NQ 2 NT Journal Entry
Day 22
Mataranka to Katherine
By: Mark “Sharky” Smoothy
Daily statistics
Road trains sighted: Just 4 today but all of them were towing 4 trailers.
Distance: 111km’s
Accumulated Distance: 3646 km’s
Average speed: 32.4 km/h
Riding time: 3:29
Air Temperature: 37 degrees
Humidity: 51%
Wind direction: South Tailwind
We departed the termite mound motel at around 9am after a great five hours sleep in very comfortable beds. It was a late night for all of us as a bit of red kept getting passed around by none other than the cheeky one. I have had to share a bed with my sister a lot on this trip when we stay in cabins or motels because of the lack of beds. Kim tells me sleeping next to me is like sleeping next to a dead person. I think that is a compliment... It is easy to sleep well when you are tired from riding a million miles and then writing until the wee hours of the morning.
Each morning before we leave, Scotty always does a helmet cam type interview. We do it both before we leave and when we arrive at our destination for the day. Today Falcon was getting ready to talk to Kimmy when he noticed something on his handlebars. The cheekiest person on this trip is no doubt Captain Kev. All of us wonder -with great amazement- how his stunning and mature wife Mary could have been married to this man for 25 long excruciating years? Anyway Kevvy yesterday found an old dirty black g-string at the thermal pools and secretly stashed it away for a depraved deed later on. I heard him get up in the night around 2am, thinking he was going for his usual toilet break, which was when he carried out his most secret of missions. When Falcon spotted it he was immensely grossed out, and because Kevvy had twisted it around the handlebars Falcon was trying to get it off without touching it. We were all cracking up with laughter and afterwards Falcon was to be seen washing his hands a few times. He then felt uncomfortable about touching the handlebars. Kevvy, you wicked, wicked man. Keep it up mate.
So onto the day’s ride; once again our luck has held and we awoke to another day of promising tailwinds. I was telling the guys today at our first morning tea break how when I jumped on the bike today I felt immediate and illustrious joy. I know this may sound corny but I am going to write it anyway; I love the bike so much that all the suffering that I put myself through while crook has only just made me appreciate this beautiful steed even more. When a rider is in harmony with a pushbike it is as if the two become one. I think other bike riders will understand. Anyway that is how I felt today and I was floating all day with that feeling.
Today was our second of two scheduled half day only rest days for the entire trip. A rest day that meant we still had to get to Katherine but at 111km’s and with a tailwind we arrived here just after lunch. We fell into the same riding style as yesterday with each of us doing five minute turns out front and pushing the pace. It is amazing to think just a few days ago I was incapable of doing this and I have to say how great it is to be back to feeling my normal energetic self. Our obsession today was to get to the Katherine Gorge and take in the majestic views that we have only ever seen on television. Adventures on the road today were few and far between. With 30km’s to go to get into Katherine, Scotty and I rode past a sign saying Cutta Cutta Caves. As it was just one kilometre off the main road we decided to go in for a look. Well we didn’t get to see any caves but we met an amazing family in Nathalie and John Vanderheyden and their kids Theo and Emily. This friendly family were originally from Holland but for the past seven years have lived in Brisbane. John was transferred to Darwin for one year so the whole family packed their bags and made the big move to the big NT. Nathalie was a keen cyclist in the past and a member of Bicycling Qld and very interested in what we were doing. They have suggested we catch up when in Darwin for a drink and we are hoping they can see us finish at the Bottlemart outlet in Wood St between one and two o’clock this coming Wednesday. A big thank you John and Nathalie for sharing your ice-cold water, your offer of apple pie and cookies with us.
As soon as we hit Katherine we paid a visit to the tourist information centre, and then armed with a dozen brochures we made tracks for our accommodation at Riverview Tourist Village. The kind owner gave us a generous discount on a cabin for four very excited travellers. After a quick shower Kevvy, Falcon and I jumped in ‘The Beast’ and made a bee-line for Katherine Gorge. Kim needed some solo time and was happy to have a look tomorrow with Kev when Scotty and I rolled out for our next stop at Adelaide River. The Gorge was everything we hoped for and more. There is a part of the Catherine River near the Gorge where it is safe to swim. I was told by a local that the rocks up the river stop the crocodiles from coming into this part of the river. Scotty, Kevvy and I made friends with a family, also from Brisbane that consisted of Mum, her two daughters, Cara and Alana and her boyfriend Scott, all were around uni age. They were all at the water’s edge reluctant to get in, as were we. So we reached an agreement that if one got in we all would. It was tantalising to look at this gorgeous body of water, and cruel to not at least experience its beauty up close, wet and personal. There are signs up saying ‘safe to swim in but at your own risk’. We took the risk and the water was absolutely –as the name Katherine Gorge implies- Gorgeous.
