The 10 desert challenge

Day 56 Ninja camp 1 to Tjukayirla

Distance today 82km at 18.3km/hr average

Total distance 3893km. Donations $6162.09. Deserts 4/10. Days remaining 83.

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 6pm on Saturday the 26 June 2021.

The moon hasn’t risen as yet so the evening star and his early mates are shining pride of place in the night sky. It’s a beautiful night and I’m savouring the silence. This time of night is so quiet with a stillness that’s intoxicating. The wind stops and the birds have all tucked in for the night. So it’s just me, Banjo and the desert bush land hanging out on our first ninja camp to Tjukayirla.

I’m super pleased with the kms we did today after a late start waiting for the battery pack to recharge fully. Some of the mains power in the remote campgrounds is short of 240volts which the battery needs to charge overnight. I ended up trying the fridge plug and immediately the charging light was stronger.

It was 10.30am before we got underway but we spent the time with Rosemary and Tom who were having a chill morning cooking up a storm of buckwheat pancakes and tin pears. We had already devoured breakfast so respectfully declined their offer to join them. Instead we shared a few cuppas together and talked about mental health influences and the impact of family relationships. It was precious time spent and I loved their easy company. Tom got out his compressor to pump up his tyres for the day and we took advantage of the opportunity and topped up banjo as well. The bike valve adaptor is one of my favourite bits of kit these days. Thanks Mum and Dad. It continues to be a little silver thing big to make our day run smoother literally 🤣

The ride today was one of my favourites so far. It was much warmer and we had a slight tail wind which was so appreciated to get through the planned kms with the later start. The countryside was very different from what we have seen on the Great Central Road. It was an expanse of desert country, undulating, with long sections of straight red road reaching into the horizon. The blue skies made a stark contrast against the red desert dunes dotted with spinifex and native bush land.

10km into the ride we hit sealed road for about 25km which was big fun with the downhill sections of the undulations.

The road was a lot quieter being a Saturday, so we pretty much had the countryside to ourselves to enjoy.

The road became unsealed again just after the junction with the Heather Highway that links with the Gunbarrell Highway.

This is a remote desert track famous for part of the route that Robin Davidson took with her camels back in the 70s. Her book, ‘Tracks’ was made into an epic film. If you haven’t seen it consider checking it out. My partner, Dawn watched it recently and although it’s not her usual type of film, she raved about it too.

The moon has woken up later this evening and is stretching his handsome face over the horizon. Wild camps out here is about as remote as you can get and I truly love the experience. There’s no signs of dingos so far but there’s fresh camel tracks on the side road into our camp. I’ll keep an ear out for some camel stomps in the stillness.

We enjoyed some breaks on the roadside during the day and noticed lots of flowering bushes with intricate flowers. The birdlife was insane and we enjoyed riding alongside their ground level manoeuvres. Big fun!!!

We were getting close to doing our kms for the day when I spotted this side road and it was too good to pass by. It’s a great spot with no tire tracks. It tucks back behind road height for a perfect ninja camp.

During the day I found a fluorescent jacket by the roadside and stopped to cut a section off to tie to the back flag pole.

We did that and a few other choirs when we made camp and set up in time for a breathtaking sunset. What a spot!!!

Sunset lit up the natives including clumps of spinafex and honey grevillias that are seeding after flowering. I noticed red flowering upside down bushes along the side road and there’s clumps of a broad leaf ground plant with a spray of blue flowers. It amazes me how delicate the flowers are on many of the low lying shrubs in an area so arid and harsh. The intricate beauty is a tiny wonder amongst the vast desert plains. No wonder the beep beeps are happy.

I’ve just turned off my red head torch and am sitting in the moment. The moon is still low on the horizon and casting shadows on the natives and tent. I am so grounded in this environment and feel only love and appreciation. Even though I’m so far away in distance from my family they’re my gravity. I share every moment of this experience with them and the love is pure and limitless. Im so grateful for my family. You fuel a wellbeing that’s precious. Thinking of you my darlings 🙏🥰

It’s time for a hot cuppa and dinner of cheese sandwiches left over from Warburton. I’m looking forward to tucking cosy into bed from the night air. One of my favourite days and really lovely to share with you. Talk soon xxx

Day 57 Ninja camp 2 to Tjukayirla

Distance today 110.29km at 20.8km/hr average

Total distance 4005km. Donations $6162.09. Deserts 4/10. Days remaining 82

It’s 545pm on Sunday 27 June 2021.

We clocked over our 4000km today wooohooo!!! That was our goal today making tomorrow’s ride about 50km into Tjukayirla by lunchtime all going well.

We woke this morning to the moon still shining handsome on the horizon and the morning light was glowing on our great camp!!!

We also woke to our first frost!! Oh my goodness. I am so tucked away cosy in the tent with lots of layers inside the sleeping bag. So it was a real surprise this morning to see that it had got down to 0 degrees overnight. The awning on the tent was frosted over as was Banjos panniers. The early sun had a warmth so we popped the awning on the stony ground in the sun to defrost while I packed up camp.

We were ready to get underway at about 830am when the north easterly that was forecast kicked in with attitude. I was super pleased to be riding with that gust up our tail although the chill factor makes our breaks very short. 🤣 Banjos panniers are like a sail in the wind so it really impacts on our ride no matter which way it’s blowing. Today was bonus and we savoured the helping hand of a tail wind.

