Kalgoorlie to Alice Springs

Day 16, Albany to Esperance: into the sun we ride

After a perfectly good night sleep in the Albany Hotel we depart at 09.00 for Esperance.
What do you know, the sun is shining! Today we have high winds but fortunately they are predominately from the West and at our back. The first part of the ride is through farmland and forests. Then we're back in the bush. We even see mountains in the distance but the road stays in the low lands. After about 5 hours we smell the ocean. Not long thereafter we reach our destination.
We check into a motel on the bay and make plans for tomorrow. We end our day with a nice walk along the bay and the jetty, see a huge sealion patrolling the shallows and have a great dinner in a nearby restaurant.

Day 17, Esperance to Kalgoorlie: A strange day indeed.

De road from Esperance to Kalgoorlie is mesmerizing. Everywhere you look you see gum trees dotting the landscape. The winds are still blowing and we are fighting quite a crosswind. The first 20 Km are a real challenge for Miek, struggeling to keep her bike on the road. But after a short stop and some useful tips from Huub she’s fine and starts enjoying the ride and scenery. After about 150 Km, the wind shifts a bit to the South and we pick up the pace a bit.
A few hours into the ride we come upon a fight in the middle of the road. Three drunken friends have run of the road, damaging the car they are travelling in. Now the tempers have flared out of control and they are really going at it (and each other). The car driving in front of us has also stopped and together we calm the fighters down a bit. The driver of this second car is a local, knows these boys and says he will “sort them out”. We gladly take his word for it and get back on our bikes.
Half an hour later we’re stopped on the side of the road again. A caravan/trailer has overturned and caused quite a mess. Fortunately nobody is hurt. We are told that help is on the way and we are not needed here. Sounds good enough to us and we climb back onto our bikes. As we ride away we ask each other what’s going on today: we haven’t seen this much mayhem on the road since we have set off from Darwin. A strange day indeed.
Around 2 P.M. we ride into Kalgoorlie, or Kal for short. Kal is a gold town, with is being the operative word. Gold is being mined and found here since the late 1800’s and the town reflects this. You kinda feel caught up in a surreal Wild West movie set. The buildings hark back to those early golden days and the main roads are wide enough to turn a camel caravan on. That last bit isn’t a joke either, the camel caravan U-turn being the exact specification used in those days. We see a lot of men walking around in soiled working clothes. As the evening sets in, they al seem to have showered and are now cruising the main strip in the low slung, sooped up utes and street racers.
We spend the afternoon applying for our permits (so we may enter aboriginal lands) en taking our trusty bikes to the local Yamaha dealer. We’re having nobbies (off-road tires) mounted as we have decided to ride the Great Central Road. The reports we have received describe the road to be in descent to good shape so we have decided to take the plunge.
As we walk back to our hotel we pass a “somewhat older” biker, Mark. Festooned in classic black leathers on his 1980 BMW R 100 named Brunhilde (Brunni for friends). On the back of Brunni he has strapped a mountain of luggage that boggles even our minds. He turns out to be a very friendly character with an easy laugh and a great sense of humor. He’s looking for his brother in law. They are travelling from the Adelaide area to Perth, but he lost his companion at one of the two (!) t-junctions they were to pass today. It’s quite a funny story and we exchange phone numbers and e-mail addresses. Then he’s on his way again and so are we! Onward to the local Thai restaurant and a good night sleep!

