Bodø's Halls Gap Trip

Trip Report Day One

This morning I hit the road on a trip which eventually take to the Halls Gap RTE in two and a half weeks' time.  I've decided to take the scenic route.  I had already planned to go down Main North Road all the way to Gawler for a change before a facebook post alerted me to South Australia's newest suburb of Eyre.  Half way down MNR I realized I was in the zone so I decided to check it out.. just because.



From Gawler it was on to the Thiele Highway as I have done the Barrier Highway enough times this year.  That seemed like a good place for a selfie.  I've been taking a few selfies in recent times as opposed to my usual stand in front of the gopro and see what it spits out.  Oh look, there was also a cap under the top box lid.  Remember that jdbiker?



I was blessed with great weather all day with the one exception of Eudunda.  It got clouldy real quick as I arrived and disappeared just as quickly when I left.



My planned course of Worlds End Highway was closed earlier in the week for bushfires but I didn't really give it a thought until I arrived at the said area this morning.  It wasn't as widespread as what I saw in Pinery a few years ago but being just a few days old I could smell that burning smell.



I refulled in Burra, changed the gopro sd cards and from there didn't stop until getting to Yunta.  I covered that area before the Yongala RTE in may when I went to find the Big Dice at Winnininnie.   I didn't really stop in Yunta either except to refuel.  I was hungry but saw a news peice on ABC news a few weeks ago regarding the Cockburn hotel so decided the wait until I got to Cockburn.  I did however take photos in Manna Hill.



When I rode to Broken Hill in 2015 I found a hills hoist that had been erected in the middle of nowhere in Outalpa/Wiawera and I'm guessing that every person who since drove past added a piece of clothing to it just for the hell of it.  It's this sort of stuff I love about this country.  Today I took an old item to hang and leave on it but alas it no longer is there.

The planned lunch at the Cockburn Hotel didn't happen because the only person there didn't know much about it or where the 'chef' was.  I ended up going to the border cafe.



I saw heaps of wildlife after Oodla Wirra.  Before the border I saw emus in several places.  After the border it was goats and more goats.  Then there were more goats.  No kidding, there were a lot of goats.  After dropping my stuff off at my accommodation I went for a ride to Fowlers Gap.  I'd done Menindee and Silverton in 2015 so I just went for somewhere different.

I'll probably pass a few things that have appeared in the "where is this?" thread on this trip.  Today it was alans110 entry:



Spotwalla has been flawless.

[Cerebral Knievel]

If you can spell out öldruckmesser (find a town,make a word) a froSTy pint will be yours at Mackay 

http://ozstoc.com/index.php?topic=5610.msg1228975#new

[Williamson]

Nice pics and words BG, but please no more selfies.

[Cerebral Knievel]

Nice pics and words BG, but please no more selfies.

At leaST he's colour co-ordinated .... matching bike , jacket and hat  !

[Bodø Glimt]

Even the Kapunda sign was orange.  I've amassed half of oldtruckmesser on day one already.

[Bodø Glimt]

So much for oldtruckmesser... Stinky Pete completed it last night.  Prick ! 

[Cerebral Knievel]

The chances of you getting the word he nominates is very good.
Just no Pint reward in 10 months time 

[StinkyPete]

Here's Bodo's SpotWalla link for his adventure.........

https://spotwalla.com/tripViewer.php?id=16e5c59f2f18c38b7a

[Williamson]

Here's Bodo's SpotWalla link for his adventure.........

https://spotwalla.com/tripViewer.php?id=16e5c59f2f18c38b7a

To me, it looks like he turned left at Broken Hill instead of going straight.  I can see no reason to go around 100km north along the Silver City Highway, do a U-turn and head south.  BG may let us know otherwise.

[Cerebral Knievel]

Here's Bodo's SpotWalla link for his adventure.........

https://spotwalla.com/tripViewer.php?id=16e5c59f2f18c38b7a

To me, it looks like he turned left at Broken Hill instead of going straight.  I can see no reason to go around 100km north along the Silver City Highway, do a U-turn and head south.  BG may let us know otherwise.

He dropped his gear off at his overnight lodgings then headed out to check something out.
I was watching his spot yesterday then commented on his FB post with regard to the deviation.He is heading for Cobar tonight - currently in Wilcannia.

[Williamson]

He dropped his gear off at his overnight lodgings then headed out to check something out.
I was watching his spot yesterday then commented on his FB post with regard to the deviation.He is heading for Cobar tonight - currently in Wilcannia.

 

[Bodø Glimt]

What Stimpy said.  Currently lunching at Cobar and then I have a sign to find.

[Lionel]

Did you refuel in Wilcannia?

