of theCape on Thursday.
Wilsons Promontory to Cape York by bike - Moreton Telegraph Station to Gunshot Creek
Day: 032
Date: Monday, 28 August 2006
Summary: Riding from Moreton Telegraph Station to Gunshot Creek, Overland Telegraph Line (OTL) Track.
Start: Moreton Telegraph Station
Finish: Gunshot Creek
Daily Kilometres: 88
Total Kilometres: 3998
Weather: Warm to hot and sunny with easterly winds.
Accommodation: Camping at Gunshot Creek, Overland Telegraph Line (OTL) Track,Queensland .
Nutrition:
Breakfast: Cereal and toast
Lunch: Bacon and egg roll
Dinner: Peanut butter rolls and energy bars
Encounters: I saw some kangaroos early on and a large dingo trotted nonchalantly across the OTL just in front of me in late morning.
Highlights: Without doubt the swim/wash I had in the shallow and crystal clear Gunshot Creek at the end of the day to wash off all of the accumulated sweat, dust and sand.
Lowlights: Unfortunately, the Overland Telegraph Line (OTL) track hasn’t been as much fun as I had hoped. It is a rough unmaintained trail that is famous with 4WD drivers and trail-bikers and I was looking forward to some semi-challenging mountain bike riding. However, my memory of the trail did not include the vast stretches of sand which meant that I fell off innumerable times, had to pedal very hard where it was at all possible to ride, and spent lengthy periods manhandling my loaded bike through the sand. It took me seven hours to cover 46km.
Journal:
I left soon after 7:00am, having helped myself to cereal and toast in the guesthouse kitchen. Unfortunately, my efforts to leave quietly came to nought when I burnt the toast and set off the smoke alarm! I pedalled the 42km to the Bramwell Junction Roadhouse in about two hours and decided to have a brunch before setting out along the OTL. There was a tour bus there and I got lots of questions and was asked to pose for some photos. Later some trailbike riders arrived who I had met back at Kalpower Crossing in Lakefield NP about five days ago. They couldn’t believe I had come so far. They are still on their way to the Cape .
I left on the OTL at 10:00am and soon found myself dealing with long stretches of sand and some rough trail. At some point, the bike lock that I have always carried in a net basket at the side of my front handlebar bag, fell out without me noticing, so I have lost another piece of equipment. Later on I noticed that one of the supporting brackets on my left rear pannier had sheared off, putting great strain on the remaining bracket. This was the kind of equipment failure I had feared for the whole trip. Just as well I brought those cable ties along, and I used them to substitute for the bracket and support the other. I noticed another stud has also broken.
Further along my front wheel or bike headset, I can’t tell which, began making strange clicking noises. I can’t see anything wrong. Maybe it’s in the front suspension. One more thing telling me that the bike and body are ready for a rest.
I soon realised my target of Elliot Falls was not going to happen, and resolved to see where I was at 5:00pm and decide about where to camp at that point. I fell off another few times and wasn’t enjoying the tough riding on the sand. I was constantly getting on and off the bike and was only ever able to ride for short differences. The OTL crossed a number of creeks and each time I had to wade across meaning I had wet and grit-filled shoes for most of the day as well. The countryside changed from woodland to heathland later on. In the latter, the very tall bright orange termite mounds looked like Lilliputian castles dotting the landscape.
I finally reached Gunshot Creek, the most famous OTL creek crossing (dodged by many 4WDers), just before 5:00pm and, after some searching around found a way to get down to the creek and wade across. I had a short break, checked the map, and decided that rather than press on to the next creek crossing, 9km away, I would be better to stop in plenty of time to set up camp and have a wash. I found a nice spot, had a swim/wash, rinsed out my gear, and had some dinner. I had the place to myself and it was very pleasant and I felt rejuvenated after the wash. While trying to find an ABC station I picked up a Papua-New Guinea station so I must be getting close to the Top. I’ve decided not to do the northernmost, and less-travelled, section of the OTL and to head straight for Bamaga when I reach the Development Road after 24km tomorrow (which will probably take me 3 hours or more) and then have 107km to Bamaga which may still be tough as it has a reputation for huge stretches of corrugations. It will probably be another tough and long day.
