Katherine to Broome

Katherine to Broome

Well here I am in Broome!! All I can say is that it has been one up and down ride towards Broome…… Shale we take a gander of what I have been up too?................

While leaving Katherine in the early morning towards Victoria River it was going to be a long day of 193km’s. It was a wonderful day of riding but at the end it was getting a little bit hot. That day was about 35 degrees, I had to pull off to the side and quickly find some shade for fifteen mins or so. Got into Victoria River and what a site!! Beautiful place to camp, I pitched my tent and a dude came up too me and offered a coffee so we chatted till dark haha. His name was Darren, awesome guy so cool straight to the point just an all round good guy and tough as a cast Iron pan and smart as a arrow tip. It was a good visit in Victoria River learn’t some stuff there.

Next day was to Timber Creek and it was just a 100km ride but WOW it got hot!! It was about 40+ degrees just sizzling!!! But I made it there with no burns to the body and no DH (dehydrated).

Timber Creek to Kununurra was my next big cycle, which was 230km, around there. I started at 3:30 am ready to go, was doing alright around 7:00 am I’ve done 60km and pulled over to have breakfast. I saw someone in the distance in a wheel chair getting ready, so I walked by and introduced myself and what do you know, he was a cyclist too but on a hand bike. I finished my breakfast and caught up with andreas and we cycled 60km together and pulled off at a rest stop. He was planning to spend two nights at the stop and I was going to have lunch and keep trucking down the road for the big ride. He asked me to stay and chill here for the night but I told him that I wanted to get to Kununurra today and do a goal breaking ride. He put a icy cold beer in front of me, so I slammed the beer back then he put another beer in front of me, at that time he said stay and drink some icy cold beer and some good food and company you can do a big ride another time. I was getting pretty comfortable after slamming the first beer haha Second beer sealed the deal that I was staying the night haha.

On to Kununurra today!!! Well it was only 110km something like that so I thought it was going to be a easy day. It would have been but my ass was killing me!!! The whole 110km I did not sit down on my seat lol seriously not once just did four or five pushes then coasted for a second then did another four or five pushes with the pedals. When I got to Kununurra my ass needed to take a day off haha I couldn’t find buddy, who I was suppose to meet here, on the contrary I think I went to the wrong caravan park. When I was in the super market who did I bump in to…. Mr. David who offered me a coffee in Three Ways when I arrived, while setting up my tent. It was crazy!!! So he invited me out for dinner the next night with his wonderful wife Kathy. It was amazing that they took me out for a lovely dinner, I couldn’t have been so blessed. While chatting they invited me to stay with them in Broome when I got there. I didn’t know what to say, I was speech less, just wonderful loving pair just nothing but smiles on there faces all the time. I told them I would contact them when I arrived in Broome and we will go from there.

Leaving Kununarra was really crazy actually, nothing but head winds and rain. Well the first 60km was rain and total speed on the bike was around 14km/hr haha ya it was tough. But at the end of the ride it was a lovely 10km down hill right to the roadhouse called Doon Doon. After Doon Doon was Turkey Creek which was a nice 110km’ish ride. Beautiful scenery all the way through the start of the Kimberley’s. It would have been nice to do the Gibb River Road but you need a 4x4 for that haha always next time eh?!!!!!

After spending the night in Turkey Creek it was time for a ride to Halls Creek (aka wolf creek hahah) It was going to be a 160km ride today so a full day of riding. Well I thought it was going to be a fast day but I thought wrong!!! It was a bit hilly and hot!!! I got really frustrated for some reason, don’t really know maybe because it took till dark to get there and felt sooo long of a ride, couldn’t get a good pace going on the bike just going berserk all-round!!!! There was still 60km of the ride to go, that was around 3:30 or so, which bothered me as well. Hills weren’t helping either with my patience but I just wanted to get off my bike and grab the front wheel and hammer throw the bloody thing into the bushes and start walking to Halls Creek haha. Well, if I did that it would have taken me longer to get there by walking so I scraped that idea. The head games are coming into play and I knew these were the biggest challenges of my trip, just control that sponge that’s in that hard round thing that’s connected to your neck. Even after threatening to javelin my bike I had another crazy loony outburst. By this time I was 40 or 30km away and the sun was coming down. While riding I picked up my front tire and slammed it down on the road, of course there was some improper words that were lashing out as well, I wont lie haha I did that once and still didn’t feel better because I didn’t get me anywhere but a flat tire 10kms down the road lol hahaha. (Just laugh at myself while typing this lol) All in all Fixed the tire and got to Halls creek after dark.

That was so far my most loony and frustrated day out of my whole trip so far haha stay tuned there might be some more lol

I took a rest day in Halls creek to calm the nerves and rest the legs and bum. One more thing, the aboriginals crazy bunch of people that’s all I’m going to say, my two cents.

