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Photo by Marc Gibaud, Clouds on Tres Cerros and Mount Fitzroy, Argentinian Patagonia

25 years of HU Events


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Photo by Marc Gibaud,
Clouds on Tres Cerros and
Mount Fitzroy, Argentinian Patagonia



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  #1  
Old 18 May 2018
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Quote:
Originally Posted by brclarke View Post
"We were woken just after first light at 630 by the crazy squawking of hundreds of parrots."
Back in 1996 I rode through that region on an F650 and stopped for the night in Camooweal (sp?). Right before sunset an enormous flock of white birds, some kind of parrots or cockatiels, flew over. They made an incredible racket and blocked the sun like a thick cloud for a good 3 or 4 minutes as they flew overhead. It was an amazing sight!
WOW. One of the things we will remember most about Oz is the "pet store" birds everywhere in flocks. sp
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  #2  
Old 18 May 2018
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We checked out a few motel and several were quite expensive and sketchy. At one the disheveled desk attendant propositioned Daniel, while I was looking at the less than ideal room. In the end we found a “vending” machine hotel where you book and check in at the kiosk. It is new and very clean, with modern decor and fast wifi (rare in Oz).

IMG_2636 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr

We walked the 1.5 km into the centre to the mall and then the dollar store so Orvar could replace his stock of reading glasses. The last broke this morning. We then decided on a real Australian cultural “experience” with dinner at the RSL. Visitor must check in with ID and we of course had the roast pork special all round. One visit was enough for us all. The food is hospitalish at best and the drinks no cheeper.

Oz in general is very expensive, not as bad as NZ, but close. We stopped at Woothworth on the way home for supplies and a few more s. What a relaxing evening in our swank pad with time to catch up on the web.

North Queensland-44 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr

IMG_2639 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr

Daniel fixed us an amazing smoked salmon eggs Benedict to start our big day of 663 km from Mount Isa to 3 ways.

IMG_2640 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr

Screen Shot 2018-04-30 at 14.49.27 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr

We started as usual with a full tank and noted they sell OPAL here.

IMG_2642 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr
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  #3  
Old 18 May 2018
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Just as we left town we saw the first road marker for Darwin!

North Queensland-46 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr

The route today varied quite a bit. Some stretches were hilly, treed, and quite green. Others were flat grassland. We stopped in Camooweal the small town just before the Northern territory border for some gas. We met Daniel riding east. He warned us that we MUST buy bug hats here even at the inflated 10$ each. He said you can not stop anywhere in the next 400 km without going crazy from the flies.

North Queensland-47 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr

North Queensland-48 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr

North Queensland-49 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr

North Queensland-50 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr

Just out of town we crossed the border and stopped at the sign. The flies here are insane!

IMG_2645 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr

NT-3 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr

NT-2 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr


Darwin_-2 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr
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Last edited by saralou; 9 Jun 2018 at 14:07.
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  #4  
Old 18 May 2018
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We rode 260 km to Barkley Homestead of expensive gas fame (195/l) since there is none from here to Camooweal or 3 ways. There are a few stations along the way but no services. We stopped for a break on the road side and could not get the bug nets on fast enough.


North Queensland-53 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr


North Queensland-58 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr

IMG_2647 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr

IMG_2649 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr

We stopped again in Barkley for something to eat as well. There were hundreds of pink headed parrots here.

NT-5 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr

NT-6 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr
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  #5  
Old 18 May 2018
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Now it is just another 185 km to Warumungu or 3 ways and it is 34 degrees. It is more flat and desolate here and the number of dead Kangaroos does not help.

North Queensland-54 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr

North Queensland-56 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr


We are late in the day and riding west directly into the sun, which is never fun. It was sort of cool to arrive at the Stewart highway at 3 ways where the roads meet.

NT-7 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr

NT-8 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr

NT-9 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr

NT-10 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr

NT-11 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr

It is just another 300 m to the roadhouse. It is staffed like most of the places we have been in the last 4 days by non Australians. Here there are a bunch of rude German students, who laughed when we asked if there was a fridge for the use of the campers. The camp ground is the worst we have seen in OZ. The pool is green and not in a goon way, but cold so we could put our left over s in there to cool. The camp kitchen is tragic and so the guys ate in the cafe. We were woken up by the yelling from the next tent. There was a family there with young kids and the mom had had 6-7 Jim beam and cokes last night. To top it off the camp was littered with spines from some tree and 2 of the expeds now have tiny impossible to see holes in them.

NT-12 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr

NT-13 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr
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  #6  
Old 19 May 2018
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The birds are what usually wakes us at dawn, but they were quiet today. We made up some breakfast and tolerated the few flies not very well and so packed up quickly and fueled up and left going north!

We have about 990 km to go to Darwin and will try to get over half way today. The roads today are STRAIGHT! it is hot and mind numbing riding. We had a stop at Elliott for lunch of some not too bad steak sandwiches.



NT-14 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr

NT-16 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr

We had to rest again at Larrimah at the lazy lizard for a cold drink.

NT-17 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr

NT-19 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr

NT-18 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr
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  #7  
Old 19 May 2018
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We arrived to the Mataranka Homestead/thermal spring at 4. This is a nicer camp ground with good showers. They have no kitchens, but have a fun restaurant and live music tonight as well. We set up camp with the occasional kangaroo running past. Then we walked 300 m to the thermal pools for a therapeutic dip. There are quite a few pea hens wandering about, which is a bit weird. In the night it was quiet except for the thundering whomp whomp whomp when the kangaroos stormed thru the tents.

NT-20 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr
NT-26 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr

NT-25 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr

NT-24 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr

NT-22 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr

NT-21 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr

NT-28 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr

NT-27 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr
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