Day 25 - a surge towards the Stuart Highway - Unfinished Business

May 25, 2023

Day 25 - a surge towards the Stuart Highway

I emerged in this barren land with the communications tower, a couple of km away, sneering down on me. I had no coverage last night. The Stuart Highway is 380 km away with little in between. I felt that I needed a big day.

I rode 8 km and reached the rest area I was aiming at yesterday. It's a mess. There has not been water for ages and the place is strewn with garbage. I crossed the road to the police station in the middle of nowhere where I met Dean and Bec, who filled my vessels with rainwater. They guaranteed that I would not get water at any rest area. I figured that with 8 L I would get to Barkly Homestead, 200 km away.

Lovely river, terrific birdlike. Will have to look up the name of the river because signs disappear in the NT

Basic roadsigns are usually left in place but then the artistic, comedic and literary geniuses of the NT emerge from their holes.

But don't get me wrong, there is much beauty along the way.

I quite like this dunny. It was the only thing of interest at a foul rest area

Fifty km further I reached another "unnamed" river with magnificent birds including terns. There was a homestead nearby with a Telstra phone. Working? No way.

I left that spot determined to get to rest area 2 for the day. This made the previous one look like a thing of beauty.

No better way to scream "I hate Australia". Why would a touring cyclist stop here?

I escaped from here and stopped when I had 101 km, found a spot in the bush, sat in my chair, fired up a stove and enjoyed the diversity of life in a flowering Corymbia.

Lorikeets, honeyeaters and even woodswallos were enjoying a feast

Even though it was hot, I cycled very well after my quality break. First I knocked off 25 km, downed a litre of cordial and then did another 24 to get to 150. I wrapped up the final 10 easily for a triple. It coincided with rest area 3 for the day, with its toilet-paper lined entry, no water and invaded by caravans. I rode through, waved to a few people and found a perfect camp a km further. As for my last triple, into Bourke, a flock of red-tailed black cockatoos miraculously appeared.

Today's ride: 161 km (100 miles)
Total: 2,969 km (1,844 miles)

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Graham SmithIan you have adapted extraordinarily well to the brave new world of real-time, smartphone-mediated journaling from the distinctive Oz environment of intermittent reception, bullet-ridden signs and purple wheely bins.

My bet is that there is no other cycle tourer in history who has covered 100 mile days on a fully loaded Thorn Nomad, and also been capable of uploading interesting reports to publicise the occasions.

Brilliant progress. Well done.
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1 year ago

Ian WallisTo Graham SmithGraham
Appreciate your comments and advice
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1 year ago

Jackie LaycockTo Graham SmithWell said Graham, I know that I am enthralled by Ian's journey, and the words and images he uses to share it. I know that each week when I share a condensed version of Ian's week on our indigo Facebook page, the number of people who are engaging with it and sending him messages of support increase. Last weeks one saw over 340 likes and shares.
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1 year ago

Ian WallisTo Jackie LaycockJackie
Thanks for all of your kind words. Much appreciated.
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1 year ago

Graham SmithTo Jackie LaycockHi Jackie and thanks,

I’ve also done a bit of recent cross-promoting of Ian’s very interesting journal via FB, and on the Thorn Bicycle Forum, and here on the CB forum. I’m sure the readership will grow considerably as the journey progresses.

Given Ian’s latest reptile exploits, there’d be interest from the ACT Herpetology Society too, but I don’t know how to reach them.:)
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1 year ago