Distance today 101km at 18km/hr average

TOTALS: Distance 4974km. Donations $7290.09. Days remaining 68. Deserts: Sturt Stony, Strzelecki, Tirari, Gibson, Great Victorian. Tracks: Birdsville Development Road, Birdsville Track, Oodnadatta Track, Red Centre Way, Great Central Road, Goldfields Highway, Wiluna North Road.

Note to new readers: I am travelling with my bike who’s name is Banjo. I often refer to ‘we’ meaning Banjo and I. ‘We’ have an amazing support team of family, friends, sponsors and folk we meet each day. But it’s still up to ‘us’ to face the challenge and tackle each day one peddle at a time.

It’s 8pm on Sunday the 11 July 2021

Unfortunately the internet is a bit limited here at Kumarina Roadhouse so I’m not sure whether I’ll be able to upload he last posts with media until we’re in Newman on Tuesday.

I’m very happy to be here as hoped in 3 days/ nights. I was thinking I may have been a bit ambitious given the headwindy conditions but we chipped through so big yay!!

The people here have been very generous letting us camp for free and have dinner on the house. I’m hoovering a veggie burger and large chips and my goodness it tastes a bit delish. My appetite has been ravenous with the activity and chilly conditions so food has become a fixation with the next level of appreciation. Burp!!!! My eyes are bigger than the tummy tonight so a doggy bag may be in order 🤣

We got underway this morning at 8am and was thinking it was going to be about 20km to the main road. Last night I’m sure I could hear distant road traffic. As it turned out, the Great Northern Highway was only 12km away. The conditions were clear and the wind was kind so we made it through to the sealed road well under an hour.

The road carried a lot of traffic from Perth up north. We were back in the groove waving to road trains. Turning right meant we found the headwind again so I couldn’t dodge that bullet unfortunately. All good. We had the day to do the remaining 90kms. The highlight of the day was the people I met. It was such a welcomed surprise.

Early in the day a car pulled over to say hi and we met Vaughn from Wyndham. He gave us some mandarins and was keen to share his Chinese heritage and ancestors who migrated to Australia during the gold rush era. Super interesting fella and generous with his kindness and encouragement.

We stopped for morning tea at the Gascoyne River Rest Area (North). What a stunning spot. The river was flowing and the banks were lined with gum trees and rocky nooks. The bird life was busy with Goshawks nesting overhead.

A couple, May and Jo from Margaret River, were also stopped for a break. We shared a cuppa and chats about the Gibb River Road. They’re very excited about doing the full road this trip. Safe travels and stay in touch. They’re keen to follow our challenge and support the cause.

Later we met a quirky couple, Kamali and Silay from Denmark. WA. They’re free spirited folk who were keen to know about what we were doing and very supportive of beyondblue. Silay spoke about reaching out to the service during a difficult time recently. It made such a difference to reach out and talk to someone neutral instead of struggling in silence or offloading onto family. They’re heading up north and are going to keep an eye out on our blog where we are in case we can meet up again. Thanks for your contagious positively and hope we cross paths again.

About 20kms from Kumarina a truck of road workers pulled over to check in we were okay. They filled my water bottle and gave me a Boost chocolate. They guys were so complementing and are also staying here at the roadhouse. They said the staff here would ‘look after me’ and they were right. I bumped into them on the way to dinner and they said they put in a good word for us. Thank you kind gentlemen. The boost chocolate was exactly what I needed to pull out the last kms for the day.

I met Sarah and Kevin from Geraldine at the campgrounds. They’ve been having car problems are spent the day trying to repair a fuel leak. Unfortunately it’s still causing them some grief. Dispute their predicament they were so positive and excited for our challenge. Sarah is a strong advocate for beyondblue and encourages anyone to reach out when in struggle. She spoke particularly about people in remote locations who don’t always have access to services. She hopes that more men these days are accepting that it’s okay to open up and talk to someone when in need.

It’s been wonderful to have a shower and call the family to share our days. I was able to finalise the Marble Bar postal pack with mum and dad. School starts this week and Dylan spent today making a cactus while mum worked on her next snake enclosure. Oh bless sharing desert country with them both!! I must say I’m probably the most tired I’ve been all trip so it’s time to crawl into bed for some comfy zzzs. Night and talk soon.

Distance today 100.65 at 16.2km/hr average

TOTALS: Distance 4870km. Donations $7120.09. Days remaining 69. Deserts: Sturt Stony, Strzelecki, Tirari, Gibson, Great Victorian. Tracks: Birdsville Development Road, Birdsville Track, Oodnadatta Track, Red Centre Way, Great Central Road, Goldfields Highway, Wiluna North Road.

Note to new readers: I am travelling with my bike who’s name is Banjo. I often refer to ‘we’ meaning Banjo and I. ‘We’ have an amazing support team of family, friends, sponsors and folk we meet each day. But it’s still up to ‘us’ to face the challenge and tackle each day one peddle at a time.

It’s 655pm on Saturday the 10 July 2021.

I’m super chuffed with the distance we managed today. I hoped to do 100km to give us every chance of getting to Kumarina Roadhouse tomorrow. It’s about 17km to the junction with Great Northern Highway where the road is sealed for the next 92 km. All going well we should be able to manage the 120km with an early start.

We woke this morning to a stunning sunrise. There were fluffy clouds to the east which elevated the morning colours spectacularly. It was an energising way to start the day over cuppa o’clock.

