Wednesday 24 September 2014

Australia 2014 - (6) Port Augusta to Coober Pedy

I left Port Augusta yesterday and started making my way north. Originally I had planned on returning to Marree from Adelaide and taking the Oodnadatta Track to Marla, but having survived the 1000-odd km of dirt tracks on the Postie Bike Challenge, I didn’t want to risk doing it alone. It’s one thing doing dirt when you’re in a supported group, but quite another when you’re on your own and your bike is weighed down with luggage.

Instead, I took the Stuart Highway north. I wasn’t sure how far I’d go, I’d wait and see how I felt. It was windy and Ruby was struggling to keep at 80 km/h. But what a ride – a beautiful flat plain with the Flinders Rangers behind me and small mounds and escarpments in the distance ahead of me.

About 30 km in four dark men in black leathers on Harley-Davidsons passed me. They didn’t wave and accepting their undoubted dominance of the road, neither did I. A few km further on they’d pulled over and were walking back toward a small salt lake at the side of the road. This time, as I chugged past, they all waved and smiled at me.

The road seemed to be rising and Ruby was down to 70 km/h. A series of road trains whipped me as they passed and I discovered the best thing to do was duck down on my tank and reduce the surface my torso provided for the wind to hit. Even worse though was being overtaken by one – then you’d get caught in the slipstream and get towed in a zig-zagging dance behind them.

At Pimba I stopped to fill up and the four Black Angels were there. Immediately one of them came up to me and advised me there was a 250 km stretch to Coober Pedy with no fuel so to make sure I had enough. I wasn’t sure I was going that far but I had a full 5 litre jerry can on board so would be all right if I did.

Inside the road house we got chatting. The boys were on their annual two week ride together and on their way to Alice Springs. “So is that a 500?” one of them asked. “Hah, no, it’s a 125,” I replied. They couldn’t believe I was touring round Australia on such a small bike.

At Glendambo I caught up with them again. It was 1 pm and I had a decision to make – would I continue on to Coober Pedy or stay there? I reckoned it would take me another 4 hours to get to CP but it would mean I could then complete the remaining mileage to Alice in two days not three so I decided to press on.

That was a long 4 hours. The wind and gradually rising incline had me down to 60 km/h in some places and fatigue meant I was stopping more often. My accelerator hand was aching again from holding the power on. But again, the stunning scenery had me captivated. Long stretches of wooded bush, followed by acres of empty plains. And BIG, BIG skies.

About 40 km from Coober Pedy I saw a guy walking along the roadside. I slowed down to see if he was all right. “Yes, I’m fine,” he replied so I carried on but I couldn’t figure out what on earth he was doing there, miles from anywhere, walking along. A few ks further I saw what appeared to be some mining works so I presumed he must have been making his way there, but where on earth from?

It was 5.15 when I rolled into CP. I found the caravan park and used the hammer I’d bought in Adelaide to whack my tent pegs into the concrete-like ground. Half way through the night, the wind got up and practically blew my fly-sheet off. I jumped out of bed and removed it before it was carried away and spent the rest of the night curled into my two sleeping bags protected only by the inner shell of the tent.

Needless to say, I’m feeling very weary today but a tour of the town to look forward to this afternoon.