The flowers on the upside down plants were glowing red on the trackside back to the main road. They’re my favourite plant and so odd not like anything I’ve seen. They’re a unique feature on the great central road.

Fields of flowering spinafex has also made an appearance. It’s an enigma of a plant. It looks so fluffy with its top knot of soft flowering grass. But underneath its shades of green spikes are super sharp. Banjo has already taken a strong disliking to spinafex and calls it all sorts of names and gives them a wide birth. It’s a distance equals tyre safety thing for me and the boy!!!!

We passed a section of road cut through a red sand dune and the heads of the spinafex were blowing sideways in their clumps.

The colours are red, green and wheat like a paint chart. The contrasts are a natural family of heritage colours and a beautiful feature in the desert landscape.

The countryside in this area is such an expanse of plains, undulating across sand hills and floodways. I’m loving it on the bike and particularly so on the downhills that are always big fun and energising.

There was another section of sealed road today for about 30km and with the tail wind and downhills we were all smiles hitting speeds over 30km at times.

We did our first 50km in under 3 hours which set us up for some descent kms for the days ride.

I’m expecting there to be dingos tonight So we made dinner early but so far it’s all very quiet.

We passed lots of camel an dingo prints during the second half of the ride. The vegetation has become more dense with Mulga trees. Despite the number of fresh tracks, we didn’t spot any camels today but are on the look out. Other travellers have mentioned they can be seen in large herds and with babies. We’re on the look out again tomorrow. I know Dylan would love a picky of a baby camel.

I was thinking today about family and what a core value it is for me. It very much impacts on my wellbeing amd groundedness. The landscape really exposes the body, mind and soul to what matters most. I love this aspect of desert country. It seems to cut through the chaos and puts a spotlight on what counts.

I just turned my head torch off with a passing car and noticed how bright the stars are in numbers. With the moon rising later, the night sky is able to show off its Milky Way in all its brilliance of light and dust. ‘Old Man Emu’ can be seen in the negative dark space amongst the cluster. This was featured during the Astronomy film I saw as part of the free activities at Uluru Resort. it’s an impressive sight in the real. It’s one of those phenomena that once you notice the emu shape it’s so apparent. I can’t wait to share it with my family during our outback holiday at the end of the challenge.

I’m loving the time difference and being able to enjoy my routine of posting and dinner before the chill night air kicks in. On that note I’m going to enjoy dinner and a cuppa and the rest of the evening before tucking into bed. Night and talk soon. Xx

Day 58 Tjukayirla Roadhouse

Distance today 53.21km at 17.1km/hr average

Total distance 4005km. Donations $6562.09. Deserts 4/10. Days remaining 81

It’s 712pm on Monday the 28 June 2021

My goodness hasn’t COVID reared it’s head Australia wide. It’s all changed so much from this morning. I found out the news from people travelling on the road early on in the ride today. All the roadhouses along the Great Central Road are now closed except for petrol. That means the campgrounds and the stores are no longer open for travellers to use. My plan was to stay at the roadhouse and stock up for the next 3 days to Laverton. As I said to the lady at the roadhouse when I arrived at 11.30am, “I’m in a real pickle.” I explained my situation to her and she let me buy some noodles and biscuits to get through the next days. I asked her if I could camp somewhere outside the roadhouse and she said to stay in the campgrounds for their usual fee. How fortunate am I and so very grateful for her understanding. It was an honour to then spend the afternoon charging the electronics, repacking the boy and cleaning me and the gear to be all ready and set for the next 3 days/2 nights and the last leg to Laverton.

It’s bizarre to be the only person in the campgrounds. What a reality check how quickly the world can look when COVID cases show up. The aboriginal communities protect its people through strict lockdowns avoiding any contact with outside people when the communities are deemed at risk. I respect it but things sure looked tricky for a while there today. I’m very thankful I didn’t have to explore plan B as the options were limited.

But for now I’m sitting in the meal room with MasterChef on as background noise and I’m one very happy camper!!!! Thank you to the folk at Tjukayirla Roadhouse from my family and I and The10desertchallenge community, with all our hearts. Bless you!!!!

We were non the wiser when we woke this morning and packed up over a stunning sunrise.

It was a beautiful day and even though the road was a bit rough and the side wind was strong, we were happy to be riding the 50km to Tjukayirla.

It was finally ‘camel o’clock.’ Make that 3 camels; a mummy, daddy and not so little baby, walking towards us on the roadside 🤣 yay!!!!

Daddy was the biggest with darker patches on his head, hump and rump. He stayed on the road and kept a keen eye out on us while mummy and baby walked off safely. What as awesome protector he was, well done keeping your family safe. I managed to get some precious footage and photos and loved every moment of our meeting. Although they’re not native, camels are a huge part of our colonial history enabling explorers to trek our desert country. They looked very much at home and part of the landscape. It’s a great sight and particularly by bicycle which brings me up close and personal to nature’s best.

It was a day of ups, downs and ups again and the reality of the day is still hitting home. I was also able to buy a phone card to call the family as there’s only Optus service here. It was beautiful to catch up and hear about their last days. I love sharing our day to days with all my love my darlings!!!!

