Questa mattina mi son svegliato con questa sorpresina alla moto...
mi sapete dire quanto è grave?...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=myBof7gvMnE
This morning I woke up and I found this surprise...
is it dangerous???
domenica 27 febbraio 2011
mercoledì 16 febbraio 2011
Tyres
Another decision to take: change the tyres or not?
My road tyres already have 12000km, I changed them in Seoul...
The knobby tyres are new, only 700km offroad...
I could change the tyres, and keep the knobby with me,
but it's not pleasant to carry spare tyres...
Then, if I want to change them again, it will be a hard afternoon:
it's hot, it will take time,
my right thumb still hurts, I think I dislocated it when changing the tyres last week...
then, I am afraid for those screws: if I continue putting them on and off,
maybe the 3 remained will suffer, and it will really be a big problem if another one will yield...
Most of the street now will be on tarmac, and being very hot, maybe the knobby tyres will not even last to Perth...
otherwise, with knobby tyres I could take some side road without much pain...
It's stupid, I konw, it's just only a decision to take, but it is not easy to me.
I will think of it a little bit more, then I will take it.
I've met here in the camping a couple of bikers:
they are going back to England, from Sydney!
They are at the beginning, full of enthusiasm.
Like me, when starting!
They started one week ago, they will go to Darwin, then Singapore, then Thailand, India, Pakistan, Central Asia and on.
They are English, they came here in Australia 10 years ago, and now they are going back home. Great!
NOTE: they had a great idea for carrying tools. A PVC pipe, a normal one, 15$ per meter, on the left side, opposite to the exhaust, behind the pannier.
Great idea: cheap, strong, waterproof, easy to fix, You find also the closures! I will copy them in the future!
My road tyres already have 12000km, I changed them in Seoul...
The knobby tyres are new, only 700km offroad...
I could change the tyres, and keep the knobby with me,
but it's not pleasant to carry spare tyres...
Then, if I want to change them again, it will be a hard afternoon:
it's hot, it will take time,
my right thumb still hurts, I think I dislocated it when changing the tyres last week...
then, I am afraid for those screws: if I continue putting them on and off,
maybe the 3 remained will suffer, and it will really be a big problem if another one will yield...
Most of the street now will be on tarmac, and being very hot, maybe the knobby tyres will not even last to Perth...
otherwise, with knobby tyres I could take some side road without much pain...
It's stupid, I konw, it's just only a decision to take, but it is not easy to me.
I will think of it a little bit more, then I will take it.
I've met here in the camping a couple of bikers:
they are going back to England, from Sydney!
They are at the beginning, full of enthusiasm.
Like me, when starting!
They started one week ago, they will go to Darwin, then Singapore, then Thailand, India, Pakistan, Central Asia and on.
They are English, they came here in Australia 10 years ago, and now they are going back home. Great!
NOTE: they had a great idea for carrying tools. A PVC pipe, a normal one, 15$ per meter, on the left side, opposite to the exhaust, behind the pannier.
Great idea: cheap, strong, waterproof, easy to fix, You find also the closures! I will copy them in the future!
martedì 15 febbraio 2011
Goodbye
It's strange how sometimes things change so quickly in life.
Yes, in life. Because this is my life now, my present life, in this moment.
We were very tired yesterday evening, when arriving at the Outback Pioneers Lodge after nine hours riding on dirt roads.
Jan wanted a beer. He wanted it immediately. He needed it.
I needed to pull off my bike suit, my boots, and wear comfortable flip-flops.
Then I reached him and I ordered two Outback Burgers (with eggs, bacon, tomato, pineapple!, and hamburger of course): they were higher than wide, not easy to bite.
Jan ordered other two beers: another one for him, and one for me.
I don't remember how many years (yes, years!) it was that I did not drink a pint of beer, a whole pint of beer; maybe I never did it before...
But it was a particular day. A day to remember.
We were happy. Tired but happy.
Who follows our SPOT tracking already knows that...we came back.
Yesterday morning the sky was not encouraging: black clouds all around.
It did not seem the right day to start.
We woke up early, but then we slowed down: we wanted to be sure, we wanted to have all the possible information before taking our last decision.
We went to the roadhouse, we went to the police station, we went again to the meteorological station. Collecting information: on the road, on the weather.
The only policeman of the station was sick at home. Another employee there told us that he came just the day before from Warburton: no problems on the road.
"Great!" we thought. But he did not know anything "official". He tried to call, but they are one hour and a half less there, in Warburton, so nobody answering yet.
We took our bikes, and went again to the meteorological Station. The guys called here and there, kind as usual. For the shire of Laverton the street is open, but the shire does not include Warburton...
The Police in Warburton did not answer: the Police station was flooded, maybe there's nobody there.
The Roadhouse in Warburton said: the street is officially closed.
So we had no choice: we had to go back.
We went back to the "room" and finished packing.
But I wanted a more "official" information, I did not want to surrender...
So I called the local shire, the shire of Ngaanyatjarraku.
They said that they were inspecting the road; it was monday morning, they were just going out. During the weekend no news, no new bulletins. That's why we wanted fresh news, and we were still illuded.
