I woke up to a cool morning, which was quite a surprise after yesterday’s heat. Anyway, packed up and got on the road. My goal today was Darwin. Greg and Nardelle from Rocky were up that way and it would be nice to catch up before they went back home in a few days. I also had to try and sort out a new rear tyre; it was Sunday, so no chance of chasing one up in Katherine.
Anyway, headed off north quite early on the main highway

The highway had heaps of green vegetation and was dotted with these Pandanas Palms

I stopped in Katherine for tank and tummy, which strangely enough is not marked on the map, but it is where the highway 1 goes to the south west and also called and wished my dad a happy fathers day 🙂
The highway was flat and boring, except I saw this turnoff to the west which was the scenic route, between the next two black dots. This road was not so much scenic as fun!!! It was all sealed single lane with heaps of twisties and bumps 🙂 These do not do it justice, but you get the idea!

They were quite fast and you had to keep an eye out for oncoming caravans, lift you head out of the way a bit 🙂
Anyway, I got into Darwin and grabbed a tent site where Greg was camped at the Coolalinga CP, about 30km from Darwin itself. They were out doing a local Ulysses club ride which was part of the Odyssey that had been on for a few days up here, they turned up while I was doing an air cleaner removal.

We had a few beers in their aircon mansion on wheels swapping travel yarns, before they went to Mindil Beach Markets and I intended to have some beers and watch footy and meet up later, but the bottleshops are closed Sundays as I found out!!! Lucky I had bought some coke, cos I could have rum and coke instead 🙂 But, it meant no riding afterwards so I did not go to the markets or the sunset, but I had seen them all last year on the Long Ride.
I watched a movie instead in the camp kitchen called Deja Vu, a very good movie 🙂

Day – 429km
Trip – 5831km
top of page