Beasts in Jungle

May 30th: Renner Spring to Banka Banka – 57.6 km

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Day 229

Breakfast went as planned and we were both well fueled. We started quickly but Cher was still losing steam. There were still plenty of hills and we were pedaling into a headwind. Maybe it was the wind. I resolved to check everything when we got in. I suspected the addition of the ukulele was effecting Cher’s aerodynamics and the last time I checked the tire pressure was a long time ago. We passed more crests, shrubs, and grass, and were able to see as far as the horizon when a gentle rise lifted us over the flat landscape.

For a relatively short day we were both weary when we arrived at Banka Banka. The owners greeted us with 2 bottles of cold water and charged us a discounted rate since we were on “push bikes.” We were shown to a nice grassy spot and told that the water here was the best in the region. Banka Banka does it right. Simple facilities, well maintained, clean and functional. Showers were hot, and we had places to hang our towels and set down our cloths. In the camp kitchen we found burners, a hot water pot and a barbecue. It was an oasis.

Our tent set up we began chatting with our neighbors who immediately offered us tea and biscuits. When we began doing laundry our neighbors also lent us clothes pins so our cloths wouldn’t blow away. Then later when preparing dinner we were given a can of stewed tomatoes. I told them they although we were living out of a tent that we weren’t destitute, feeling a little guilty that maybe some one else would be more deserving of such charity, but she just said, “it’s nothing.” Cher and I are taking note and we both think we have learned a thing or two about hospitality. We can only hope to pass it on when we less mobile.

Caravaners maintain a vast social network covering much of this wild landscape and share a great amount of information about what and who’s ahead. We have heard from several people tells us that there was a “chinaman” coming from the South by the name of Jimmy and that if we saw him to say hello. We have also heard rumors of more “funny bikes with 3 wheels.” This evening Jimmy arrived. He had been working as a meat packer and hadn’t learned much English, but being from Taiwan, he and Cher had lots to discuss.

Taking some time to give the trikes some attention I quickly found the problem, low tire pressure. We have been so consumed with finding water and food that we neglected the most basic precaution. I was inflating Cher’s tires to match her weight giving her slightly less to eliminate some road noise. This proved a to be a mistake because even a small drop in pressure made her trike sluggish. I also moved the Uke, which she had with the broad flat bottom over her shoulder, like an extra head, to the back of my trike where it could lay flat behind me covered by my height. With our tires rock hard at 70 psi, we hoped to make it to Tennant Creek the following day. We have been told that there is a reasonable priced grocery store there. We could use some fresh food and fresh legs and would get some needed rest there.

May 29th: Newcastle Waters to Renner Springs – 113.8 km

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Day 228

Seeing a lake called Lake Woods on the map south of Elliot, we hoped to stay there. But on the way into Elliot, we met a policeman who warned us that it was over 30 km off the main road along a dirt track. We stopped at the local post office / general store in Elliot and bought some desperately needed but outrageously priced food. We paid 10 dollars for a kilo of rolled oats that cost 6.50 in a supermarket. But It was pay or go hungry. Elliot was a sad little town and we decided we would be better off pushing for Renner Springs.

A balanced meal with a good bit of protein really sticks with you. The hospitality of the night before could not have been better timed. Not only did we have a long day but we also had strong headwinds and a series of small hills. The hills by themselves would have been fine but with the headwind we found we had a good amount of work the both the ascent and descent.

I also got my first flat today in over 10,000 miles. A small piece of glass worked its way into my tire and waited there until it wore down enough to push it through the protective layer.

We have been warned that one of the greatest difficulties is the monotony of the landscape, but I have found that either we arrived at the perfect time or I have a great appreciation for grasses, and shrubs. Along the road there are three layers, first a low amber grass, then small bushes with yellow flowers and behind them a variety of eucalyptus trees. Of course this is all bordered by the deep red dirt. I find it quite beautiful. Cher has been pushing hard though and with cramped legs not even I look good to her.

