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16 Jul 2008
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Posties to The Cape '08
Stop laughing, this is going to be some serious fun. This is not part of the organised "Postie Bike Challenge". Just 3 mates who like a challenge!
The plan is to ride from Cairns to Cape York and back to Cairns in 3 weeks starting August 23rd on CT110X Honda's
No backup just 3 crazy riders to sort out any problems that may arise.
What I am looking for any special places to see/visit that are not in the guide books or commonly known about. Or suggestions on changing the route we have planned. Everything is flexible as it has to be on a ride like this. There is no set dates to be in any designated place.
Flights have been booked to get to Cairns as the 3 of us are spread around the country. I will not book a return flight until the day we arrive back in Cairns as too much can and will change.
I have done the Cape run before but in a 4WD so I know what to expect and how deep the creek crossings are likely to be.
Here is where we think we will go
Option 1
Kuranda
Mareeba fuel available
Dimbulah fuel available
Mt Mulligan
Palmer River Roadhouse fuel available
Option 2 I would rather this option.
Trinity Beach
Mossman fuel available
Daintree fuel available
Cape Tribulation fuel available PK’s Jungle Village, IGA Supermarket and camping.
Bloomfield fuel available
Wujal Wujal
Ayton
Cedar Bay NP
Helenvale fuel available Lions Den Hotel Index of /
Lakeland
fuel available
Laura
fuel available Just south of Laura you can turn off to Split Rock and the Quinkan Aboriginal Rock Art Galleries, which feature some fabulous Aboriginal rock paintings.
Hann River Crossing
fuel available good camping on the Kennedy River
Musgrave Roadhouse
fuel available ph4060 3229
Coen
Fuel available Exchange Hotel, known as the Sexchange Hotel, you'll see why when you get there.
Archer River Roadhouse
fuel available ph4060 3266 There is a memorial to Toots Holzheimer, legendary female truckie of Cape York who died in a loading accident in 1992.
Weipa fuel available.
Fishing off the jetty, squid jig and hand reel with wire trace. Visitors can use the public swimming pool and there are medical centres, vehicle repairers and all facilities you could ever need. The fishing around Hey, Embley and Mission Rivers are reputed to be very good. Back East on shortcut to “Batavia Downs”.
Moreton Telegraph Station
ph40603360 over the Wenlock River fuel available? Less than 100 metres after crossing the Wenlock there’s a small track branching off into the bush. Turn left here and follow for about 1km to arrive at the ruins of Batavia goldfields.
Bramwell Junction OTL fuel available ph40603230 camping
Dulhunty River nice campsite 7km west of crossing
Bertie Creek 1km downstream is good camp site??
Gunshot Creek camping
Cockatoo Creek camping
Sailor Creek camping
Fruitbat Falls
“We will see this again on the way down” Day use only
Eliot/Twin/Indian Head Falls
Camping Ranger ph4060 3241 Be careful at Indian Head - the flow of Eliot Creek and the drop in the creek bed combine to form what's known as a sieve at the top of the falls. Being swallowed up by this can, and has been fatal.
Canal Creek just north of Eliot/Twin Falls, which would have to be one of the best bush camps
Nolans Brook camping
Jardine Ferry ph4069 1369 camping
Injinoo fuel available ex Sat/Sun
Umagico fuel available
Bamaga fuel available
Seisha fuel available
· Day trip to TI and Horn Island
· Chopper flight maybe
· Sea Swift passenger and vehicle ferry 2 night trip to Cairns. Departs every Monday 1800 424422
Loyalty Beach
A delightful new campground, Loyalty Beach, has been established by the people of New Mapoon and is situated 3km east of Seisia. The camping area is somewhat quieter than Seisia and is managed by the Lennox family, again a very pretty spot.
Punsand Bay
Safari and Fishing Lodge offers a little more than the other camping areas. Here you will find a small swimming pool, permanent tent accommodation and a bar and restaurant. Visitors are welcome at any time and scenic helicopter flights can be taken right off of the beach. Punsand Bay is a private reserve with long, white beaches, a licensed restaurant, camping areas, cabins and amenities. Like Seisia, it's a very pretty place and lies 11km from Lockerbie along a sandy, often bumpy track. Unfortunately, you can't swim here because of the crocs and sharks, but the beach is great for a stroll at sunset and there's an interesting wreck to poke around at the southern end. Fishing tours and pre-arranged transport to Thursday Island are also available from Punsand Bay.
Pajinka “The Tip”
Somerset
Approx distances using opt 2
Cairns to Daintree 110km
Daintree to Helenvale “Lions Den” 70km
Helenvale to Laura 120km Fuel
Laura to Musgrave 140km
Musgrave to Coen 110km
Coen to Archer River 65km Fuel
Archer River to Weipa 150km
Weipa to Bramwell 175km Fuel
Bramwell to Jardine 130km
Jardine to Bamaga 45km Fuel
Bamaga to Pajinka 35km
Total 1 way Cairns to Pajinka 1150km approx.
