Helga

Helga

Saturday, July 17, 2010

Day 51: Getting the news in Adelaide.

We had a good night in Port Augusta. We went to a local community club for a beer and a meal which was ok although not great. Reasonably early to bed and to rise and we were on the road to Adelaide by 7.15am. We pushed it a bit far I think and didn't stop for breakfast until after 9am so we were a bit cold and miserable when we went in to Pimba. Then on the Adelaide, getting there just on noon.

It was a long slow ride in heavy traffic through to Mr BMW and just as we were in sight of the BMW centre, Helga suddenly died - a return to the problem I had been having after Darwin. We parked in a cycle lane on the rhs of the road and waited the obligatory 5 minutes and then fired her up again and went across the interesction to Mr BMW.

The staff at BMW were great. They took Helga away and put her on the computer. Then came back with the sad news. She needs ANOTHER new starter motor (she had a new one in Darwin so wtf?) and a fault in the temperature sensor. This makes the computer think she is overheating so shuts the bike down. The really sad news was that it will take up to 2 weeks for the spare parts to be delivered.

Dick and I made the snap decision to leave the bikes here and come home. We checked out the flights and then got a rental car and headed east for Melbourne. We will (hopefully) fly out of Melbourne tomorrow for EnZud!
Cheers - will pick this up again later.
Me

Thursday, July 15, 2010

Day 50: Coober Pedy to Port Augusta.

Up early in the morning because I couldn't find my phone and the alarm was set for 6am. I found it at 6am! :-) We had weetbix and milk on the verandah and were packed up and on the road by 8.15. An uneventful ride south to Port Augusta, encountering more cops in the one day than I think we have seen all trip. Meet a large group of Harley riders when we stopped for lunch at Pimba but they ignored us so we ignored us as well. They seem to be suffering from insufferable superiority complexes. Silly really.

Saw two groups of emu as we rode down. They look so graceful as they walk across the desert - the environment they are made for I guess. I stopped to take photos and they moved unhurriedly off looking back with avian disdain. Just lovely.

Arrived in Port August around 3pm and booked into a faded lady pub in the middle of town. $70 for a box with two beds, a shower and a loo but it will do. Will update this later.
Cheers,
Me

Day 49: A social grenade?

Greetings all. A gentle day today. We left Marla at around 8.30 and pootled our way south without incident some 270km to Cooper Pedy (the opal capital of the world.) Unfortunately for Shirley and Diana, all the opal shops were shut on a Thursday. What a shame.

We found a cheapo cabin in the caravan park - $40 for a box with a light and two single bunks! It was ok. I had a snooze and did some shopping while Dick went off to do a mine's tour. This place is unbelievable - just mounds of tailings everywhere. It is hideous in a interesting kind of a way. I took some photos and will post them when I find a computer that will let me. Here ....



There was a guy in the cabin next door who was waiting for a replacement radiator for his Land Cruiser. He was an ex-bike-racer who had lost his arm in some bike accident which we didn't really discuss. I was interested in how he was going to fit the new radiator when it arrived. I could however have been more thoughtful about how I asked! I said "Do you think you will need a hand to fit the new radiator?" It was not until some 10 minutes later that I suddently thought - goodness!! I could have phrased that better. According to Frank that is a social grenade!

All good though - went out to a pizza restaurant for dinner and off to bed by 9.30.

A gentle day huh!

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Day 48: Come to Alice they said. It never rains in Alice!!

Dick took me out for a belated birthday dinner last night. At his suggestion I tried the game medley: grilled camel, roast emu, pan-fried barramundi and a nice pie stuffed with little Skippy. It was delicious as was the bottle of Margaret River Shiraz.

We had planned to get up early and go up a local hill to look over Alice Springs at sunrise but in the event it was raining so we stayed in bed! Then went down the mall for a cafe breakfast. We went round to the Flying Doctor museum for a look and went inside leaving our jackets, helmets and gloves on the bikes. While we were in there the heavens opened and there was a huge deluge. The sky just opened and emptied water. Bugger. Dashed through the rain and rescued our gear as best we could and then dripped our way around the rest of the display and tour.

Back on the road at about 11am heading for Marla. Still wet so we were pretty soggy as we pootled down the Stuart Highway. Up in the distance I could see two road trains heading towards me. Then I noticed a silver band between me and the trains. Too late I realised it was a band of water right across the road. I hammered on the brakes but too late! The road trains and Helga and I all hit the puddle at the same time. Each road train had three units so six drenchings later I was up and out the other side. At least I could see the funny side of it!

Then a few k's later on we were getting flashed by traffic coming towards us. We soon found out why. A long line of cars stopped at either side of a 80 metre stretch of water across the road. According to the markers it was 40cm deep. We went up to the front of the line and had a go. Dick went first, got 2/3 of the way across and Olga died. He stayed on the bike pushing with his legs as I took Helga in. At almost the same place, she died too. I got off in thigh deep water, put her on the side stand and pushed Helga to the other side. Man I was stuffed by the time I got there.


Pushed her to the side of the road and had a go at starting her. Tried again and the motor turned over but didn't fire. Tried again and then again. Then got a whole bunch of kids to stand around the bike with their fingers and legs crossed and bingo! Away she went. Phew.

A bit of a marathon then into Marla with a really strong side wind (which gaves us both sore necks) and organised our accommodation.

