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.
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.
Wilsons Promontory to Cape York by bike - Old Laura to Hann Crossing
Day: 028
Date: Thursday, 24 August 2006
Summary: Riding from Old Laura to Hann Crossing.
Start: Old Laura
Finish: Hann Crossing
Daily Kilometres: 85
Total Kilometres: 3534
Weather: Warm, partly cloudy and humid with easterly winds.
Accommodation: Hann Crossing National Park back country campground, Lakefield National Park , Queensland.
Nutrition:
Breakfast: Muesli
Lunch: Peanut butter roll and apple
Dinner: Muesli and muesli bars
Encounters: A dingo pup on the road and a wallaby.
Highlights: Eating my dinner (bowl of muesli) sitting on a rock at sunset overlooking the deep and peaceful North Kennedy River (there’s crocs in there!).
Lowlights: I found the rough road physically very draining and began wondering if I might be sick. I stopped early.
Journal:
I packed up in the pre-dawn gloom and hit the road about 7:00am. I had hoped it might be in better condition, but I was very disappointed to again encounter almost non-stop corrugations, interspersed with sand and rocky bits. The best speed I can manage on the corrugations is about 12kph and everything, including me, is being shaken vigorously.
I stopped around 8:30am and had breakfast next to a beautiful lily and lotus covered lagoon and then continued on the bone-jarring way. At this rate, I knew I had no hope of reaching Musgrave (170km away) today. About an hour later, the road changed into baked mud which, while still rough, allowed greater speed and I once again entertained the idea of getting to Musgrave, although I could only do it if the road did not deteriorate again. At 11:30am I deviated 3km off the road to the Kalpower Crossing Campground to have an early lunch and refill my water bottles. I needed to be prepared in case I had to camp out again. The countryside is mostly flat savannah with long dry grass and a reasonable number of trees and endless castle-like two metre plus anthills and/or termite mounds. The road also frequently passed lagoons and creeks with water in them and lush vegetation surrounding.
After lunch the road deteriorated again, and I began to feel very tired. I think that using every muscle to maintain control and concentrating hard is taking its toll. I began to think that I might be better to aim for Musgrave tomorrow night and use up one of my spare days to have an earlier night, rather than push on and end up having to camp by the road. I decided to stop at the Hann Crossing campground which I reached about 3:00pm and, after a bit of looking around, found a site. I retrieved some water from the river, watching carefully for crocodiles, and had a wash and set up camp. I followed this with a bit of a walk and an early dinner of muesli, yet again. Something else would have been nice, but I didn’t bring enough bread.
I have 85km to get to Musgrave tomorrow which I should be able to manage, regardless of the road condition. If I’m lucky, and the road improves, I will be able to have an early stop and, hopefully, get a motel room (which Musgrave is supposed to have, but who knows). I went to bed soon after 7:00pm, looking forward to a long night’s sleep.
Date: Thursday, 24 August 2006
Summary: Riding from Old Laura to Hann Crossing.
Start: Old Laura
Finish: Hann Crossing
Daily Kilometres: 85
Total Kilometres: 3534
Weather: Warm, partly cloudy and humid with easterly winds.
Accommodation: Hann Crossing National Park back country campground, Lakefield National Park , Queensland.
Nutrition:
Breakfast: Muesli
Lunch: Peanut butter roll and apple
Dinner: Muesli and muesli bars
Encounters: A dingo pup on the road and a wallaby.
Highlights: Eating my dinner (bowl of muesli) sitting on a rock at sunset overlooking the deep and peaceful North Kennedy River (there’s crocs in there!).
Lowlights: I found the rough road physically very draining and began wondering if I might be sick. I stopped early.
Journal:
I packed up in the pre-dawn gloom and hit the road about 7:00am. I had hoped it might be in better condition, but I was very disappointed to again encounter almost non-stop corrugations, interspersed with sand and rocky bits. The best speed I can manage on the corrugations is about 12kph and everything, including me, is being shaken vigorously.
