Part 2 – Time to go home

I hear a BMW start. It’s 7am and Derricks away. I’m not moving yet, well, maybe a little, just to get a coffee.
Time to load the bike and get ready to cover the first couple km and catch up with my Darwin workmates and chew the fat. I get away by lunchtime with my sights set on Daly Waters.
All’s great till I’m 40km south of Darwin and run headlong into a police roadblock. There’s a small fire that’s covering the Stuart Highway. A copper walks up and inquires as to my destination. Melbourne I reply, to which he replies, you’ve got a few kays to cover, see that car over there? follow him down the detour and you’ll be fine. Have a good ride.
Quite refreshing really after dealing with the jackbooted thugs here in Victoriastan.
Anyway, detour done and spend the few hours getting to Daly Waters. Stayed overnight and got moving early the next day before Bob and Mabel got their vans on the road. There were plenty of them, most on the way to, or coming from, Dingo Piss Creek.

I’m approaching Renner Springs, having had an uneventful ride sofar, when I spot something that looks odd, very odd. As I get closer, I get that “oh shit” feeling. There’s a van on its side and from how I’m seeing it, looks like it’s been a head on. I get closer and breathe a sigh of relief when I realise it’s old mate and his family checking up on Bob and Mabel after Bob stroked his beard once too often and sent the whole shooting match into the sticks. Mabel didn’t look happy… not happy at all, Jan! No photos and I kept moving.

Another couple hundred kays, a refuel and I’d made it to the Devils Marbles for a late lunch.

30 minutes later and we’re south bound again. Barrow Creek rolls into view. I’ve always been fascinated by the ranges around here. The photos really don’t do it justice. Then there’s the Barrow Creek hotel. Used to be owned by a bloke called Les Pilton and was affectionately known as the Pilton Hilton.
Now if you stopped in there and Les decided to have a quick beer with you, you either stopped at one beer or you were there all night. Carry on, nothing to see here.

I arrived in Alice Springs and spent the next couple days catching up with Dad which he really appreciated. Age catches up with us all and Dad misses Mum and his mates. I also took time to go see Mum and have a chat bit of a chat. Unfortunately flowers don’t last long in the Territory heat.

I had about 4 days to get home so time to move. Heading out on Larapinta drive, I was reminded why I still love this part of the country. The Western Macs are just something else!

At the end of Larapinta Drive there lays the township of Hermannsburg, where I spent my childhood.
There is a memorial cairn 3 miles east of Hermannsburg for Albert Namatjira overlooking the landscape that inspired his paintings. We often used to ride our pushbikes out here as kids.

Some things have changed and others stayed the same. This is what I notice about Hermannsburg.
I looked longingly at the precinct that is now enclosed behind bars and attracts a fee to go in. I chose to remember things as they were.
In the photo below, I’m looking straight down our dustbowl we lovingly called a cricket pitch. How times have changed.

After an hour of poking around the town, I headed out to Palm Valley. Managing a heavy adventure bike on near road tyres proved interesting to say the least. Point and commit was how to get it done in the sand. Once again I was reminded why I still love this landscape. 
There’s always a downside though. The interwebz has taken over and you now need to book a campsite online. So handy when you’re out there. I left in disgust and while riding out, passed about a dozen yahoos with overloaded fully souped 4WD’s towing camper trailers. Maybe I dodged a bullet. Who knows.
I think I’ll remember the place the way it was. Maybe one day I’ll wander back out there when my head’s in a better place.

With my plan of camping at Palm Valley being thwarted by covid and modernization, I got on the Merinee Loop a bit earlier than planned.
If you haven’t done this loop, put it on the bucket list. The scenery is stunning!

After a few more hours of riding, I found a nice campsite at Gintys lookout.

This site gives a tremendous view of the back of Kings Canyon as well as a stunning sunset and sunrise!

Kings Canyon up close.

The following day I headed to Marla. After refuelling, I jumped back on da bike and nek momint Ima lying underneaf it. What happened you may ask? well, apparently BMW’s have sidestands are made from the same cheesium their rims are. I made necessary adjustments and called it quits for the day and went and drank beer.

That was pretty much it, all boxes ticked. I spent the next 2 days heading home, stopping occasionally to smell the roses. All in all, a very successful trip with the only failure being the sidestand. Gotta be happy with that!

Below. Acacia bush and Sturts Desert Pea