We got underway just before 8am. The clouds lifted to another blue sky day. The headwind was still constant but it wasn’t as gusty as yesterday which was a welcomed change. The road varied in conditions with stony corrugated sections that made slower going at times. But we had the day to get through our kms so we chipped away as best we could.

It’s cattle country and we passed the homestead entrance to Cunya Station. Gas companies run their lines through many of the properties including Cunya. Back in Gunbarrel Laagar I had dinner with Stacey who works for one of the gas companies. She’s a support worker employed to visit the property owners to check in on their mental health and well being. It’s a service offered to the property owners to support their remote lifestyle and offer services if they’re struggling.

13km into the ride we were stopped by Angela and her husband who had just been visiting Cunya Station as they’re friends with the property owner. They’re from Port Lincoln SA. Angela is an advocate worker with SA mental health and also volunteers with an organisation called Mentally Fit EP. She was particularly interested in our challenge and full of praise and encouragement. She donated $50 and promised to share our cause through her socials and with colleagues. Thanks Angela for your support to promote mental health and Beyondblue.

The road left Cunya station at a cattle grid that was surrounded by patches of low lying shrubs in purple bloom. It was a stark contrast to the browny red soil and sparse vegetation. it doesn’t sound very inviting but there’s a beauty in the landscape that’s unique to the area. I’m really appreciating the desert landscape here which feels vast and remote.

Before lunch Malcolm from Canberra stopped to check in with us. We crossed paths on the Birdsville Track the morning I was stuck on the roadside with tyre problems. On that day, Malcolm was heading back into Birdsville and said there would be campers coming along soon from Birdsville. He was spot on because that’s when Peter and Nigel stopped and helped. Malcolm remembers passing their cars and feeling relieved. Help they did!!!! I shared with Malcolm the story of Nigel and Peter and Nigel’s fatal accident at the Finke desert race. We spent some time together talking about our travel routes. He also did the Oodnadatta Track them headed to Kalgoorlie and did the Great Central Road in the opposite direction. He travels in his beloved camper called ‘The Goat.’ He’s an older bloke but still has a keen spirit for adventure, exploring new tracks when he can. Unfortunately my phones memory was full so I couldn’t take a picture. He grabbed a photo of Banjo and I with ‘The Goat’ and said he would text me the photo when in service. Nice time shared!!!!

At midday we had done 50km and enjoyed a break and banana chips for lunch. Mum popped them in the Wiluna box and they’re delish; full of calories but light in the tummy for the afternoon ride. Banjo was looking the goods with dusty red tyres and panniers.

He’s thriving in the track conditions and travelling well despite the bumpy road at times. I was also able to grab the spare phone so I could take photos and footage again.

We headed off for our second stint of 50km. Into the afternoon we came across two cars travelling from Victoria. Deb and Jim and Jeanine and her husband, are heading north but not sure yet where 🤣. They’re all good friends and more about the journeying together. Deb and Jim are keen cyclists and both enjoyed a ride on Banjo to get a feel for how he travels. He of course loved the attention. They filled my water bottle and Jeanine gave me some fruit for the afternoon. We must have spent an hour sharing all sorts of stories and smiles. They were very genuine, down to earth, open hearted and big fun!! I really enjoyed our time together. They were also very encouraging of our commitment and cause and were keen to get online and share our challenge once in Newman. We exchanged details and I hope to be in touch again. All the best fine folk. Wherever you end of adventuring up north, it’ll be amazing because you’ll make it so!!!

With the second camera on board, I was able to enjoy taking some photos again in the afternoon light. The desert colours deepen as the sun gets lower and the colours are brilliant.

By 430pm we clocked over our 100kms and soon found a camp off a side track. I had time to set up and make a cuppa before sunset. It was very satisfying and nice to stop and appreciate the full day.

The scenery around camp resonates the feeling of the landscape generally. Tree stumps are weathered and gnarled with passing seasons in the harsh conditions. The landscape has a story that seems ancient and timeless. I feel very privileged having time to experience its essence in detail.

Time for dinner with Old Man Emu and the big sky of stars for company. Looking forward to bed. Talk soon xx

Distance today – Rest/ Prep Day

TOTALS: Distance 4687km Donations $6911.09. Days remaining 71. Deserts: Sturt Stony, Strzelecki, Tirari, Gibson, Great Victorian. Tracks: Birdsville, Oodnadatta, Red Centre Way, Great Central Road.

Note to new readers: I am travelling with my bike who’s name is Banjo. I often refer to ‘we’ meaning Banjo and I. ‘We’ have an amazing support team of family, friends, sponsors and folk we meet each day. But it’s still up to ‘us’ to face the challenge and tackle each day one peddle at a time.

It’s 8pm on Thursday the 8 July 2021.

It was such a productive day today and I’m really satisfied with how it’s all worked yay. It made all the difference with the girls dropping off my postal packs last night. It meant I could get straight into my day after cuppa o’clock of course. You can’t rush these things 🤣

It was a blue sky day and quite warm in the sun which was a welcomed change. The campgrounds were quiet so I could spread my stuff out on the grassed area between the dongers and slowly chip away at my to dos.

Banjo needed his back tyre tube changed with new silicone in both. This was a new experience for me. I was able to remove the core valve using the leather man pliers on loan from Ian who I met at Warakurna Roadhouse. The tubes, silicone and other essentials were in the Wiluna postal pack for the job at hand. It all went to plan and now the boy is running the right gear to tackle the track conditions on Wiluna North Road. Mum also popped in the pack, a new flag that she made out a high vis vest. Great job darling. Banjo looks the goods!! In addition I have an extra battery bank which means I can charge up my essentials for a week before needing access to power. I have solar panels as a back up if needed.

