Day 222 | Galvan Gorge bushcamp: after hanging around Mt Barnett Roadhouse to charge my camera batteries
49 km | Heading west total: 9,973 km
For some reason today I remembered that the speedo was about to tick over a majorish milestone.
When I checked it was sitting on 9999 km. There’s a general discrepancy to the readings because the computer is logging some rest day mileage.
I had a slow pedal for a while until the next km came up: 10,000 since I left Melbourne.
OK, it’s a bit of a dodgy figure with my flat tyres but I’m celebrating anyway. Yesterday there was the much more verifiable 700 hours in the saddle. Yup, 700.
I can’t believe how much I’ve seen and the people I’ve met in that time. It’s been a great trip so far.
Highlights:
all those koalas,
pushing up the hill leaving Johanna Beach and feasting on blackberries,
the Mawson Trail in general but particularly the Clare/Burra/Hallett section,
the aboriginal language stories around the fire at Iga Warta with Ina,
the Oodnadatta night ride in Adam Plate’s fast moving 4WD,
the first structural breakdown and fix at Mt Sarah Station with Shane and Anna,
Eringa waterhole sunrise,
the Abminga track,
shopping at Finke,
the Mereenie Loop with Ahn and Chee,
romping up Mt Sonder,
riding the Tanami with Seb,
night 114 with the full moon rising over the spinifex,
playing pool at the Halls Creek Pub, once we found out how to get in,
everything about Purnululu,
swimming at Marella waterhole,
looking at the start of the 4WD track through Gregory National Park,
spending a day looking at aboriginal rock art at the Jaywon Valley with John,
heading up Koolpin Gorge for the day,
the Maguk fabulous waterhole,
watching the crocs surf on the tide up the East Alligator River,
crossing Darwin Harbour on the ferry,
plunging at Walker Creek and the Buley Rockholes in Litchfield National Park,
drinking (too much) home brew at Jarrandalng campsite with Geoffrey,
chatting to Klaus for hours and meeting his camels, Willie and Snowy,
riding up to the 5 rivers lookout, or probably whizzing down after sunset,
sneaking into Jacks Waterhole,
spontaneously dancing to the tunes on my iPod out in the middle of the Gibb River Road …
There’s plenty more that could be added to that list.