I’m really satisfied with how I’m accepting, adjusting and adapting to all the unplanned events that continue on the Great Central Road. Although it’s the worlds longest shortcut, it’s by no means a shortcut in experience. I’m loving the challenge of the environment and understanding more about the communities. Everyday continues to be a steep learning curve for this AAA energiser bunny!!! I’m quite chuffed and proud of myself for leaning into this next level of commitment and it feels great to feel this so deeply.

So we’re all ready to take on the next 3 days/2 nights into Laverton. Personal safety continues to be our foremost priority, as always, so we can keep sharing this remarkable adventure.

Time for dinner watching the last of MasterChef 🤣 Talk soon xx

Day 59 Ninja camp 1 to Laverton

Distance today 93.6km at 16km/hr

TOTALS: Distance 4153km Donations $6562.09. Days remaining 80. Deserts: Sturt Stony, Streztlecki, Tirari, Gibson, Great Victorian. Tracks: Birdsville, Oodnadatta, Red Centre Way, Great Central Road.

It’s 6pm on Tuesday the 29 June 2021.

I hear Brisbane’s going into a 3 day lockdown starting 6pm tonight. Hang in there everyone, Australia’s a bit hectic wide with COVID lockdowns, event cancellations and border closures. My family have been directly effected like many other folk. But I’m grateful our health authorities take strong action until we can contain the clusters. Here’s hoping this wave settles with minimal cases. The roll out of vaccinations gives some peace of mind.

An ambulance stopped today to check I was okay and they all had masks on in the car. I apologised for not having a mask on and they said it was just because they had multiple people in the car. I’ll have mine close at hand over the next days to put on if cars stop. Not that there’s much traffic on the road. It’s very quiet which is good in some ways, but I miss that contact during the day. But that’s just a slight hiccup given the state of the nation currently so all good to manage 👍

We woke today to a pink sunrise and was spoilt to be able to just pop over to the communal demountable to make a cuppa.

I admired our campsite through the window and again appreciated the opportunity we had to stay at Tjukayirla Roadhouse.

I spotted the lady manager in the grounds and again thanked her for their understanding and making such a huge positive difference in preparation for Laverton. It was very bizarre staying at an otherwise empty campground with just the beep beeps for company. And they were in numbers busy in the trees around he water tower and tanks. What a great place for nests. I love their positive busy energy!!!

We said our goodbyes to the campgrounds and the road to Laverton was open for day 1 of 3.

The weather was much warmer so I opted to wear my light thermal and pants with the legs taped up so they didn’t rub on the chain. I was still way over dressed as it turned out, so the sleeves were up and the legs were rolled into shorts for the most part of the day. The seam on the back pockets rub on the pressure sores on my bum so they’re not the best for riding in. The bottom cream made another appearance today along with some Panadol and ibuprofen to take the edge of with the bumpy ride. I’ll reassess depending on the weather in the morning. It might be time for shorts, singlet and shoulder wraps again which will be nice and lighter for a change. I’ve been rugged up riding for what seems like ages now.

The first 40km of the day went well. It was red sandy soft and corrugated but we were able to find a less bumpy path on the road shoulders. The red sandy conditions were a real change.

I stopped on our first break to orientate ourselves on the map. We are passing the Great Victorian Desert to the South East which is very cool. That makes 5/10 of our desert challenge to date. Thumbs up milestone. 👍

The next stage was tougher going and we just no options but to bump along slowly over the corrugations that were a constant. The wind changed to a warm southwesterly headwind and the road was an incline gradient. A lot tougher indeedy. We’re also missing our minties as I didn’t think to ask for a packet of lollies back at Tjukyirla. But I’m just happy to have basic meals covered under the circumstances. So we just slogged through each 5km set and rewarded ourselves by getting safely through our kms for the day. It makes me appreciate the lollie stash a bit more that’s for sure 🤣

It’s been a warmer day today but a wind chill has just kicked in so it’s time for the down jacket to be a bit more cosier while I post and have dinner. Clouds came across this afternoon with a bit of attitude and wind behind them and we cycled through our first shower. Nothing too menancing but the wind was pretty gusty and kept the speed low for the last couple of hours. We enjoyed a glimmer of a rainbow when it started to clear.

It was a bit of a slogathon for the last 15km and I was happy to click over the 90km given the conditions and kept an eye out for a camp. At 93km I spotted a promising side track and checked it out for our first ninja camp to Laverton.

The spot is perfect to tuck ourselves away safely and banjo is strapped between two bushes all sturdy and away from the clumps of spinifex that are around the camp. The ground is red dust like bull dust and it gets into everything 🤣 We’re definitely camping in different desert conditions tonight. There’s ants about that you could put a saddle on. So we have layed out the tarp and sprayed it with insect repellent to keep them at bay. Not enough noodles to go round.

We were able to set up quickly before a shower hit around 4pm. I tucked myself under the tarp and enjoyed the rainbow that came out with the sun. It was a double full half circle and a stunning sight in the afternoon light. The camp looked amazing in the scenery and sky.

We savoured sunset and twilight with a cuppa over texting the family to share our days.

A covid case has directly effected the Sandgate community with Woolworths and the local gym being places the person visited over the last days. What a reality check how quickly we can be impacted during lockdown. The close community must be unsettled and my heart goes out to everyone to stay close and connected during this time. Sandgate still has a village feel for an outer suburb of Brisbane and the community will be feeling the impact of the cluster being on their doorstep. Love to everyone as always and especially during these anxious times.