Date: Monday, 28 August 2006
Summary: Riding from Moreton Telegraph Station to Gunshot Creek, Overland Telegraph Line (OTL) Track.
Start: Moreton Telegraph Station
Finish: Gunshot Creek
Daily Kilometres: 88
Total Kilometres: 3998
Weather: Warm to hot and sunny with easterly winds.
Accommodation: Camping at Gunshot Creek, Overland Telegraph Line (OTL) Track,Queensland .
Nutrition:
Breakfast: Cereal and toast
Lunch: Bacon and egg roll
Dinner: Peanut butter rolls and energy bars
Encounters: I saw some kangaroos early on and a large dingo trotted nonchalantly across the OTL just in front of me in late morning.
Highlights: Without doubt the swim/wash I had in the shallow and crystal clear Gunshot Creek at the end of the day to wash off all of the accumulated sweat, dust and sand.
Lowlights: Unfortunately, the Overland Telegraph Line (OTL) track hasn’t been as much fun as I had hoped. It is a rough unmaintained trail that is famous with 4WD drivers and trail-bikers and I was looking forward to some semi-challenging mountain bike riding. However, my memory of the trail did not include the vast stretches of sand which meant that I fell off innumerable times, had to pedal very hard where it was at all possible to ride, and spent lengthy periods manhandling my loaded bike through the sand. It took me seven hours to cover 46km.
Journal:
I left soon after 7:00am, having helped myself to cereal and toast in the guesthouse kitchen. Unfortunately, my efforts to leave quietly came to nought when I burnt the toast and set off the smoke alarm! I pedalled the 42km to the Bramwell Junction Roadhouse in about two hours and decided to have a brunch before setting out along the OTL. There was a tour bus there and I got lots of questions and was asked to pose for some photos. Later some trailbike riders arrived who I had met back at Kalpower Crossing in Lakefield NP about five days ago. They couldn’t believe I had come so far. They are still on their way to the Cape .
I left on the OTL at 10:00am and soon found myself dealing with long stretches of sand and some rough trail. At some point, the bike lock that I have always carried in a net basket at the side of my front handlebar bag, fell out without me noticing, so I have lost another piece of equipment. Later on I noticed that one of the supporting brackets on my left rear pannier had sheared off, putting great strain on the remaining bracket. This was the kind of equipment failure I had feared for the whole trip. Just as well I brought those cable ties along, and I used them to substitute for the bracket and support the other. I noticed another stud has also broken.
Further along my front wheel or bike headset, I can’t tell which, began making strange clicking noises. I can’t see anything wrong. Maybe it’s in the front suspension. One more thing telling me that the bike and body are ready for a rest.
I soon realised my target of Elliot Falls was not going to happen, and resolved to see where I was at 5:00pm and decide about where to camp at that point. I fell off another few times and wasn’t enjoying the tough riding on the sand. I was constantly getting on and off the bike and was only ever able to ride for short differences. The OTL crossed a number of creeks and each time I had to wade across meaning I had wet and grit-filled shoes for most of the day as well. The countryside changed from woodland to heathland later on. In the latter, the very tall bright orange termite mounds looked like Lilliputian castles dotting the landscape.
I finally reached Gunshot Creek, the most famous OTL creek crossing (dodged by many 4WDers), just before 5:00pm and, after some searching around found a way to get down to the creek and wade across. I had a short break, checked the map, and decided that rather than press on to the next creek crossing, 9km away, I would be better to stop in plenty of time to set up camp and have a wash. I found a nice spot, had a swim/wash, rinsed out my gear, and had some dinner. I had the place to myself and it was very pleasant and I felt rejuvenated after the wash. While trying to find an ABC station I picked up a Papua-New Guinea station so I must be getting close to the Top. I’ve decided not to do the northernmost, and less-travelled, section of the OTL and to head straight for Bamaga when I reach the Development Road after 24km tomorrow (which will probably take me 3 hours or more) and then have 107km to Bamaga which may still be tough as it has a reputation for huge stretches of corrugations. It will probably be another tough and long day.