"From Warakurna to Warburton no big damages, but west of Warburton parts of the street have been literally washed away by the rivers full.
Anyway: the road is officially closed." And maybe it will take weeks before its reopening.
No way.
We had to come back.
The weather started to become a little bit better, and the guys at the Station said that the forecast gave thunderstorms as usual in the afternoon, but less chance going east.
So we started.
It was late, 11.30 am. But in any case we had a stop to do in Docker River, to fill our tanks, and they reopen at 2pm after lunch break, so we were not in a hurry.
The street till Docker River was good as a few days before. We arrived just after the reopening.
Luckily the camel was far, in the end of the street. They told us that that camel lives in the village since it was a baby.
Then started the long way back, in the Northern Territory. Some parts of the street were better, at the beginning. We went faster than when going.
But the second and the last part were more sandy. It was very difficult.
Jan was much faster than me: I don't know if it was that he had practiced and learnt, or if it was because he felt in a hurry to reach Perth in time for his flight.
I think it was because of that black big cloud full of rain approaching on our right.
We missed it really for a few. It started to rain a little, then it stopped. We have been lucky. If it started to rain on that street, we would have been stuck there for the night, for sure.
In any case, he was faster than me.
I was very sad, because I don't like to go back. Never.
But we had no choice. No sensible choice I mean. No legal one.
In one point, trying to change path, the sand "dune" was too high, and I fell down.
Yes, I did it. For the first time in this long trip.
But it was not a problem, I was going maybe at 30kph, and there was the sand, as I am saying.
No problems for me, no problems for the bike. And I was not scared, not in panic, as it happened to me other times. It was really a harmless fall.
We went on slowly, when stopping I was always asking the distance travelled to Jan (my speedometer is not working anymore...)
When we reached the tarmac road, by the Olgas, just on the sunset, we were very happy. We did it in one day. 300km offroad.
Other 45 km to the Resort, in the dark, but on paved road.
We decided to stay in the "Lodge", too late and too tired to put the tent on the campground.
What happened then I already told You, at the beginning of this post.
While drinking the beer Jan told me his crazy idea:
"How many km to Port Augusta?" he asked to me.
"About 1200" I answered.
"I have to say to You something You will not like" he said to me, "I will go there tomorrow".
"How can You do it? It's 14 hours travelling!" I said.
"I will wake up at 5 o'clock tomorrow morning and I will do it".
And he did it.
This morning he started at 6, and I still don't know where he has arrived.
So we divided.
We had good time together. He is a very good fellow.
23 days, from Sydney to Uluru.
He wants to reach Perth as soon as possible,
he will put the bike on the train to Perth, from Port Augusta.
His best friend lives in Perth, he rightly wants to spend some time with him before going back to Czech,
and in our plan we would have arrived in Perth just a couple of days before his flight,
without considering any inconvenience.
So now my life has changed, I am alone again.
I have to replan everything: timing, direction, mind.
It's so sad to say goodbye.
I had to do it so many times on my trip, and it's always difficult the same.
With Jan it was good company, we have the same age, we understood each other quite well.
Never in my life like in this trip I appreciated the fact of not being alone.
I often need to be alone. I always said that I could easily stay alone, I can usually stay alone without any suffering.
And it was like this, in the first part of this trip, till Kazakhstan.
Then in Korea and Japan I started to suffer a little bit of loneliness, and from there on I really appreciated when being hosted, not only for meeting new people, but for feeling somehow like in a family...
A friend of mine said to me that really a few people are "free spirits", able to live alone without any "bond".
I thought I could be. But it's not like this.
Maybe because of habit.
There are many kinds of bonds: family, friends, job, commitments.
And it's like a sort of "training": all our lives subject to some kind of bond, that now we can't do it without.
Then, one of the (many) great things of not being alone is that You laugh.
I am not one who is able to laugh reading a book, or an email, or while chatting...
So when travelling alone it's rare to laugh.
But when in two, it happens, and it's so good!
While writing these rows, on the campkitchen table,
there are many little mice running, over here, under there.
And big blackbeetles. Bigger than the mice.
So I am not alone :-)
I am going to sleep now,
tomorrow I have to change again the tyres...a lot of tarmac is waiting for me now...
Yes, in life. Because this is my life now, my present life, in this moment.
We were very tired yesterday evening, when arriving at the Outback Pioneers Lodge after nine hours riding on dirt roads.
Jan wanted a beer. He wanted it immediately. He needed it.
I needed to pull off my bike suit, my boots, and wear comfortable flip-flops.
Then I reached him and I ordered two Outback Burgers (with eggs, bacon, tomato, pineapple!, and hamburger of course): they were higher than wide, not easy to bite.
Jan ordered other two beers: another one for him, and one for me.
I don't remember how many years (yes, years!) it was that I did not drink a pint of beer, a whole pint of beer; maybe I never did it before...
But it was a particular day. A day to remember.
We were happy. Tired but happy.
Who follows our SPOT tracking already knows that...we came back.
Yesterday morning the sky was not encouraging: black clouds all around.
It did not seem the right day to start.
We woke up early, but then we slowed down: we wanted to be sure, we wanted to have all the possible information before taking our last decision.