The road’s quite close but we’re well tucked behind the shrubbery and out of sight from passing cars. I can hear the occasional car coming from such a long instance away. They initially sound like planes passing overhead then gradually get closer. It’s so loud as they pass like a road train in the stillness of the night.

Time for dinner and an early night. I plan to get underway early tomorrow to try and knock over as many Kms as we can for the day. We’ll aim for well over 100kms, conditions permitting, to make it an earlier finish into Laverton. One day at a time but and me and the boy have to travel safe and well to make that happen. The road apparently gets better on the second half which should be about 50km into tomorrow’s ride. Apparently it’s been recently graded and in good condition. Then the last 100kms are sealed from what I’ve been told. Here’s hoping!!!! Night and talk soon xxxx The double serve of corn noodles are delish by the way. Thx Tjukayarlia.

Day 53 Wild Camp 1 to Warburton

Distance today 72km 14km/hr average

Total distance 3713km. Donations $5962.09. Deserts 3/10. Days remaining 86.

It’s 6pm on Wednesday the 23 June 2021.

The time difference for WA kicked in today and it’s odd being so dark and early. It’s good heads up about travelling time. A 330pm finish allows us 1 hour to set up camp before sunset o’clock which is about 4.40pm.

It’s a beautiful evening with the moon just a couple of days before being full.

It seems a long time ago when we had the last full moon and lunar Eclipse on the Birdsville Track. There’s so much light which is awesome because I’m in Ninja mode camped by the roadside behind beep beep bushes. Not much need for the head torch with the moon so bright and comforting.

The westerly wind that was blowing a treat today has backed right off which has made for a more comfortable night under the moon and stars. It’s very cold but and I have all my gear on including the gortex jacket and pants to cut out the air. I’m toasty warm and settling in for a cosy night. It’s very appreciated being off the road and tucked away out of sight but still close to the roadside for easy access in the morning. It’ll be an earlier start now with the time difference and still allowing 8+ hours of riding to chip away at the kms for the day. We need to be on the road between 7-730 latest. But it also means earlier to bed so all good.

We woke this morning with blue skies a frost brrrr. Justin and Ian had ice in their tents and they had to wait out defrosting time before they could pack up. 🤣 I managed to avoid the frost being under the awning which was a bonus!!! It gave us another chance to have some chats and hugs goodbye with the family. I really enjoyed their company and it was a real plus while we all waited out the rain yesterday.

Ian has leant me his leatherman tool to have pliers so I can undo/tighten Banjos tyre valves. The silicone makes the valve a bit tight to undo and my finger strength is non existent so this helps heaps. It’s an old favourite of his so I’m blessed to have use of it for the rest of the trip. He has given me his address to post home when we’re done and it’s a bit special to have his help and trust. Thanks mate xxxx

Paul and Lin arrived at Warakurna Roadhouse during the night and popped over to say hi while I was packing up camp. They were warm hearts and very excited about our challenge. My phone was charging so Lin used her phone to do a selfie and texted me the photo. Their message with the picture was “Lovely meeting you. Cherish your time. Stay safe
You will smash it. Love Paul and Lin
Good luck” I promise fine folk. The resident dingo, ‘Friday’ visited while we were talking. He’s very skittish but took to Lin immediately and started jumping around wanting to play. He could obviously sense her safe beautiful soul as could I. It was lovely meeting you both too.

The ride today was pretty tough going with a strong westerly headwind and soft road conditions. The road is already getting chopped up after the rain with a fair amount of local traffic.

One car from the Wanarn Community stopped and the family were very curious about our bicycle challenge. It was good for me to have this positive contact. The community is 80km from Warakurna and there was lots of local people travelling the road.

All the cars exchanged big waves and smiles of hello and it helped to settle the nerves and feel a respect for the community members.

I passed a point of interest on Wiki camps that said there was Telstra service at that spot. It was time for a break and with 1 bar of reception, called my family to say hi and check in.

While I was talking with my partner, ‘Marty’ from Wanarn pulled over to check I was okay. He works in Wanarn and was keen to ensure I get to Warburton safely. He said most of the locals are good folk but there’s always a few exceptions and to make sure I camp tucked away from view of passing cars. He gave me his mobile and said to text him when I’m in Warburton to let him know I got their safely. It was a comfort to know he has my back. Thanks mate. He also said to look out for snakes as this area is known for king browns that can come out looking for sun during the colder months. Super good tip and will do to be sure!!!!! I imagine most will be tucked away for the winter as snakes do but I’ll keep a keen eye out for the sun seekers xx

‘Phil’ from the local fire brigade also stopped on his way to Warakurna and said he would check in on his way back to Warburton to see if we needed anything. We had just stopped and started setting up camp for the night when I saw his car approaching. I popped out and waved him down to let him know we were okay and he shared a few bottles of water. He reassured me that our camp was nice and hidden and got the name of my blog to share with his colleagues and mates on socials. Thanks for the support mate xxxx

It was a good experience to set up our first ninja camp and see how discreet the tent and Banjo can be. The tent is bright orange and not the best of colours for that purpose so I’ve used the dark green and black tarps I have on board to camouflage the boy and our camp.

It takes a bit of time to set up so I need to get off the road about 330 to be safely tucked away by sunset. Today was a good experience and I’m feeling a bit more on top of the different way we need to travel safely on the Great Central Road.