Wilsons Promontory to Cape York by bike - Coen to Moreton Telegraph Station
Day: 031
Date: Sunday, 27 August 2006
Summary: Riding from Coen to Moreton Telegraph Station.
Start: Coen
Finish: Moreton Telegraph Station
Daily Kilometres: 189
Total Kilometres: 3910
Weather: Warm to hot and sunny with south-easterly winds.
Accommodation: Guest house room at Moreton Telegraph Station campground,Queensland .
Nutrition:
Brunch: Bacon, eggs and chips
Dinner: Two pies
Encounters: I saw a few kangaroos later in the day.
Highlights: The two hours I spent eating brunch, with a follow-up ice-cream, on the shady verandah at the Archer River Roadhouse were very pleasant. It was very busy with many travellers passing through. I spent some time chatting to a farmer from Beaudesert who was helping out at the Roadhouse as part of his vacation. It turned out he knew a girl I knew who had married a local farmer there. I also chatted with some aborigines who were on their way back to Bamaga from Darwin , and to some German tourists.
Lowlights: The last hour’s riding of the day was the lowlight of the trip. Originally I had not intended to ride as far as the Moreton Telegraph Station, but the road was better after Archer River and I was making good time so I decided to try for Moreton and a shower. However, the last hour was mostly in darkness and the road deteriorated into sandy corrugations for most of the way. It was very hard to keep balance with limited visibility and, at one point, I fell off twice in five metres. What made it even more surreal was that there was a controlled burn of undergrowth stretching for many kilometres along the left-hand side of the road so there were flames just off the road and an orange glow all along (which didn’t help to illuminate the track at all!). I was cursing and, to top it all off, I lost my treasured wrap-around sunglasses which had done a great job of keeping the dust out of my contact lenses for the whole trip.
Journal:
I left soon after 7:00am and had a mix of good road and bad road on another sunny day to the Archer River Roadhouse where I stopped for a relaxing brunch. Since my intention had only been to ride another ~60km and then camp, I was in no hurry to leave and enjoyed watching the passing parade and chatting to some of the people.
I left around 1:00pm and had relatively good road for the next couple of hours with a slight following wind which helped me make good time. I began to think that I could get to Moreton Telegraph Station where there was a campground if I continued at a good pace, rather than looking for a suitable creek to camp beside (since I had decided not to carry lots of water).
The plan worked well and I made good time through the partly timbered grazing land. After the Weipa turn-off there wasn’t much traffic either, so it was quite pleasant. However, with about 15km to go it was virtually dark and the road deteriorated and I did not enjoy the last hour’s riding through the sandy corrugations. I eventually reach the campground about 7:45pm and was welcomed by the owners and some of their guests, who all thought I was mad (I thought I was stupid for taking such a long break at Archer River if I was going to attempt this far). Anyway, they offered me a room in their “guesthouse” where the only other occupant was, Katie, an English backpacker who was helping out around the campground. They also heated a couple of pies for my late dinner. After eating and a shower I felt much better. Having come this far today, I think I’ll now get to Bamaga/Seisia in two days and reach the Cape on Wednesday. Tomorrow I will tackle the Old Telegraph Track, which should be fun. It would be more fun if I hadn’t stupidly lost my good sunglasses today!
Date: Sunday, 27 August 2006
Summary: Riding from Coen to Moreton Telegraph Station.
Start: Coen
Finish: Moreton Telegraph Station
Daily Kilometres: 189
Total Kilometres: 3910
Weather: Warm to hot and sunny with south-easterly winds.
Accommodation: Guest house room at Moreton Telegraph Station campground,Queensland .
Nutrition:
Brunch: Bacon, eggs and chips
Dinner: Two pies
Encounters: I saw a few kangaroos later in the day.
