Yesterday I headed for Lakeland about 100km out of Cooktown, where the turn off to the peninsula development road to the tip is. I was still undecided on whether I wanted to go. I decided that if I find a tyre place at Lakeland that has spare tubes I will go.
It was like how they (strangers on facebook) say that if you can't make a decision you toss a coin and whatever you're hoping for while the coin is in the air is your decision. I found myself hoping there was no tyre place and just like that I realised I don't really want to ride all the way to the tip. So I haven't.
Lakeland was only small but it did have a cluster of mechanics and auto spares shops, but I don't know if they'd have motorbike tubes. I met a man at the servo who had just come back and he said in the last 3 days the road has been destroyed and it is super busy (school holidays) and he had a horrible time getting back. The dust on his van was about 2mm thick. That validated my decision a bit.
I spent last night at Archer Creek Rest Area, which is a free camp. There were a lot of vans there. Probably 30 or 40. There used to be a bottom section further away from the road but a sign informed me it is closed off for environmental reasons. There were teenagers down there last night having a party. Kind of strange to head to a rest area for a party. I guess that's what you do when there are no beaches nearby. This morning they had destroyed the toilets. My neighbour suggested their arses must be on the back of their necks.
Just before I camped yesterday my speedo/odometer stopped working. That is a real bugger as my odometer doubles as my fuel gauge. This morning I stopped in at a diesel mechanic and he quickly had a look. The cable had snapped at the hub on the wheel. It shouldn't be hard to fix when I get to a decent sized town, which I'm thinking might be Katherine.
On the ride this morning I saw a sign to Undara lava tubes so I came here and am camped. They've built up a kind of bush resort here. There is a big huge open shelter with old train carriages around it that house the bar, bistro and some tables. I feel like I should've tapped my oyster card to get in. The vibe is very train stationish.
They have glamping tents, cabins, powered caravan sites, unpowered van sites, powered tent sites and the lowest of the low - unpowered tent sites. And they are horrid. Rock hard, no grass (which is fair enough, it's pretty dry here), dusty. Probably the worst spot I've pitched my tent so far, and at Bingil Bay I was camped in a driveway, so that's saying something.
I am doing a tour tomorrow morning. It costs $60. Ain't nothing free in this country. There is also a crater here. It's free. I'll probably pack up, do the tour, go to the crater then head somewhere else tomorrow. It really is spectacular landscape and I think I could spend longer here but I'm getting keen to hit the NT.
WiFi here is terrible so I can't upload any photos. Mobile coverage is sketchy for the next 700km or so too.
> I realised I don't really want to ride all the way to the tip. So I haven't.
ReplyDeletePussy!