The resident magpies and cat kept me company while I did my choirs. I shared some cheese slices, bread and oats with them so I was in their good graces and they were all happiness. It was nice hanging out together and it made the prep day also relaxing.

I had difficulty seating the tyres back into place with the hand pump. It’s the one bit of essential kit that continues to be my nemesis. There’s a couple of guys staying at the campgrounds while they do work in the area. They’re out in the neighbouring bush land taking samples for a mining company and we’re back at camp after lunch.

I asked them if I could used their compressor to seat Banjos tyres. Unfortunately their compressor wasn’t working so I used their foot pump instead. It worked a treat. It’s a ‘slime’ brand foot pump from Repco that retails for about $30.

It’s only about 500g and folds down compact. I took a picture and have asked the family to see if they can pick one up for the parcel pack in Marble Bar. Yay!!!!!

It will make such a difference to be more independent and confident in managing his tyre pressures. There’s still a long way to go and on remote tracks at times. This will give us more peace of mind if it can work. Here’s hoping!!!

We were done by 6pm. Perfect timing to call the family over twilight with the evening star.

Tonight I’m enjoying dinner sitting in the camp kitchen at the campgrounds. It’s full of rustic charm and atmosphere and a chill way to end my stay here at Gunbarrel Laager Travellers Rest.

A special thank you to the manager Jasmine who has made my stay comfy and cosy in my room. They let me use the laundry facilities for free today and with the sunny day my gear is now squeaky clean and ready to get dirty again.

It’s a long haul from Wiluna to Halls Creek that I have broken down into smaller sections. The first is 5 days from Wiluna to Newman. Wiluna North Road is approximately 200km to the junction with the Great Northern Highway. From there we turn right for 89km on sealed road to the Kumarini Roadhouse. That should take us 3 days/2nights depending on the conditions. There’s a campground at the roadhouse where we can stay and water up. It’s then 2 days/1 night to Newman. I’ve watered up for the first leg to the roadhouse so we’re all good to get underway in the morning. Let’s see what the next days bring. For now its 3 degrees and time to get ready for a cosy bed. Oh bliss!! Night and talk soon xx

Distance today 117km at 18km/hr

TOTALS: Distance 4687km Donations $6796.09. Days remaining 72. Deserts: Sturt Stony, Strzelecki, Tirari, Gibson, Great Victorian. Tracks: Birdsville, Oodnadatta, Red Centre Way, Great Central Road.

Note to new readers: I am travelling with my bike who’s name is Banjo. I often refer to ‘we’ meaning Banjo and I. ‘We’ have an amazing support team of family, friends, sponsors and folk we meet each day. But it’s still up to ‘us’ to face the challenge and tackle each day one peddle at a time.

It’s 9.15pm on Wednesday the 7 July 2021.

I apologise for the skinny upload of photos over the last days but the internet connection here at Gunbarrel Laager Travellers Rest is a bit slow. Hence the late post for today. Not that I’m complaining. Jasmine, the manager has let me stay here for free and has put me up in a room with dinner included. What a treat and so appreciated. Wiluna has been welcoming.

I arrived in the aboriginal township at about 3pm and stocked up on food for the next days while we do ours preps for stage 6 – Wiluna to Halls Creek (29 days). The roadhouse is also the local post office and I popped in to ask about my postal packs. The campgrounds are 12 km out of town and I wasn’t sure if I could carry them on Banjo. The lady at the post office offered to drop them off on her way home from work. Bonus!!!! This saved me riding into town in the morning before I could start changing the boy’s tubes and silicone and giving him a service. Sooo grateful!!!! I was in the shower when they arrived, so I missed saying thank you in person. But I’ll be going through town again on my way to Wiluna North Road and will pop into the post office to thank the ladies.

I’m very excited about sleeping in a bed and banjo is tucked safely outside my donger lap enjoying a well deserved rest.

It’s been hard going the last few days with a gusty headwind and lots of hills and gradient inclines. I’ve had little contact with folk except for exchanging waves which is important but it’s very easy to get too much in my head. Today we made an extra effort to stay open and take notice to see what we could spot along the way. A positive mindset makes all the difference to energy levels especially in a headwind that can take its toll on my mood after a few hours. Yesterday I felt the pinch in the last hour and today I was keen to pace myself well and enjoy the whole day to its full.

The day was blue skies fresh and inviting to hit the road early at 730am. I was keen to do most of our ride before the wind blew up later morning.

We crossed the range early in the ride and the colours in the rocky landscape were vivid in the morning light. The wind blew up early but we were often sheltered by hills and shrubbery close to the roadside. The road also meandered a lot giving some relief from the headwind.

We soon entered the Wiluna Shire. The road sign refers to the area as “The edge of the desert.” That’s very fitting!!!! It’s also the gateway to the famous desert tracks, The Gunbarrel Highway and the Canning Stock Route. The CSR was originally on our itinerary but it’s now closed due to COVID to protect the communities along the route. That’ll have fo wait until next time round 🤣

We passed a massive Nickle mine owned by BHP. At first I thought it was another range. However as I got closer I could see that Mt Keith had been cut into with layered excavations. The size of the project was overwhelming.