I stopped around 8:30am and had breakfast next to a beautiful lily and lotus covered lagoon and then continued on the bone-jarring way. At this rate, I knew I had no hope of reaching Musgrave (170km away) today. About an hour later, the road changed into baked mud which, while still rough, allowed greater speed and I once again entertained the idea of getting to Musgrave, although I could only do it if the road did not deteriorate again. At 11:30am I deviated 3km off the road to the Kalpower Crossing Campground to have an early lunch and refill my water bottles. I needed to be prepared in case I had to camp out again. The countryside is mostly flat savannah with long dry grass and a reasonable number of trees and endless castle-like two metre plus anthills and/or termite mounds. The road also frequently passed lagoons and creeks with water in them and lush vegetation surrounding.
After lunch the road deteriorated again, and I began to feel very tired. I think that using every muscle to maintain control and concentrating hard is taking its toll. I began to think that I might be better to aim for Musgrave tomorrow night and use up one of my spare days to have an earlier night, rather than push on and end up having to camp by the road. I decided to stop at the Hann Crossing campground which I reached about 3:00pm and, after a bit of looking around, found a site. I retrieved some water from the river, watching carefully for crocodiles, and had a wash and set up camp. I followed this with a bit of a walk and an early dinner of muesli, yet again. Something else would have been nice, but I didn’t bring enough bread.
I have 85km to get to Musgrave tomorrow which I should be able to manage, regardless of the road condition. If I’m lucky, and the road improves, I will be able to have an early stop and, hopefully, get a motel room (which Musgrave is supposed to have, but who knows). I went to bed soon after 7:00pm, looking forward to a long night’s sleep.
Wilsons Promontory to Cape York by bike - Cooktown to Old Laura
Day: 027
Date: Wednesday, 23 August 2006
Summary: Riding Cooktown to Old Laura.
Start: Cooktown
Finish: Old Laura
Daily Kilometres: 109
Total Kilometres: 3449
Weather: Warm, sunny and humid with easterly winds.
Accommodation: Old Laura National Park back country campground, Lakefield National Park , Queensland .
Nutrition:
Breakfast: The “Big Brekkie” from a Cooktown café
Lunch: Peanut butter roll and apple
Dinner: Peanut butter roll and muesli bars
Encounters: A few kangaroos early in the day.
Highlights: None really.
Lowlights: Fell off my bike three times in soft sand, unable to get my feet out of the toe clips in time.
Journal:
The campground was awake early as all of the Variety Bash guys left well before 6:30am. I had decided to get breakfast at the nearby café when it opened at 7:00am so didn’t get up until 6:15am. After breakfast, I picked up some bread rolls at a bakery and left town about 7:50am.
The road was sealed at first but after 20km turned to gravel as it began to climb through the Great Dividing Range . The mountains aren’t that high but still tough work on a bike. I stopped for a quick morning ice-cream at a small store and then continued on. As the road climbed, its quality deteriorated and progress became slower and slower. The countryside went from lush tropical to dry arid forest as the day progressed, although there was at least a bit of water in most creeks and rivers.
Eventually I reached the other side of the mountains and crossed the Normanby River , one of several I had to wade through during the day (checking for crocs first!). I heard later a tourist had rolled their rental 4WD just after one of these crossings. After the Normanby River the road really deteriorated and was a constant sequence of corrugations, rocks and soft sand. It was also quite warm and I was getting very tired and hot. Three falls, the last of which drew blood from my right elbow and shin, did not improve my mood. In the end I decided that rather than try and press on to Kalpower Campground, which was supposed to have the best facilities, I would stop at Old Laura, which had no facilities and get going at an earlier hour tomorrow. It’s more than 160km to Musgrave, my target for tomorrow night.
I only covered 109km today, but it was hard slow work, and probably a good sample of what awaits me for the next week. Nevertheless, I only have 800km to go now, which doesn’t seem much.
Date: Wednesday, 23 August 2006
Summary: Riding Cooktown to Old Laura.
Start: Cooktown
Finish: Old Laura
Daily Kilometres: 109
Total Kilometres: 3449
Weather: Warm, sunny and humid with easterly winds.
Accommodation: Old Laura National Park back country campground, Lakefield National Park , Queensland .
Nutrition:
Breakfast: The “Big Brekkie” from a Cooktown café
Lunch: Peanut butter roll and apple
Dinner: Peanut butter roll and muesli bars
Encounters: A few kangaroos early in the day.
Highlights: None really.
Lowlights: Fell off my bike three times in soft sand, unable to get my feet out of the toe clips in time.
