Day 18 - Adelaide River to Mataranka Springs

I stayed up late writing up my lecture notes, so another late start, made even later by the local Saturday market. And you won't believe it, but someone has nicked the end off the air hose at the garage. Another day with dodgy air pressure. I do have a hand pump, but it is buried in the bag with my tent. Obviously the pressure cant be that dodgy then can it!

First stop Pine Creek to refuel and have some breakfast and maybe some air pressure. I had breakfast first, to let my tyres cool down before I added air.

Pine Creek is famous for the annual Pig and Pussy Hunt held at the end of July each year. People flock to the town hunting for feral boar and cats. The hunt lasts for a week with prizes awarded for the largest boar etc. The hunters display the boar heads on the rear of their trucks and utes, "very deliverance!"

Whilst eating breakfast, I saw something wander across the road. At first I thought it was some sort of lizard, on closer inspection it turned out to be a Pheasant Coucal. I was lucky enough to get a really good picture of him.

And now for fuel and air. Oh my God, the friggin compressor isn't working properly and the pressure in my tyres is stronger than that coming from the compressor so what ever air I have has just spewed out of the front tyre. One of the locals saw my obvious distress and he spent half an hour with me trying to get the air into the tyres. We finally succeeded.

Note to Australian Government - When granting extended visas to backpackers ( the Aus government will give you another year if you agree to work in the NT for 3 months) please teach them to treat the Aboriginal community with the same respect that they treat everyone else with.

The backpackers staffing the roadhouses treat Aboriginals like crap.  They will be serving an Aborginal person and then as soon as a white person walks in, they stop serving them and serve the white. Its disgusting.

So many eagles on the road today, it was amazing, swooping down on the road kill and not leaving until the last minute. I kept ducking behind my screen and slowing down so as not to hit them.

I'm surprised that I haven't seen many bikers on this trip. Today I bumped into two guys who had come across the desert. They had banged up their bikes pretty badly, but they were still ridable.

After Pine Creek I decided I would ride out to Katherine Gorge. It was so hot, the temperature never went below 32. There are no trees or shade on the highway and you can feel the heat coming up off the tar as you ride along. By the time I got to Katherine Gorge I was pretty dehydrated, I had been drinking a lot of water but I think I must have been losing electrolytes as I felt really faint.

I found a quiet spot and stipped off went down some steps to a pontoon that was for authorised personnel only, but no one could see me. I quickly jumped in and out to cool off, after first checking for crocs. I sat on the steps with my wet shirt on my head for about an hour.

The gorge.

I got into Mataranka at about 5:00pm only to find the Bitter Springs caravan park booked out. I made my way back up the road to Mataranka Manor and scored the last cabin. This will be home for 2 nights whilst I catch up with some study and work.