From the Library

[Biggles]

Eyre Creek was in full flood. The water was rushing and in parts looked over 40 metres wide. I just couldn't see how I'd get across and felt my stomach tighten up as I approached. I rode on for another kilometre or so, desperately hoping it would be shallow.
At the crossing, the creek had narrowed to about 30 metres wide but was still flowing fairly quickly. The crossing itself was not straight, it took more of a diagonal path to the other side. The banks were muddy and a crossing line had been marked out with a series of steel posts hammered into the creek bed. I assumed this was the shallowest path. In my direction of travel, I'd also be fighting against the current to get across, which wasn't ideal. I turned off the bike and sat there for a minute, taking it all in. I wasn't about to take any chances.
King Of The Desert  Nick Arley  p79

[Biggles]

After I checked in, I unloaded what I needed and then commenced my daily routine of checking over the bike. I'd made sure do a thorough visual inspection of the bike at the end of each day, to make sure nothing was broken or damaged from the day's riding. I also checked things like the chain tension, the wheel nuts and the tyre condition. I don't lubricate the chain on rides like this, as the sand would only stick to the lube and do more damage than good. I always use the best quality XW Ring chains, and had fitted a new one before leaving. I knew from experience that it would last the entire distance without needing attention— preventative maintenance! Looking after the bike before I looked after myself made me feel better, I'm not sure why, but I just did it.
When I was happy the bike was good to go for the next day, I took care of myself. A shower, a change of clothes and off to the pub! I ate a big steak dinner that night— it would be my last for a few weeks.
I'd ridden over 500 kilometres today, and had officially crossed five deserts now— halfway! But the big deserts were coming.
King Of The Desert  Nick Arley  p101

[Biggles]

I practised changing wheel tracks a couple of times, without tooting the horn. To my surprise, the camel didn't move over as quickly. Obviously, camels are unpredictable, though, so that still didn't give me much confidence. Finally I garnered enough courage to have a go.
I waited until there was a straight stretch of track and the sand ridge in the middle wasn't too deep. I made sure I was in second gear, with plenty of punch available. It was now or never. I jumped from the left wheel track into the right and gunned it past the big fella. My heart was in my mouth— one rightward step and nearly a ton of stinking hairy camel could barge me off my bike.
I drew alongside him and was just ahead of his shoulder when he swung his big head around to look at me. Here we go, I thought, I'm about to get trampled! But then he stepped off the track to the left and away into the bush. I'd made it! My heart was racing. I'd taken a big risk, I realised, and fortunately it had paid off. I made a mental note to keep my camel rage in check and not be as impatient next time.
King Of The Desert  Nick Arley  p121

[Biggles]

I was glad I'd chosen the DR650 for this ride. It was its simplicity that had drawn me to it: an air-cooled motor with no radiator or plumbing to worry about, and only a small oil cooler that was tucked away out of harm's way. The lack of electronics was also a bonus— no sensors to bugger up, no error codes to read, and most importantly no fuel injection and the associated fuel pumps to fail. The DR had an old-school carburettor that was easy to fix in the event of a fuel blockage or a dose of bad fuel. The carburettor could easily be removed and the jets cleaned out— you didn't need any special tools. The current DR was designed in 1996, and it hasn't changed since then. In my opinion it's the most reliable bike for outback travel there is.
King Of The Desert  Nick Arley  pp154-5

[Biggles]

I heard the faint hum of a vehicle and I got up to have a look. A four-wheel drive was approaching from the north. I thought I'd better at least put my riding pants back on. It was a white Mitsubishi Triton with two blokes inside, and they pulled up in front of me. They could both see the condition I was in— sweating, red and puffing— and immediately offered me water and food. I thanked them and said I had it covered, but it was nice of them to offer.
The driver told me he was a nurse, and that a few days previously he'd had to use his skills after an accident occurred further north on the CSR in the dune country. A vehicle had got bogged near the crest of a dune, and while the occupant was trying to unbog it, another vehicle travelling from the opposite direction had crested the same dune and collided with the bogged vehicle. Emergency services had been notified, but due to the isolated location help wasn't available for at least two days. One person had died.
King Of The Desert  Nick Arley  p197

[Biggles]

After Tobin Lake, the track returned to its original state of twin sand ruts and slappy sticks. On this particular morning, they caught me out. My speed was down due to the proximity of the branches to the side of the track: they were really close and constantly hitting my handlebars hard, causing me to strain to keep the bike straight. I wasn't able to ride the centre line due to the vegetation, so was forced to ride on the right side of the left wheel rut to avoid them much as possible. My front wheel was constantly biting at the edge of the left-hand sand rut, and for a while the steering damper was doing a good job of keeping the bike straight.
At one moment, though, the front wheel bit hard and slid out, causing me and the bike to go down. Luckily, I was only riding in first gear and at slow speed, so it was more of a step-off than a fall, but it was frustrating to have to expend more energy picking the bike up, dusting myself off and getting on again. I had no rhythm riding through this sort of terrain— there was no respite. It was fatiguing. I could feel my energy draining away and committed to concentrate harder.
King Of The Desert  Nick Arley  p220

[Biggles]

Along the way I came around a bend in the road to see a large cloud of dust up ahead. That could mean only one thing: a road train. I was moving faster than the dust cloud, though, and as I got closer it was clear that the truck was travelling in the same direction as me. I wondered if I was going to be able to get past.
As I got closer to the big rig, I used my UHF radio to broadcast my position, telling the truckie he had a bike behind him. The wind was blowing across the road, pushing all the dust to the right-hand side, right where I would have to ride if I overtook him. There was no way I was going to do that- the road train had four trailers on, and I'd be blind if I entered that billowing dust cloud.
Much to my delight, I got a reply on the radio, and slowly the truck and all its trailers moved across to the right-hand side of the road, which opened up a clear path for me on the left. I took advantage of the opportunity to pass and gunned the bike along the truck's left-hand side, giving him a big wave as I did. The size of these rumbling beasts is just enormous, and I was grateful to the driver for his thoughtfulness in making it possible for me to pass safely.
King Of The Desert  Nick Arley  pp236-7