At our first wee break, I noticed a baby native with red bells like the one I saw yesterday. the ground was covered with crystals of all shapes and sizes. A heart shape one caught my attention

I also noticed a native shrub that had regenerated from what looked like a dead stick. Our desert plants are tested under the harshest conditions and it’s amazing to appreciate their resilience.

Wiluna is a real milestone for our challenge as it’s approximately at the half way. I felt very chuffed arriving into town and celebrated with a snake and thumbs up. Well done to the ‘10desertchallenge’ community. What a team effort that makes our effort on the road, all the more worthwhile.

Beds calling. It’s after 10pm and a big day of logistics tomorrow. Night and talk soon xx

Distance today 99.3km at 17km/hr

TOTALS: Distance 4470km Donations $6746.09. Days remaining 74. Deserts: Sturt Stony, Strzelecki, Tirari, Gibson, Great Victorian. Tracks: Birdsville, Oodnadatta, Red Centre Way, Great Central Road.

Note to new readers: I am travelling with my bike who’s name is Banjo. I often refer to ‘we’ meaning Banjo and I. ‘We’ have an amazing support team of family, friends, sponsors and folk we meet each day. But it’s still up to ‘us’ to face the challenge and tackle each day one peddle at a time.

It’s 630pm on Monday the 5 July 2021.

My goodness I love ninja camping. I’ve missed it being 5 days since we said our goodbyes to stage 5 on the Great Central Road. Now we’re in stage 6 – Laverton to Wiluna and back amongst desert country yay.

Ninja camping’ for those who are new to our posts,is when we camp wild and discreet not too far off the road but enough to be tucked away and unawares to any passing traffic. It was born on the great central road as a safety measure during the night. But I’ve grown to love the rich experience.

The serenity of being amongst the desert landscape under a night sky of stars is addictive. It’s so silent except for the occasional bird call. I find all the senses wake up and attune to the enchantment of Mother Nature. I feel at home and grounded in the simplicity and especially connected as part of nature. It’s a beautiful time to settle into my camp routine and the perfect setting to share my post from the day.

The first thing I do after setting up camp is message my family that I’m safe and stopped for the night. My Inreach mini is a satellite device that lets me have two way text messaging to family. I love that we can still share outside of phone service. I can also briefly update my socials on Facebook and Twitter. Technology can be amazing to stay connected and connectedness is everything for my health and wellbeing. The device also tracks my progress that you can follow on the Mapshare link on my blog. In an emergency it can send an SOS to a 24/7 monitoring agency that negotiates an appropriate response messages updates so I know what’s happening. I have insurance to cover the cost of a rescue if necessary. It’s a great and essential bit of safety kit!!!!! You see it taped to the front strap of my backpack in the photos and it’s always charged and ready to keep us safe each day!! Great peace of mind for me and my family.

I packed up this morning and was ready to get underway at 8am. Then Brian came over to say hello and invited me to have a cuppa and breakfast with him. He’s from Hays Point near MacKay and was interesting to talk with. Brian’s travelling in his 6WD ex army troopie. It’s a beast of a car that he bought at an army auction. It’s all decked out in camouflage and capacity to travel 2000km without needing services. Very cool indeedy. We enjoyed a few cuppas and quality conversations about his travels in Australia. Like many folk, he’s unable to cross the SA border from WA with border closures still in place. He’s considering heading up north the same way we’re going, to get back to Queensland via the NT. All the best with your travels mate and I may see you later down the track. Brian made a donation of $20 to support our fundraising for beyondblue. Thanks for your generosity and time shared over breaky.

I stopped off at the shops on the way out of town to buy some snakes and make a last call to my family. Dawn and Dylan were collecting bottles and cans as they do for pocket money and Mum was busy counting cans for the recycling centre. I got to speak to the boy and find out how his school holidays are going and what they have planned for this week now out of lockdown. He gave me my third mission to get a picture of a desert bird. We’ve already ticked off a cactus plant and thorny devil lizard, so now I’m on the lookout again. I passed a road sign coming into Leonora to look out for wedge tail eagles. That’d be very cool for the little man.

It was after 930am when we got underway and into the headwind that kept us company for the day. The ride was slow going and a bit of a slog but we broke it up in 25km blocks. I gave the mind a Minty and Werthers Original caramel to play with for 10kms each then a snake for the last 5 kms before having a break. This helps chip away the kms and stay in a good headspace with the wind.

The road was quite undulating with flood plains and hills up over small ranges. The countryside was desert red sand with low lying shrubs and lots of rocky outcrops. There were a few clouds about intermittent with blue skies which always makes a great contrast with the desert colours. This is gold mining country and there were a number of large scale mine sites that I passed during the day.

One in particular was the size of a small mountain range with its excavations. From a distance it looked like a smoke haze from a fire. But as I got closer I could see it was massive tractors working on the different levels. They looked so small in contrast and it was really interesting to check out. At the top of a rise, I could back and appreciate the extent of the gold mining site.

It was also apparent how much rain they have had in the area with fields of green shoots near waterways. The greenery looked so out of place in their surroundings but are a sign that spring will be a sensation with wildflowers come September.

We timed our breaks at rest areas where we could to get off the road and out of the wind. I noticed a new flowering native that was showing off its red hanging bells in the afternoon light.