Highlights: The two hours I spent eating brunch, with a follow-up ice-cream, on the shady verandah at the Archer River Roadhouse were very pleasant. It was very busy with many travellers passing through. I spent some time chatting to a farmer from Beaudesert who was helping out at the Roadhouse as part of his vacation. It turned out he knew a girl I knew who had married a local farmer there. I also chatted with some aborigines who were on their way back to Bamaga from Darwin , and to some German tourists.
Lowlights: The last hour’s riding of the day was the lowlight of the trip. Originally I had not intended to ride as far as the Moreton Telegraph Station, but the road was better after Archer River and I was making good time so I decided to try for Moreton and a shower. However, the last hour was mostly in darkness and the road deteriorated into sandy corrugations for most of the way. It was very hard to keep balance with limited visibility and, at one point, I fell off twice in five metres. What made it even more surreal was that there was a controlled burn of undergrowth stretching for many kilometres along the left-hand side of the road so there were flames just off the road and an orange glow all along (which didn’t help to illuminate the track at all!). I was cursing and, to top it all off, I lost my treasured wrap-around sunglasses which had done a great job of keeping the dust out of my contact lenses for the whole trip.
Journal:
I left soon after 7:00am and had a mix of good road and bad road on another sunny day to the Archer River Roadhouse where I stopped for a relaxing brunch. Since my intention had only been to ride another ~60km and then camp, I was in no hurry to leave and enjoyed watching the passing parade and chatting to some of the people.
I left around 1:00pm and had relatively good road for the next couple of hours with a slight following wind which helped me make good time. I began to think that I could get to Moreton Telegraph Station where there was a campground if I continued at a good pace, rather than looking for a suitable creek to camp beside (since I had decided not to carry lots of water).
The plan worked well and I made good time through the partly timbered grazing land. After the Weipa turn-off there wasn’t much traffic either, so it was quite pleasant. However, with about 15km to go it was virtually dark and the road deteriorated and I did not enjoy the last hour’s riding through the sandy corrugations. I eventually reach the campground about 7:45pm and was welcomed by the owners and some of their guests, who all thought I was mad (I thought I was stupid for taking such a long break at Archer River if I was going to attempt this far). Anyway, they offered me a room in their “guesthouse” where the only other occupant was, Katie, an English backpacker who was helping out around the campground. They also heated a couple of pies for my late dinner. After eating and a shower I felt much better. Having come this far today, I think I’ll now get to Bamaga/Seisia in two days and reach the Cape on Wednesday. Tomorrow I will tackle the Old Telegraph Track, which should be fun. It would be more fun if I hadn’t stupidly lost my good sunglasses today!
Wilsons Promontory to Cape York by bike - Musgrave to Coen
Day: 030
Date: Saturday, 26 August 2006
Summary: Riding from Musgrave to Coen.
Start: Musgrave
Finish: Coen
Daily Kilometres: 106
Total Kilometres: 3721
Weather: Warm to hot and sunny with easterly winds.
Accommodation: Basic cabin at Exchange Hotel, Coen , Queensland .
Nutrition:
Breakfast: Sausages and eggs
Lunch: Two pies
Dinner: Roast
Encounters: I met a couple of Irish guys travelling around Australia in the pub at Coen who had seen me near the Daintree and whose car had now broken down. We had a long chat as they do some bike-riding themselves and will probably get to the Cape about the same time.
Highlights: A relatively easy day’s riding after the trials of the previous three days. Although there were some rocky and corrugated bits, most of the road was hard-packed and smooth.
Lowlights: Nearly getting cleaned up by a 4WD that passed me on the inside. I was in the middle of the road trying to find the smoothest path when I heard a car behind me and turned to the left as I looked behind. Fortunately, I saw just in time that the 4WD was coming up on my inside and I was able to swerve the other way and avoid a collision.
Journal:
I got up at 6:30am, but had to hang around until 7:30am when the café opened before I could get breakfast. I spent the time chatting to a couple who were on their way from Weipa, after two years there, to new jobs near Mackay. They had passed a serious car accident about 150km north that I later learned had involved fatalities.
