I just had two great riding days- one of 150k and one which would have been 160 with the wind at my back on pretty flat terrain. FUN!

Yesterday near the end of my ride I had a mechanical failure that forced me to get a ride about 90k to Tennant Creek- my seatpost clamp bolt and nut stripped and I could not control seat height or right to left movement so pretty much the bike was unrideable. I did not bring anything suitable as a spare and I am not a bright enough mechanic to kludge something up on the road so I stuck out my thumb!

The funny thing is, I was picked up by a guy I'd met 90k back the road at the Barkley Homestead when I had a late breakfast. He had no intention of going my way originally but some transportation issues forced him to drive to Tennant Creek and he said he was looking for me along the way. He was surprised to find me 90k down the road flagging him down for assistance just as I was surprised to actually have someone I knew helping me!!! Small world.

He gave me ride to Tennant Creek and it was too late to go to the hardware store to fix the bike so I got a motel room and took my new friend out to dinner for hauling me around.

Today is Sunday so I am staying over at the Motel, maybe get a swim in- it is really windy here though and warm, but not hot, eat some pizza later and pack up to leave tomorrow.

I still need to hit the Post Office when they open to see about my packages, then if all is good I am off North now 990k to Darwin on the Last Leg of the Journey!

I will post some more pictures and some of my kludgey repair job for the shop guys to laugh at....

written by  Mike_Veine on August 18, 2012 from Tennant Creek, Australia
from the travel blog: Mike's Magical Mystery Tour
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Lots has happened in the last few days- I am now staying at a camp in Renner Springs Roadhouse while I wait for a new downtube seatpost clamp to arrive from Melbourne.

The various fixes I have tried all failed and most of the bolts sheared or deformed so badly they would not hold the seat and I would end up riding like I was 5 foot tall with my knees I'm my chest. Not fun. 

I've made 163 k out of Tennant Creek though and tomorrow I will cover 100 k to Elliot where the part is being mailed. Big thanks to my support team, my friend, Carl here and Louisa in the States and a shout out to Bruce the REI shop guru for his advice and assistance. 

I am making the best of this time out, doing laundry and resting up for the last push, but I am anxious to get on the road again. 9 or 10 more days should finish this trip and then on to other things.

There is a windmill and a pond here with geese and cormorants, eagles and hawks and a bird people call stupid gullahs. The gullahs fly around madly in the morning squawking a horrible squawk and are a general nuisance.

Starting to miss home and bed, but still more to see and do before then. 

I will post more pics when I can.

written by  Mike_Veine on August 21, 2012 from Elliott, Australia
from the travel blog: Mike's Magical Mystery Tour
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When i left Tennant Creek I rode 100 k to a place called Banka Banka Outback Station where I met up with 4 other cyclists. Everyone there was amazed to see 5 bikes in one so out of the way place. Two of the  bikers were a couple from Belgium rising with another man from Denmark. They were heading south to Adelaide. The 4th rider was a 22 year old bike racer fr the Netherlands who was telling us about riding 230 k days at a 30-33kph average speed. He is headed to Darwin also but our riding styles and my mechanical issues meant that we could nor ride together. 

Banka Banka was graat... The men who ran it let all the cyclists stay for free and they had nice showers and a big camp kitchen. They had a night bonfire and a funny older fellow playing 70's songs on a standup organ. Fumny!

Left there early for Remner Springs and invited the Danish rider to stay with me in Melbourne when he gets there in  October. I also signed up with a group called warmshowes.org that help bike tourists find people who will let them couch surf on their trips. Very cool. I will try to find someone to put me up in Darwin and open the Melbourne House to a few riders as well to help out.

Aug 23

Today I rode the 100 k from Renner Spings to Elliot and my bike fix failed after about 20k. When it became too horrible to ride I chances trying to fix if again and this time I had success! I rode the last 60k with no problems or few because it is always in the back of your mind.

Unfortunately the part had not arrived yet so I will check tomorrow am and hope it is here. If not I will probably ride on and  forward the part to Matrinka or Katherine even just to get down the road. I am within 720 k of Darwin now so very anxious to move on.

It oz noticeably warmer here tonight and more humid and the trees are getting taller and greener and I went North today.

We will see what tomorrow brings.

written by  Mike_Veine on August 23, 2012 from Elliott, Australia
from the travel blog: Mike's Magical Mystery Tour
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Going to sleep by a somewhat cloudy sky.... First clouds I have seen the whole trip. Today was an epic day... Rode 160 k from Elliot to Daly Waters old town pub which is a place every top ender told me I had to see.

It was pretty hot today, from noon til 2;30 I had to stop every 1/2 hour to 45 min. To get in the shade and drink. Went through almost all the water on the bike including my 2 liter drom bag and I was still thirsty. 

But I made it. Now under 600 k to Darwin and 300 k to Katherine whoohoo!

The pub here was awesome as well, great food and entertainment and I made fast friends with people who passed me and said, "no way is he going to make it to Daly Waters". 

They ended up buying me some beers!

Hard day, but good, I know that I am strong enough to go 16o k without the wind helping if I have to and I have an invitation for a place to stay in Darwin when I get there. Cool,

One more thing about the pub- when I finish riding I always like to set up camp and take a shower, so when I got here I did my usual routine. Most camps have a block of showers and toilets for men and one for women kind of like single wide Mobile homes with jut bath facilities. The pub was different with seven small individual buildings that had a toilet, sink and shower in very close confines.

Anyone who knows me knows that I would pick number 7 (lucky number) so in I tromped. I had a great shower and my Surprise came when I flushed the toilet and a green frog the size of my fist appeared in the toilet bowl like Harry Potter had conjured him there! I screamed "Holy Sh*t" and then burst out laughing so hard!