Our “free” day in Kal is going to be spent by playing tourist. As we exit the hotel we see a “somewhat older” biker on a motor scooter. We burst out laughing and tell him somebody is looking for him. He reacts quite grumpy and informs us he already found “the bastard”. Then Mark shows up and joins the conversation and asks us if his in-law is still being grumpy… It’s obvious that these gentlemen know each other quite well and a sort of comic relief situation unfolds before our eyes.
Then Huub turns around to find himself face to face with Lynn, the lady from the Yamaha store. She tells us that our tires haven’t come in. But before we can panic, she shows us the tires in the back of her car. Turns out she’s spent the best part of the morning driving around Kalgoorlie, tracking down tires for us. She just happened to drive by and saw us standing on the sidewalk. Talk about a coincidence, talk about service… Anyway, we pick out two sets and she rushes off to the store, reassuring us the bikes will be ready today.
Slightly confused by all these coincidental meetings we stagger off in search of breakfast. Afterwards we visit the mining museum that’s situated right on the main street of Kalgoorlie. There we get a nice insight in the life of the mining community of the 19th and 20th centuries.
Then it’s time to go collect our bikes. And one thing really should be mentioned here: the way we were treated at J&J Motorcycles and the level of service we received really is unbelievable! Two thumbs up and a very big thank you to the team at J&J Motorcycles! After we have literally been seen of by the staff, we go back to the hotel to regroup and make plans for dinner.
As we are contemplating our options on the balcony of our hotel, we meet a couple from Laverton, Maida and Paul. Laverton is our next stop and after a nice conversation we decide to visit them at their home the next day.
Then it’s off to dinner. We have a great meal at the local Indian restaurant. As we make it back to our hotel we are surprised by a live band playing in the bar. Did we mention our room is right above the bar..? Fortunately the music stops at 00:00 and we enjoy another good night sleep.

Day 18, Kalgoorlie to Laverton: Back to the Outback.

Before we leave Kalgoorlie all together we pop in at the Super Pit, a huge goldmine. And before you start thinking about shafts and tunnels, let us tell you that in this case the name is aptly chosen. The Super Pits is a big hole, a few kilometers long and wide and 400 meters deep. The machines used here are huge but are dwarfed by the sheer size of this mine. After a bit the car park is swamped with motorcycles, the Ulysses Bike Club is having a meet in Kal this weekend. We decide to make a run for it, but before we can make our get away, we have to tell our story yet again. Then one of the audience pulls out his wallet and donates all his change, $7,60 for the Dutch Cancer Society…
Then we’re off. Our route takes us through Menzies, a tiny town that’s been around for over 100 years. The old buildings are still there, making for a few quaint photographs. The local roadhouse is completely covered in license plates and metal signs. Interesting…
We fuel in Leonora where we meet a familiar feature from a corny country song: The pub with no beer! (Thanks Alwyn!)
Nowhere on our travels so far have we seen so many dead kangaroos on the side of the road as we do between Leonora and Laverton. We are saddened by all these dead animals and wonder why we see so many of them here. Maybe it’s something in the water as a goanna runs out in front of Huub’s front wheel. It’s a close call, but the collision is avoided by a combination of hard breaking and a course reversal by the big lizard.
Laverton itself is a small town at the end of the bitumen road. It’s only unsealed from here on out, no matter which way you go except back the way you came. The aboriginal/alcohol problem is painfully apparent here, which is a sad thing to see. We spend a very nice evening with our new friends en enjoy their stories, wine and a great mussel dinner.

Day 19, Laverton to Tjukayirla: Back on the gravel.

Today we’ll have a bit of a spin, travelling “only” 300 Km on unsealed roads. In view of this we make an early start. Fortunately the quality road is reasonable to good and we’re making good time. The road doesn’t resemble the Gibb much, which is a good thing as the distances here are about double! The first two things to strike us are the width of the road (at least four lanes wide) and the high number of car wrecks on the side of the road. In the coming days the width will vary, the number of wreck will not…
We arrive at the roadhouse around 15:00. The place is very tidy and colorful and it doesn’t take long before we meet Taylor (5). She’s the granddaughter of the proprietor and has to make do out here without any other children. She has three dogs to keep her occupied, which is a good thing. Still, we can’t shake the feeling she’s a bit lonely.
We have a late lunch and it consists of two huge burgers. We buy a BBQ package for dinner. When around 9 P.M. we finally feel like a bite, Huub fires up the communal BBQ and we dine under thousands of stars.

