I Ride With Chloe Blog

 

CHLOE’S BIG RIDE TO ALICE SPRINGS

 

After our big group ride to the Ulysses Mildura AGM in 2012 Daddy and the Joondalup Ulysses gang decided it would be a really good idea to do a really big ride all the way to Alice Springs in Central Australia to participate in the AGM to be held there.

Our group of adventure friends were Sally, Barry and Robyn, George, Lionel, Paul, Robert, Eric, Marg, Bruce, Mick and Zai, Gail, Chris, Paul and of course Daddy Ken and me. We were to meet up along the way and in Alice with our other friends Patric and Donna, Jan, Bob and Bonny, Ross and Fran, Tony, Jude and Steve and Pam. What a big group of riders, it took 18 days to get to Alice Springs and we had lots of fun and stories along the way. After Alice we were to break up into smaller groups as our friends had to get back to Perth at different times. Daddy and I rode with Sally, Paul, Lionel and Paul and took our time riding back and spending 2 weeks exploring South Australia.

Daddy took lots of photos along the way but some places I cannot go so I have used lots of photos that my friends took as well so you can see how beautiful and interesting Australia is.

I hope you enjoy my little story and our photos.

Day One 25^th April TO BILLABONG ROADHOUSE

We started our big trip on the Friday 25^th April, which is Anzac Day in Australia. Before we left our usual starting point at McDonalds in Beldon, we held a little service for the past sacrifices made in the silly wars that seem to continue to happen. We then did a ride pass of our old mate Denboy’s house to say hi to his wife Linda. Denboy had passed away a couple of months prior. He was really looking forward to joining us on the trip and Linda wanted to wish us a safe journey.

Our first day’s trip was to reach a place called Billabong Road House, 625 kilometres north of Perth. We passed through Jurien Bay, Geraldton and Northampton on the way. We booked into transportable type motel rooms and the group had a nice meal in the road house while I had a sleep after a long day.

• The Alice Spring Trippers 2014

Day One Photo Gallery

Day TWO – BILLABONG TO CORAL BAY

I was looking forward to day two, because we were going to a place I had not seen before, Coral Bay. Coral bay is on the West Australian coast 150 kilometres south of Exmouth. We passed through Carnarvon which is about halfway on this part of the ride that totaled 490 kilometres for the day. The area was still recovering from a cyclone that had gone through the region only a couple of weeks before and the town of Exmouth was still isolated.

At Coral Bay, instead of camping, we all stayed at the Backpackers hostel. The nice people let me sleep in the room with all the big people and daddy and I slept high up on a bunk. We had fun with all the young backpackers who are travelling Australia like me, but some of them like to work as they travel to pay for their trip.

Day Two Photo Gallery

Day THREE – CORAL BAY TO KARRATHA

Sally woke up feeling a bit sick so that delayed us a bit. Today we were heading to Karratha, 530 kilometres away, to stay overnight with the Karratha Bikers, some whom are Ulysseans. Lionel left with the main bunch while daddy and I, Sally and a couple of others left a bit later. On the way daddy Ken stopped to adjust somethings on the bike and we were about 10minutes behind the others. For some reason Lionel had stopped and panicked because we were not with the group. Thinking something must be wrong he turned back to find us. We could see the others when who we thought was Lionel suddenly came past us. Daddy stopped and waited for him to turn around but that did not happen. Daddy then thought maybe it was not Lionel because he would have come back. After a fair while daddy decided to catch up with the others so we rode really fast. We caught up with Sally, Robyn and Barry, to be told it was Lionel who had come back. Daddy and I then had to go and find him, all the way back to Coral Bay, 70 kilometres!

With all the running about we finally caught up with a few of the group who waited at Nanutarra for us while the others had gone on to Karratha. Our little group finally got to Karratha well after dark but everyone had a great time telling stories and making fun of daddy and Lionel. The Karratha bikers have a really nice club rooms and we had a great BBQ tea and nice breakfast the next morning.

Fortescue River Area

 

Day FOUR – KARRATHA TO PARDOO ROADHOUSE

After our nice breakfast we did a ride around Karratha before riding to the Pardoo Roadhouse where we wold camp for the night. It was a very hot day and on the way we stopped at the old town of Cossack to take a look. I had seen Cossack when we had ridden to Derby a couple of years before. The ride from Karratha to Pardoo was 400 Kilometres and it was fun when we got to Pardoo watching everyone put up their tents for the first time on the trip. I like sleeping with daddy in the tent.

Day Four Photo Gallery

Day FIVE – PARDOO TO BROOME AND DERBY

From Pardoo Roadhouse to Broom the road is long, flat and boring for 460 kilometres. There is only one stop before a distance of 286 kilometres to the next roadhouse which is near Broom.
At Broom, Sally, George and Chris rode with daddy and me to Derby where we stayed the night with my brother in law Brad. I like Derby because there are lots of funny boab trees. We would meet up with the others again at Fitzroy Crossing. Our friends Jude, Patrick, Jan and Bob were also staying in Derby overnight and we met them for breakfast the next day before leaving for Fitzroy Crossing.