When I left I ran into two couples who had seen me riding and greeted me when I rode into camp. I warned them about the toilet guest in number 7. They all laughed and assured that that happens frequently (!) in Darwin where the green frogs get into the septic tanks. The wonders of the animal kingdom...

written by  Mike_Veine on August 24, 2012 from Daly Waters, Australia
from the travel blog: Mike's Magical Mystery Tour
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The last two days have been shorter rides- one of 93 k to Larramiah and one of 80 k to Matarinka.

Larramiah had nothing to recommend it except The Pink Panther Pub which is pink and has a zoo with exotic birds including emus, a salty crocodile and thats about it.

They did have a meatloaf special that was good, but not a good as Mom's.

The heat even at night is tough...could not get to sleep easily and didn't use the sleeping bag until after 3 am when I woke up and my legs were a little cool.

Matarinka is better. They have a beautiful natural hot water River in a National park that is free and amazing. When you get in it and let the current carry you it is like riding the jungle boat ride at Disneyland minus the Hippos and Crocs! Tropical plants and trees ae all around you and several types of Dragonflies fly around you just skimming the water and alighting by you on Lotus Flowers. Magical.

I went for two swims and took a bunch of pictures. The water was Crystal clear and not too hot, just a very comfortable and refreshing temperature.

Left there and I am at a small caravan park by the main road. Sunday dinner tonight is Pork Roast and sounds delicious. Mmmm.

Getting closer to Darwin every day now.

written by  Mike_Veine on August 26, 2012 from Mataranka, Australia
from the travel blog: Mike's Magical Mystery Tour
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Good ride into Katherine today. Wind at my back much of the time and rolling hills to ride 
But still hot! 

Katherine is a big city compared to anywhere I've been since Mt Isa and even has a McDonalds with WiFi! This is also the first place my iPhone has coverage since Cairns.

Katherine is famous for Katherine Gorge which I hope to visit on the way back. I am not taking many side trips now with the finish so close so there are places I want to go back to if I hopefully get a car.

I did visit the Cutta Cutta Caves which were only a 1 k side trip. The Caves are limestone and have stalactite and stalagmite formations that are hundreds of thousands of years old. Not an anthropologically interesting site since the native peoples had no knowledge of it and it was never inhabited or even used in ritual. 

At a caravan park tonight where noisy backpacker kids are keeping me awake arguing about their travel plans for like 5 hours. I finally had to ask for some peace and quiet to get some sleep. LOL. I will be glad to sleep in when this ride is done!

written by  Mike_Veine on August 27, 2012 from Darwin, Australia
from the travel blog: Mike's Magical Mystery Tour
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Rode today to Emerald Springs 135 k down the road. I stopped for a long lunch in Pine Creek to let the day cool off a bit and then rode 30 k or so to ES.

Today was hills and climbs, but not too steep, just up and up and them a down. Getting used to the heat now a bit more and still drinking plenty of water. I had two pitchers full for lunch!

I am getting very anxious about finishing and may be done in two days. Today I had a flat- the front tubs that had been leaking finally gave it up so sat in the shade on the roadside and fixed that little problem.

I had drinks in the bar tonight with three young servicemen who were picking up broken vehicles the army had left behind during an exercise. Nice blokes, we watched Big Brother on the TV and made fun of the contestants.

Emerald Springs is pretty much just the Roadhouse from what I can see- another tiny town built around a waterhole. 

The land has changed again and the past two days I have seen large boulders in many places and I saw small palm trees beside the road for the first time today. Also, I found an Australian Flag that came off a car I guess and hung it off the end of my bike. Really cool find. And my bike computer died- I thought it was the wireless sensors battery and replaced it but it still won't work. I will give a final summary of the recorded data on my last blog entry.

written by  Mike_Veine on August 28, 2012 from Darwin, Australia
from the travel blog: Mike's Magical Mystery Tour
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My next to last day!

Today I rode about 90 k or so to Adelaide River. The humidity is really getting up there and today I saw a lot more palm trees and a wildfire!

The wildfire was in the middle of nowhere and seemed quite large and burning out of control about 800 meters or so from the road on the Eastern side.  It was already burned up by the roadway which must have acted as a firebreak for the East wind driven flames. I took some pictures and while I was doing that I noticed some fresh flames sprouting up very close to the roadway in an unburnt area and decided to get out of there!

I have also seen a lot more standing water in creeks and pools and little lakes...I wonder if some of these are billabongs? With the water comes some more of the beautiful Jabirus (Big birds with black heads) and Egrets. I am also hearing more birdsong by the highway and fewer crows and carrion birds. Much greener as well with some areas looking almost like lawns.

The ride today was like yesterday with some climbing of hills not too steep but sometimes kin of tediously long. No good descents really either so maybe I will get one tomorrow.

I am staying in a motel room at a caravan park for the a/c an soft bed, but too excited to sleep....tomorrow is the last day and I should be at the ocean in Darwin by 2 or so (knock wood).

It has been an amazing ride so far and I am so thankful for everything Australia and the good people I have met have shown and taught me the last month o riding. My body has gone through some big changes and I hope to keep up with the improvements and build on them in Melbourne.

Today I met a young couple at the pool and tonight we shared some laughs and they told me about traveling in India which is another place I hope to see in a couple of years.

I will ride especially carefully tomorrow since the end of journeys can often be as perilous as the beginnings, but I am confident and energized as well.

Now back to trying to sleep....

written by  Mike_Veine on August 29, 2012 from Darwin, Australia
from the travel blog: Mike's Magical Mystery Tour
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