It was so nice to get off the road this afternoon and set up camp in time to enjoy the sunset and bird o’clock. We did a little under the 75km planned but it was good enough and a positive day overall. It is definitely next level out of my comfort zone but that’s what I’m here to experience so bring it on!!! Time for dinner and early bed. Talk soon xxx

Day 55 Warburton

Distance today 75km at 16km/hr average

Total distance 3788km. Donations $6162.09. Deserts 4/10. Days remaining 84

It’s 730pm on Friday the 25 June 2021.

Happy full moon everyone. The night sky is clear and bright with his handsome face shining down on our camp here at Warburton Roadhouse. The campgrounds are inside a compound with full security so we’re safe and sound and been able to turn off and clean ourselves and the kit with peace of mind. The clothes are in the dryer, me and the boy are all squeaky clean, and I’ve been able to call the family and catch up on home stories. It’s the start of school holidays back in Brisbane and my family are relieved to enjoy some down time and special outings during the next two weeks. My love is with you darlings.

I woke this morning at our camp to a stunning sky of morning light and moonshine. The birds were waking up and singing their ‘hellos.’ What a beautiful way to start the day.

The dew overnight was heavy so it was a sloppy pack up camp with red dirt sticking to everything. We had time to unpack the gear and dry it out in the sunshine this afternoon so it’s all good as gold again. It was an uneventful night and I think I had my best sleep yet. So I was feeling all afresh to tackle the 75km into Warburton.

Early on in the ride I met a young group of environmental workers travelling to Wiluna for a field trip along the Canning Stock Route. They need to take samples of soils and flora for their studies and they were super interesting to talk to. They’ll be in Wiluna for a few days and it’s likely we will meet up again in their travels. We’re on a promise to share a dinner date if it works. Thanks to Emrys, Luke, Augie, Ashwin, Millie and Lily for our short time shared and all the best for your field trip. They sent us on our way with some chocolate and dried mango which I enjoyed over the breaks in our ride. They’re also keen to follow our story and share our challenge on their socials.

We had our first break in between red sand dunes which the road cut through.

Over the next kms we met Jacob and Mwana from McKay. They were also very keen to know more about our challenge and share it with their friends. They told me about a man who is currently doing a fundraising walk barefoot from Cairns to Sydney. I may have those cities wrong but regardless it’s an epic effort. Those poor feet oh my goodness!!!!

The desert country was showing off its unique beauty on a day that was clear albeit a bit windy and fresh. But the wind shifted to vary between a tail/side wind which made dealing with the corrugations heaps easier.

It was very satisfying to finally arrive in Warburton at 2pm with plenty of time for choirs and catch-up with family.

The amount of security was an eye opener with the campgrounds inside a locked compound

Rosemary and Tom from Victoria are camped next to us. They set out on a 1 year trip that has turned into 3 years. They reassess every year and have no plans of stopping any time soon. They’re loving life on the road and have rented out their house to fund their travels. They both enjoy mountain biking and have cycled a number of famous tracks in Australia including the Munda Biddi Trail. This track is a long-distance mostly off-road cycling trail in Western Australia. It runs for over 1,000 kilometres (620 mi) from Mundaring to Albany. It sounds amazing and I hope to experience it one day. They’re on the look out for new bikes and we’re keen to check out Banjo and know more about fat tyre bikes. He loved the attention. At that stage he was a dirty boy with red mud everywhere so he was looking like a rugged desert adventurer 🤣

We’re mostly ready to head off in the morning for the next 3 days from Warburton to Tjukayirla. We will average 82km each day and all going well, will arrive Tjukayirla on Monday afternoon. Personal safety remains our first priority and we promise to keep ourselves safe and sound to share the next stage. Time for dinner and bed. Talk soon xx

Day 54 Wild Camp #2 to Warburton

Distance today 83km at 14km/hr average

Total distance 3713km. Donations $6012.09. Deserts 3/10. Days remaining 85

It’s 6pm on Thursday the 24 June 2021

We found our Ninja Camp this afternoon after lots of looking after the 75km mark.

There must have been an older track at some stage because it pops it’s head up from time to time and can be seen from the main track. Some of these roads are used by locals for camping but this one looks pretty quiet with no tyre tracks which is a good sign. They’re great for camping because Banjo doesn’t have to cross over too much shrubbery to access the side track. There’s lots of spinafex by the roadside and it’s infamous for causing tyre punctures and that’s not what we want at the end of the day. So we’re tucked away out of sight from the main road but still accessible to get underway again in the morning. There’s been no traffic since late afternoon so it’s super quiet to hang out with Mother Nature at her finest.

All going we’ll it’ll be just under 75km into town where there’s camping at the roadhouse. It’s a secure campgrounds so we will be able to relax a bit more and give the alert mode head a rest overnight. Nice!!!!! We’re just getting dinner ready before dingo o’clock 🤣

We had a large pack visit our campsite last night around midnight. It was an amazing experience. I could hear pups yelping and getting told off by the adults. They came right up to the tent and were super curious, sniffing round the awning and scratching in the dirt. A couple of the dogs were growling at the unusual smells. I waited until one got his nose near the tent and blasted a whistle blow. They must have crapped themselves and kept a very wide both after that 🤣 It was really interesting listening to the pack as they did their thing and I feel into a deep sleep until the alarm went off at 530am. They were still howling at a distance when I woke and I thought about my first encounter with these amazing critters. I’ve definitely developed a better tolerance and respect towards dingos since that night at Cuppa Creek 🤣 That seems like such a long time ago now with every day so full of new adventures.