We said goodbye to our new friends, who promised to come and see us finish on Wednesday as they will be in Darwin that same very day. Then we went for a wee little walk to the top of the gorge lookout, on the way dodging tame kangaroos and joeys still in the mum’s pouches. The view from above was –you guessed it- gorgeous! Falcon and I reminisced about the awesome and very educational horror movie made here called ‘Rogue’, a most awesome movie about a very large croc that ate the entire cast! If you are reading this do yourself a favour and get it out now and watch it five times and then say Rachel is a rascally rogue six times really fast. Rachel was the name of the 50 foot croc. True story...
Anyway when it came time to leave, after talking to three sets of different couples enjoying the view stating that yes, we are the crazy cyclists you saw on the road, and yes we have ridden from Brisbane, and yes we are doing it for charity and yes we like to eat lots of food and yes we enjoy a beer at the end of each day, we decided to take the scenic route back to the car. It was a one kilometre walk to the top the way we had come, and if we followed this sign it stated a 2.8km walk to the car-park awaited us. Some two hours later we arrived back to the car severely depleted of any humour, gaunt to the point of dehydration and hungry to the point of fainting. We even discussed the possibility of drinking each other’s urine at one point, which I am happy to say did not come about thanks to the arrival of a female park warden who suggested we hold off on the urine shake as we were just 10 minutes from the car.
Meanwhile Kimmy was frantically worried back at the van park as she finished her sixth glass of Jim Bean and went back to reading her book. We arrived back just on darkness and like real bush men, who had been out hunting and gathering and dominating Mother Nature with our bush expertise regaled stories to Kim of tales of our survival and bravery. Kim looked up, burped and went back to her book, clearly she was impressed.
I have to once again finish with a story about Kevvy. Let me tell you this guy is on a roll. It was 10pm and Kevvy went and had a wash in the public showers, (no showers in the cabins) and after he finished his shower he wraps his towel around him, naked underneath, no shirt on and bounds back to our cabin, or what he thought was our cabin as they all look alike. He pulls open the sliding glass door and leaps through the door and yells ‘Surprise!’ Well the surprise was on Kev as he had jumped into the wrong cabin. Inside this cabin was some poor guy lieing on his double bed, relaxing with a good book and definitely not expecting a visit from Santa Clause, (Kev has a full thick white beard.) This guy jumped up so high and quick, ready to defend himself, that he hit his head on the low ceiling and was clearly bewildered. Kevvy uttered a pathetic apology and was out of there quicker than Superman getting ready for a hot date with Lois Lane. He burst into our cabin and told us what has just happened and it certainly made a great end to one of the best days on the tour thus far.
Today was my Father’s birthday and I know my beautiful sister Kay is getting these journals printed and to Mum and Dad. I had phone coverage today in Katherine for the first time in three weeks so how was that for perfect timing. Dad, Kimmy and I just want you to know that we love you very much, sorry that we could not be there for your special day, but you know we were thinking of you.
Tonight all four of us loaded into the front of the Beast and as ‘The Beast’ is only a bench seat 4WD Ute it was a tight squeeze. Our destination was the Katherine RSL. We went fully kitted out in our Bottlemart Smiddy tops and all eyes turned on us as we walked through the doors. The food was plentiful, the beer cold and the company perfect.
It is now 12:15am and once again I am the last to sleep as my friends silently drift into slumbers embrace. They don’t realise I am watching them now, exhaustion but elation of a mission nearly completed etched into the lines on their face. I am thankful for being surrounded by such good people. My life is enriched because of these people, these friends; all of my friends and of course my family. I think of my mate Adam and how if he were alive how much he would love this adventure. I can see his face now, it is the same as the one’s I am looking at now in their sleep, my friends; complete, content, smiling like Adam, a smile that says, I am living life, how lucky am I?
Falcon has put a few more photos up so please follow this link.
Thank you for following our journey, just two days to go.
Sharky