25 km north of Renner Springs, as the sun began to set, we saw 5 cyclists, without panniers and carrying only a small bottle of water each. Where on earth could they be going at this hour? Elliot was at least 90 km away. There’s nothing out there – Cher thought, or there’s nothing out there but yellow-flowered shrubs – I thought. A cyclist stopped to chat and we found that they were following the repeater towers route from Adelaide to Darwin, with a support team carrying their supplies. They were getting in an extra 25 km so they wouldn’t have to do it the next day. A van would pick them up and drive them back to the camp site at Renner Springs.

Cher and I were amazed. What they hell were we doing? Cher suggested that she could be my support team, all I had to do was get her a van. They were doing about 100km per day and they asked us if our average was over that and if our average speed was 28kmph. It’s understandable that our trikes look futuristic, but the engine that powers them is the limiting factor. We are not the fastest vehicles with our shelter, clothes, several days of food and water. On the positive side, we don’t miss a stone nor a bush as we creep past them. Not like those petrol powered vehicles, they must miss all those little stones that we get to see.

Speaking of power we picked up grub for a large breakfast. We find that we are craving heavier food than our normal staples of oatmeal, bread, and pasta. For breakfast we planned on baked beans, fried eggs, and bacon. Maybe Cher will see some flowers tomorrow.

May 28th: Dunmarra to Newcastle Waters – 76.4 km

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Day 227

A day of uneventful riding.

Stopping 25 km north of Elliot, the free rest area Newcastle Waters as promised has water and as a bonus we found heaps of hospitality. When we arrived we met a Polish couple who also cycled through South East Asia, but more extensively than we did. When they arrived in Australia, they decided to get a car, after his wife saw the enormous distances between civilizations.

Cher asks for a car whenever the going gets tough, but she also admitted that she’s glad that we persevered. The distances are daunting. This is more like backwoods backpacking where you have to plan your meals, and most importantly mark water spots on the maps. In between the long stretches of nothing, we stop at water holes. Here we meet all the other animals, either flying freely on their wings or driving in cars and caravans. We are all animals but we can also be hospitable, empathetic animals.

When we arrived the Polish couple immediately offered us coffee and biscuits. Which we happily accepted. We shared our woes and joys of couples cycling and they left for their next destination, but plan on cycling again once they reach New Zealand. We then met Phil and Linda who invited us to join them for dinner, while Phil was trying to help us setting up our little tent.

Before dinner time, We decided to look civilized and wash up using our pump bag as a shower. Our pump bag, which is just a dry bag with a narrow nozzle is used to pump up our air mattress, but doubles as a shower. Cher was reluctant to use it since we had to shower in public. Wearing our running shorts and Cher with her sports bra we washed ourselves while some curious motorists watched.

It was worth it since we spent 3 hours with them and our smell, well at least my smell was repellant. Phil and Linda treated us to mixed drinks called cowboys, with ice cubes! For dinner we had steak, salad, potatoes and salad. The insisted they just had to get rid of the steak. But after overhearing a conversation with their daughter who they are obviously very close with, I would presume that they are the type of people that would have shared even if it wasn’t extra. Phil and Linda both retired recently and this was their first excursion as nomads. Thanks to them, the cynical part of me had to admit that caravans may not be a bad way to travel.

May 27th: Daly Water to Dunmarra – 51 km

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Day 226

Alcohol goes straight to your head when you only have it every once in a while, but we had a short day planned.

Extravagant lunch in the bush

Not much changed over the next 50km and we arrived early at a nice little grassy spot. There we immediately spotted another cyclist. Like the nomads, when you see another cyclist it’s best to stop and trade information and if you’re lucky they came from the direction that you’re going.

Chince, we learned was cycling solo around Australia for about 8 months. We wouldn’t have guessed it if he hadn’t told us that he’s 58 years old. He prefers to sleep in the bush and carries 25 liters of water and a little cooler for fresh fruit and vegetables. Chince is an intense individual and his penetrating stare was a bit intimidating at first. But after we warmed up we found him to be a warm, and exceptionally positive replying to everything I said with “alright big brother,” event though he’s 22 years older.

He warned us about the lack of water ahead, and encouraged us to carry more water than our current 7 liters. We chatted for at least a couple of hours, and although I don’t remember a lot of what we said, he left us upbeat and ready to take on whatever the next long lonely stretches had for us.

