This day has the longest stretch on the whole trip without a fuel pump, 296k’s. The first run is 195k’s to Camooweal. I had a full tank and a fuel light which when it comes on, I know for sure does 30k’s. I thought, as the conditions were so clear, no traffic, excellent vision to the sides and straight ahead with a perfect road surface, that I would see how things go with a bit more momentum..
As I believe it to be a bit naughty, I will not confirm or deny that I did 160kph for 190 kilometres and that my fuel light came on after 185k’s. I now knew I can do 120kph for 300k’s and about 140kph for 240k’s before the fuel light comes on. Unfortunately the legal speed limits do not permit me to do any of those numbers.
Being out here at Camooweal is the beginning of the real outback. From Mount Isa to here, the land changed. It is red soil, lots of brown grass and thin on trees, quiet, no wind and clear. I had a break, fuelled up to the brim and took off on a possible 3hr run at 120kph most of the way. I stopped once at a rest stop and sat there on my own in absolute solitude. I lay and listened. The sound of nothing was perfect.
I crossed into the NT and reached Barkly Homestead. I stayed there with my Daughter in 2009 in a cabin. I recommend it as a place to stay. Lunch and a stretch, I was heading to 3 Ways. I had already decided I was going to stay there. I found the music took my mind off the job, so I gave up on that.
I was in Road Train territory now. These things are 3 or 4 trailers long and push a lot of wind. When coming head on, I slow right down to sometimes 80kph as it is quite turbulent when we pass, and over taking can be pretty wild at times as well. Coming up behind them I can feel the turbulence from nearly 1 klm back. And then it’s best to just get passed all those wheels as quick as possible and hold tight when you punch out through the ‘bow wave’.
I saw an Emu off in the distance doing a little jog. Note to self ‘Be aware of Emu’s’. They can be very unpredictable. I also noticed the road kill types and numbers had increased. It’s not just wallabies any more but big grey and red kangaroo’s and goats and cows as well as buffalo. The buffalo, although dead, can be a bit of an issue if your concentration gets a bit relaxed as they are the same colour of the road, so can be a bit hard to notice. An easy 190k’s and I was at 3 Ways. Just about all service station stops are roadhouses out here and this one is busy. Fuel, food, grog and accommodation. I grabbed a Donga to sleep in. A good night in the bar talking to a truckie on his regular run from Darwin to Port Augusta as well the Skandy couple living and working here for the last year. The truckie said one of his mates told him I was out there on the road and he wondered if he would see me. He also warned me to keep an eye on my gear as I headed north as the ‘local opportunists’ will pounce on anything not secured.
And in the NT the speed limit is great. If I turn left here at 3 Ways, I would get to the only section of road in Australia which has no speed limit, a 276 klm stretch down closer to Alice Springs.
Motorbike Touring 