Day Five Photo Gallery

Day SiX – BROOME TO FITZROY CROSSING

Our little group left Derby mid-morning. We only had to ride 253 kilometres but the others had travel 470. It was hot again but big storm clouds were gathering. We were nearly at Fitzroy when the rain started and was really heavy. Lucky we had stopped to put on our wet weather gear. That what bikers call their raincoats. You can get very wet on a motorbike riding in the rain. Daddy keeps me dry and warm, but sometimes my ears get wet. By the time we got to Fitzroy Crossing the rain had stopped and it was nice and cool. We camped at Fitzroy River Lodge, which had nice lawn but big ants, and very loud birds squawking in the morning.

Day Six Photo Gallery

Day SEVEN TO NINE – KUNUNURRA

We had now been on the road for a week. Today the ride was going to be a long 650 kilometres because we wanted to get to Kununurra. I was all excited because daddy said we were going to stop there for a few days and do some sightseeing. I was getting a bit sick and tired of all the riding by now. On the way to Kununurra, we stopped at Halls Creek, Warmun Roadhouse (that was called Turkey Creek before) and the Doon Doon Roadhouse. About 50 kilometres from Halls Creek, Lionel tried to take a short cut across a slippery floodway and fell off his bike. Daddy came to the rescue but had to take off his pants while they struggled to get the bike upright and out of the water. Eric had fallen off at the very same place an hour before. We still make fun of Lionel falling off in the water. At the Doon Doon Roadhouse we had a meeting with a Japanese tourist who did not know the way to Perth and his car had a flat battery. Daddy and Lionel got him going but they still worry about whether he actually made it to Perth or got lost along the way. By the time we got to Kununurra it was getting dark. Most of the group had got there before us and had booked into the Hidden Valley Tourist Park. We to spend 2 days here having a nice time exploring the region. Some of the group did a boat trip down the Ord River and aeroplane flights over the Bungle Bungles, and took lots of nice photos. Lionel, daddy and I went and saw the big Lake Argyle and Dam and lots of other nice places around Kununurra.

Kununurra Photo Gallery

Day TEN – KUNUNURRA TO KATHERINE

After a nice rest, it was time to hit the road again so on Sunday we all headed off towards Katherine in the Northern Territory. About 40 kilometres from Kununurra you cross the border into the Northern Territory on the road called the Victoria Highway. On the way we stopped at Timber Creek and the Victoria River Roadhouse, both places close to the big Victoria River, which flows through the remote rugged outback of Australia. After a ride of 520 kilometres we reached Katherine and put up the tents, daddy had a nice swim in the hot springs and we all had a big bar-b-que tea ready for a ride to Darwin the next day.

Day Ten Photo Gallery

Day ELEVEN TO THIRTEEN – DARWIN

When daddy rang around the caravan parks in Darwin, no one wanted to let me stay because they said I was a doggy and I might not behave. How silly was that. Daddy found a park that was doggy friendly in a little outer suburb called Coolalinga, 30 kilometres from Darwin. My friends all wanted to stay with me as well, which is very nice because they could have easily gone closer to Darwin. I love my Joondalup Ulysses friends very much. The ride to Darwin was 300 kilometres and another stop and rest place and a time for some to get new tyres and bike repairs plus visit lots of tourist attractions and lots of historical sites including the very big Australian Aviation Heritage Centre. You can see the big B52 and lots of other historic planes. During World War 2, Darwin was bombed by the Japanese and there is a lot of interesting information about the region. I think humans are silly to have awful wars. On Thursday we would leave Darwin to start the ride to Alice Springs and also spend time at Litchfield Park Safari Camp along the way.

Darwin Photo Gallery

Day FOURTEEN – ON TO ALICE BUT LITCHFIELD FIRST

It was now the 8th of May, Mick and Zai headed off to visit the Kakadu National Park, while the rest of our group rode to the Litchfield National Park. I was lucky because just outside the park boundary is a Safari Camp where dogs are allowed to stay. It was a fun place with big tents to stay in and a funny swimming pool made from a big water tank. There was a little dog who lived at the camp as well so I had someone to play with. I had to stay at the camp while daddy and the others rode all over the park looking at the wonderful views. They even went swimming in the natural pools and saw lots of waterfalls in the park. They had a fun time while I slept back at camp but I understand why I am not allowed into national parks because we have to protect the native animals from diseases. We stayed two days at Litchfield and had a fun night with lots of retired folks who were travelling to Darwin from Adelaide on an adventure tourist bus. The only awful thing about the Litchfield Park was lots of mozzies around at night and poor Sally and Marg got badly bitten.