[Bodø Glimt]

Yes.  They didn't have 95 or 98 so I reluctantly put in 91 and refuelled to dilute it in Emmdale.  I refuelled in Cobar and again in Bourke (my abode for the night).  I had to go to three places here in Bourke to find a better fuel than 91.  Tomorrow I enter Queensland.

Day two trip report

I woke up at 0400 as normal.  After a shower and some breakfast I packed the bike and waited for sunrise before I departed.



I'm on orders from Williamson not to post selfies so there will be none today.  The times they are a changing.



To be honest, today I saw a lot of road, a lot of wildlife (a lot of roos until Wilcannia and goats all day), several rest areas and not much sightseeing.

Lionel asked me if I refuelled at Wilcannia but I am not sure why.  I did reluctantly as all they had was 91 octane.  Pissed off to the max.



I did refuel at Emmdale predominately to dilute the 91 in the tanks.  The English girl asked me about my bike and told me she was from Southampton.  Apparently she rode when she was in England.



Lunch in Cobar and then it was to take on a task set for me to do by Stimpy.



I liked the look of Cobar.  It was a lot bigger than I expected.  Should I ever come back this way I'd like to stay a night and have a good look.

By contrast Bourke, my abode for tonight is very small.  When I arrived at my accommodation the manager was absent and I had to wait for twenty or so minutes before I could get into my room.  After unloading the stuff I went to refuel so I could depart on a full tank in the morning.  I had to go to three servos before finding something better than 91 octane.  After parking the bike I then went for a walk around town.  It was dead as a door nail and every shop has shutters.



I couldn't see any restaurants or the like near by so I think I shall be having Special K for dinner.

My room is much bigger than the cabin at Broken Hill and I am quite content with that.

Tomorrow I enter Queensland.

[LeaST4Me]

What a fantastic ride, and I for one being an old Kawasaki man like your Versys!  The memories come flooding back & whilst I in no way condone traversing our Queens highways at high velocities I recall a trip from my then home in West Lake Shores to the In Laws at Wynnum following pretty much the same route that was accomplished in 21 hours, 4 of those sleeping in Gilgandra!

[Bodø Glimt]

This is the furthest north I have taken the kwaka.  Bourke is only slight north of the previous holder of that title, Farina in South Australia.

[johnnyYTED]

 
" No kidding, there were a lot of goats"
so only adult goats, No Kids? 

[Williamson]

..... He dropped his gear off at his overnight lodgings then headed out to check something out.
I was watching his spot yesterday then commented on his FB post with regard to the deviation....

 

Mmmmm ....... just re-read the post a bit more carefully, and noticed that explanation.  But WHY Fowlers Gap?  I went through the area around 40 years ago, it was desolate then, and looks like its gone backward ever since.

[Bodø Glimt]

When I went to Broken Hill in 2015 I did Menindee, Silverton and the dam just past it so just went and had a look at Fowlers Gap.  Sometimes you never know what you find.

[Bodø Glimt]

Day three trip report

The day started off with leftovers from last night's dinner fro breakfast.



I'd only got as far as North Bourke when it started warming up.



The day turned sour very early when about 45km north Bourke I got a puncture.  I travel with an emergency repair kit for many years now and now I  had to use it.  That was no problem but I rode back to Bourke to get more air in the tyre and to make sure it was holding.



All was looking good so I made a second attempt for Queensland.  Getting there meant that I had taken my kwaka to every mainland state this year.  Having not adjusting the clock on my ride since departing Adelaide before crossing this line it was half an hour slow.  Now it is half an hour fast.

 

Cunnamulla was bigger than I expected.  It has only one bus stop but I manged to find it.  The job does that to you.



The road from Cunnamulla to Bollon reminded me of the road from Wilcannia to White Cliffs... no white lines had me wondering if I had made the right decision and as all the signs only mentioned St George I couldn't help wonder if there was fuel stops before then.  There was one, but whilst the signs said open it was closed.  There was a note to call this number for service but no optus coverage meant I couldn't make calls.  Someone who drove past did on my behalf (unknown to me) and the operator did rock up.



Despite these delays I arrived at my destination of Saint George at a reasonable time.  I went for a walk along the Balonne River and back though town before dropping in for a cheeky pint.



Tomorrow...  Brisbane here I come.

[Williamson]

$1.39 per litre, not too bad.

[Bodø Glimt]

I never look at the price.

[Williamson]

I never look at the price.

I never say never.  I usually look at the price, but it doesn't worry me, you pay what you pay, it ain't gunna change.

Even when putting 80+ litres in my Ford Ranger, but that have something to do with work Caltex Card.

[Shillas]

"Bodø's Halls Gap Trip" sounds like a Tolkien book.