I left Musgrave soon after 8:00am and made good time northwards on a well-formed unsealed road. There was quite a bit of climbing up to the crest of the Great Divide at 270m, and then the road pretty much followed the crest for the remainder of the way to Coen. There were lots of significant ups and downs, particularly to “Dips” where creeks crossed the road, and it got quite hot on the ascents. There was water in some of the “Dips”, but not deep, and I sped through. The countryside was all undulating eucalypt forest with dry grassy undergrowth, occasionally burnt back, and some small peaks off to the side.
I arrived in Coen soon after 2:00pm after a particularly rough road for the last 10km and I’m hoping it improves on the other side of Coen when I leave tomorrow. Coen is a pretty dead dry and dusty small town, with one pub, a general store/service station and a take-away. It’s the last settlement before Bamaga near Cape York . I checked in to the hotel and was given a basic room in the “Donga”, a prefab building containing a number of bedrooms connected to another prefab containing a shared bathroom. After a shower and late lunch, I bought a few supplies and relaxed for the afternoon. I recalculated my remaining days and found that I have less distance to cover than I had thought. I should easily be able to make Bamaga/Seisia by Wednesday night and ride out and back to the Cape on Thursday, assuming all goes well.
Date: Saturday, 26 August 2006
Summary: Riding from Musgrave to Coen.
Start: Musgrave
Finish: Coen
Daily Kilometres: 106
Total Kilometres: 3721
Weather: Warm to hot and sunny with easterly winds.
Accommodation: Basic cabin at Exchange Hotel, Coen , Queensland .
Nutrition:
Breakfast: Sausages and eggs
Lunch: Two pies
Dinner: Roast
Encounters: I met a couple of Irish guys travelling around Australia in the pub at Coen who had seen me near the Daintree and whose car had now broken down. We had a long chat as they do some bike-riding themselves and will probably get to the Cape about the same time.
Highlights: A relatively easy day’s riding after the trials of the previous three days. Although there were some rocky and corrugated bits, most of the road was hard-packed and smooth.
Lowlights: Nearly getting cleaned up by a 4WD that passed me on the inside. I was in the middle of the road trying to find the smoothest path when I heard a car behind me and turned to the left as I looked behind. Fortunately, I saw just in time that the 4WD was coming up on my inside and I was able to swerve the other way and avoid a collision.
Journal:
I got up at 6:30am, but had to hang around until 7:30am when the café opened before I could get breakfast. I spent the time chatting to a couple who were on their way from Weipa, after two years there, to new jobs near Mackay. They had passed a serious car accident about 150km north that I later learned had involved fatalities.
I left Musgrave soon after 8:00am and made good time northwards on a well-formed unsealed road. There was quite a bit of climbing up to the crest of the Great Divide at 270m, and then the road pretty much followed the crest for the remainder of the way to Coen. There were lots of significant ups and downs, particularly to “Dips” where creeks crossed the road, and it got quite hot on the ascents. There was water in some of the “Dips”, but not deep, and I sped through. The countryside was all undulating eucalypt forest with dry grassy undergrowth, occasionally burnt back, and some small peaks off to the side.
I arrived in Coen soon after 2:00pm after a particularly rough road for the last 10km and I’m hoping it improves on the other side of Coen when I leave tomorrow. Coen is a pretty dead dry and dusty small town, with one pub, a general store/service station and a take-away. It’s the last settlement before Bamaga near Cape York . I checked in to the hotel and was given a basic room in the “Donga”, a prefab building containing a number of bedrooms connected to another prefab containing a shared bathroom. After a shower and late lunch, I bought a few supplies and relaxed for the afternoon. I recalculated my remaining days and found that I have less distance to cover than I had thought. I should easily be able to make Bamaga/Seisia by Wednesday night and ride out and back to the Cape on Thursday, assuming all goes well.
Wilsons Promontory to Cape York by bike - Hann Crossing to Musgrave
Day: 029
Date: Friday, 25 August 2006
Summary: Riding from Hann Crossing to Musgrave.