May 26th: Larrimah to Daly Waters – 90.5 km

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Day 224

Most days are hot and dry as we are heading further into the outback. We have found that it’s cooler in the end to cover our skin by wearing long sleeves and long pants. If you don’t, the moisture evaporates before it has time to absorb the heat from your body. We put 50 km in by 11am and by 1:45pm we were on smooth level roads. After the long rest in Bali it has taken us the last 14 days to finally feel like we are capable of pedaling all day.

Every grey nomad that we met makes a suggestion about where to stop ahead and when we receive several suggestions about the same place we know it’s a must. Although when we arrived at Daly Waters we were slightly underwhelmed. A friendly but very busy parking manager riding an old mountain bike with a the head of a stuffed animal horse fastened to his handlebars showed us to a dusty little spot without a spec of grass and not much shade. I guess we shouldn’t complain the attendant had the look of an old cowboy, with his wide-brimmed hat and sun wizened face. If his wrinkles were like rings on a tree he would have been over 100.

We were tired though so we shrugged it off and showered and prepared to catch happy hour. This was the first bar we had been in the last 8 months and the best decision we made since leaving Darwin. 3 dollar drafts led to burgers and some real outback culture. Quickly the bar filled up and we were surrounded by tables of grey nomads. They were there for the live performance. We received our burgers which were the size of throw pillows. Probably so you could take a nap while eating it, and a huge basket of fries. Then the performance started. It was an eclectic mix of heartfelt stories, songs, poetry and humor.

As we looked around we realized that we were the youngest couple there by 20 years and the last of our bias towards caravans disappeared. Here were a bunch of pensioners, traveling around the country, socializing, meeting new people, seeing new places. It’s like a golf club but the membership is larger and cheaper and if you don’t like the weather or your company, you leave.  What could be better? We have met couples well into their 70’s braving the dirt tracks, camping in the desert, and having adventures. Albeit in all the comforts of home, but they are some of the happiest, friendliest people we have met, ever.

May 25th: Mataranka to Larrimah – 76.3 km

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Day 224

Temperatures were still around 31 to 34 during the day and we woke up early to take advantage of the cool mornings. Prepared for a long day, we were quite happy to have smooth flat roads and a relatively short day.

We arrived at our destination Larrimah just after 1pm and wondered how we would do with the rest of the hot day. Normally we read on our tablets, but since we now rely on them and are not sure when we will have power, we have gone back to old-fashioned paperback novels. We borrowed 2 from the book share at the caravan park in Katherine. I’m reading Colleen McCullough’s “The first Man in Rome,” and Cher is reading Margaret Atwood’s “A Handmaid’s Tale.” We were lucky to find two decent reads since most the caravan park books exchanges only have tabloids, romance novels or off-roading, hunting and fishing magazines.

The Pink Panther roadhouse/zoo was quite eccentric. We were directed to camp anywhere we wanted on the grassy lawn along the road.

We sidled up to the largest tree we could find and pitched our tent. We were also next to an incomplete bunk house, and an abandoned outdoor barbecue. Pieces of metal, and a makeshift painting table with weeds growing around them revealed that progress has stopped some time ago.

The camp kitchen had two broken kettles that hadn’t been cleaned in ages. Luckily there was an electric hot plate which we could use to fry or boil. We were the only people to use it since it was bought, the aging receipt was still inside when we opened it. However the showers were hot and the water pressure was good. This was the only good thing we could say about this place.

May 24th: King River to Mataranka Bitter Springs – 61.7 km

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Day 223

Our road smoothed out today and we had some moderate head winds. I’m certain that the roads are getting smoother but Cher claims it’s the same. I’m more of an idealist and she’s a realist, which means she’s probably right. With three wheels the road surface makes a big difference in efficiency. We have found that it changes regularly in long sections from coarse and bumpy to smooth.

Just after the turn off for Bitter Springs we found a well stocked, although expensive grocery store and we bought some fresh groceries including eggs and zucchini. We also witnessed a number of aborigines buying boxes of beer. At least 8 people were buying a 30 pack each. This could be for a party but our observation is already biased by what we’ve been told, and by the public drunkenness we’ve seen. Of course seeing twenty some individuals drunk on the street is not indicative of an entire population, but it seemed to us there are some serious problems.