Journal:
The campground was awake early as all of the Variety Bash guys left well before 6:30am. I had decided to get breakfast at the nearby café when it opened at 7:00am so didn’t get up until 6:15am. After breakfast, I picked up some bread rolls at a bakery and left town about 7:50am.
The road was sealed at first but after 20km turned to gravel as it began to climb through the Great Dividing Range . The mountains aren’t that high but still tough work on a bike. I stopped for a quick morning ice-cream at a small store and then continued on. As the road climbed, its quality deteriorated and progress became slower and slower. The countryside went from lush tropical to dry arid forest as the day progressed, although there was at least a bit of water in most creeks and rivers.
Eventually I reached the other side of the mountains and crossed the Normanby River , one of several I had to wade through during the day (checking for crocs first!). I heard later a tourist had rolled their rental 4WD just after one of these crossings. After the Normanby River the road really deteriorated and was a constant sequence of corrugations, rocks and soft sand. It was also quite warm and I was getting very tired and hot. Three falls, the last of which drew blood from my right elbow and shin, did not improve my mood. In the end I decided that rather than try and press on to Kalpower Campground, which was supposed to have the best facilities, I would stop at Old Laura, which had no facilities and get going at an earlier hour tomorrow. It’s more than 160km to Musgrave, my target for tomorrow night.
I only covered 109km today, but it was hard slow work, and probably a good sample of what awaits me for the next week. Nevertheless, I only have 800km to go now, which doesn’t seem much.
Wilsons Promontory to Cape York by bike - Cape Tribulation to Cooktown
Day: 026
Date: Tuesday, 22 August 2006
Summary: Riding from Cape Tribulation to Cooktown.
Start: Cape Tribulation
Finish: Cooktown
Daily Kilometres: 104
Total Kilometres: 3340
Weather: Warm, sunny and humid with south-easterly winds.
Accommodation: Campground in Cooktown , Queensland .
Nutrition:
Breakfast: Peanut butter roll and apple
Lunch: Hamburger and chips
Dinner: Quiche, salad and chips
Encounters: The Variety Club Bash, a convoy of 180 retro rally cars, were travelling the same route, turning what I expected to be a mostly solitary wilderness experience into a constant stream of blaring horns and dust. They were very supportive and friendly, but I could have done without them. I also met a German cyclist travelling southwards. He was on a trip from Perth to Melbourne around the northern coasts. We stopped and had a chat for a while.
Highlights: Negotiating the Bloomfield Track successfully. I was a little apprehensive, knowing that there were some very steep hills.
Lowlights: The Variety Club Bash participants not only spoiled my day a bit, but booked out all accommodation in Cooktown, where I had been hoping to get a motel room before my final push to the Cape .
Journal:
I left at 7:00am and enjoyed the early morning ride through the fantastic rainforest. However, I hadn’t gone far when an SUV passed me and told me that 180 Variety Club Bash cars were also travelling along the Bloomfield Track today. Great! Shortly after they began to pass me, always giving me a cheery wave and toot, but also raising plenty of dust. Around 8:30am I found a nice little perfect secluded palm-fringed beach where I stopped for some breakfast and a stroll. It was beautiful.
I then continued on and soon reached the massive climb I remembered from our previous trip up here. The road was concreted over to stop erosion, but the grade must have been about 20-25%. It was all I could do to make forward progress pushing the bike. Some entertainment was provided by one of the Variety Bash cars which, despite several attempts, could not make it up the hill and eventually had to be towed. The hill went on and on, and I made slow progress, stopping every 10 metres or so to get my breath. I finally reached the top and then had a nerve-wracking descent. With all of the weight on the bike, it is not very stable and I used the brakes a lot to keep myself at a modest controllable speed. There were several creeks that I had to wade across along the way.
At the bottom of the hill I reached the scenic Bloomfield River and crossed at the causeway (before the causeway was built, Barb and I had been stranded mid-river in our SUV when the engine stopped in deep water once, but that’s another story!). I took a break in Wujal Wujal and another shortly after at a roadhouse, letting most of the Variety Bash cars get past me, although it made me later than I had planned. At the roadhouse I spent quite a while talking to the young owner who was interested in mountain-biking and was shortly embarking on a solo 500km canoe trip down the Mitchell River. He also ran tours to the Cape . I called ahead to some accommodation in Cooktown, but everything was booked out except one campground where the owner said he would hold his last spot for me.
