Hot, Hot, Hotter! Mataranka to Katherine

Left our cabin at daybreak and pedaled into another perfect day. As usual, we stopped every 10kms for a break, water and a snack.

Innumerable "dressed" termite mounds line the roadside all along the Stuart Highway. Many are very clever and entertaining, like a "bride" we saw today - complete with veil and flowers! Someone from Charles Darwin University is doing a thesis on them apparently!

Passed a military convoy heading south after an Australian/ American exercise in Darwin. More soldiers in Katherine, too.

The days are getting hotter and we're taking on lots of water. We try to get to our destination as soon as we can to avoid the intense afternoon sun.

Found a cycle path about 6kms out of Katherine, that took us right into the town.
Took a room at Katherine Motel, handy to the supermarket etc.

Dozens of Wedge Tailed eagles are soaring everywhere - often quite low to the ground - and behind the motel is a tree full of bats!

Del discovered that his trailer tyre was worn down to the canvas in places and replaced it with a new tyre he'd carried with him since Adelaide.

We grabbed some essentials from the supermarket before resting our weary bones back at the motel.

Will take a well deserved rest day here tomorrow.

Did 106kms today.

Never Never Land! Larrimah to Mataranka

Left Larrimah at daybreak in perfect cycling conditions yet again.

The Orewa Express got into top gear, arriving at Mataranka just before 1.00pm.

It's a nice, little town with several caravan parks, a hotel with accommodation and a Roadhouse with comfy, clean cabins.

Most importantly, it has a small supermarket!

We took a small cabin, shouted ourselves to lunch at  a nearby cafe, then stocked up on some essentials at the supermarket.

Looking forward to long, hot showers and a comfortable bed tonight.

We have a long ride to Katherine tomorrow.

Did 73kms today.

The Pink Panther! Hi-Way Inn to Larrimah

Woke at 5.45am to another perfect cycling day. On the road soon after 7.00am.

The road was mainly flat and winding and, as for most of the ride, had no safety shoulder.

All day large, 3 trailer cattle road trains raced past in both directions - empty going south, and packed to the gunnels with cattle heading north to the port in Darwin.

Drivers of these cattle trains are much less considerate of we poor cyclists, and we've learned to get off the road smartly especially when they're behind us!

Arrived at Larrimah at 1.00pm.
It's another character of a place - just an old, tired hotel - the Pink Panther Pub - with a basic caravan park attached plus a messy menagerie of parrots, parakeets and lorikeets in cages, emus, a wallaby and a small, sleepy crocodile.

The pub is run and patronised by a collection of long haired very eccentric folk. We must remember to tell you about Prickles and Fixit, Fran and Morrie, and Dave.

We took a cheap motel room which had two single beds, a kettle, out of date long life milk capsules, a fridge that didn't work, very dodgy shared amenities and numerous, hungry mosquitoes!
We'll forgo a shower tonight, I think!

No food stores available or cooking facilities so it looks like another pub dinner tonight and emergency breakfast of creamed rice.
Did 92kms today.

Daly Waters! Dunmarra Roadhouse to Hi-Way Inn

Decided on a short ride today to the Hi-way Inn (another Roadhouse) with a detour visit to the historic Daly Waters Pub.

Established in 1930, it's full of character with caps, t-shirts, etc - even bras - dangling from the roof. Had a serving of barra bits (barramundi) and chips - the pub's signature dish.

Nearby are old shops covered in hilarious signs, such as "McDonalds Drive In - 278kms".
Love the Hi-Way Inn - lovely staff and lovely motel units. No food stores available but a nice selection of food on the all day menu.

Shouted ourselves to a bottle of red - kept in the chiller as usual - called "Grey Nomad". Must have seen us coming!
Did 65kms today.

A Long Haul! Elliott to Dunmarra Roadhouse

Left our tatty, little cabin - complete with grass growing through the walls and assorted insects (including a family of very big cockroaches living in a rotting corner) - soon after 7.00am.

Couldn't believe our luck! Tail wind again - four days in a row!

As we go further north, the desert has given way to thick vegetation - rejuvenating grasses, taller shrubs and trees.

Instead of the blue/green colour of the desert plants,  the landscape now is a variety of greens, alive with birdlife. Grass on both sides of the road is kept mown to serve as a fire break.

Until now, the main road kill has been wandering steers, but today, for the first time, we counted at least 10 small wallabies in various stages of decomposition.

Fortunately 2 elderly cyclists managed to avoid being included in the statistics.Twice we were forced off the road when some twit committed himself to overtaking an oncoming caravan at great speed even though we were clearly in opposing lane.

Arrived at Dunmarra Roadhouse in record time, just after 1.00pm and settled into a cabin.

No mobile reception or food stores so it's our emergency tucker or a pub meal again tonight!
On the menu - buffalo, kangaroo, camel and crockodile steaks! I'm a bit concerned for the friendly buffalo that wanders around the campground!

Did 102km today.

Another Pit Stop! Renner Springs to Elliott

After a couple of days out of touch with the world, we set off at 7.00am, keen to get to Elliott and civilisation.

The roller coaster route turned out to be quite hilly, but a steady tail wind got us to Elliott in record time, arriving here by 1.00pm.

We were a little surprised to discover how small a town it was.
A very basic campground, a small "supermarket", a pub with run down cabins - and not much else!

With a big ride tomorrow, we took a cabin at the pub -  pretty rough and no cooking  facilities, but adequate - and dinner will be pot noodles, cheese and tomato sandwiches and oranges!
No merlot at the pub, just cask dry wine! It is the outback, after all!

Did 91kms today.

Springs, Creeks and Wells! Banka Banka to Renner Springs

Most of the stopping places along the Stuart Highway are named after the nearby water supply - springs, creek or well. Until today, all we have seen have been bone dry. This morning we came across two creeks with shrinking, muddy ponds.

The roller coaster road would have been more demanding if we hadn't had the assistance of a cold, blustery tail wind. Gusts kept us on our toes especially when combined with the strong drafts from the road trains. Hard to control the wobbles!

Arrived at Renner Springs at midday. For a change, were able to treat ourselves to lunch, instead of the dried fruit, trail mix etc that we normally lunch on when on the road.

The Roadhouse offers the usual -  fuel, camping and motel rooms, takeaways, restaurant and pub - but no food supplies - not even milk! But it has very productive SPRING! A windmill pumps the rather cloudy water into two ponds.

As in so many of the outback roadhouses, the pub itself is full of character. This one is adorned in caps of all colours, autographed and donated over time by visiting patrons.

Did 60kms today. Total so far 2204kms.