There’s mostly mining traffic on the road with lots of trucks and road trains. They’re all very gracious giving us a wide birth and honk on the air horn. I spent the day waving my hellos to all the drivers to show a respect. Some trucks are wide loads and have a pilot car warning their approach. We were passed by two trucks carrying mine trucks that are like the biggest Tonka Toys. I like big trucks 🤣

With 15km to go I was keen to get off the road and thinking about camp. We were counting down the kms when I spotted this small side track. 99.3km and good enough to finish our ride for the day. I navigated Banjo through the spinifex to a spot that worked. I noticed that the spines from spinifex plants can snap off once it gets old and brittle. A spiny clump remains at ground level that still super sharp. It can be easily missed so it was a good pick up to watch out for when we leave the track for breaks and camping. I got the boys back 👍

We set up ninja camp in time for sunset and savoured the twilight sky over a cuppa. The night sky is big and bright tonight with the Milky Way overhead in all its glory. I used the SkyView app on my phone to do some star gazing. Mars and Venus popped their heads up over the horizon. The app lets me take photos to share. A beautiful way to celebrate our first ninja camp to Wiluna. Time for dinner and bed. Talk soon xx

Distance today 100.5km at 18km/hr

TOTALS: Distance 4570km Donations $6796.09. Days remaining 73. Deserts: Sturt Stony, Strzelecki, Tirari, Gibson, Great Victorian. Tracks: Birdsville, Oodnadatta, Red Centre Way, Great Central Road.

Note to new readers: I am travelling with my bike who’s name is Banjo. I often refer to ‘we’ meaning Banjo and I. ‘We’ have an amazing support team of family, friends, sponsors and folk we meet each day. But it’s still up to ‘us’ to face the challenge and tackle each day one peddle at a time.

It’s 7.00pm on Tuesday the 6 July 2021.

I’m hanging out with ‘old man emu’ in the Milky Way. It’s right in front of me to the east and reaching out to hold my heart safe and sound. What a beautiful night. It’s still chilly but without that edge and I can sit under the stars in comfort.

We hit the 100km mark this afternoon and soon after noticed this red gravel shoulder leaving the roadway. It led own into a clearing of low lying vegetation and rocks. There’s a rocky escarpment to the south and the desert plain between is sparse and picture perfect. Great ninja camp 2 to Wiluna.

I woke this morning before sunrise and the growing light was glowing off Banjo. Morning handsome!!!! Time for a cuppa to wake up for the day. It was a long night with lots of road trains passing. They sound like rockets especially in the night and made sleeping a bit tricky.

It was a slow start to the day but I took the time to savour the spot around camp. Dead trees and branches were in different stages of decay putting valuable nutrients back into the soil. Other trees and shrubs were benefiting with new shoots of growth. It was special to appreciate the cycle and how nature works so well to sustain life.

I finished packing up camp and safely wheeled the boy back out to the roadway to start our days ride.

The weather was blue skies across the many open plains. The rocky outcrops were more weathered sprawling rocks over the red shady fields. We passed a number of wind turbines which is exciting to see natural energy being harvested. It also means wind is a commodity and blows up with a force at times.

The Goldfields Highway was born from the gold rush era going back to the mid to late 1800s. Lots of folk are still drawn to the thrill of prospecting like Bob and Chris who I met in Laverton. They head out to the tracks where they’re allowed to try their luck with a permit. I passed one of the tracks today, ‘The Lawlers-Darlot Track.’ The entrance had an information sign offering an insight into its history. The sign read, “The stampede to Lake Darlot was one of the great rushes of the 1890s.” The track was cut by men risking their lives to strike it rich. The gold fever took many lives especially those unprepared with food and water to face the harsh conditions. It’s incredible to imagine the perils and risks taken in the goldfields of old. The irony is the massive industry that’s present along the highway today. Road trains are by the numbers, taking excavations and other natural resources to/from mine sites. It’s a massive industry with economic benefit and lots of money invested by companies to sustain the mining community. I can’t help wonder what impact were causing in the process and the long term costs of the gains.

We had our first break at 25kms into the ride and 180km out from Wiluna. It’s a chance to restock the lollie supply for the next stint and enjoy portions of breaky and a wee break.

It was a blue sky day and the headwind didn’t develop attitude until the afternoon. This made the morning ride more enjoyable to appreciate the countryside.

I noticed more patches of greenery that were more developed from the shoots I saw yesterday. They’re actually spinifex seedlings all very green in their early stages of growth.

I also came across fields of native ‘cactus’ shrubs. They grow like aloe vera but with hardier stems that are spiked. Dylan got his picture of a spikey desert plant after all. It’s a little more authentic than the towering exotic I found back beside the pool at the Eulandra Resort on our way west to Uluru.

There are many sections of open floodways along the Goldfields highway as there has been on all the roads. When it rains, it takes very little to flood the roads. The landscape is so clever the way it channels any precious rainfall towards its waterways. One section of road has been built up about 3 metres to cross an expanse of floodway. For now it’s an open plain of salt and sparse shrubs waiting for the next rain to bring relief. I can understand with the amount of traffic that the mining industry would be keen to continue business as usual and not be subject to road closures during the wet. A lot of money has been spent on the road to carry such a volume of heavy vehicles. So far it’s all sealed.

We climbed a small range where there was an entrance to another mining site. I stopped to check it out and noticed I had reception. It was wonderful to call my partner to say hi and share our day. The energy levels were low today and it was a pick me up to connect with home. What a bonus before Wiluna tomorrow.

The afternoon was windy and by this stage I was tired and a bit over it. I had done 90kms by 3pm. It was slow going for the next 10km and I was done once we hit the 100kms. The spot for our camp was perfectly timed.

