Around OZ FOR HD: July 2010

After Mt Isa I kept cruising along the highway heading west to Three ways (Stuart highway). Took me two days to get to Camooweal so just one night in the bush. After Camooweal I met a bloke cycling to Alice Springs. He was a rocket! Doing some crazy 200+ km a day. There was one stretch from Camooweal to Barkley road house which was 260km, he said he was going to do it!! Don’t know if he made it or not but insane!!! I did my biggest stretch from Barkley to Three ways. That was a 187 km ride!! I was pretty proud of my self for that but like to do a 200+ one on the west coast somewhere.

On my rest day in Three Ways nothing really much to do there haha just a road house and a tree. I got my laptop stolen in the middle of the day!!! I was looking for it all day!! It was charging about twenty feet from me and bang!!!! It’s gone!!!!! I was so depressed all my photos for this trip and all other trips have been gone just like that. Also realized that my two passports where in the bag as well!! I called up the police to let them know that my passports got stolen and see if I can a new one shipped up somewhere on my travels. The police came from Tennant Creek and told them was just happened and they said they would look in to it and to come down to Tennant Creek the next morning to call the embassy to get new passports. Police left and everyone at the campsite was asking me if I found it yet, but unfortunately I haven’t yet. That night I was pretty upset and didn’t get a good sleep that night. Next morning it was a quick de-tour to Tennant Creek to the police station to organize my passports. While almost in Tennant Creek this truck pulls in front of me and out stepped the lovely lady. She asked me with a smile “guess what I have”? I responded “no way!!!!” Yes there it was my laptop and passports. Couldn’t be more happy and relived!! So I turned around and started heading back to Three ways to call the police that I have found everything. That lovely lady who found my laptop! Her name was SALLY!!!!!!! She found it in a garbage bag in the laundry area behind one of the machines. Thank you sooo much Sally for finding my laptop!!!!!

After everything got sorted out and became sooooo groovy again!! It was time to make my 150km north to Renner Springs road house. Well what can I say about Renner Springs………Met a wonderful dude called Lyle . I was sitting by my self waiting for my tucker to arrive with a beer in one hand, well it was a long day I deserved it. Lyle and I started chatting away shooting the words back and forth. Found out he was the manager of the road house which was cool. He bought me another round and started talking and laughing some more. Lyle told me that he gets up at four am to start his day and I should come over to the bar when I wake up the next morning. It was getting late so I had to grab some sleep to wake up the next morning. Still dark the next morning I showed up at the bar what do you know there was Lyle grabbing me a cup of coffee and a seat. He asked me “what do you want for breakfast Jesse”?. I replied “ummm anything “haha. “Don’t give me that bull Jesse I’ll make you some eggs, bacon, toast, hash browns, and some more coffee”. I was just in heaven!! SWEEEEET free breaky!!!!! Oh Lyle, what a guy!!! Thank you soo much Lyle for the meal and company!!!!!

On my way to Elliot and Daly waters, well what can I say about Daly Waters…… It was one original place hahah Bras hung everywhere different kind of currency all over the wall, ID cards stapled to the bar all over the place and old rusty parts of machines and tools and car parts hanging everywhere. But the best part of Daly Waters was the entertainment for dinner. A old man drinking a beer playing little bit of guitar, telling sex’s jokes and a chook on his head lol hahaha. Yup it was good times there. I’ll tell everyone to stop there for a night and take a gander hahaha

After Daly Waters it was on to Mataranka!!! There was a place I went called Bitter springs, way better I hear than Mataranka hot springs. Man!!! The hot spring, sooo cool, It was all natural trees everywhere and bloody deep!! The water was so clear you could see the bottom and all around you in the water!! It was about eight feet wide and one and a half pool size long. Just a little river with a tiny current that pulls you along until you get to the end and you can walk out and go to the beginning or swim up stream. At first I st up my camp next to the river and was thinking of going in, I told one of the people is this the hot springs? They responded no you can swim in there but there are crocs tho up to you mate haha.

Well in Katherine!!!! It’s hot!!........

I’m camping in a caravan park and fixing my bike and doing maintenance and all of a sudden people out of nowhere surrounding me and helping me out. I needed a tiny screw so one guy brought out is bucket of bits and pieces. Hahaha It was too funny everyone was in the action. Now they’re helping me with my tyre and trying to find the hole to repair it. A good bunch of people soo friendly and pleasant to have around. Also met a wonderful guy named buddy and his misses, I might get to see them in, I totally forget!!! I’ll come back to you on that hahha.

So far I think the outback is the best place soo far to travel on a bike. Everyone is soo nice who ever you meet in a caravan park or a rest stop just about anywhere on the side of the road, anywhere. People always ask you if you’d like a coffee or a biscuit, sooo sweet!!! Hahah well I better be going and get my bike fixed before the long hull to Broome. Have a wonderful day blog readers!!! It might be till Broome until I can post something else stay tuned!!!!

-Jesse Fokkens

Hold everything!!!

Arrived in Canada a week before the wedding of June 29^th. It was lovely to see the family and friends back home. The first couple days my friend Elisha with HD was throwing a single auction to raise money for finding a cure for HD. I showed up to the auction and surprised her. She was pretty shocked!!!

While in Calgary I spent time with my brother Jeremy by playing Frisbee gulf and a little bit of midnight biking. I also spent some time catching up with my brother Luke by hanging at his house making a wedding gift out of concrete for my sister and brother in law. Also spend time with my oldest brother Chris and sister in law Sandy and the little ones Briony and Adelaide by going camping on the weekend.

On the 29^th of June was the wedding!!! It was a wonderful groovy wedding!!! It was held at the Ranche in fish creek. A lovely day for a wedding it rained for ten minutes then the sun came out for the rest of the day and a groovtastic clear sky at night. Over all the entire wedding was brilliantly done and the food was really good as well.

It was good to see my mom and dad while I was in town, spent time with them at home lazing about and going out for dinner and trips to Ikea hahaha Had lots of good times while in Calgary catching up with close school friends while biking with them or doing yoga. On my way back to Australia stopped in Melbourne to see Stella and go out for her birthday dinner, Happy Birthday Stella!!!!!! Well it’s time to go and I’ll see you guys shortly and should be crossing the border of Queensland and heading into the Northern territories in about two or three days!!! Have a wonderful day blogs readers!!!

-Jesse Fokkens

*Keep creating memories of laughter, smiles and good times*