It’s easy to forget where I am once I set up camp and get into my night routine. I’ve just taken my cuppa away from the tent and sat on the map case under the moon and stars to savour the remoteness and isolation.

Im so grateful to have this experience. Even though it’s challenging and unnerving at times, I know this time is precious and I’m a very lucky girl to be here. Being so far out of my comfort zone allows the different parts of myself to show up and be seen. I love the deep learning and growth that is evolving every day. This was one of the reasons I undertook such an extreme challenge. The learnings expose gifts of experience that help me open my heart to the magic and awe of life. This grounding is foundational and enables life to be lived, cherished and shared with my family to the full.

It was a hectic ride today in the wind. And very cold to say the least. I rode today in my balaclava, snow gloves and thermals with the gortex over the top. The wind made it so icy and it was unbroken along the openness of the landscape.

We woke to a stunning sunrise and savoured the light over a cuppa before packing up camp for a 730am start.

The road early on was great as workmen were grading the section. I could see the bull dust of the older road with the old and new grading and I was very happy not to be plowing through the softer surface.

I stopped after 10km where there was phone reception and called the family to let them know we were all good and underway for the day.

Anthony and Trish from the Health department pulled up to see that we were okay. They were heading out to Warburton as part of an education program for the local communities about COVID. They were interesting folk and work closely with the aboriginal council that regulate the issue of permits to travel the road. Anthony knew who I was and when I asked he just said he was on top of what’s happening in his area.

Further down the track the local police from Warakurna stopped on their way to Warburton. The officer in charge is an aboriginal bloke who was keen to grab my details and time frames into Warburton. He asked if he could call tomorrow to make sure we arrived safely and it was great to know he’s looking out for our safe travels. His off sider is a junior officer from Laverton relieving at Warakurna Station for a stint. They were both super keen and supportive and grabbed our blog details to share on socials. Thanks for your support and safety planning guys- it’s so very appreciated and gives me and my family peace of mind for our travels.

We had lunch at the Yarra Kutjarra rest area which was an awesome spot tucked behind a rocky outcrop by the roadside.

A couple of other campers pulled into the spot while we were there and it was tempting to stop where where others were camped. But we were only 60km into the day and had a stint to go this afternoon. I spotted a camel on the way in but missed getting a photo and footage as a passing car startled him back into the bush land. It was a quick stop as it gets so cold once I stop moving and the wind finds my sweaty bits.

The road was more corrugated for the next 25km making it slower going. I was getting a bit weary at this stage and was taking lots of breaks to break up the bumps. Laurie, Noelene and their dog, Toppie pulled up to check in and we had a great chat which was just what I needed. They’re travelling from Warburton direction and were able to give me heads up on the road conditions for tomorrow. There’s a lot more corrugations with the amount of local traffic into town. But we’ll head off early and manage the distance as long as there’s no issues with the boy. They were keen to get details of our challenge and follow the rest of our travels. Lovely meeting the 3 of you.

All the folk I spoke to today mentioned that Warburton can be a bit rough as it’s the bigger town on the track and attracts a lot of local visitors. The campground apparently is well secured and it’s best to stay within its compound for a safer overnight stay. To be sure!!!!!

Our second camp tonight is well off the road with little signs of car or animal tracks. There’s some scat droppings which I can’t identify.

They’re like roo poo but I haven’t seen any kangaroos for ages so I’m not sure. They may be emu but who knows. For now the camp is quiet and the moon and few stars are all that’s shining other than my head torch.

The night air is starting to get that edge so I may leave it there and enjoy some dinner and an early night. Dinner is my new favourite of noodles and powdered mash potato. I still have tomato sauce from Warakurna and everything tastes great with tommy sauce 🤣 the girls, Kristy and Deb put me onto the recipe back in Docker River and I’ve been enjoying the mix mash ever since. Talk about a carb fix!!! Talk soon xxx

Big PS – This section of track from Docker River is a stones throw distance from the Gibson Desert making the desert count 4 for our challenge.

Day 52 Warakurna

Distance today 0km. Rained in for 24hrs with the other campers staying at Warakurna Roadhouse

Total distance 3713km. Donations $5912.09. Deserts 3/10. Days remaining 87

Note to new readers: I am travelling with my bike who’s name is Banjo. I 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 626pm on Tuesday the 22 June 2021.

It rained all night and morning. Not torrential but steady and enough to create lots of surface water around and on the roads.

The road is apparently open but to travel with caution as the clay base is soft and slippery when wet. The sections of gravel and sand will also be sloppy as the road holds the water like a basin as opposed to allowing the water to run off.

The day has given me the chance to repack Banjo with water and make sure he’s as balanced as possible. I’ve also zip tied his panniers for extra stability and borrowed a compressor to inflate his tyres. He is as handsome as ever.

My food is sorted for the next three days and two nights and I’m generally feeling ready enough to get going early tomorrow.

