Day 21 - Glendambo to Coober Pedy - 4450 km completed
Ulls: Before we could take off today, Tor had to try to sort out some issues that have been plaguing his bike during most of this trip. So, leaving at around 11am, we knew we would have to push to make Coober Pedy in time to find accomodation.
From Glendambo to Coober Pedy it is a 252km stretch with no fuel stations in between. This would be tight as our bikes have a theoretical range of 260km. Now, if we were to encounter a head wind or other such trouble along the way, we simply would not make it. So our first stop was 'serial killer eyes guy' for a 5 litre jerry can to share, extending our range to about 290km.
The landscape began to change quickly from the typical bush setting of Glendambo, we started to see that orange/red coloured earth on the side of the road. Bushland and trees gave way to acres of bare earth and small shrubs we decided to call 'land coral'. We were riding through the Woomera Prohibited Area, and what that is I am yet to find out. I will definitely look it up online when I get to Alice Springs. We chugged along endless miles of road through this Mars like world and eventually came to a rise where when we pulled over could actually see so much of the horizon it was curved. I'm serious, you can see the curve of the earth!
When you drive in SA they actually have little camera signs to let you know of great photo opportunities. I guess that means everyone leaves with the same impression, and photo album of the state.
At about the 120km mark we stopped to switch over to our external fuel tanks. The conditions at this point along the big stretch had turned to desert like appearance. The 'land coral' had all but disappeared and rocks had taken their place. Just as I turned the tap on the fuel line a willy willy (very very small tornado) caught my eye as it swept across the sandy earth and crossed the road.
As the distance between our tired wheels and our destination, Coober Pedy, grew shorter we began to see mounds of dirt dotting the areas of land of either side of the highway. We later found out that these little mounds are called 'mullock heaps'. Now, these mounds of dirt are basically the discarded remains of what miners pull out of the ground. So that would mean that there would surely be a great big hole left in it's place, sure enough we passed a sign that read;
CAUTION! DEEP MINE SHAFTS
- DO NOT RUN
- DO NOT WALK BACKWARDS
- BEWARE AT NIGHT
The sign was accompanied by a diagram of little stick men falling down mine shafts.
The mullock heaps and the signs became more prominent the closer we got to town. The landscape also became more bare and dry. We had in our minds that Coober Pedy would be this bustling mecca in the desert, a bit like Patooine for all you Star Wars fans. However, much to my dismay, it was not to be. Merely a small almost shanty town relying on one thing, one word, to sustain some sort of life. Opal.
For tonight we have stopped going right around Australia, we are going under it. We camp in a cave tonight.
252km
From Glendambo to Coober Pedy it is a 252km stretch with no fuel stations in between. This would be tight as our bikes have a theoretical range of 260km. Now, if we were to encounter a head wind or other such trouble along the way, we simply would not make it. So our first stop was 'serial killer eyes guy' for a 5 litre jerry can to share, extending our range to about 290km.
The landscape began to change quickly from the typical bush setting of Glendambo, we started to see that orange/red coloured earth on the side of the road. Bushland and trees gave way to acres of bare earth and small shrubs we decided to call 'land coral'. We were riding through the Woomera Prohibited Area, and what that is I am yet to find out. I will definitely look it up online when I get to Alice Springs. We chugged along endless miles of road through this Mars like world and eventually came to a rise where when we pulled over could actually see so much of the horizon it was curved. I'm serious, you can see the curve of the earth!
When you drive in SA they actually have little camera signs to let you know of great photo opportunities. I guess that means everyone leaves with the same impression, and photo album of the state.
At about the 120km mark we stopped to switch over to our external fuel tanks. The conditions at this point along the big stretch had turned to desert like appearance. The 'land coral' had all but disappeared and rocks had taken their place. Just as I turned the tap on the fuel line a willy willy (very very small tornado) caught my eye as it swept across the sandy earth and crossed the road.
As the distance between our tired wheels and our destination, Coober Pedy, grew shorter we began to see mounds of dirt dotting the areas of land of either side of the highway. We later found out that these little mounds are called 'mullock heaps'. Now, these mounds of dirt are basically the discarded remains of what miners pull out of the ground. So that would mean that there would surely be a great big hole left in it's place, sure enough we passed a sign that read;
CAUTION! DEEP MINE SHAFTS
- DO NOT RUN
- DO NOT WALK BACKWARDS
- BEWARE AT NIGHT
The sign was accompanied by a diagram of little stick men falling down mine shafts.
The mullock heaps and the signs became more prominent the closer we got to town. The landscape also became more bare and dry. We had in our minds that Coober Pedy would be this bustling mecca in the desert, a bit like Patooine for all you Star Wars fans. However, much to my dismay, it was not to be. Merely a small almost shanty town relying on one thing, one word, to sustain some sort of life. Opal.
For tonight we have stopped going right around Australia, we are going under it. We camp in a cave tonight.
252km
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