It was so appreciated to stop where the scenery was raw and stunning. The cloud cover was patterned in fluffy cotton buds making sunset a delight of colour. It’s quite wooded in the neighbouring field and the birds were soothing over a cuppa to take it all in.

So it’s 100kms into Wiluna tomorrow all going well. The plan is to start early and have most of the kms done before the wind blows up after lunch. Good plan so let’s see how we go. Tomorrow’s a new day and for now we’re loving our desert camp along the Goldsfield Highway. Time for dinner. ‘Old Man Emu’ says goodnight. He’s as clear as day in the Milky Way tonight. Talk soon xx

Distance today 11km at 14km/hr

TOTALS: Distance 4164km. Donations $6746.09 Days remaining 75. Deserts: Sturt Stony, Strzelecki, Tirari, Gibson, Great Victorian. Tracks: Birdsville, Oodnadatta, Red Centre Way, Great Central Road.

Note to new readers: I am travelling with my bike who’s name is Banjo. I often refer to ‘we’ meaning Banjo and I. ‘We’ have an amazing support team of family, friends, sponsors and folk we meet each day. But it’s still up to ‘us’ to face the challenge and tackle each day one peddle at a time.

It’s 9.53pm on Sunday the 4 July 2021.

Super quick post tonight given the time. But I must start off with sharing….. I’VE FINALLY UPDATED MY MEDIA FILES YEEEEHAAAA!!!!

Today started with a beautiful sunrise and all set to peddle it to Leinster at 140km.

We were only 6km into our ride and it was clear that we weren’t going to make that distance. A strong northwesterly blew up overnight and is set in for the next days. This means a decent headwind that makes that sort of distance a bit beyond my reach. We were only watered up or a days ride so we turned on our tails and headed back to the campgrounds to prepare for a 3 day / 2 night ride to Wiluna. This lets us aim for a more doable 100km/day. However I also needed to recharge the electronics and by this time it was midday. We only had a few hours of riding left in the day. Time for plan C. The manager lady let me stay another night here in Leonora so we can leave early for a full days ride. I had the afternoon to finally figure out what was going on with uploading media files.

After lots of exploring, I realised I had used up all my storage in WordPress and needed to upgrade. I also ‘Airdropped’ all my videos from my better phone and deleted them creating more space. So instead of 13 GB I now have 200 which will do nicely!!!!

While I was working through all this, I had a walk through town and got a better feel or it’s outback charm.

Ive now been able to go back over my posts since ‘Ninja Camp 1 to Tjukayarlia’ and upload some media to add to the sharing. If you would like, please check out the posts and get a better feel for our last days on The Great Central Road.

It’s a relief to have that sorted now. Posting enables us to share the challenge with you and brings meaning to our day to day. It keeps us connected to what matters most and I’m grateful to be able to do that now in a way that works best. The photos and video we take during the day is all about sharing. We’re now back online to share a fuller picture of the experience. Time for dinner and bed. Talk soon xx

Distance today 123km at 22km/hr average

TOTALS: Distance 4153km Donations $6712.09. Days remaining 77. Deserts: Sturt Stony, Strzelecki, Tirari, Gibson, Great Victorian. Tracks: Birdsville, Oodnadatta, Red Centre Way, Great Central Road.

It’s 715pm on Saturday the 3 June 2021

I’m still not able to upload my media files so that’s a bit of a bugga. I was thinking during the ride today that it my be storage thing as my phone is close to capacity. So when I arrived here at Leonora I changed my phones over as I have a spare that’s got double the storage. Unfortunately after all that process, it’s still not letting me upload media files into my blogs. I’m hoping it’s an internet thing and not another issue but I’ll just have to wait and see. For now we just have to manage with our imaginations instead of having the media to help share our story.

I woke this morning early and enjoyed a hot shower to warm up the body for the ride. Nice!!!! I was all ready to head off at 8am when I met Bob and Chris from the Northern Territory. They’re a couple of ‘gold diggers’ enjoying their next prospecting trip in the area.

About 50km out of Leonora town we entered the shire. The road signage said ‘Welcome to the shire of Leonora Gold and Nickel Country – Home of the golden gift.’

There were a number of campers at Laverton who were doing day trips this way to try their luck. Bob and Chris were explaining that you need a mining permit to prospect on any of the sites. There’s mining inspectors that patrol the area. You can get big fines and have your gear confiscated if you don’t have a permit. They said ‘bugga that’ the little gold they find is too precious to then lose. They showed me a picture of the nuggets they have found in this trip so far.

They have 9 little nuggets all under the size of a Panadol tablet that they were photographed next too. Bob and Chris look the part with grey long beards and weathered complexions. But they are full of character with cheeky grins, a glint in their eyes and a wicked sense of humour. I really enjoyed talking with them. Big fun!!!! They joked about the amount of money they spend on gear and travelling they’d be better off just buying gold to invest. But where’s the fun in that!!! They passed me on the road out to one of their favourite spots for the day. Chris called out, ‘you ready for a tow yet!!!’ Maybe next time around mate 🤣 They also shared a photo of a Thorny Desert Lizard they found in some fire wood. I sent the photo onto Dylan as my next mission is to find him a picture of a desert lizard. He was very excited and wondered if they drop their thorny tails to escape predators.

It was after 930am before I finally said my goodbyes as I still needed time to get through my kms to Leonora. John and Sandy saw us off and got a picture of me and Banjo all set to go!!!