Onwards and forward to Fitzroy Crossing which was a 290km’s away haha. Ya!!! Camping in the bush for a bit. What can I say about the start of the ride, GROOVTASTIC!!!!!!!! Was one of my best rides so fast the first day. Did 190km and watched the sunset go down. I think nature gave me a little break because of the epic journey to Halls Creek, they had their fun and laughs with me so they took it easy on me, that’s what I believe at least haha. At the end of the ride it was dark of course and wanted to get to the rest point. The sun goes down at 5:30 and it was 8:00, so it was pretty dark. I was getting all disoriented and woozy and lights blurring together but bang there was a gorgeous blue sign saying rest stop. I pulled in but try to find where the road is, it was really dark and hard to see where the road was going. I was doing zig-zags down the road haha I saw a fire in the distance, oh!! People lets say hello and see if I can get a description of the area to set up my tent. I head over in a zig-zag pattern of course and ask them where the tables are and toilets and all that. They told me well just there is the tables and there are the toilets and one more thing watch out for the cliff. Perfect!!!, cliff? What cliff I asked they said theres a cliff, okay cool cool I said and went to find a place to camp. I saw a van on the left of me and a caravan on the right so I decided to camp in the middle of them. Quickly put up my tent and went to bed. Next morning I got out of my tent stood up stretched the arms to the bright sun to say hello and turned around and said HELLLLOOOOO!!!!! OH MY !!! Oh that cliff hahah I just camped right on the edge of it and didn’t even realize lol hahahah. It was a good shocker that morning haha.

After that wonderful day it was time to do the last 100km to Fitzroy Crossing. I got there and decided meh?!! Lets keep going, so I went another 40 or 50km down the road. Sun has dropped and dark again as I ride and look up at the beautiful star’s and space junk flying across the earth all of a sudden my trailer tube popped. So I fixed the bad boy up but the tires were looking pretty bad believe me haha. I fixed it and kept on going until the tube popped again so I pulled over and walked in the bush and camped the night and see what I could do to fix the tire the next morning. Next morning I fixed the tire (look at the pics haha so funny I’ll try putting the video up) Hoping that my patch job would work which was going pretty sweet until 60km or so in when bang!!!!!! Sounded like a gun shot it did, AWWW man not again!!! Well at this time I’m down to my last tube and the tire looks rough haha On the side of the road when who comes along to say hey!!!!! Jo and Frank!!! Another beautiful couple from Melbourne. They asked me if I needed any help. I didn’t know what really to do I’m in a desperate situation so……..Yes they gave me a ride to the next road house which was I think 100km away. I know I know!!!!! I feel bad but it had to be done!!! Trust me I didn’t want to do it. Jo and frank dropped me at the road house which was called Willare Bridge. Thank you soo much Jo and Frank!!!!!!!!! When I got dropped off had lunch and tried to fix my tire once more this was the last tube and it was getting dire my tire haha Did another patch job and off I went to Broome!!! Which was 180 km ride so I figured do a 100km the camp in the bush and do the last bit next day. Started my journey on my superb patched tire until I got around 50 or 60km in until…… You guessed it flat!!!!!! What was I going to do?!!!!!! No tires left or tubes I had to think of something quick because the sun was going down. Looked around and a light popped on or it was the bloody sun in my eyes one of the two, what is ther tons of and its all around me? Hmmmmmm ROCKS!!!! So I packed my tire ful of rocks and duct tape the hole so they wouldn’t fall out hahaha. Well that lasted 5 or 8 kms lol Had to keep filling it up because they were going to dust and it was pretty heavy plus don’t think my wheels were designed for that hahaha I set up camp in the bush and pondered to see what I could think of for the next morning to Broome.

Next morning I had nothing so I had to do the thumb thing. That’s right hitch it to broom. Another hitch and this one was 120km, I had no other choice. But I had a groovy talk with this dude called Ben and he dropped me off right at the bike store in Broome which was pretty splendid of him. Got to the bike store and spent money haha. Thanks Ben!!!!!

In Broome!!!!! So happy and glad I made it this far!!! I’m absolute mind boggled!!! I look at the map of Aus and just go YAAAA GROOVTASTIC!!!!!!! Hahaha Following the spending of money at the bike store I called up my buddy Mr. David. He was out with his parents so they walked over to the shop to say hello!!!! He invited me to stay at there place where in Broome for the night, I couldn’t pass that up. Haha We all walked to the house and had lunch together and spent the day just relaxing and drinking coffee at the house. That night David and Kathy invited me to dinner again!!!! I know!!!! It was the 14? Year anniversary (David Kathy let me know I got that right) I can’t believe they invited me to dinner with them and their parents. I was a wonderful dinner and good company as well. Just remarkable people. Thank you so much you two!!!!!!!!!!

Next day it was time for more relaxing and shop for some supply’s for tomorrows ride. I had to do something for David and Kathy after they took me in and gave me a bed for the night and a wonderful dinner, twice!!! I decided to make them dinner. It was Pasta and Bolognese !!!!! hahaha Before dinner that day it was ladies day at the horse races that were going on in Broome. So Kathy got of work early and we went to the races hahah. I didn’t bet anything until the last race. Well…..David gave me two dollars and said Jesse go make a bet, I told him no that’s alright bud but he wouldn’t refuse so I made a bet. We watched the last race and what do you know!!!!!!! I WON!!!!!!!!!!!! That’s right my horse came in first!!!!!! That two dollars became ten dollars!!! So I put that towards HD. Thank you soo much for your hospitality Kathy and David. Can’t wait to give you a call when I’m back in Melbourne and I’m buying dinner this time hahaha.

I have been a stubborn monkey my whole life, never wanted help from no one always wanted to do it on my own never asked for help. That was just me. But now on this trip even before a little when I came to Australia I’ve learn when people ask if you need help you should always say yes. It’s more rude to say no then yes, I have always said no for so long but now it’s yes. I don’t think I would have made it this far if I kept saying no all the time. Want to say thank you to all the people who have helped me an my trip right from Melbourne to Melbourne!!!!!!