We camped at the Mataranka Cabins and Campground near Bitter Springs, which is walking distance from the springs in Elsey National Park. Within minutes we had set up camp and were in our swim suits. If you are reading this and going there we think it best not to tell you too much about it, but we will tell you make sure to bring some goggles. The water clarity is incredible and Cher said she felt like she was a small fish in an aquarium. I felt as if we had entered a prehistoric pool. Either way it’s worth the trip and the water, fed by thermal springs is right around body temperature.

Now that we had a swim we prepared to do something about Cher’s burned paw. Utilizing our new internet connection, we found that there is divided information on whether to keep or remove a blister depending upon its size, location and time since burn. We had left it for 3 days and decided to drain it. One peer-reviewed study showed that the majority of people who drained their blisters experienced less pain with only a minor increase in infection rate. We sterilized a sewing needle and cleaned the blister with alcohol and Cher did the rest. We then covered it with antibacterial cream and a sterile bandage. Cher was slightly traumatized but it did reduce the pain. Drained in every way we prepared for bed.

When we arrived we noticed a lot little grassy poos around our camp site. I suspected wallabies and made sure to put away our food. Within minutes my observations proved accurate and we were greeted by no less than 5 wallabies sneaking around our camp site. I commented that they looked like giant hopping rats, and Cher told me that the literal translation for Kangaroo in Chinese is “pocket rat” and Wallaby is “sandy pocket rat.” I now wish that was their English name and will try to adopt and spread it. All night the sandy pocket rats hopped around our camp and scrambled through the bush. You adjust quickly and what is curious quickly becomes what is common.

May 23rd: Katherine to King River – 60.20 km

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Day 222

Reluctantly we left Katherine and headed off into the wild. Before we left civilization we decided to take a little bit of it with us and we bought a sim card and now have some email and phone capabilities. We are saving them for emergencies and to take care of banking and such.

With a late start we were happy to have a short day. Cher’s paw blister, from our cooking accident a day ago, continues to grow. It’s pretty gross and since it’s filled with fluid the road vibration is extremely painful as it jiggles the contents. Also the head winds continue and its a constant battle. We stopped at King River, a free rest stop with a large water container which claims “water may not be suitable for drinking.” This is more of a precaution to avoid law suits and we have found the water is fine. Using our water bottles we took a “shower.” We basically got wet, soaped up, and rinsed off. It’s a public affair, but it’s a public spot with free camping. Anyone stopping here should expect at least a couple of hobos.

Most of the spots are quite dusty and it’s hot. We put up a tarp for shade and waited for the sun to set. With few clouds in the sky it cooled down quickly and we were in our sleeping before long. Tomorrow we look forward to another short day with the promise of another fresh water swim.

May 22nd: Another Rest Day

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Day 221

Our calorie party continues with pancakes for breakfast. Unfortunately Cher, intoxicated by the bounty, began giddily flipping pancakes only to let her hand slide down handle onto the super-heated metal. She got a nasty burn. We cooled, cleaned and covered it as soon as possible and already she has a big fat blister.

We stuffed ourselves with burritos for lunch and dinner and Marco cooked us an after-dinner dinner, and bought two bottles of red wine to see us off.

We checked out his tent and we have to say that it was quite luxurious. He has a fan, a computer, and a large covered sitting area. I caught a large beetle, one of the many large creepy crawlies that we can’t identify. Having finished two bottles of wine I had to make a run to the bathroom and was fortunate to have the wherewithal to check my shoe where I found another large creepy crawly inside my shoe.

Despite the creepy crawlies this was a wonderful place to live. Perfectly clear views of the stars at night, including the milky way, gorgeous sunsets and spectacular sunrises. Living here would definitely add several years to your life, if you don’t have any insect phobias.

May 21st: Rest Day with Steak and Potatoes

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Day 220

While petting and watching the curious cows just on the other side of our tent, Cher couldn’t stop thinking, steak for dinner.