I popped over to the roadhouse before they closed at 5pm to say thank you to the staff for their warm hospitality today and advice on weather/road conditions. They even said I could set my tent up in the camp kitchen to be cosier as the temperature has already dropped. It’s going to be a cold change for the next week after the rain. Nice offer but no. We have so appreciated being high and dry under the awning area.

The wet conditions have also held up the other campers. However we have all spent time together over the day and have genuinely enjoyed each others company. The two guys who visited last night are Ian and Justin. They are mates from high school. Justin is travelling with his wife Sandy and two children, Taila and Hunter. I also met Kathy and Ross.

The families are all from Perth and travelling the Great Central in the opposite direction. Is been really helpful to get an update on the road conditions and services from here to Laverton. It’s also been really fun just having the downtime to hang out and enjoy each other’s company. Taila and Hunter loved checking out the photos and video of the camel weeing on the side of the road. They have seen over 20 camels on the road ahead so there’s lots more camel experiences to look out for.

It’ll be 9 days to Laverton starting tomorrow in sets of 3 days/2 nights between campgrounds. The first mini stage is to Warburton.

I was talking to my family tonight about my experiencing the community lands so far. It’s very confronting. Its a feeling similar to what I felt when I travelled in India. Probably because it’s in our own backyard. It’s a front yard reality for many Australians. Our challenge for Beyond Blue does not seem noteworthy for the people living in these lands but mental health does.

Aboriginal people refer to issues with mental health as the ‘black dog.’ There’s a charitable organisation in Australia called ‘Black Dog’ and I’m interested to understand more about the cause.

All the shops and services including the petrol bowsers are within locked fencing. The area could be out of a third world country. The amount of security affirms my feeling vulnerable with personal safety a priority. My sadness is that we live in a ‘lucky country’ but lucky for whom? It feels war torn with complex and compounded generational issues for many of our First Nations People. We, colonial Australia, have inflicted the root cause of these issues, a level of discrimination against Aboriginal people that other countries call ‘apartheid.’ Are we in recovery? There is so much I don’t know and understand.

My bigger, stronger, wiser kinder self needs to be open and see as clearly as I can, knowing I have layers of white privileged lens. I hope to hold my personal pain and discomfort that is overwhelming and misplaced. But right now my priority is personal safety and allow as much room as I can to be open to all the experiences ahead. Onto Warburton safely in 3 days. Talk soon xx

Day 51 Warakurna

Distance today 46km at 13km/hr average

Total distance 3713km. Donations $5366.80. Deserts 3/10. Days remaining 88.

It’s 727pm on Monday the 21 June 2021.

I can’t quite figure out the time zone here. It seems I’m still in NT time but when I google it should be the whole WA that’s 2hours behind EST. Bit confusing but I’ll check at the roadhouse in the morning to see how it works and when the WA time zone kicks in.

It’s raining!!!!! The lady who works here said they have 3 days of rain a year and the next 24hrs is forecast rain and more rain. Great for the locals but no so great for cyclists. We had a laugh about that when I checked in this afternoon. But they let me set up camp under the back awning of the building so I’m out of the weather. Tuesday is forecast clear again so I may yet wait out the rain tomorrow and get going on Wednesday. There’s also an issue with the road potentially closing as it takes little to close the roads in this area. I’ll just have to see what tomorrow brings and take it from there. I know Banjo will be happier as well not getting his working bits all muddy if we can avoid it. The boy still has a long way to go on this stage.

There’s a lot of camp dogs in this community so I’m close to the tent as they’re wondering around waiting for opportunities to check out our camp a bit closer. Otherwise the campsites pretty quiet and the rain sounds very cathartic on the tin roof. Should make for an awesome night sleep. It’s also not that cold tonight with the cloud cover. However the next few days are forecast 3-14 so a few brrrrrr days ahead. More riding in thermals and more bum cream 🤣

We had a pretty good camp last night. The dingos gave us a wide birth. I did hear horses close by this morning which was cool!!! I packed up and said goodbye to our river bed camp this morning. It was an awesome spot and great to be out of sight from any passing cars but still close enough to the road.

I definitely feel a lot more vulnerable on the road. We had a tricky time trying to get a permit approved by the local aboriginal council because they couldn’t guarantee our safety due to ‘men’s business’ and being a female travelling alone. I had to appeal that decision and they ended up granting a permit with me signing an indemnity. They weren’t forthcoming with more detail about their concerns which makes it a bit tricky to risk assess and safety plan. The police officer in Yulara advised to camp discreetly and be vigilant around personal safety. So that’s my plan to travel this road bringing as little attention as I can and especially where I camp.

There’s fewer travellers on the road. I may pass 3-4 caravans during the day but there’s a lot of locals using the road in 2WDs. The cars are always packed with 6+ people. I give everyone a big smile and wave but I’m not so keen to be visited during the night so discreet camping is definitely the way to go. I’ll just be happy to complete this stage safely and anything else is a bonus.

I already appreciate more so the travellers I do meet during the day as it’s precious time to have a chat and connect. I had only just started the ride this morning literally when John and Trent from Sydney and Kev and Sandy from Tea Gardens near Newcastle stopped to check in we’re okay. It was really lovely to share stories about mental health and our travels. They were very encouraging of our challenge an sent us on our way with their blessings as well. An apple, orange and lime which will taste great on the noodles tomorrow night. Thanks fine folk. They have just done the Sandy Blight Track and apparently are the first caravans to cross the road so we’ll done you!!!!!