I continued on and made good time until the huge climb up to Helenvale. It was a real grind through the rainforest on a narrow track. I passed a few broken down Variety Club Bash cars along the way. After Helenvale the road was sealed and I made good time to Cooktown, arriving about 5:30pm and set up my tent. I had to queue for a shower, which had run out of hot water. Cooktown was full of Variety Club Bash participants, in various states of intoxication. I went for a walk around town in the twilight before getting dinner at a café adjacent to the campground. Given that the café opened at 7:00am and knowing that I would be bush-camping tomorrow night, I decided to get breakfast there before leaving in the morning and then trying to make it the 166km to Kalpower campground, the only one with facilities in the Lakefield National Park.
Date: Tuesday, 22 August 2006
Summary: Riding from Cape Tribulation to Cooktown.
Start: Cape Tribulation
Finish: Cooktown
Daily Kilometres: 104
Total Kilometres: 3340
Weather: Warm, sunny and humid with south-easterly winds.
Accommodation: Campground in Cooktown , Queensland .
Nutrition:
Breakfast: Peanut butter roll and apple
Lunch: Hamburger and chips
Dinner: Quiche, salad and chips
Encounters: The Variety Club Bash, a convoy of 180 retro rally cars, were travelling the same route, turning what I expected to be a mostly solitary wilderness experience into a constant stream of blaring horns and dust. They were very supportive and friendly, but I could have done without them. I also met a German cyclist travelling southwards. He was on a trip from Perth to Melbourne around the northern coasts. We stopped and had a chat for a while.
Highlights: Negotiating the Bloomfield Track successfully. I was a little apprehensive, knowing that there were some very steep hills.
Lowlights: The Variety Club Bash participants not only spoiled my day a bit, but booked out all accommodation in Cooktown, where I had been hoping to get a motel room before my final push to the Cape .
Journal:
I left at 7:00am and enjoyed the early morning ride through the fantastic rainforest. However, I hadn’t gone far when an SUV passed me and told me that 180 Variety Club Bash cars were also travelling along the Bloomfield Track today. Great! Shortly after they began to pass me, always giving me a cheery wave and toot, but also raising plenty of dust. Around 8:30am I found a nice little perfect secluded palm-fringed beach where I stopped for some breakfast and a stroll. It was beautiful.
I then continued on and soon reached the massive climb I remembered from our previous trip up here. The road was concreted over to stop erosion, but the grade must have been about 20-25%. It was all I could do to make forward progress pushing the bike. Some entertainment was provided by one of the Variety Bash cars which, despite several attempts, could not make it up the hill and eventually had to be towed. The hill went on and on, and I made slow progress, stopping every 10 metres or so to get my breath. I finally reached the top and then had a nerve-wracking descent. With all of the weight on the bike, it is not very stable and I used the brakes a lot to keep myself at a modest controllable speed. There were several creeks that I had to wade across along the way.
At the bottom of the hill I reached the scenic Bloomfield River and crossed at the causeway (before the causeway was built, Barb and I had been stranded mid-river in our SUV when the engine stopped in deep water once, but that’s another story!). I took a break in Wujal Wujal and another shortly after at a roadhouse, letting most of the Variety Bash cars get past me, although it made me later than I had planned. At the roadhouse I spent quite a while talking to the young owner who was interested in mountain-biking and was shortly embarking on a solo 500km canoe trip down the Mitchell River. He also ran tours to the Cape . I called ahead to some accommodation in Cooktown, but everything was booked out except one campground where the owner said he would hold his last spot for me.
I continued on and made good time until the huge climb up to Helenvale. It was a real grind through the rainforest on a narrow track. I passed a few broken down Variety Club Bash cars along the way. After Helenvale the road was sealed and I made good time to Cooktown, arriving about 5:30pm and set up my tent. I had to queue for a shower, which had run out of hot water. Cooktown was full of Variety Club Bash participants, in various states of intoxication. I went for a walk around town in the twilight before getting dinner at a café adjacent to the campground. Given that the café opened at 7:00am and knowing that I would be bush-camping tomorrow night, I decided to get breakfast there before leaving in the morning and then trying to make it the 166km to Kalpower campground, the only one with facilities in the Lakefield National Park.
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