I think there is something amiss in Helga's starting mechanism. When she fires up there is this terrible brief clatter. Will see how it goes tomorrow. May be a direct trip to Mr BMW in Adelaide.
Cheers all.

Monday, July 12, 2010

Day 47: Uluru to Alice

Hi all
We had a great time in Uluru. Walked around the base (10kms) then walked into the Olgas (another 5kms) This was supposed to be a rest day!


We decided to go to Alice via King Canyon and the back road. We knew this included 200kms of dirt road but it was suppposed to be open for 2wd vehicles so we gave it a go. By the time we got to the gravel it was 1pm but we pushed on. Immediately we went into 10kms of road works followed by mud and mudholes. By 6pm we had done 80kms.


Nothing for it but to drive up into the desert a short way and put up the tent. We had a pack of pasta, four broken eggs and just a little water but we made do. A great birthday bash for kennif!

Unfortunately it was a cloudy night so we didnt get to see the stars. But we did see a camel, horses, wild asses and dingos. It was great but we were exhausted.



We slept ok despite the dingo chorus at midnight and then in the morning packed up and slithered off down the grease trap again. Just on noon we got to Hemansburg - an old Lutheran mission station and then on towards Alice. Just a little way along the road we were stopped by a police block. A car had crashed during the night and the road was closed for the major crash investigation team. However we were allowed to take to the desert again and ride a big loop through the sand to the other side of the closed area and back down onto the road.

Then a sealed road blast through to Alice where we have found a bed in a tavern (??) and got the bikes locked away in the booze compound. We are now discussing how we will get to Adelaide. Have to be there by Sunday for a early monday appointment with Mr BMW for servicing. Helga now has 22,500kms on the clock. Not bad when you consider that on the 1st of March she had 800!

Saturday, July 10, 2010

Too haRD TOO HARD TOO HArd!

Hi guys
This blog is too hard. Not enough internet cafes and too many long days on the road. We are having a ball but getting to keep the blog up to date is too difficult. Lets just say we have gone from Margaret River to Albany via Augusta (Thanks David) to Esperance to Nullabor to Minnita to Port Augusta to Glendambo to Marla and now to Yalara and Uluru. Lots of kilometres and lots of hard work. When I get a chance I'll bring the blog up to date. Sorry ........
Cheers,
Me
Here's a go - straight in front and .... straight behind!! Yhe Nullabor!

Wednesday, July 7, 2010

Photos

For those of you who have been following this ... I have added some new photos. Especially of the Gibb River section.

Day 36: Down to the SW tip!

Up early this morning for breakfast in our rooms and then on the road at 8am. What a lovely ride down the coast to Augusta. Through national park the whole way with treelined roads. We're kept buttoned off partly because of the cold but also because of the wandering stock. Especially huge kangaroos.

Augusta is on the south-western tip so as usual we went right out to the lighthouse - hoping also to see some whales which are supposed to pass by this corner of Australia in great numbers at this time of the year. Today was an off-day! Still great scenery and a while coast rather like Makara. Only bigger - as everything in Australia seems to be on a giant-scale.

Then turned east for the first time and worked out way along the coast to Albany. An uneventful trip. Checked in at the visitors' centre and found a self-contained apartment in Middleton Bay that sounded good. We had planned to save a few $$$ by cooking our own dinner that night. Arrived at the Dolphon Lodge Apartments and were directed to our unit. Mmmmm. that's a funny thing we said - the beds haven't been made. I went back to reception and asked if we were expected to make the beds before we slept in them!! The receptionist did a double take and then realised she had put us in an aprtment where the previous occupants had only just checked out.

She was very embarrassed especially when she realised she had just let the only apartment left. As a result she put us in "the house." So for $89 for the night we had a three-bedroom house with separate dining room, lounge and garage. Tres choice! We walked up the road to the local deli and bought some dinner and a bottle of Margaret River Red and got ourselves sorted.

That night was cold. Aussies don't cope well with the cold. Even though the house had two huge heat pumps there seemed to be no insulation and both of us found the night to be chilly. I ended up going to the third bedroom and taking extra blankets from one of the beds.

Tomorrow to Esperance!

Sunday, July 4, 2010

Day 35: Perth to Margaret River

Lovely morning in Perth this morning. Dick due to arrive at 8.25 after a few hours sleep in Melbourne so I packed up as best I could and went out to meet him at the BMW centre which was on the way to the airport. Another battle with Perth rush hour traffic but after one wrong turn it was all good. Arrived at BMW to find Dick already there - his plane was early so we settled up his account (ouch ouch ouch!!!) and went back to the hotel where we packed the bikes, paid MY bill and hit the road.

I had done some research on the motorway system so it was straightforward and we were on the freeway south. It was long. It was very long. But it was ok. We went down all the way to Bunbury and then took the coastal road through Bussleton and then down to Margaret River. This was a great piece of road with bush on both sides of the road and the occasional kangarooo waiting to throw itself under Helga's wheels.

Dick had only had three hours sleep in the last 24 hours so we got a motel room and walked out for a curry. Margaret River was very nice but just a little too touristy for us. Dick also went to sleep quite early - and quite noisily. Fortunately I had brought in my earplugs so I was well equipped. Up early in the morning and off to Albany via Esperance.