It was perfect conditions for riding with blue skies and a cheeky breeze that was on our tail. On our way out of town we passed a patch of desert peas growing by the roadside and stopped for a photo. The desert pea is Laverton’s emblem so very fitting to appreciate as we said our goodbyes and thank you’s for a productive couple of days.

The Laverton-Leonora Road is fully sealed making riding a treat. The boy travelled well with his repaired tube and better tread. The area is mining country and we passed many turn offs to mining sites. The traffic was mostly work vehicles and trucks servicing the mines. We spent the day exchanging waves and thumbs up which kept the good vibes and energy levels up. We divided the ride into 5 lots of 25km and chipped away feeling pretty good. It was nice to be moving gain after a couple of days rest and the body’s always happier being active.

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The countryside was red clay based and mostly barren still with a dessert feel.

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There were large areas where recent fires had gone through. It was amazing to see how it was regenerating with fresh growth at the base of the burnt out trunks. A lady I spoke to at the pub in Laverton made a special mention about about the regrowth on this stretch of road. I appreciated how Mother Nature gets busy rebuilding her handsome natives that flourish after fire.

We arrived at Leonora just before 4pm and happy with our kms and ride for the day. The lady at the campground has let us stay for free to support our cause. So appreciated as always. It’s now starting to get a bit super chill and we’re still to have dinner so I might finish up there. I hope to be on the road by 8am for an early start. We aim to reach Leinster tomorrow about 140km away so an early night sounds the go!!! Night and talk soon xx

Distance today: Rest day Laverton

TOTALS: Distance 4153km Donations $6712.09. Days remaining 77. Deserts: Sturt Stony, Strzelecki, Tirari, Gibson, Great Victorian. Tracks: Birdsville, Oodnadatta, Red Centre Way, Great Central Road.

Note to new readers: I am travelling with my bike who’s name is Banjo. I often refer to ‘we’ meaning Banjo and I. ‘We’ have an amazing support team of family, friends, sponsors and folk we meet each day. But it’s still up to ‘us’ to face the challenge and tackle each day one peddle at a time.

It’s 730pm on Friday the 2 July 2021.

It’s brrrrr this evening in Laverton. The temperature range is 4-17 degrees. This means the day starts and ends in the down jacket and thermals with a T-shirt and shorts over midday. It’s a real contrast. But the skies are clear blue and fresh for our 125km to Leonora tomorrow.

We’re fully ready to head off now after a couple of days of getting our ‘to dos’ all done ✔️ The only thing I haven’t been able to manage is uploading media files for the last series of posts. That’ll have to wait until the internet is a bit more gutsy. Hopefully Leonora has better access tomorrow.

Today started with an phone chat with Nick Crawford from the Moreton Daily/Dolphin News back home. Nick continues to be such a support for our challenge and this will be his fourth article to promote our cause. I love how our contact has evolved from early April when we were still in the planning stage. Now we’re 2 months into our adventure and able to share actual stories that are every bit and more than we hoped for. Thank you Nick for your continued enthusiasm and genuine care. You are very much a part of the 10desertchallenge community. I particularly appreciate the leap of faith you took supporting the challenge as a concept and it’s very special for me to share the reality of our adventure as it continues.

Banjo had a make over this morning and now has shiny components and better tread on his front and rear tyres. We’ll need every bit of it for the next two stages to Halls Creek. It’s 2350kms in total. Stage 6 is Laverton to Wiluna (435kms/5 days) via the Laverton-Leonora Road and the Goldfields Highway. Stage 7 is Wiluna to Halls Creek (1925km/29 days) via the Wiluna North Road, Marble Bar Road and the Great Northern Highway. Lots of kms for lots of stories. I can’t wait to share every moment with you.

After lunch we headed out to try and find some better internet connection. The town has a resource centre with wifi but unfortunately the speed just isn’t there to upload any photos let alone video. We tried. In the process I met some really cool folk at the local cafe, pub and resource centre who were wanting so much to hear our story and lend a hand.

I was keen to get to the post office to send home some things and managed that before it closed at 3.30pm. Then it was to the general store for some last minute supplies to top up dinners and fuel canisters. Back at the campgrounds I caught up with my neighbours, John and Sandy from

Mornington Peninsula in Victoria. We’ve had lots of contact over the last days and they’re very caring folk. I have learnt a lot from John. He runs a truck business with his son and is very knowledgeable about machinery in general. He and Sandy went to Leonora today and came back with two different tyre sealants for vehicles in the hope we could use it. Unfortunately it’s not compatible but what a darling and generous gesture. He’s also given me his set of CO2 canisters and device to use if we need to get some quick air into banjos tyres. He didn’t accept any money and said it was their contribution to help the cause. Thank you to you both for your support and good company over the last days 🙏 Safe travels.

While I was finishing the last bit of packing for the day, Phyllis came over to make a donation. She and her husband have been prospecting for gold and head home tomorrow to Albany. Thx Phyllis. It was really lovely to meet you. Thank you for opening your heart about the impact of mental health in your life and I wish you and your family lots of unconditional love and closeness. I really appreciate your words of encouragement and generous donation.

Time for some dinner and bed. Talk soon xx

Distance yesterday 65km at 14km/hr. Rest day today

TOTALS: Distance 4153km Donations $6662.09. Days remaining 78. Deserts: Sturt Stony, Strzelecki, Tirari, Gibson, Great Victorian. Tracks: Birdsville, Oodnadatta, Red Centre Way, Great Central Road.