Fuel stops are a guess at a range of about 350km???
The Trip Down
Now if we have made it this far and the bikes still start we are in for some real fun. Theme for this run is go hard or go home. Bodies should be used to the pounding by now.
Somerset via beach to
Nanthau Beach (East Coast)
Bamaga
11km south east to Jackey Jackey Airfield WW2 wrecks scattered to the west and north of the strip. One of the better ones was hard to find so here are the GPS coordinates if you want to check it out (S 10°56.184’ E 142°27.327’)
Mutee Head
which was an army radio base during the war because of the deep water for landing. Jardine River Mouth (West Coast)
Jardine via Northern bypass Rd
Fruit Bat Falls
Captain Billy’s Landing
via the Southern Bypass Rd. The caves to the right are flooded at high tide but when the water is low you can walk right into them, watch your heads and hold your nose as they are filled with bats. It is almost always windy here, so there is a lovely campsite back up the road and behind the bushes above the cliffs.
Bertie Creek
Dulhunty River
Bramwell Junction fuel available
Chilli Beach
in Iron Range NP (East Coast)
The beach is beautiful however its unfortunate that the currents wash up the rubbish of the shipping trade. The campsites are excellent and there are many to choose from amongst rainforest.
Lockhart River
fuel available. Further East is Portland Roads and ex US Troop base during WW2
Archer River fuel available
Coen
fuel available. Exchange Hotel, known as the Sexchange Hotel, you'll see why when you get there.
Port Stewart (East Coast)
Kalpower Crossing
on the Normanby River is good camping
New Laura
“Caulders Lake” worth a look
Old Laura
Battle Camp
Hope Vale
fuel available. Continue on to Elim where it is possible to ride on the beach 15km to Cape Flattery. Fresh water streams run across the beach.
Cooktown fuel available
Helenvale
fuel available Lions Den Hotel Index of /
Rossville
Ayton fuel available
Bloomfield fuel available
Bloomfield Falls has a resident Crock
Wujal Wujal
Creb Track following the line marked out for laying the power poles for the Cairns Regional Electricity Board “I’m excited now”
Noah Beach
Campground is situated 8km south of Cape Tribulation and has 17 campsites. Noah Creek is a short 1km walk to the south along the beach from the campground. Crocodiles may be present, so stay away from the water’s edge at all times.
Daintree fuel available
Mossman fuel available
Mt Molloy fuel available
Mareeba fuel available
Atherton fuel available
Yungaburra
Gillies Highway from the Tableland to Goldsborough Valley near Gordonvale, famous for its 200+ corners in 20km of road “and we are going down, let the race home begin. Loser shouts the first round at the Gordonvale Pub”
Gordonvale fuel available
Cairns
Any suggestions would be much appreciated
Glen
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 Feb 2014, currently travelling the America's on a Tiger 800XC
Live every day like it's your last, one day you'll get it right!!!
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16 Jul 2008
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Jaysus Glen, it must have damn near taken you as much time as you plan to do the ride, to type all that lot out! Good luck with the trip. the CT will always have a soft spot in me heart 'cause it was the bike I started out with on the farm all those years ago when I was 7. Steppies are great at that age for a little tacker; stand in the step-thru part and leap upwards at the same time as you tweak the throttle and if you time it right, the seat appears under your bum as you descend earth-wards.
Good luck mate, not that you will need a lot of it with a CT under your arse.
Kind regards
Nigel in NZ
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16 Jul 2008
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One minor problem.
Glen,
Change the Gordonvale pub for the Little Mulgrave at the bottom of the Gillies and your on a winner mate.
If you do come back through Dimbular, you can turn off and come ut at Irvinbank (old tin mining town and down to herberton Atherton etc or Irvinbank across mt Misery to Silver valley and Innot Springs then Atherton etc. You will get fuel and of course at all these places mate.
Would love to join you but am planning to be in Africa at that time.
Cheers
Ivan
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16 Jul 2008
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I've been wanting to go on a CT adventure for ages :O but I'm from Victoria 
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16 Jul 2008
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Good luck you guys, if you see an overloaded blue 650 Vstrom up that way that is me, doing a lap of Oz, cape is the first goal, or as far as I can go on a heavy bike solo.
Cheers
TravellingStrom 
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16 Jul 2008
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Oi Glen! You going on my dream trip without me!!?? Didn't you remember that I'm half way around the world at the moment?
Have fun mate. Looks like you will just have to do it all again next year- with me this time.
Kenny
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17 Jul 2008
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Quote:
Originally Posted by KennyE
Oi Glen! You going on my dream trip without me!!?? Didn't you remember that I'm half way around the world at the moment?
