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Day's 1 to 6 12/8/2014 to 17/8/2014
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Day 6 - Geraldton to Dalgaranga Meteorite Crater - Sat 17 Oct 2015
Chastened by our previous day’s challenges but planned and ready for the tasks ahead, we awoke to a windy Geraldton. Wind has been a theme for us along the coastline, with some windy days and some windy people if you know what I mean. The tasks this morning were to go to the trailer joint and pick up new springs, get Scotty’s tyres repaired, have a top-up shopping session, have a good general wash and clean-up and acknowledge Carl’s birthday. The big fella was turning 51.
Scotty and Brad shot out early to the trailer joint to get the springs. Old mate had opened up especially for us to get them but he got his pound of flesh from us in cash. Scotty then dropped his two punctured tyres off. Time was spent on cleaning and bike servicing, updating web and Facebook information, sorting technical issues with the drone and re-fitting the springs to the bike trailer which needed minor repair.
A lengthy presentation ceremony was held with Carl emphasising the importance of teamwork, fines being issued to several people and Brad being awarded the Anything But Average award for his efforts as a mechanical genius the day before with the bike trailer and some tyre work. Carl was presented with a present and a card, along with some specialised equipment for his motorbike that Joc had lucked upon.
The upshot of the morning though was that we re-charged our stocks somewhat but did lose time. We didn’t get out of Geraldton until after 12.30pm. Our target was Meekatharra, which was around 450 kilometres away on the highway. We had also planned some dirt road riding to get off the highway and feel the red dirt. In hindsight our dicking around was good for us but had cost us time and covered ground.
We headed out the Geraldton – Mt Magnet Road and it felt good to now be travelling east. The road rose as we left Gero and the temperature did too as we lost the influence of the sea. We headed into ripe wheat fields where harvesting was in full progress, even on this Saturday. Many large long trucks went past, carrying both the fruit of the earth and the earth itself, as were the long trains, most likely coming from Mt Magnet. We stopped at Pindar for a late lunch; Pindar is a relic of a past time with fading wheat silos adjacent to an abandoned railway line. Several dilapidated houses flanked an impressive old pub that had pulled its last beer.
We pulled away and a further 50 kilometres up the highway we pulled off onto the red dirt. Immediately we all felt better. The road was in exceptional condition and was being worked on as we rode along, something we didn’t think we would see in Victoria on a Saturday afternoon. At Pindar the wheat country had run out and the bush had begun. There was even a sign indicating to us that we were in the outback which was a comfort. As the miles slipped away time did as well. Our aim of Meekatharra was clearly unattainable. We had aimed for a location on the map titled ‘Dalgaranga Meteorite Crater’ which seemed interesting. It was becoming clear that this might be our camp for the night with Meekatharra still over 200 kilometres away.
Dalgaranga was a little out of the way down a one-way track of 4 kilometres. The country was wide but populated with signs of the mining industry. We passed an abandoned mine and signs directing us to other locations. The ground when walked was like the bottom of a mining pan left to dry; dirt and sand with larger rocks coming up and through, pieces of quartz and granite littered about. At the crater site we had a quick look as it is only small: 21 metres, but perfectly formed. It was a great campsite. Although it was still very warm (36 degrees was seen on one bike thermometer) we lit the fire and enjoyed Brad’s chicken and vegies with rice. The goon came out and the second box was finished, a rate of goon consumption that we had not predicted and may leave us short later on. This will need to be planned around. More birthday celebrations ensued with a cake coming out, piped in by Hector. Our Piper then played a small selection of pieces, ending in the classic AC/DC hit, ‘It’s a long way to the top’. We know it’s a long way but tonight we felt we were close.
Chastened by our previous day’s challenges but planned and ready for the tasks ahead, we awoke to a windy Geraldton. Wind has been a theme for us along the coastline, with some windy days and some windy people if you know what I mean. The tasks this morning were to go to the trailer joint and pick up new springs, get Scotty’s tyres repaired, have a top-up shopping session, have a good general wash and clean-up and acknowledge Carl’s birthday. The big fella was turning 51.
Scotty and Brad shot out early to the trailer joint to get the springs. Old mate had opened up especially for us to get them but he got his pound of flesh from us in cash. Scotty then dropped his two punctured tyres off. Time was spent on cleaning and bike servicing, updating web and Facebook information, sorting technical issues with the drone and re-fitting the springs to the bike trailer which needed minor repair.
A lengthy presentation ceremony was held with Carl emphasising the importance of teamwork, fines being issued to several people and Brad being awarded the Anything But Average award for his efforts as a mechanical genius the day before with the bike trailer and some tyre work. Carl was presented with a present and a card, along with some specialised equipment for his motorbike that Joc had lucked upon.
The upshot of the morning though was that we re-charged our stocks somewhat but did lose time. We didn’t get out of Geraldton until after 12.30pm. Our target was Meekatharra, which was around 450 kilometres away on the highway. We had also planned some dirt road riding to get off the highway and feel the red dirt. In hindsight our dicking around was good for us but had cost us time and covered ground.
We headed out the Geraldton – Mt Magnet Road and it felt good to now be travelling east. The road rose as we left Gero and the temperature did too as we lost the influence of the sea. We headed into ripe wheat fields where harvesting was in full progress, even on this Saturday. Many large long trucks went past, carrying both the fruit of the earth and the earth itself, as were the long trains, most likely coming from Mt Magnet. We stopped at Pindar for a late lunch; Pindar is a relic of a past time with fading wheat silos adjacent to an abandoned railway line. Several dilapidated houses flanked an impressive old pub that had pulled its last beer.
We pulled away and a further 50 kilometres up the highway we pulled off onto the red dirt. Immediately we all felt better. The road was in exceptional condition and was being worked on as we rode along, something we didn’t think we would see in Victoria on a Saturday afternoon. At Pindar the wheat country had run out and the bush had begun. There was even a sign indicating to us that we were in the outback which was a comfort. As the miles slipped away time did as well. Our aim of Meekatharra was clearly unattainable. We had aimed for a location on the map titled ‘Dalgaranga Meteorite Crater’ which seemed interesting. It was becoming clear that this might be our camp for the night with Meekatharra still over 200 kilometres away.
Dalgaranga was a little out of the way down a one-way track of 4 kilometres. The country was wide but populated with signs of the mining industry. We passed an abandoned mine and signs directing us to other locations. The ground when walked was like the bottom of a mining pan left to dry; dirt and sand with larger rocks coming up and through, pieces of quartz and granite littered about. At the crater site we had a quick look as it is only small: 21 metres, but perfectly formed. It was a great campsite. Although it was still very warm (36 degrees was seen on one bike thermometer) we lit the fire and enjoyed Brad’s chicken and vegies with rice. The goon came out and the second box was finished, a rate of goon consumption that we had not predicted and may leave us short later on. This will need to be planned around. More birthday celebrations ensued with a cake coming out, piped in by Hector. Our Piper then played a small selection of pieces, ending in the classic AC/DC hit, ‘It’s a long way to the top’. We know it’s a long way but tonight we felt we were close.