Day 20, Tjukayirla to Warburton: A bit of a disappointment.

Today we “only” have to ride 250 Km. The road is pretty descent and we arrive around 2 P.M. The contrast between Tjukayirla and this place is enormous. The grounds look a bit messy, the buildings are a bit drab, but worst of all: the roadhouse is closed! Turns out today is a WA holiday. After a bit of asking, complaining and lobbying, we receive the key to our unit. How or what we are going to eat is an entirely other matter… Why they didn’t tell us this when we called from Kalgoorlie when we made our reservation will remain a mystery.
We meet three bikers, travelling the road in the opposite direction. They’ve been having a rather rough ride, having lost a substantial number of their party to injuries. Wind, rain and poor road conditions have really taken their toll on this bunch, with crashes and punctures occurring pretty much everyday.
While we are contemplating our options for dinner, we are joined by Bucko. He comes from Tasmania and is working here at the roadhouse. He is a very avid biker and we swap riding stories back and forth. When he hears we are having our emergency rations for dinner, he disappears. After a little while he reappears with a black bean and beef meal, piping hot en very tasty. When we try to pay for it he won’t have anything from it. So we give him a T-shirt and a team-patch. Well, he earned them! Next year he plans to go to visit Africa and maybe ride through the whole continent. We hope he’ll be able to live this dream and wish him the best of luck!

Day 21, Warburton to Warrakurna: Crash!

We say our goodbyes to the group heading for Tjukayirla en wish them the best of luck. They are heading into the rain and we fear the worst for them. They don’t look all that confident and relaxed themselves either. We hope they’ll make it to the bitumen in one piece.
Our third day on gravel starts great. The road is firm and smooth and we make good time. Unfortunately conditions change and sometimes we really have to work hard for every kilometer travelled. Still, we are getting there, still maintaining a good pace.
But then fate strikes back. Only 30 Km from our destination Miek finds herself in a patch of loose gravel. She makes a tiny mistake, she closes the throttle just a bit. Immediately the front wheel digs in and she’s off. Fortunately she lands on her back, which is protected by her integrated back protecter and the partly filled water backpack. She walks away without so much as a scratch or bruise. The bike is also in good shape. Only her brake pedal is a bit bent, which is bent back by Huub.
As we catch our breath, a car stops. It turns out to be a police patrol, the first one we meet on an unsealed road (after riding more than1300 Km unsealed roads). After he hears we are allright he tells us what we can expect on the remainder of the road. Then he turns to Annemiek and tells her he thinks she is really brave traveling this road on a motorcycle. What he thinks of her mental state, he chooses not to mention…
The last 30 Km go off without a hitch and we are happy to arrive at the roadhouse. The atmosphere here is a major improvement over our last stop and after feuling up we go for a walk. We wander over to the Giles meteorological station. It’s too late for a tour but we see a lone dingo cross the road right in front of us, so our day is made anyway. A colleague of ours used to overnight here during one of his earlier flying jobs. A bit desolate but a great view Mark!
As the bikes are not parked behind a fence and the unlocked tail tanks are full we are a bit worried about fuel theft. We end up parking the bikes right in our motel room. A bit tight but very cozy.

Day 22, Warrakurna to Yulara: Sand, wind and dust!