We went to the roadhouse, we went to the police station, we went again to the meteorological station. Collecting information: on the road, on the weather.
The only policeman of the station was sick at home. Another employee there told us that he came just the day before from Warburton: no problems on the road.
"Great!" we thought. But he did not know anything "official". He tried to call, but they are one hour and a half less there, in Warburton, so nobody answering yet.
We took our bikes, and went again to the meteorological Station. The guys called here and there, kind as usual. For the shire of Laverton the street is open, but the shire does not include Warburton...
The Police in Warburton did not answer: the Police station was flooded, maybe there's nobody there.
The Roadhouse in Warburton said: the street is officially closed.
So we had no choice: we had to go back.
We went back to the "room" and finished packing.
But I wanted a more "official" information, I did not want to surrender...
So I called the local shire, the shire of Ngaanyatjarraku.
They said that they were inspecting the road; it was monday morning, they were just going out. During the weekend no news, no new bulletins. That's why we wanted fresh news, and we were still illuded.
"From Warakurna to Warburton no big damages, but west of Warburton parts of the street have been literally washed away by the rivers full.
Anyway: the road is officially closed." And maybe it will take weeks before its reopening.
No way.
We had to come back.
The weather started to become a little bit better, and the guys at the Station said that the forecast gave thunderstorms as usual in the afternoon, but less chance going east.
So we started.
It was late, 11.30 am. But in any case we had a stop to do in Docker River, to fill our tanks, and they reopen at 2pm after lunch break, so we were not in a hurry.
The street till Docker River was good as a few days before. We arrived just after the reopening.
Luckily the camel was far, in the end of the street. They told us that that camel lives in the village since it was a baby.
Then started the long way back, in the Northern Territory. Some parts of the street were better, at the beginning. We went faster than when going.
But the second and the last part were more sandy. It was very difficult.
Jan was much faster than me: I don't know if it was that he had practiced and learnt, or if it was because he felt in a hurry to reach Perth in time for his flight.
I think it was because of that black big cloud full of rain approaching on our right.
We missed it really for a few. It started to rain a little, then it stopped. We have been lucky. If it started to rain on that street, we would have been stuck there for the night, for sure.
In any case, he was faster than me.
I was very sad, because I don't like to go back. Never.
But we had no choice. No sensible choice I mean. No legal one.
In one point, trying to change path, the sand "dune" was too high, and I fell down.
Yes, I did it. For the first time in this long trip.
But it was not a problem, I was going maybe at 30kph, and there was the sand, as I am saying.
No problems for me, no problems for the bike. And I was not scared, not in panic, as it happened to me other times. It was really a harmless fall.
We went on slowly, when stopping I was always asking the distance travelled to Jan (my speedometer is not working anymore...)
When we reached the tarmac road, by the Olgas, just on the sunset, we were very happy. We did it in one day. 300km offroad.
Other 45 km to the Resort, in the dark, but on paved road.
We decided to stay in the "Lodge", too late and too tired to put the tent on the campground.
What happened then I already told You, at the beginning of this post.
While drinking the beer Jan told me his crazy idea:
"How many km to Port Augusta?" he asked to me.
"About 1200" I answered.
"I have to say to You something You will not like" he said to me, "I will go there tomorrow".
"How can You do it? It's 14 hours travelling!" I said.
"I will wake up at 5 o'clock tomorrow morning and I will do it".
And he did it.
This morning he started at 6, and I still don't know where he has arrived.
So we divided.
We had good time together. He is a very good fellow.
23 days, from Sydney to Uluru.
He wants to reach Perth as soon as possible,
he will put the bike on the train to Perth, from Port Augusta.
His best friend lives in Perth, he rightly wants to spend some time with him before going back to Czech,
and in our plan we would have arrived in Perth just a couple of days before his flight,
without considering any inconvenience.
So now my life has changed, I am alone again.
I have to replan everything: timing, direction, mind.
It's so sad to say goodbye.
I had to do it so many times on my trip, and it's always difficult the same.
With Jan it was good company, we have the same age, we understood each other quite well.
Never in my life like in this trip I appreciated the fact of not being alone.
I often need to be alone. I always said that I could easily stay alone, I can usually stay alone without any suffering.
And it was like this, in the first part of this trip, till Kazakhstan.
Then in Korea and Japan I started to suffer a little bit of loneliness, and from there on I really appreciated when being hosted, not only for meeting new people, but for feeling somehow like in a family...
A friend of mine said to me that really a few people are "free spirits", able to live alone without any "bond".
I thought I could be. But it's not like this.
Maybe because of habit.
There are many kinds of bonds: family, friends, job, commitments.
And it's like a sort of "training": all our lives subject to some kind of bond, that now we can't do it without.
Then, one of the (many) great things of not being alone is that You laugh.
I am not one who is able to laugh reading a book, or an email, or while chatting...
So when travelling alone it's rare to laugh.
But when in two, it happens, and it's so good!
While writing these rows, on the campkitchen table,
there are many little mice running, over here, under there.
And big blackbeetles. Bigger than the mice.