Litchfield National Park Photo Gallery

Day SIXTEEN – LITCHFIELD TO DALY WATERS

We had a bit of a hick up early on this Saturday. We were all ready to go but Barry and Robyn’s bike would not start. Everyone did a bit of a fiddle until the battery went flat. Luckily Litchfield is not too far from Darwin so Barry told the group to ride on and they would call for help and let us know later what was wrong. Barry was able to get started by himself later on in the day and caught up with us the next day a Daly Waters. Our ride was firstly to Pine Creek to meet up with Mick and Zai and then on to our overnight camp at Daly Waters where we stayed in basic motel units. To get from Darwin to Alice Springs you travel down the Stuart Highway and we passed the town of Katherine again and also a place called Mataranka where they have hot springs. We did not stop there long but Barry and Robyn stayed the night at the motel there and said the hot springs were wonderful. Daddy said we will go there next time we ride through.  We visited the old town and pub at Daly Waters and took lots of photos of all the funny things there. Daddy had booked us into the roadhouse motel but it would have been fun to stay in the funny old town. After tomorrow it would be only one more sleep until we reached Alice Springs for the big Ulysses AGM.

Daly Waters Photo Gallery

Day SEVENTEEN – DALY WATERS tO WAUCHOPE

At Daly Waters there were lots of little frogs on all the paths around the motel. Daddy said that they were, unfortunately, little cane toads and they are a real danger to our environment and native animals. The cane toads are spreading all across the north of Australia and it is a big problem. Hopefully someone will find a solution to stop their spread soon.
Our camping spot on this day was at the Wauchope Roadhouse, 520 kilometres from Daly Waters. It had a nice grass area for our tents and I got to meet a doggy that was part dingo. He was very nice although I was a bit scared of him at first. On the way to Wauchope we stopped in the outback town of Tennant Creek. It is quite big and is actually the fifth largest town in the Northern Territory. The Barkly Highway that goes off to Queensland is near here at a place called Three Ways. Just north of Wauchope rock formations named the Devils Marbles where we stopped to explore and take lots of photos. I had fun running on the big round rocks that are all stacked up on each other. I wonder why some don’t fall over. Isn’t Australia a wonderful place full of interesting things to see?

Day Seventeen Photo Gallery

Day EIGHTEEN – ALICE SPRINGS AT LAST

It was Monday and the day we would arrive in Alice Springs to reach our destination, about 400 kilometres south of Wauchope. On the way you pass a place called Wycliffe Well where they say there are UFO’s and Aliens lurking about at night, but I didn’t see any. At A little town called Barrow Creek we stopped to look at some of the old history of the Overland Telegraph Line.  Because we wanted to get to Alice we did not stop very long at our fuel stops, especially Aileron, where there is lots of giant artwork figures. Just before we got to the town of Alice Springs it started raining, but not too heavy. Unfortunately someone had gone and removed a lot of direction signs that had been put up to show all the Ulysses where to go to book in, but after a while Gail saved the day and found the Sign Incentre. After nearly 3 weeks and 6500 kilometres, we had arrived.

Day Eighteen Photo Gallery

Day Nineteen TO TWENTY FOUR – THE ALICE SPRINGS AGM

Most of our adventure team had booked into Tent City. That an area where the tents are put up by a company and they are nice and big for 2 people and a dog. It is a lot better than living in a  small tent for a week. Sally, Peter and daddy and me did it when we went to Maryborough so I recommended it to everyone.
The days where filled with lots of fun and places to see. Alice Springs is really big and daddy was surprised with the size. We where very lucky because the area had just had lots of rain after a very long dry spell. People said they where having lots of dust storms but now the water holes where nice and full and the landscape was green. Daddy, Lionel, Peter, Sally and Marg had a bus tour out to the West MacDonnell National Park Area and saw lots of interesting things like the Standley Chasm, Ochre Pits, Ormiston Gorge and the Glen Helen Homestead. Here they all had fun doing a helicopter flight over the Fink River country side.
Daddy took me to see the Old Ghana Train and lots of old trucks, cars and machinery at the National Road Transport Hall of Fame. It was very interesting with lots of things to see. It also had a big shed with a real Kenworth Trucks from old to new.

AGM and Alice Photo Gallery

Kenworth National Road Transport and Hall of Fame

The Kenworth Dealer Hall of Fame comprises around 19,500 sq ft of display space devoted to the history of the Australian designed and built Kenworth, and the Dealer network that brings this product and back up support to customers across Australia.
Included on display is the first Australian built chassis, 400008, a K125CR delivered to AllTrans Ltd (Comet Division), as well as several other early Australian Kenworths. Recent additions include a 2011 Kenworth T409, a 2012 K200 cabover and 2014 T909 Director Series.

The Story of The Furphy

In 1864, John Furphy established his family business J. Furphy and Sons and Furphy Foundry at Shepparton, Victoria. His steel and cast iron water tanks produced from the 1880s revolutionised the cartage of water for both domestic and livestock use. Previously during dry periods, farm families and their livestock relied on the farmer filling small wooden barrels with water, then carting them on the backs of wagons.However it is the water tanks contribution during the first world war that has ensured the Furphy name was cemented into the Australian language.
The Furphy water carts were typically placed near the camp latrines, which was one of the few places the troops could share gossip and tall tales away from the prying eyes and ears of their officers. The water cart drivers were also notorious sources of information for news hungry soldiers, and despite most of their news being hearsay, or totally unreliable, they spread any snippet of information gathered from camp to camp. To this day, the word furphy is Australian slang for suspect information or rumour.