Today we’ll ride our last stage on unsealed roads. Almost 290 Km of gravel and clay followed by more than 45 Km bitumen. Reports indicate a stretch of soft and sandy road so it’s going to be a killer and we know it. To make matters worse, we’ve found out that the weather is moving in. Looks like Pluvius has us in his sights again and this ride will become a race against the approaching rain. We’ve seen the pictures and heard the stories, we definitely do not want to meet rain on the unsealed road. The rock hard clay will turn to sludge that will be almost impossible to get through.
Not that everything is doom and gloom. The landscape is overwhelming and we spot wild camels and dingo’s. After 100 Km we are approaching the NT border. We know the road is poor in this area and as on cue we are confronted with soft sand.
The road remains sandy for about 50 Km. Then it turns into firm gravel and we pick up the pace. Travelling at speeds up to 100 Km/h our spirits soar. Too bad it only lasts for 20 Km, followed by red clay. Normally you can ride this clay pretty fast but not this time. It has rained the preceding weeks and passing cars have made deep ruts. After the road dried out it was graded, but this only served to fill these ruts with sand and dust. These conditions don’t hamper the cars much, their wide tires floating across the ruts. Our narrow tires, on the other hand, tend to sink into them. Not a great feeling, take our word for it.
To make matters worse, the wind has picked up blowing sand and dust diagonally across the road. Spotting ruts becomes impossible and sometimes blowing dust reduces our visibility to less than 100 meters. Progress is hard and slow.
Then, after much hardship, we spot a mountain range in the distance. These can only be the Olga’s! And that’s where the bitumen starts! The last 20 Km are pure hell, but we drag each other through them. And then, without warning, just 200 meters away, bitumen. After more than 1200 Km in four days, we are standing on a sealed road again. This is celebrated in style with hugs, kisses, tears and photo’s! And off in the distance, we spot…rain!
Tired but relieved we ride into Yulara. We know prices here are more akin to highway robbery and you don’t get much luxury in return. But we have decided not to let this spoil our victory. From a viewing dune behind our unit we watch as the sunset lights up Uluru (Ayers Rock). Later we devour our well deserved burgers and hit the sack.

It’s up and at them early the next morning: we want to go see the sunrise over Uluru. Unfortunately, the weather system that caught up with us last night, hasn’t moved on yet. We get rained on and the sunrise is thoroughly ruined by an overcast layer. As the sky gets darker instead of brighter, we decide to head for shelter. Our plans of a walk around the base of Uluru are scrapped in favor of a major sleeping session.
Later that day the sun finally peeks through and we go for a stroll around the resort, do some shopping and buy two cool hats. It’s Annemieks mothers birthday today and we celebrate in style with big slices of cheese cake. We climb the dune again to see the sunset but again clouds spoil the event. We’ll try again tomorrow.

Day 23, Yulara to Alice Springs: To the center of the continent.

For some reason it’s just not meant to be: clouds still cover the sky and we get rained on again. Still, we take some nice pictures and get on our way. This may be the middle of the desert but the combination of yesterday’s cold front, this morning’s rain and the stiff breeze blowing makes our ride miserably cold. Even when the sun finally beats the clouds for supremacy of the sky, it’s not able to break the severe chill.
After an hour we stumble into Curtin Springs Station, cold and stiff. We warm up in the sun drinking hot thee/coffee and eating a hearty breakfast. When our bodies start to approach the normal operating temperatures we get back on the road.
This is some of the barest land we have travelled through so far, we are truly in the desert now. The effect is a bit spoiled by all the rain of the last few weeks: the desert is green! Apart from the road kill and obligatory carrion birds we don’t see much wildlife. Traffic may have something to do with that as it has picked up considerably. We are almost the victim of a poorly executed passing maneuver by a car coming up from behind. Fortunately everything works out OK and we reach Alice Springs without any further drama.
This town, also known as Alice or The Alice is the only settlement resembling a city for many, many kilometers. The nearest town you could qualify as a city lays 1225 Km to the South. This makes Alice a very important town indeed, it being the center for every- and anything you can think off. Maybe it’s because of this Alice isn’t as picturesque as Kalgoorlie. But the atmosphere is nice and relaxed and the Sunday market is definitely worth visiting. As is the reptile center on the south side of down town. Miek, not being a great fan of snakes, handles a python and falls in love with a couple of lizards. We also walk to the waterhole that has given this town it’s name: the Alice spring.