So I am not alone :-)
I am going to sleep now,
tomorrow I have to change again the tyres...a lot of tarmac is waiting for me now...
domenica 13 febbraio 2011
8
We were in Adelaide, we had to decide what to do:
the goal is Perth, Jan has to take a flight from there to go back to his job in Czech Republic.
He already delayed one week his flight when we were in Sydney, it's the maximum he can do (8 weeks with this one more).
But which way to go?
We can go through the Nullarbor plain, in Italian the word is explicit of what the region offers: nothing... it's an arid region, and there's a boring straight highway, going west, for a couple of thousands of km.
But our original plan is to go to Uluru, then head west through the Outback Way...
It took a couple of days to take the decision: we looked at the weather forecast, we asked to people, we searched for offroad tyres...
eventually we decided to go, and take the risk (weather, maybe hot maybe wet, the cyclone coming west from Queensland, and all the difficulties that a desert road can bring).
So we bought the tyres, made a plan, charged the satellite phone, and started our way: first north for many many km in the rain (Port Augusta, Coober Pedy, Erldunda), then west, to Yulara, where we camped for 2 days (3 nights).
First day dedicated to Uluru, as already described. Second day to prepare ourselves for the desert: I shipped some of my stuff to Perth, to Jan's friend, then we had to change the tyres, bought in Adelaide (we could not put new knobby tyres before starting for 2000 km of tarmac...it would be a real shame...)
Somebody told us that there's a mechanic shop in Yulara, and we trusted. There is, but it's only a car shop... they said in the morning that they had no time, try to go back in the afternoon. Ok. Hopefully within the day we will have the tyres changed, we said...
But in the afternoon they refused to change our tyres... They had no time, and they did not want to take any responsibility for working on motorbikes...
So, what to do? We have to change them by ourselves!
That was a long long afternoon...
it was very hot, we had a small shade from the barn of the camping, they gently offered it to us.
Jan's back tyre did not want to go out of the rim, it was there since 2002, it made itself comfortable there... it was really stuck. It was a hard job to take it out. But we did it.
Then my big fault: a great problem of my fork... I have 4 screws keeping on position a small plate, to fix the front wheel axis. I tightened them quite a lot...too much for one of them...it did yeld...
Fuck! and what to do now?
I immediately called one, two, three friends in Italy, all of them reassured me that I can go on even with three screws only. They have not to be fixed too much. My fault.
So, apart from all the fears I already had for the outback way, there was also that one more scaring me...
Anyway, the morning after we started, already and still tired by the previous day (we finished late, it was already dark, we had a shower, cooked something and slept)
We went again to Uluru, then Kata Tjuta, then the beginning of the dirt road. I stopped many times to check my front fork screws. The road was not easy, because sandy. Jan was slow, because fairly careful: it was his first time offroad. I am not an expert, but Tajikistan and Mongolia are anyhow a background.
Time was passing, it seemed more and more impossible to reach Docker River within the day...
when all of a sudden it started to rain...hard rain...
the road became muddy, but we tryed to go on slowly...very slowly...10kph...when we reached shaw creek...
No way, it's not possible to cross. Too high the water. And it's becoming dark: so we decided to camp. We were prepared to this: we had water and food. The only thing we were not aware of were the ants: hundreds, thousands of ants, coming up our feet, and legs, and really biting us!
It was a big struggle. We had a nice evening, around the campfire prepared by Jan. But we had to go inside the tents, to avoid being eaten by the ants!
In the morning the river had almost disappeared, so we were happy that we could go on. And we put immediately socks and boots, to avoid the ants!
But the flyes arrived, and did not permit us to enjoy the breakfast...
We started, reached Docker River, luckily just a couple of minutes before the noon closure: we would have had to wait a couple of hours otherwise to have the fuel!
Docker River is a strange place: You can see trash everywhere on the roads, many stray dogs, crumbling cars.
The gas pumps are locked into cages, the roadhouse store seems a prison: double locked doors to enter it... not a safe place at first sight... We bought water, and something to eat, other than fuel, of course.
Children coming out of school, and a camel approaching. It fall in love with Blondynka, Jan's bike: he (the camel) wanted to rub himself on her (the bike)!
It started to suck Jan's helmet, then the mirrors, then pointed at the jacket, and it was a big matter to dissuade it and literally run away!
Just by the Western Australia border, the street immediately became better, a big wide good gravel road. We could speed up to 80kph, having fun, and reaching Warakurna in a couple of hours. Great day!
We had something to eat (not a lot for me because of a headache, due to accumulated tiredness), then found a quite good and cheap accommodation for the night: a backpackers "container", of course "low class", but with air conditioning, clean kitchen, and (incredible!) free wifi!
The bad thing is that they said to us that the road to Warburton, our next destination, is closed...what to do?
We collected information from police, from the kind couples managing the roadhouse, from other people stuck here with us...
It really seems that the road to Warburton is closed. Due to the floods they had last friday...
Yes, floods! In the middle of the desert!
It never happened before. There's no history of such a flood in Warburton since when the white men came, in 1933. Two meters of water somewhere, 60 houses evacuated, 2 feet of water in the general store.
What can we do?
Wait. Just wait.