Start: Hann Crossing
Finish: Musgrave
Daily Kilometres: 81
Total Kilometres: 3615
Weather: Warm to hot and sunny with easterly winds.
Accommodation: Basic cabin at Musgrave Roadhouse , Queensland.
Nutrition:
Breakfast: Scroggin/gorp for snacks
Lunch: Two pies
Dinner: Hamburger and chips
Encounters: I saw a few kangaroos early on and, one time, saw a kangaroo cross the road at great speed just in front of my followed 30 metres later by a fast-moving dingo who broke off the chase when he saw me. I also saw a few bustards, which are quite large birds of prey. At the Musgrave Roadhouse I met the runner, whose name escapes me, who was on his way back to Tasmania having just completed his charity run from the southern tip of Tasmania to Cape York . He was very humble and friendly and looked extremely fit. I think he’s in his mid-60s.
Highlights: A very relaxing afternoon spent washing, reading and drinking at the Musgrave Roadhouse with the hard trails of Lakefield National Park behind me.
Lowlights: A large group of trail-bikers (there are a lot of them up here riding to and from the Cape) came from the other direction as I neared the western end of LakefieldNational Park . So that they wouldn’t have to travel in each other’s dust, they kindly travel about a kilometre apart meaning that, for me, the dust from one trail bike has just about settled when the next arrives. There were about 20 bikes in all. They all gave me a cheery wave!
Journal:
I got up at 6:00am after a relatively good and long night’s sleep (although it had got a bit warm at one stage), and left around 7:00am. The trail, although still rough, wasn’t too bad initially and the early sunlight, cool temperatures and no traffic made riding very pleasant. There were all manner of animal tracks made in the sandy road overnight, some of which I could identify and others not. I decided I couldn’t face another bowl of muesli this morning and had snacks of scroggin/gorp at each of my breaks instead. Progress was not fast, but I was still hopeful of reaching Musgrave by early afternoon. My mood improved when I reached the Nifold plain, a vast treeless grassland punctuated with huge termite mounds. The road was hard-packed mud and my speed increased considerably. It was hard to imagine that I was only about 10km, as the crow flies, from Princess Charlotte Bay and the ocean.
I’m learning not to be too influenced, negatively or positively, by the trail going at any point, and this approach was soon justified as the trail re-entered arid forest and became very sandy. I’ve decided that sand is even worse than corrugations. In some sand, by pedalling powerfully and steering deftly, you can keep moving forward, albeit slowly. However, every so often the sand becomes too soft and if you don’t spot it quickly enough and get your feet out of the toe clips, you fall off. Not a pleasant experience when you are already sweaty and now become caked in sand. I cursed very loudly on more than one occasion when I fell off and barely escaped on others. After a while you start dismounting whenever the sand depth looks a bit ominous, but manhandling the 50kg bike through the soft sand and the constant mounting and dismounting makes you very tired.
The last 20km out of Lakefield National Park was sand most of the way, compounded by the long string of trail bikes coming from the other direction. By the time I got out of the Park, with about 35km to go, I was exhausted, even though it was only noon. Fortunately, the road from there to Musgrave was mostly wide and well-graded and I made good time in the blazing sun for the last stretch. I reached Musgrave at 2:00pm and to my transparent delight, got the last cabin they had available. A welcome shower was followed by lunch, a load of washing and a relaxing afternoon reading and rehydrating. I also called ahead to Coen, my target for tomorrow (108km) and booked a room at the hotel. It being Saturday night tomorrow, I didn’t want to leave it too late. It’s likely to be my last room until I reach the Bamaga (probably on Thursday).
The Musgrave roadhouse is a Mecca for travellers and locals, and has an airstrip in front, in addition to being at a major road junction. There is a mini tour bus with about 15 elderly tourists on their way back from the Cape, a number of people coming from, or going to, Weipa, and some local station-hands, in addition to individual 4WDs going to or coming from the Cape. Just before dinner a helicopter from a local station landed to pick up a few things.
Date: Friday, 25 August 2006
Summary: Riding from Hann Crossing to Musgrave.