The weather changed during the ride today to a strong side wind and quite overcast. there were some menacing clouds in the sky and we were happy to reach Warakurna by 2pm.

It’s started raining now this evening so I’m very happy to be dry under the awning. I just had a visit from a couple of guys travelling the opposite direction on the track so they have been able to give me heads up on the road conditions rom here on info Laverton which is awesome!!! They also mentioned the time zone kicks in sometime between here and Warburton so it’s great to know I’ll be on WA time to plan ahead.

Anyway it’s time to have some dinner and make sure all our stuff is packed up back in the panniers. Apparently as well as the camp dogs there’s a resident dingo who likes to check out the campsites for anything left out including shoes!!!! Great tip to keep our gear out of harms way as it’s all precious and needs safe keeping. Talk soon xxxx

Day 50 Giles River

Distance today 55.2km at 16km/hr average

Total distance 3667km. Donations $5226.80. Deserts 3/10. Days remaining 89.

It’s 612pm time on Sunday the 20 June 2021.

We’re camped on the western side of the river bed about 20m from the track at Giles River. The official campgrounds is a bit further up and we checked that out first. But it’s just under a km from the track and accessible by 2WD which there are lots of on the road. The local communities obviously use this road to move between places and I’m not very keen to be visited during the night. So I’m feeling a lot more comfortable where we are.

No doubt we will have dingos visit during the night. There’s already been a few howls come from the other side of the river bed. Last night we had a pack visit our campsite after we all went off to bed. I lay there listening to them yapping between each other and letting out the odd howl. But it was okay. I got to hear the critter as opposed to my fear and I could appreciate we’re all just here doing our thing, crossing paths in this time. It’s a beautiful camp with the moon and stars overhead watching out for us. 🙏

I woke later this morning about 8am to the sound of brumbies running and playing. The girls were still asleep so I made a cuppa and went for a walk to check out the spot by daylight. It was a beautiful time spent for an hour or so mooching round the tracks and appreciating what an amazing spot this is.

There’s a mountain range that runs alongside this part of the WA/NT border. It’s old with rolling segments and outcrops. I can see why the brumbies are here in numbers. They were grazing in the fields across the road and it was super special to appreciate them in the wild.

The tracks leading up to our camp were full of brumby and dingo prints plus mine and the many car tracks that use this spot for their stopover. I felt a real sense of interconnectedness understanding how we’re all apart of mother nature and sharing this time when our hearts are open.

The grasslands around the camp were dotted with juvenile and maturing oaks with green budgies and other birds already well into their day of business. I felt a real privilege to be here seeing another corner of our amazing country and appreciating it for its unique treasures.

I have been a little elevated starting off on this stage and knowing the size of challenge ahead. It was quality time spent and I felt a grounding right here right now rather than focusing on what’s around the corner. Being present is a pretty cool way of being and I felt the shift. One peddle at a time seeing with an open heart and connecting to what each moment offers.

I met Alan from The Gold Coast travelling in his beloved vintage troopie from the 80s. He was a real cool guy. He uses road trips as a way of grounding himself again after work stints out in the mines.

Grounding is a theme that is coming up over and over and especially in the last days. My conversations with Claudia and Lothar highlighted how vital it is to feel a deep sense of safety and stability as foundations to learning, growing and loving. Feeling a sense of groundedness is something I can’t buy or fake. I love the analogies in nature that I have experienced in recent days with Uluru and it’s 2 1/2 kms underground. Also the juvenile desert oaks and how they first develop their roots to the water table before maturing into the adult tree. They’re beautiful phenomenons in nature to learn from.

I packed up camp while the girls went and refueled in town. We met back at the junction into camp and said our goodbyes with lots of hugs and blessings. They are beautiful souls and are playing with ideas where they will set up their next cafe which is their industry. I promised to visit wherever that may be so I’m sure we will see each other again. They have my mobile to keep in touch in the meantime and are keen to follow our adventure through socials. Thanks ladies xx

We got underway around 1pm and soon crossed the border into WA. There was a sign promoting the track as the Outback Way – Australia’s longest shortcut. Not bad for a 1131km track 🤣

The road to Giles River was mixed but we managed to find a path on the shoulder that was pretty flat for longer sections. This made the going a lot better than yesterday and the ride more enjoyable.

The bum cream made an appearance today after yesterday’s effort and it did the trick. The countryside continued alongside the ranges and the scenery was easy to savour. I messaged mum and dad to check the atlas for the range and it’s either the Rawlinson or Murray Range or both. Regardless it’s breathtaking and it was an awesome afternoon ride into camp.

There’s a time difference in WA of 2 hours so it’s only 730 here. But I’m feeling a bit weary and ready to tuck myself into bed after dinner. Around this time of night a cold air creeps in and makes it very brrrr nudging 0-5 degrees. The mornings continue to be on the chilly side and I’ve been cycling in my thermals. This doesn’t really help the chaffing. But it keeps me toasty so more bum cream to do the job without causing wounds 🤣

Onto Warakurna Roadhouse tomorrow. It should be around 50km ish so all going well I hope to be in around lunchtime so I can clean me and the gear and get ready for the next stint to Warburton. That will be a 3 day/2 night ride between services and carrying 10litres of water to manage. We will also say our hellos to the Gibson Desert 👍

Talk soon xx