We decided to stay here for a couple of days: usually the road is re-opened again after one, or maximum 2 days. But that is "usually". This is a real uncommon situation. Somebody says that we could be stuck here for a couple of weeks!
We have to wait.
So arrived the rest. Forced rest, but so desired rest.
There's nothing to do here. There's only the desert all around, for hundreds of km.
This is the first place in Australia where we are really alone: we have all the campground for us, all the kitchen, there's really no tourists! Nobody except from the two couples of (young!) people managing the roadhouse, the aboriginal people from the near community, the policemen, and a girl, Kaisey, who works as a teacher in a near community, stuck here like us.
The internet helped us wasting time, searching for weather forecasts, and road reports, but there's nothing updated... still the same bulletin from friday, shown to us by the roadhouse people: street closed.
Yesterday evening we had a good dinner: Jan prepared the barbecue, I tried to make a "risotto", with not much luck... (nothing compared to my mother's one...)
Then on tv in the night there was "Into the wild"...what better movie there could be in our situation???
What to do today?
There's the small museum of aboriginal art in the roadhouse, very nice.
And there's the Meteorological Station.
It is one of the most remote weather stations on the planet!
We went there this afternoon. It was nice to see the release of the balloons to the atmosphere, to collect information on temperature, pressure, wind direction, speed, etc.
I did not know that all over the world there are hundreds of atmospheric balloons released three times a day at the same time! And all this information is freely shared by all Countries! It should be like this for anything...
There are 3 meteorologists working there, and a "jollyman", who welcomed us: he makes general maintenance, surveillance...and cooking!
They were very kind, explaining us many things, and giving us an illusion: maybe the road is open! in their bulletin it was written open! Just like in the roadsign! (that we did not trust)
So we went to the Police, but nobody there on sunday afternoon...then we called the roadhouses on the way to Laverton...they confirmed us what we found written on the bottom of the page of the bulletin: the great central road is open, but only from Laverton to Tjukayirla...just one third of our way...
The water is now down, no more floods, but the street is closed to preserve it from destruction, if many cars pass now...
We would like to ask: what about motorbikes? But somebody told us that there's a fine if we try to go, and it's 500$ each wheel. We have 2 wheels "only", but 1000$ is too much a risk, maybe to find a muddy street and really be stuck, on the road...
So it's time to decide: if we have to go back to Port Augusta and drive all along the Nullarbor, our way to Perth will be 4000km long, instead of the 1800km we could have from here, if only the streets were open...
Jan is thinking of going anyway...maybe they will give us a ticket but maybe we will never pay it... or maybe they will not tell us anything, as nobody asked us for the permissions for entering aboriginal land (that we have).
Now here it is windy, and the rain is coming and going...
The sun is already down. We are going to prepare something to eat for dinner.
Today it's 8 months that I left Italy. And I am in the middle of the desert, stuck here because of floods...
these floods are following me everywhere in Australia: from Brisbane to Sydney, from Port Augusta to the Red Center! It's really incredible...
Tomorrow it will be another day of big decision: left, or right? On, or back...?
We will try to be packed and ready for 9 o'clock, when maybe a new bulletin will be released, and we will ask to the Police about the road condition.
You will know how the story will go on only on this blog...
the goal is Perth, Jan has to take a flight from there to go back to his job in Czech Republic.
He already delayed one week his flight when we were in Sydney, it's the maximum he can do (8 weeks with this one more).
But which way to go?
We can go through the Nullarbor plain, in Italian the word is explicit of what the region offers: nothing... it's an arid region, and there's a boring straight highway, going west, for a couple of thousands of km.
But our original plan is to go to Uluru, then head west through the Outback Way...
It took a couple of days to take the decision: we looked at the weather forecast, we asked to people, we searched for offroad tyres...
eventually we decided to go, and take the risk (weather, maybe hot maybe wet, the cyclone coming west from Queensland, and all the difficulties that a desert road can bring).
So we bought the tyres, made a plan, charged the satellite phone, and started our way: first north for many many km in the rain (Port Augusta, Coober Pedy, Erldunda), then west, to Yulara, where we camped for 2 days (3 nights).
First day dedicated to Uluru, as already described. Second day to prepare ourselves for the desert: I shipped some of my stuff to Perth, to Jan's friend, then we had to change the tyres, bought in Adelaide (we could not put new knobby tyres before starting for 2000 km of tarmac...it would be a real shame...)
Somebody told us that there's a mechanic shop in Yulara, and we trusted. There is, but it's only a car shop... they said in the morning that they had no time, try to go back in the afternoon. Ok. Hopefully within the day we will have the tyres changed, we said...
But in the afternoon they refused to change our tyres... They had no time, and they did not want to take any responsibility for working on motorbikes...
So, what to do? We have to change them by ourselves!
That was a long long afternoon...
it was very hot, we had a small shade from the barn of the camping, they gently offered it to us.
Jan's back tyre did not want to go out of the rim, it was there since 2002, it made itself comfortable there... it was really stuck. It was a hard job to take it out. But we did it.
Then my big fault: a great problem of my fork... I have 4 screws keeping on position a small plate, to fix the front wheel axis. I tightened them quite a lot...too much for one of them...it did yeld...