Start: Hann Crossing
Finish: Musgrave
Daily Kilometres: 81
Total Kilometres: 3615
Weather: Warm to hot and sunny with easterly winds.
Accommodation: Basic cabin at Musgrave Roadhouse , Queensland.
Nutrition:
Breakfast: Scroggin/gorp for snacks
Lunch: Two pies
Dinner: Hamburger and chips
Encounters: I saw a few kangaroos early on and, one time, saw a kangaroo cross the road at great speed just in front of my followed 30 metres later by a fast-moving dingo who broke off the chase when he saw me. I also saw a few bustards, which are quite large birds of prey. At the Musgrave Roadhouse I met the runner, whose name escapes me, who was on his way back to Tasmania having just completed his charity run from the southern tip of Tasmania to Cape York . He was very humble and friendly and looked extremely fit. I think he’s in his mid-60s.
Highlights: A very relaxing afternoon spent washing, reading and drinking at the Musgrave Roadhouse with the hard trails of Lakefield National Park behind me.
Lowlights: A large group of trail-bikers (there are a lot of them up here riding to and from the Cape) came from the other direction as I neared the western end of LakefieldNational Park . So that they wouldn’t have to travel in each other’s dust, they kindly travel about a kilometre apart meaning that, for me, the dust from one trail bike has just about settled when the next arrives. There were about 20 bikes in all. They all gave me a cheery wave!
Journal:
I got up at 6:00am after a relatively good and long night’s sleep (although it had got a bit warm at one stage), and left around 7:00am. The trail, although still rough, wasn’t too bad initially and the early sunlight, cool temperatures and no traffic made riding very pleasant. There were all manner of animal tracks made in the sandy road overnight, some of which I could identify and others not. I decided I couldn’t face another bowl of muesli this morning and had snacks of scroggin/gorp at each of my breaks instead. Progress was not fast, but I was still hopeful of reaching Musgrave by early afternoon. My mood improved when I reached the Nifold plain, a vast treeless grassland punctuated with huge termite mounds. The road was hard-packed mud and my speed increased considerably. It was hard to imagine that I was only about 10km, as the crow flies, from Princess Charlotte Bay and the ocean.
I’m learning not to be too influenced, negatively or positively, by the trail going at any point, and this approach was soon justified as the trail re-entered arid forest and became very sandy. I’ve decided that sand is even worse than corrugations. In some sand, by pedalling powerfully and steering deftly, you can keep moving forward, albeit slowly. However, every so often the sand becomes too soft and if you don’t spot it quickly enough and get your feet out of the toe clips, you fall off. Not a pleasant experience when you are already sweaty and now become caked in sand. I cursed very loudly on more than one occasion when I fell off and barely escaped on others. After a while you start dismounting whenever the sand depth looks a bit ominous, but manhandling the 50kg bike through the soft sand and the constant mounting and dismounting makes you very tired.
The last 20km out of Lakefield National Park was sand most of the way, compounded by the long string of trail bikes coming from the other direction. By the time I got out of the Park, with about 35km to go, I was exhausted, even though it was only noon. Fortunately, the road from there to Musgrave was mostly wide and well-graded and I made good time in the blazing sun for the last stretch. I reached Musgrave at 2:00pm and to my transparent delight, got the last cabin they had available. A welcome shower was followed by lunch, a load of washing and a relaxing afternoon reading and rehydrating. I also called ahead to Coen, my target for tomorrow (108km) and booked a room at the hotel. It being Saturday night tomorrow, I didn’t want to leave it too late. It’s likely to be my last room until I reach the Bamaga (probably on Thursday).
The Musgrave roadhouse is a Mecca for travellers and locals, and has an airstrip in front, in addition to being at a major road junction. There is a mini tour bus with about 15 elderly tourists on their way back from the Cape, a number of people coming from, or going to, Weipa, and some local station-hands, in addition to individual 4WDs going to or coming from the Cape. Just before dinner a helicopter from a local station landed to pick up a few things.
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