Day 4 Saturday 14/5/11
Terry was up bright and early and checked the tyre pressures. The blue metal aggregate in the roads up here is very abrasive. We are running the tyre pressures a little higher to reduce the wear and tear on them. Bikes all checked over and packed ready for another day out. 
Today we are heading to Katherine and then to Nitmiluk National Park (Katherine Gorge). As long as I have known Terry he has always wanted to go to Katherine (stuffed if I know why??), so he was excited to be on the way. The road out of Kakadu National Park was pretty rough and cut up due to the long wet season up here this year. Along the way we stopped off at Nourlangie Rock were there is a rock painting on a massive beautiful red rock!! One could say though that riding gear does not lend itself to bush walking making it both hot and tiresome (that didn’t have anything to do with our personal fitness!)
Back on the road again, there were a lot spot bush fires – which we think might have been a controlled burn off causing a few blind spots to ride through. It was only about a 350km ride today which allowed us to get to the gorge in time for an afternoon 2 Gorge Cruise and check out the beautiful waterway. Back into town after the cruise and booked into a motel in Katherine for the night. Over a nice dinner at RJs Bar & Bistro – we planned the next day. We decided to go the long haul and head to Tennant Creek tomorrow.
Day 5 Sunday 15/5/11
As it was a long ride today (675kms) – we got moving early, and pulled out at 8am (ok that is early for me when I am on holidays!!!). We had our breakfast supplies (cereal, fruit and milk) – but overlooked the fact that the motel room didn’t have any bowl or spoon. When I went looking for the kitchen – it didn’t open for breakfast – DOH!!! Oh well, a liquid breakfast – tea and juice and on the road. We pulled up 100kms later at Mataranka at a road house for fuel and breakfast. Shit! So did half of the town I reckon – 1 hour later we got our shitty little bacon and egg sandwich and scoffed it down before getting on the road again. Terry was amazed that it took so long to cook 2 lousy sandwiches and is still ranting about it! J
Our next stop was one I was really looking forward to – I have heard and seen so much about it, it was bound to be a treat. When we pulled it on the dusty dirt road – yep it was everything I had heard about it – DALY WATERS PUB. It opened in 1930 and Is a historic joint serving travelers from around the world. It has become famous for the memorabilia adorning the walls, with free nightly entertainment, it is a shame we aren’t staying the night. We still had some miles to cover and make a dash for the Three Ways Roadhouse. We moved through to Dunmurra, Elliot, Renner Springs before pulling up at Three Ways (25kms short of Tennant Creek NT). We rode 675kms today and for those who know me – know that I only have a 450km butt!! SO it was a big one for me! 
Terry reckons if you want the maximum amount of money taken off you in the minimum amount of time with the poorest service and quality – then Renner Springs and The Three Ways Roadhouse are way up there!!! We booked into the DELUXE motel room at 3 Ways and it was a dog box with shitty water pressure, water that was debatable whether it could be drunk, a tv that didn’t work and a room that you couldn’t swing a cat in!!! Another room without a bowl and spoon – shit this place didn’t even have a crockery cup or a bottle opener!!! Everything was disposable – obviously theft is a major problem in these here parts!!! After a massive roadhouse dinner that could feed a family of 4, a couple of drinks – we finally turned in and rested our wary bones.
Day 6 Monday 16/5/11
We decided to get moving early and pulled out from our room at 7.30am – had a quick breakfast at the roadhouse before making our way to Barkley Homestead – a short 200kms away. It is getting colder in the mornings now – and we had to put on some extra layers so we are comfortable.
The Barkley Homestead is a very nice place and I wish we had stayed there the night – nevermind, next time it will be the place to put on our route!! At Barkley we found out that we had a 270km ride to Camooweal with a pretty strong head wind. We brought a fuel can and took extra fuel as we have found that we have been only just getting 300kms-ish and didn’t want to risk the head wind factor.
We pulled into Camooweal with about 50kms to spare and still the extra fuel on board – it was a long ride, but very pretty. We stopped at the border and took all the necessary photos for both Queensland and Northern Territory.
Had another quick 188kms to Mt Isa before doing a quick shop at Woolworths for the necessities and then pulled into a very nice (Clean, roomy, spacious) hotel called Burke & Wills Motel. After a refreshing drink, with cheese and bickies – we decided to try the local Chinese for dinner. MISTAKE!!! Another poor choice – but mark it all up to part of the experience.
More again in a few days!!!