Fuck! and what to do now?
I immediately called one, two, three friends in Italy, all of them reassured me that I can go on even with three screws only. They have not to be fixed too much. My fault.
So, apart from all the fears I already had for the outback way, there was also that one more scaring me...
Anyway, the morning after we started, already and still tired by the previous day (we finished late, it was already dark, we had a shower, cooked something and slept)
We went again to Uluru, then Kata Tjuta, then the beginning of the dirt road. I stopped many times to check my front fork screws. The road was not easy, because sandy. Jan was slow, because fairly careful: it was his first time offroad. I am not an expert, but Tajikistan and Mongolia are anyhow a background.
Time was passing, it seemed more and more impossible to reach Docker River within the day...
when all of a sudden it started to rain...hard rain...
the road became muddy, but we tryed to go on slowly...very slowly...10kph...when we reached shaw creek...
No way, it's not possible to cross. Too high the water. And it's becoming dark: so we decided to camp. We were prepared to this: we had water and food. The only thing we were not aware of were the ants: hundreds, thousands of ants, coming up our feet, and legs, and really biting us!
It was a big struggle. We had a nice evening, around the campfire prepared by Jan. But we had to go inside the tents, to avoid being eaten by the ants!
In the morning the river had almost disappeared, so we were happy that we could go on. And we put immediately socks and boots, to avoid the ants!
But the flyes arrived, and did not permit us to enjoy the breakfast...
We started, reached Docker River, luckily just a couple of minutes before the noon closure: we would have had to wait a couple of hours otherwise to have the fuel!
Docker River is a strange place: You can see trash everywhere on the roads, many stray dogs, crumbling cars.
The gas pumps are locked into cages, the roadhouse store seems a prison: double locked doors to enter it... not a safe place at first sight... We bought water, and something to eat, other than fuel, of course.
Children coming out of school, and a camel approaching. It fall in love with Blondynka, Jan's bike: he (the camel) wanted to rub himself on her (the bike)!
It started to suck Jan's helmet, then the mirrors, then pointed at the jacket, and it was a big matter to dissuade it and literally run away!
Just by the Western Australia border, the street immediately became better, a big wide good gravel road. We could speed up to 80kph, having fun, and reaching Warakurna in a couple of hours. Great day!
We had something to eat (not a lot for me because of a headache, due to accumulated tiredness), then found a quite good and cheap accommodation for the night: a backpackers "container", of course "low class", but with air conditioning, clean kitchen, and (incredible!) free wifi!
The bad thing is that they said to us that the road to Warburton, our next destination, is closed...what to do?
We collected information from police, from the kind couples managing the roadhouse, from other people stuck here with us...
It really seems that the road to Warburton is closed. Due to the floods they had last friday...
Yes, floods! In the middle of the desert!
It never happened before. There's no history of such a flood in Warburton since when the white men came, in 1933. Two meters of water somewhere, 60 houses evacuated, 2 feet of water in the general store.
What can we do?
Wait. Just wait.
We decided to stay here for a couple of days: usually the road is re-opened again after one, or maximum 2 days. But that is "usually". This is a real uncommon situation. Somebody says that we could be stuck here for a couple of weeks!
We have to wait.
So arrived the rest. Forced rest, but so desired rest.
There's nothing to do here. There's only the desert all around, for hundreds of km.
This is the first place in Australia where we are really alone: we have all the campground for us, all the kitchen, there's really no tourists! Nobody except from the two couples of (young!) people managing the roadhouse, the aboriginal people from the near community, the policemen, and a girl, Kaisey, who works as a teacher in a near community, stuck here like us.
The internet helped us wasting time, searching for weather forecasts, and road reports, but there's nothing updated... still the same bulletin from friday, shown to us by the roadhouse people: street closed.
Yesterday evening we had a good dinner: Jan prepared the barbecue, I tried to make a "risotto", with not much luck... (nothing compared to my mother's one...)
Then on tv in the night there was "Into the wild"...what better movie there could be in our situation???
What to do today?
There's the small museum of aboriginal art in the roadhouse, very nice.
And there's the Meteorological Station.
It is one of the most remote weather stations on the planet!
We went there this afternoon. It was nice to see the release of the balloons to the atmosphere, to collect information on temperature, pressure, wind direction, speed, etc.
I did not know that all over the world there are hundreds of atmospheric balloons released three times a day at the same time! And all this information is freely shared by all Countries! It should be like this for anything...
There are 3 meteorologists working there, and a "jollyman", who welcomed us: he makes general maintenance, surveillance...and cooking!
They were very kind, explaining us many things, and giving us an illusion: maybe the road is open! in their bulletin it was written open! Just like in the roadsign! (that we did not trust)
So we went to the Police, but nobody there on sunday afternoon...then we called the roadhouses on the way to Laverton...they confirmed us what we found written on the bottom of the page of the bulletin: the great central road is open, but only from Laverton to Tjukayirla...just one third of our way...
The water is now down, no more floods, but the street is closed to preserve it from destruction, if many cars pass now...