Have fun mate. Looks like you will just have to do it all again next year- with me this time.
Kenny
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I could say the same about the ride you are doing at the moment Ken. If i survive this one then anything is possible! Seemed like a good idea at the time. I'm not scared
Next one is Tassie in Dec/Jan for 5 weeks, then we will look going across the pond to Nu Zuland for '09
Glen
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Feb 2014, currently travelling the America's on a Tiger 800XC
Live every day like it's your last, one day you'll get it right!!!
Last edited by loxsmith; 17 Jul 2008 at 00:11.
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17 Jul 2008
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Quote:
Originally Posted by PocketHead
I've been wanting to go on a CT adventure for ages :O but I'm from Victoria |
Never too late PocketHead, if you put your hand up, you will be the second Victorian heading North. All welcome to come along, we will have a good laugh that's for sure 
Glen
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Feb 2014, currently travelling the America's on a Tiger 800XC
Live every day like it's your last, one day you'll get it right!!!
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20 Jul 2008
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dingo
Glen,
Change the Gordonvale pub for the Little Mulgrave at the bottom of the Gillies and your on a winner mate.
If you do come back through Dimbular, you can turn off and come ut at Irvinbank (old tin mining town and down to herberton Atherton etc or Irvinbank across mt Misery to Silver valley and Innot Springs then Atherton etc. You will get fuel and of course at all these places mate.
Would love to join you but am planning to be in Africa at that time.
Cheers
Ivan |
Thanks Ivan, I have marked that one on the map. Enjoy your time in Africa you lucky bugger.
Glen
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Feb 2014, currently travelling the America's on a Tiger 800XC
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22 Jul 2008
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Did the trip last year on an old KLR650.
Over the ford @ Kalpower is the Vietnam vets camp.Good place to swop jokes & lies. Cheers Al.
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23 Jul 2008
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Thanks for the tip Al, do we need to be Vets to visit these guys??
I knew Pandanus Park was up that way but was unsure of it's exact location until your reply
Glen
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Feb 2014, currently travelling the America's on a Tiger 800XC
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23 Jul 2008
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hey if you guys are flying in whereabouts are you getting the bikes? also are you putting bigger tanks on them? my old ct used to get about 120km in the city pre-reserve (and thats being modest :S). There is a spare fuel tank i've seen on some posties though.. it hangs off the rear tray.
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23 Jul 2008
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Quote:
Originally Posted by PocketHead
hey if you guys are flying in whereabouts are you getting the bikes? also are you putting bigger tanks on them? my old ct used to get about 120km in the city pre-reserve (and thats being modest :S). There is a spare fuel tank i've seen on some posties though.. it hangs off the rear tray.
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Bike 1 was road freighted from Melb to Bris several months ago and then ridden to Cairns via Fraser Island. It waits in storage in Cairns
Bike 2 (mine) will be road freighted from Brisbane to Cairns in a couple of weeks
Bike 3 will be road freighted from Hobart to Cairns on a couple of weeks
All are now wearing XR250 tanks plumbed in, I have a spare 18 litre IMS tank for the next Postie bike I buy
They all have various types of luggage from orange Postie pannier bags to Ventura type bags. I have also mounted a Givi 52 litre top box to mine. All have several PVC pipe storage containers mounted wherever spare space could be found
Knobby fronts and claw 6 ply rear rubber
Might load a pic soon
Glen
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Feb 2014, currently travelling the America's on a Tiger 800XC
Live every day like it's your last, one day you'll get it right!!!
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23 Jul 2008
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Quote:
Originally Posted by loxsmith
Bike 1 was road freighted from Melb to Bris several months ago and then ridden to Cairns via Fraser Island. It waits in storage in Cairns
Bike 2 (mine) will be road freighted from Brisbane to Cairns in a couple of weeks
Bike 3 will be road freighted from Hobart to Cairns on a couple of weeks
All are now wearing XR250 tanks plumbed in, I have a spare 18 litre IMS tank for the next Postie bike I buy
They all have various types of luggage from orange Postie pannier bags to Ventura type bags. I have also mounted a Givi 52 litre top box to mine. All have several PVC pipe storage containers mounted wherever spare space could be found
Knobby fronts and claw 6 ply rear rubber
Might load a pic soon
Glen |
Hmm how did you go about plugging in the XR250 tank? is it an extension of the old one? how many litres is that? :confused1:
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23 Jul 2008
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Quote:
Originally Posted by PocketHead
Hmm how did you go about plugging in the XR250 tank? is it an extension of the old one? how many litres is that? :confused1:
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Removed and plugged the main line (i think) from the original tank to the carb inlet. Then ran a line straight from the XR tank to the spare carb inlet. Tank mounts are a work of art using existing bolt holes. Both fuel taps are run in the reserve position. I think the XR tank holds approx. 10 litres
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