We made the 12.6 km trip back into town and bought more groceries stocking up on the fresh things we don’t usually have, like vegetables, spuds and eggs. One of the benefits of many Australian caravan parks is camp kitchens. You must provide the utensils and cook ware but they provide grills or “barbis” kettles, range tops, microwaves and even refrigerators.

Cher cooked 2 perfect rare t-bones and when we placed them in our dishes they spilled over the sides. Filling our small plates normally comprises an entire meal, and we were giddy at the prospect of so much meat. Steak is extremely expensive in HK but here it’s 1/4 the price.. Whcih makes sense since the steak in Hong Kong is imported from Oz. Regarldess we didn’t eat much meat in Hong Kong nor the rest of southeast Asia. Meat here is cheap which also explains the broad build of many of the guys and gals we’ve seen piling meat on top of meat at the check out line until it fills the checkout conveyor belt like a herd of cattle squeezing through a canyon. We also grilled potato wedges and by the time we were done we realized our salad would have to wait for tomorrow.

While we finished we met another Marco, alos from Italy, working here on the gworking holiday visa program. He was kind enough to make us some “real” coffee to digest our dinner. He explained that he was pretty much the only one who used the kitchen and offered to let us use his cook ware. Cher and I decided to stay another day. How could we leave, tomorrow we we’re making pancakes!

May 20th: Edith Falls to Manbulloo Homestead, Katherine – 76.16 km

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Day 219

Food! Oh how we stocked up! 4 bags of pasta, sauce, baked beans, onions, oatmeal, muesli, sausage, salad, sugar, coffee, and bread, all the necessities and more. We barely noticed anything else on our ride into town. The magnetism of the supermarket pulling at our empty steel bellies dragged us in. We felt as if we were hardly peddling, until we realized that we never intended to carry this much groceries in our panniers and had to carry it to our campsite.

We intended to stay just out of town at a place called Springvale, but when we got there it was closed. Hoping that the out of town camp site, Manbulloo Homestead, wouldn’t be closed nor overpriced we pressed on for another 10 km into the setting sun. We were not dissapointed. We pitched our tent along a field filled with cows and horses and took hot hot showers. We both immediatlely agreed to take a rest day there.

May 19th: Pine Creek to Edith Falls – 68 km

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Day 218

Everyone we talked to told us that Edith Falls was the ants pants, and they also told us it was only 50 km away. Physically out of shape and mentally prepared for a short day, we looked forward to an easy pedal and an early swim. Battling a constant headwind made today feel twice as long and when we arrived at the turn off for Edith Falls, we were sad to find that we had another 20 km to go. When our path cut close to the river I tried to convince Cher that there couldn’t be any crocs here and we should camp early by the water. Later when taking a closer look at the water I didn’t dare go to the edge. Which we later found out was wise.

We arrived after 1pm and were directed to our little patch of grass to set up the tent. It’s a nice spot, and for 25 dollars a bit pricey, but we were here to see the falls. There are several pools that feed tumble down into a main pool, all free of crocs because as we were told, crocs don’t climb. Within a minute we set up camp, stripped and made out way to the main waterfall.

Although the waterfall isn’t that impressive, the deep cool, clean waters were pure bliss. We swam the 200 meters to the fall and back, the water becoming deep enough that you can’t see nor touch the bottom. Perhaps it’s because clean fresh water was such a scarcity over the last several months, but it felt like such a tremendous luxury to be able to swim in such a large pool of extraordinarily clean water. Locals claim that you can get a swim and a drink at the same time. With it’s source in the middle of a national park, there is some amount of truth to this. Regardless, all our aches and pains subsided and we had energy for the 30 minute hike to the next falls.

We read a lot of blogs about this cycle ride few talked about the number of little oasis that we’ve found along the way. Either it’s our slow style or loss of endurance after such a long break in Bali, but with the heat and the wind these little spots have kept us going even when our food is short. But since we can’t live on water alone we are both excited to get to Katherine, where there is a large grocery store. It seems that we eat more oatmeal than any other food and I had it as “dessert” tonight when our pasta ration failed to fill me up. We may be thin when we are done but our cholesterol will be great.