We would like to ask: what about motorbikes? But somebody told us that there's a fine if we try to go, and it's 500$ each wheel. We have 2 wheels "only", but 1000$ is too much a risk, maybe to find a muddy street and really be stuck, on the road...
So it's time to decide: if we have to go back to Port Augusta and drive all along the Nullarbor, our way to Perth will be 4000km long, instead of the 1800km we could have from here, if only the streets were open...
Jan is thinking of going anyway...maybe they will give us a ticket but maybe we will never pay it... or maybe they will not tell us anything, as nobody asked us for the permissions for entering aboriginal land (that we have).
Now here it is windy, and the rain is coming and going...
The sun is already down. We are going to prepare something to eat for dinner.
Today it's 8 months that I left Italy. And I am in the middle of the desert, stuck here because of floods...
these floods are following me everywhere in Australia: from Brisbane to Sydney, from Port Augusta to the Red Center! It's really incredible...
Tomorrow it will be another day of big decision: left, or right? On, or back...?
We will try to be packed and ready for 9 o'clock, when maybe a new bulletin will be released, and we will ask to the Police about the road condition.
You will know how the story will go on only on this blog...
sabato 12 febbraio 2011
Australia
Da Brisbane a Perth su Riderpedia.com
This is the planned route in Australia
We are now in Warakurna, WA, stuck because of road closure from here heading west...
due to...floods!
http://www.perthnow.com.au/gallery-fn4k4hnh-1226004003749?page=1
we hope they will reopen the road soon;
in the meanwhile, we enjoy a rest we had not for a lot of time...
This is the planned route in Australia
We are now in Warakurna, WA, stuck because of road closure from here heading west...
due to...floods!
http://www.perthnow.com.au/gallery-fn4k4hnh-1226004003749?page=1
we hope they will reopen the road soon;
in the meanwhile, we enjoy a rest we had not for a lot of time...
martedì 8 febbraio 2011
Uluru
Stiamo campeggiando all'Ayers Rock Resort. La Lonely dice: se non si fosse in mezzo al deserto ci si potrebbe lamentare per i prezzi, ma dal momento che lo si è, proprio in mezzo al deserto, non ci si può fare nulla e si devono accettare questi prezzi. D'altra parte, questo "resort" (con piscina, anche in campeggio, e tanto di villette per i più facoltosi...) permette di raggiungere e visitare facilmente un posto altrimenti alquanto "scomodo" da raggiungere e da vivere...per la distanza da tutto, e per le temperature. Questo però sulla carta, perchè la nostra esperienza è diversa, e alquanto singolare: ieri sera infatti, per coronare la settimana di guida sotto l'acqua, e i "guadi" di ieri nella highway (30cm d'acqua in molti punti della Lasseter Highway da Erldunda fino a Yulara), c'è stato un supertemporale per un paio d'ore, il campeggio era mezzo allagato, le tende galleggiavano su 10cm d'acqua, ma fortunatamente dentro la mia tenda tutto era perfettamente asciutto, e alla fine ci ho pure dormito dentro. Non altrettanto fortunato Jan, che ha trovato una piscina dentro la tenda, e ha dormito sui tavoli della cucina all'aperto del campeggio, in compagnia di non vi dico quanti "amici" (mosche, scarafaggi giganti, topolini, volatili di ogni tipo...)
Oggi abbiamo fatto la camminata attorno ad Uluru. Abbiamo fatto il percorso più lungo, in totale più di 16km, circa 5h. Da lontano Uluru appare maestosa, avvicinandosi. Poi quando ci si trova ai suoi piedi, in molti punti non è poi così alta: 800m s.l.m. ma "solo" 300 dalla "pianura" circostante. La camminata è lunga ma piacevole, in molti punti si è anche un po' riparati dal sole, la sola seccatura sono le miriadi di mosche che ti si posano sulla faccia, sulla bocca, sugli occhi, ovunque... Il colore della roccia è veramente particolare, e cambia molto in funzione di come è illuminata dal sole: zone in ombra, zone illuminate direttamente, e cambia di molto con la luce del tramonto. Domattina vedremo com'è all'alba...
Ci hanno stupito le striature nere verticali segnate dall'acqua che scende lungo le pareti della roccia.
Il tempo era ok, sole spesso dietro le nuvole, una doccia solo alla fine, tornando con le moto al campeggio. Siamo stati fortunati, perchè se non fosse per la pioggia dei giorni passati ci sarebbero 50 gradi qua...quindi finora è andata bene così, ma adesso il tempo deve assolutamente cambiare: il nostro programma sarebbe quello di raggiungere l'ovest attraverso la Great Central Road, strada sterrata ma comunque "principale", quindi in discrete condizioni, se non fosse per tutta l'acqua che è venuta giù... Noi abbiamo comprato le gomme tassellate ad Adelaide, e ce le siamo scarrozzate fino a qua. Domani è in programma di montarle, ma prima dobbiamo chiedere conferma delle condizioni della strada...altrimenti, nella più malaugurata ipotesi, dovremo ripercorrere i nostri passi, fino a Port Augusta, e poi prendere la noiosissima autostrada "costiera" fino a Perth...
