OzSTOC

General Category => LONG DISTANCE RIDING, Proper preparation, Safety and Tips => Topic started by: spanner on October 29, 2015, 12:26:15 PM

Title: planning ride from Townsville to Karumba return for SS1600
Post by: spanner on October 29, 2015, 12:26:15 PM
Howdy,

The LD bug has hit .... and hit hard!

So the wife will be away for a week soon  :runyay :runyay :runyay and I am thinking of getting in a SS1600 done while she is GAAAAWWWWNNNNNNNN!    :butt

Advice is sought on the roads and potential fuel stops along the way.   :think1

My 'planned' route currently is:

Leave Townsville go up Herveys range developmental road
turn left on to the Gregory Developmental road
stop in Conjuboy and transition onto the Kennedy Developmental road
turn left at Minamoolka onto the Gulf developmental road to Normanton and then a little further onto Karumba.

Then turn around and come back to Minamoolka and turn left and head North to Mt Garnet via the Kennedy highway
through Milla Milla from either the 'new' Palmeston highway OR the Old Palmeston Highway
the join onto the Bruce highway and go home to Townsville.

If I am running late I can check in at Mission Beach as that is 1684kms or I can continue on home for a total of 1889 km.


Advice and fuel options greatly welcomed.

Cheers,

Spanner

 :bl11
Title: Re: planning ride from Townsville to Karumba return for SS1600
Post by: Gadget on October 29, 2015, 01:09:59 PM
What are the Roos like out that way at this time of year?
Title: Re: planning ride from Townsville to Karumba return for SS1600
Post by: spanner on October 29, 2015, 01:18:05 PM
theres a fair few around but have good lights and nerves of steel like jello!   :p
Title: Re: planning ride from Townsville to Karumba return for SS1600
Post by: alans1100 on October 29, 2015, 01:53:51 PM
My GPS gives a limited choice in fuel stops along your route. Couldn't see any at Karumba though on google maps so just used Normanton. You might need to time your route with the road house opening hours at Conjuboy.

https://goo.gl/maps/KzwJziQo3FJ2
Title: Re: planning ride from Townsville to Karumba return for SS1600
Post by: West Aussie Glen on October 29, 2015, 02:18:38 PM
What are the Roos like out that way at this time of year?

About 11th Sept on dusk the roos Conjuboy to Charters Towers the roos were horrendous.
Title: Re: planning ride from Townsville to Karumba return for SS1600
Post by: spanner on October 29, 2015, 02:35:36 PM
Couldn't see any at Karumba . You might need to time your route with the road house opening hours at Conjuboy.

https://goo.gl/maps/KzwJziQo3FJ2

I think there is fuel available at the caravan park at Karumba. Well there was last time I was there over 10 years ago .  I flew into Normanton for a work meeting and got a car from there to Karumba.

Title: Re: planning ride from Townsville to Karumba return for SS1600
Post by: spanner on October 29, 2015, 02:45:18 PM
My GPS gives a limited choice in fuel stops along your route.

How does your GPS provide fuel stations??

PS. I don't have a GPS so I don't really know how to use one properly. I just use my iPhone and Google maps directions.
Title: Re: planning ride from Townsville to Karumba return for SS1600
Post by: West Aussie Glen on October 29, 2015, 03:35:19 PM
We got petrol at the The Lynd (Oasis) Junction Roadhouse in Sept. It is on the turn off to Conjuboy but not as far west. Think it was also under new management.
A couple of years ago also got petrol at Georgetown, Croydon and Normanton but you may need to check their opening times but I imagine those stops will be in the middle of the run so opening hours shouldn't be aproblem.
Title: Re: planning ride from Townsville to Karumba return for SS1600
Post by: alans1100 on October 29, 2015, 06:30:11 PM
My GPS gives a limited choice in fuel stops along your route.

How does your GPS provide fuel stations??

PS. I don't have a GPS so I don't really know how to use one properly. I just use my iPhone and Google maps directions.
Mine is a Tom Tom Go 600 (for the car) which I use on the bike as well. I can set a route between any two points on the map which most Sat Navs can do. I can take another step and ask for fuel stops along the route providing they have been installed as a point of interest with the map data.

With Google maps you can set to satellite or map view and zoom into any place you like. You can find garages and other places you might to stop at along the way. Only thing at Conjuboy is the roadhouse and the end of the sealed stuff https://goo.gl/maps/U3UfowoCSJp
Title: Re: planning ride from Townsville to Karumba return for SS1600
Post by: StinkyPete on October 29, 2015, 07:13:54 PM
I would give each of your potential fuel stops a call, and check on opening hours, and what fuel they stock.
Title: Re: planning ride from Townsville to Karumba return for SS1600
Post by: spanner on October 30, 2015, 02:14:40 PM
Oh yes .... most important Stinkypete.

I learnt that the hard way once.
Title: Re: planning ride from Townsville to Karumba return for SS1600
Post by: ST2UP on October 30, 2015, 07:43:26 PM
Spanner if you don't use a dedicated GPS on the bike but have your iPhone here is a cheap option for you.....grab either Sygic or Tom Tom app from the Apple Store.

My preference is for Tom Tom, all of the maps are stored on your phone so they wor off-line away from mobile service and don't use your data unlike Google or the apple maps. You will pay about $59 once off for the apple app and you get constant free updates and you have the app on your iTunes account forever.....you can even share the app with your spouse etc if they have an iPhone.

And among your POI's (points of interest) on the app are fuel stops as mentioned above and you can share your location out of the app (that bit uses data).


Now the next step is to download SWconnect from the App Store and now you have a spot messenger and can use spotwalla like the pro's (uses a very little data so phone needs to be in coverage or just plays catch up when it is)

Cheers
Title: Re: planning ride from Townsville to Karumba return for SS1600
Post by: alans1100 on October 30, 2015, 07:57:26 PM
grab either Syngic or Tom Tom app from the Apple Store.
Did you mean Sygic which I have on our Android devices.
Title: Re: planning ride from Townsville to Karumba return for SS1600
Post by: ST2UP on October 30, 2015, 08:29:41 PM
I did thanks Alan......and fixed  ;-*