Today was going to be a trial day for me. There is no fuel between Barkley’s Homestead (A) and Cape Crawford(C) with the distance 383km, but there are two rest stops marked with black dots, I stopped at the one marked (B) at the 153km mark.

I had done this trip before from the other way with Alan last year on the return from the Long Ride. At that time we had each bought an extra 10lt fuel container and filled up about 50km outside Barkley Homestead. I did not have one of these this time, but I reckoned I could do it, with some preparation. First off, the southerly wind would be at my back so it was in my favour. I had a 1lt MSI bottle with the left over Shellite in it for my stove. I transferred that over into the stove and filled the bottle with fuel, which should be good for around 15-20km if needed. I stood the bike upright when filling and squeezed as much into the tank as I could. I had plenty of tucker and water and of course heaps of time.

So off I go, I figure if I keep the speed down and the revs to a max of 4500rpm, I should have no worries getting there. The first 25km were a bit of a worry right away as the wind was from the east and I was heading into it, but we soon started heading north and all I had was another damm crosswind, I just can’t win 🙂 The road is single track but sealed and is very bumpy, it was like riding the whoops on a MotoX track, but just continuous. Lucky I had a kidney belt, it took most of the pain away 🙂 I took a sequence of photos every 50km or so, to show the countryside as it changes, or not as the case may be. The first bit is scrub country; the whole length of this road is covered in cattle grids.

Km25

After that it changed to open land

Km75

Km125

I encountered these 3 roos, but they hopped away while I was getting a shot, if you are good, you can see them on the right of the picture, just where the grass colour turns into the trees, two are in full bounce.

Then just up the road a bit, I stopped for smoko at the rest area. Just as I pulled up a cocky asked me if I had seen a black and white dog, it seems to have fallen off the back of the ute. I had not seen him; he must have been spooked and bolted into the bush, hopefully not too badly hurt 😦

Km175

Around 11am I removed my jacket liner, it was starting to warm up a bit, the wind had still not let up though, still from the east. I had been keeping a close eye on the fuel gauge and it all looked sweet 🙂

Km225 –

This here shows the tracks made by the cattle as they move across the nothingness trying to look for food, but it is so well worn, it must lead somewhere?

And this is from the other direction, they are heading to water, these tracks are all over the joint, it would look like spaghetti from above I reckon!

Km275

Km325

Sorry about this one, I actually had some landscape and corners all at once, but the damm strap got in the way, lol !
Km375

I was 30km away from Cape Crawford when the 2nd last bar of the fuel disappeared. I got into the camp site with the last bar still solid, so I would have at least 3lt left 🙂

It was an interesting ride in that I learnt some patience, how to slow down and enjoy the scenery, basically to find out the range of the bike. I reckon another 60-100km at the speed I was doing, which was 90kmh. Not often have I travelled at that speed by choice. But anyway, I enjoyed myself, it certainly is better without a timetable to keep to.
It was only early afternoon and quite warm, so I had a nap for a while before wondering up to the bar around 4pm and chatting with some other travellers

Saab(Guy) turned up later on, he had had a lazy day travelling from Mataranka and was driving a work Hilux, not a bike.

We had some beers and dinner before settling in to watch the Broncos game on the tube, the Broncos won of course and beat Newcastle hands down. BTW, don’t let Guy play with your camera, at least this time I had something worthwhile unlike the ones he took at Cobar 🙂

I grabbed some coke and ice and we headed to the tents and sat around chewing the fat till after midnight. It was good to catch up and pleasant to sit outside watching the shooting stars.

Day – 383km
Trip – 4953km
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