Note to new readers: I am travelling with my bike who’s name is Banjo. I often refer to ‘we’ meaning Banjo and I. ‘We’ have an amazing support team of family, friends, sponsors and folk we meet each day. But it’s still up to ‘us’ to face the challenge and tackle each day one peddle at a time.

It’s 8.00pm on Thursday the 2 July 2021.

We woke Wednesday morning to blue skies and a stunning day all set to get through some serious kms. Banjo boy had a flat back tyre that I imagined we got on our way into camp. I pumped up his tyre, packed up camp and enjoyed a cuppa before heading off.

Unfortunately the sealant didn’t hold and soon into the ride, we had to stop and repeat the process. His tyre was still loosing air and I stopped again to reassess. A car came pass and it was Danny who I met in Warburton.

He’s a mechanic from Perth who travels out to remote communities to service vehicles. He was working on one of the vehicles at the roadhouse and we had a chat during my overnight stay there. He was all smiles and hellos and happy to use his compressor to help us out. It was nice to touch base again and he was hoping to get a game of golf in at Kalgoorlie, covid permitting. Banjo and his 4WD looked vey manly together all dirtied up in desert red dust. He promised to stay in touch through Facebook and we got underway again to see if the higher pressure would do the trick.

Sadly no, and we had to stop again another 10kms on. Another car came by and we met Sarah and her dog Bunny, also travelling to ‘Kal.’ Sarah works for Communities and was on her way to Victoria providing her work permit gets approved to cross the border. She didn’t have a compressor but she did have a bag of Fantails that she shared. Thank you darling lady, they were just what we needed for the day ahead. At that time a colleague of hers came past travelling back to Warburton and she was able to help out. We said our ‘goodbyes’ and ‘good lucks’ and wee underway again.

Another 10 kms on and it was the same deal. Bugga!!!! Another car came past with two workers who were on their way to service the generators at Tjukayarlia. They weren’t carrying any air but offered to hold Banjo while I gave the hand pump another go. The lads headed off and we held our breath to see if this time would be any better.

Nope!!!!!

No cars and in a pickle. I tried at least a half dozen times to use the hand pump while balancing banjo. It was ‘very tricky and very exhausting. We’d pump up his tyre, ride 5kms, pump up his tyre, ride 5kms and so on…. you get the picture. At about 2.30pm we had done about 65km. I knew it was time to dismantle the boy and try to repair him with a patch. I also noticed that silicone was escaping from the base of his valve which meant his issues may be more than a puncture. I wasn’t keen to do any repairs on the roadside so was about to pump him up one more time and find a camp for the night so we could deal with it safely.

At this time another 4WD came along heading towards Laverton. I waved him down and couldn’t believe my eyes when he wound down the window. It was the aboriginal police officer from Warakurna. If you recall, he was one of the police officers who stopped on our way into Warakurna to see if we were okay. He was all smiles and delighted to see us again.

I explained the situation and we agreed it was best to get a lift into Laverton so I could deal with the situation in a safe place. No arguments from me. At this stage I was exhausted physically and emotionally and was so relieved he was going our way. He had just taken unplanned leave and was driving to Geraldine for a family funeral. It was a bizarre set of circumstances and we were very thankful for his help.

So banjo got dismantled and strapped to the top of his car and I sat with the pannier bags on my lap and footwell. His car was otherwise full of gear but I would have been happy to be strapped on the roof with Banjo if need be 🤣 We enjoyed the best chats for the 140kms into Laverton.

He told me more about his background and work at Warakurna. Policing in the communities is very different to metropolitan police work. Response is more negotiated through follow up as there’s no back up and no room for going in for the hard arrest when tensions are high. It was super interesting listening to his open sharing and passion for his work. He spoke about why the mob just leave their cars abandoned by the roadside when they break down.

Apparently when a car breaks it’s seen as bad luck, so they remove the parts they need and burn the wreckage to get rid of the burden. He also said when a person is killed in a car accident their spirit wonders the road. A spiritual leader then conducts a ceremony whereby the person’s spirit can leave with the family members.

I so appreciated being able to gain some more insight into the culture differences and challenges through his perspective. I only know this man as the officer in charge of Warakurna but I thank him with all my heart for his openness, uncanny timing and generous kindness. I wish him and his family all the best in Geraldine.

He dropped me off in Laverton Campgrounds and I am staying here for a couple of days to fix the boy and reset for the next stage to Wiluna. Last night was about calling and updating family with what had happened.

Today I have been able to repair the boys tyre, do some shopping, wash the gear and pick up my next postal pack. It looks like the patch is holding so far. There was a 5mm gash in his tube most likely from a stone. All the silicone has come out through the gash and that’s what was escaping through the base of the valve. Mum and dad have sent a spare tube and silicone to Wiluna so we’re all set now to continue our challenge Saturday. Any punctures between here and there we’ll just have to patch so all good 👍

I also had my old set of tyres sent here so I can put the best set on the boy for the long haul to Halls Creek. Apparently it’s the rear tyre that wears quicker than the front. The back tyre bares the brunt of the weight and traction. The front tyres of my old and new set are still pretty good so I’ll run these and send the rear tyres back home. There’s still some life in them and at $200 bucks each, every km is $ saved.

So that’s tomorrow’s choirs; changing tyres, cleaning the boy, posting home some gear and shopping for extra items I may need. I also want to upload my media for the last posts as the internet has slow connection after 6pm. For now it’s time for a later dinner and bed. Nice to finally send an update this evening. Talk soon xx