Wycliffe Well

Mulder and Scully eat your heart out, Yes it's the northern territories X-file hot spot.

Apparently there have been UFO sitings in the area. So the Roadhouse has capitilised on the idea they have a roadhouse and Caravan Park that is on the Stuart Highway approximately 140Km away from Tennant Creek.

Apparently there have been lots of UFO sightings in the area, I am not sure I believe that however the Roadhouse and the park use the UFO theme to decorate the park, the inside of the roadhouse is wall papered with articles about Ufo's. The buildings are painted with various themes and are very well done.so as you can imagine I took many photos' it certainly made an interesting place to stay overnight.

I was going to Stay at Tennant Creek however a local at another roadhouse told me he had left home for the long weekend as there was an Aboriginal Football festival on at Tennant and that they were expecting lots of booze fulled fights, so I thought it best not to stay there.

Apparently they have 32 police for the three thousand residents, so i reckon it would be a wild place on the odd ocasion. However having said that, when I rode through Tennant creek it was very quiet no sign of a big party, although there were a few wobbly shoe wearing people in the local partk, I refilled at The BP garage there and purchased a 10 Liter Petrol Container.

On the way to what is know as the three ways intersection I stopped and spent some time photographing the Devils Marbles, what a fascinating place that is. The road up up to The Three ways turn off is a good quality road and the scenery is interesting and varied.

I can't say the same for the Barkly Highway, The terrain flattens out and there are no mountains and very few trees, the road quality is reasonable however the cross winds on this road are a pain in the Arse. On top of that by about 11am the temp had climbed to about 36 degrees, so today was a difficult, hot and at times monotonous ride, oh well they can't all be the Great Ocean Road I guess...

I had lunch and filled up the Spyder and the 10 Liter petrol container at Barkly Homestead as the cross winds were playing havoc with my petrol consumption.

From The three ways on The Stuart Highway to The Barkly Roadhouse is 199 Km and I can usually do 250 Km before the fuel warning light comes on, however it came on 10 km before the Barkly, I was riding very conservatively so I put the poor consumption down to the cross winds.

It is 280 Km from The Barkly Road house to Camooweal so I needed extra fuel, I strapped down the container very well and it survived the trip, at a small rest stop I used the extra fuel and made it to my bed for the night, without the fuel light coming on. It was so bloody hot today I had to take off my gloves and riding jacket and wet my singlet and tee shirt every half hour or so. Luckily for me there is one good thing about main outback roads like the Stuart and Barkley, at regular intervals there are rest stops and quiet a lot of them have shelter, toilets and tank water.

I found the Camel back hydration system a God send because without it I would have got dehydrated very quickly. The combination of heat and dry wind is a recipe for heat stroke so I am thankful for my medical background it does come in handy i love riding and being on an adventure, it's all about minimising the risk as well we all know.

Tomorrow I will; head towards Cloncurry were I will take the Matilda Highway up to Normanton, I am not sure where I will stay but I am going to try to make it as far as possible. Once at Normanton I will ride across to the Undara Volcanic national Park, I hope to camp there for a couple of days and then head up to be at Atherton by Friday so I can get the Spyder serviced.

So until then Good bye stay safe and keep your sunny side up..

The Ride,
A poem by Steve Dove

Ride far ride free
Ride safe and above all if it all turns to shit it's ok
there is allways a clear road down a highway
somewhere near you,
I call it ride therapy
come on a journey with me if you dare
Close your eyes,
imagine wind in your face,
on a mild summer day,
the only other sound you hear
is the thump of the motor
You and the bike sometimes merge
Around the next corner appears Ularu
or some know it as , Ayres rock.
Ancient meets modern a collision in time.
just you and your machine,
there's not a feeling much better,
although I am sure we could all think of one,
or two
In fact here's another

I got to dance at a pub in ayres rock to a muso playing some reggage at 10 clock and let me tell you, there was quiet a crowd.
what an odd old man i heard a young guy explain,
I saw his girfriend jab ahim in the ribs and
exclaim at least he can rock
All you do is stand and mock.
If You think I sound like a hippy, never mind the bollocks to that! ( Just Joking)
maybe the red center has worked a spell on me and it has helped me to find my voice.