Mi si è sfortunatamente rotto il cavo tachimetro, tra l'altro montato nuovo in fretta e furia il venerdì sera prima di partire: lo so che non serve fondamentalmente a nulla (a parte evitare le multe per eccesso di velocità...) ma mi fa strano viaggiare con quella lancetta ferma posata sullo zero...ed è bruttissimo non vedere l'odometro avanzare...ma tant'è, e la moto va ancora avanti, ed è il meno peggio che potesse capitare...
Domani quindi giornata delle grandi decisioni...buonanotte!
Oggi abbiamo fatto la camminata attorno ad Uluru. Abbiamo fatto il percorso più lungo, in totale più di 16km, circa 5h. Da lontano Uluru appare maestosa, avvicinandosi. Poi quando ci si trova ai suoi piedi, in molti punti non è poi così alta: 800m s.l.m. ma "solo" 300 dalla "pianura" circostante. La camminata è lunga ma piacevole, in molti punti si è anche un po' riparati dal sole, la sola seccatura sono le miriadi di mosche che ti si posano sulla faccia, sulla bocca, sugli occhi, ovunque... Il colore della roccia è veramente particolare, e cambia molto in funzione di come è illuminata dal sole: zone in ombra, zone illuminate direttamente, e cambia di molto con la luce del tramonto. Domattina vedremo com'è all'alba...
Ci hanno stupito le striature nere verticali segnate dall'acqua che scende lungo le pareti della roccia.
Il tempo era ok, sole spesso dietro le nuvole, una doccia solo alla fine, tornando con le moto al campeggio. Siamo stati fortunati, perchè se non fosse per la pioggia dei giorni passati ci sarebbero 50 gradi qua...quindi finora è andata bene così, ma adesso il tempo deve assolutamente cambiare: il nostro programma sarebbe quello di raggiungere l'ovest attraverso la Great Central Road, strada sterrata ma comunque "principale", quindi in discrete condizioni, se non fosse per tutta l'acqua che è venuta giù... Noi abbiamo comprato le gomme tassellate ad Adelaide, e ce le siamo scarrozzate fino a qua. Domani è in programma di montarle, ma prima dobbiamo chiedere conferma delle condizioni della strada...altrimenti, nella più malaugurata ipotesi, dovremo ripercorrere i nostri passi, fino a Port Augusta, e poi prendere la noiosissima autostrada "costiera" fino a Perth...
Mi si è sfortunatamente rotto il cavo tachimetro, tra l'altro montato nuovo in fretta e furia il venerdì sera prima di partire: lo so che non serve fondamentalmente a nulla (a parte evitare le multe per eccesso di velocità...) ma mi fa strano viaggiare con quella lancetta ferma posata sullo zero...ed è bruttissimo non vedere l'odometro avanzare...ma tant'è, e la moto va ancora avanti, ed è il meno peggio che potesse capitare...
Domani quindi giornata delle grandi decisioni...buonanotte!
lunedì 7 febbraio 2011
Go-Outback
Siamo giunti nel centro esatto dell'Australia: veniamo da sud, da Adelaide, poco meno di 2000km; da quì si può andare a nord, a Darwin, e sono altri 2000km poco meno, oppure a ovest, verso Ayers Rock (Uluru). E' dove andremo noi, sperando nel bel tempo: questo tratto della Stuart Highway da Port Augusta fino a Erldunda, dove siamo ora, è stato incredibile...solitamente ci sono 50 gradi e sull'asfalto ci puoi cuocere le uova, ci avevano detto...bene, noi abbiamo trovato pioggia e sempre e solo pioggia, con tratti di strada allagati... E' incredibile vedere ai lati della strada il deserto, con la tipica vegetazione a cespugli, allagato! E' stata una delle mie più lunghe cavalcate sotto l'acqua! Rimembro la Scozia o la Svezia, ma in questo caso è stata più lunga, anche se non faceva freddo, quindi il fatto di essere bagnati non è stato un grosso problema. Ieri mattina partendo da Coober Pedy, cità nata attorno alle miniere di "Opal", il termomentro segnava 15 gradi, quando ci hanno detto che neppure in inverno fa così freddo... E erano previsti per la notte 80mm di pioggia, quando le precipitazioni annue sono mediamente di 160mm! il tutto grazie a Yasi...
Quì non c'è segnale per i cellulari, ma io ho comprato una chiavetta internet superfiga, che prende ovunque, quindi mi posso connettere (non gratis, ovviamente...) per tenere aggiornati i miei sostenitori!
D'ora in poi la missione prende ufficialmente il nome di Go-Outback...sperando che il maltempo finisca e non ci siano strade chiuse per...allagamento...nel deserto!!!
Ora comunque si vede un pochino di cielo, e un pochino di sole.
Quì non c'è segnale per i cellulari, ma io ho comprato una chiavetta internet superfiga, che prende ovunque, quindi mi posso connettere (non gratis, ovviamente...) per tenere aggiornati i miei sostenitori!
D'ora in poi la missione prende ufficialmente il nome di Go-Outback...sperando che il maltempo finisca e non ci siano strade chiuse per...allagamento...nel deserto!!!
Ora comunque si vede un pochino di cielo, e un pochino di sole.
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