Finally got away, deep into the Cape York Peninsula in the sometimes tropical north of Oz. Passed two big groups of riders, each one with a 4wd beastly truck with supplies tagging along so they could keep the bikes light. Most of the bikes were 650s, various brands, knobbies, no luggage. Saw one guy with a GS, no luggage, trying to negotiate a very rocky stream crossing, seemed to be doing okay. Most roads up here are gravel, hard dirt, lots of washboard, but there are places with deep, soft sand, and some really rocky river crossings. Much tougher conditions than the ride to Alaska. We attempted one track our 4wd book called "extreme" and made it 40 of the 80 kms with my wife walking the tough spots until she completely freaked and we turned back. Everyone I saw was having a great time. Not really major bug or heat problems this time of year, but plenty of dust. So I got the bright idea of running to stay in shape in the deep outback. Didn't seem like any creatures here could eat me except crocs, and I stayed away from water's edge. The 50 or so wallabies & kangaroos I saw didn't bother me, nor the 9 wild pigs, 4 dingos, the snake tracks, multiple exotic birds of every kind, one almost as tall as me, and wild turkeys. The two-and-a-half-foot long Monitor lizard that hissed caused my heart to skip a beat. The croc slide in the sand was a little bit disturbing, but I didn't see the croc. So far so good. Almost two hours of running and no dramas. And then my heart stopped. I startled a beast I never expected to see in 100 years. He raised his huge head and stared at me from 30 yards. I stopped cold and started looking for a tree to climb (not easy here because they're mostly eucalyptus with smooth trunks down low). At first glance my brain said "Moose" and I shot back with "ain't possible, brain; think of something else." It was light grayish/brown and big as a moose. I saw a few moose in Alaska last summer and told my brain this ain't one of them. Can you guess what it was? Freakin' Brahman bull. In the freakin' outback a zillion miles from anywhere. Say what? I just turned and walked clean away, Jack. He never stopped staring at me. Good run, tho.
Baldy.. The Steve Erwin of Bay area.. You know if you hadn't been wearing "those" boots that Bull would have never givin you a second look On a real note..Sounds like a great trip!!!(unfair..unfair) See you when you get back.. TIMMMMAAAYYYYY
Hey Baldy- Sounds like a great time- is your wife on the back of the bike or on her own? What bikes did you end up renting? I'm not sure if you are aware of this or not, but apparently 5 of the most dealy creatures on Earth live only in Australia. Watch out when you decide to take a nice cool dip at the end of the day. Also don't forget to return to the Bay Area. I know of more than one person who took a vacation down there that somehow never ended.... Looking forward to hearing more tales! -JC
Baldy, Sounds like you are having too much fun. We are all jealous. The pic is great - looks just like some water holes I remember on the Cape Tribulation road. I am going to steal your great pic for a little piece of fluff I am putting together - hope you don't mind. Stay cool, Jay
Uh, hrrum, you're gonna get me to admit I'm not on a bike but a 4wd bush camper. Got my wifey and daughter along and just couldn't do bikes this time. Jay, you can use that photo but it's courtesy of Cape York Motorcycle Tours, the guys we saw at one of the river crossings. Went to the Great Barrier Reef the last two days for scuba diving, including a night dive. One of the greatest things we've ever done.
Can't quite decide whether bungee jumping, skydiving, or running into a Brahman in the outback was more thrilling... Prolly the bull. You can't tell by the scale of this, but I only came up to his knee.
Interesting site. This is from a trip I did a few years ago. Outback Western Australia. ...and my sleeping place on the way to the Elefantentreffen in Germany.
Aye Slippery, a mate is planning this trip. He's getting the kayeteemmmm. I got the big silver 1150GS (yeehar) would you necessarily recommend the knobbies? Big bucks to re-shoe the big job. Gonz.
Gonz, having been to the tip on a bike I would say that yes, it's possible to use road orientated tyres, but you wouldn't get me on them. I took an R100/7 up to the tip along with a mate on his R100RS in 1980. We put trialls universals on as they were the only thing we could get for the 19" front wheel and the 400 x 18 knobbies wouldn't fit on the bikes as they were too wide. Getting out of the creek crossings in some cases is extremely tiresome as there is sometimes rather deep sand and it's uphill all the way. Also all the 4WD's churn up the exit and entrance to the crossings, which means mud and or big holes. Depending on rainfall you may or may not get to the tip. Some years the water crossings are waist deep, others knee deep. Until you actually get there you really don't know. When we got to the Jardine river we floated the bikes across using a half inflated lightly rolled airbed under each cylinder and three people, one either side and one holding the rear up. Today there is a punt I believe across the Jardine but the rest of the crossings can be a bit of fun. You will also find that TKC80 tyres are a godsend on the corrugations, these tyres are a softer walled tyre than the other normal ones and the flexing of the knobs also softens the ride. In some instances the corrugations can get so bad that the only way to steer is by throttle and leaning. I would think seriously about a skid guard on your centrestand, some of the creek crossings are rocky and if your sump slides over a rock that's fine, but when the crossbar on the centre stand snags on the rock, it's an instant stop, followed by a splash, and possibly a damaged engine on these new 259 series bikes. Recently over the last 2½ years, I've taken my 1100GS with TKC80 tyres through some interesting places and I would say with the bulk of these machines then you need these tyres. Another thing, if you're running an 1150GS, is the possible change of the bevel drive with one from an 850 to give you some lower gearing to get out of the really steep, slow stuff. Mick.
On the one hand it must have been scary, but on the other it is tough to feel sorry for ya. I'm torn as to which way to go with this one. Actually, glad you got out of there unscathed. That was have been a rather tragic ending. Did you get any good wildlife shots?
Your trip sounded bull goose too. Did you do a ride report/pics on it? Thanks for the tip on the knobbies/centre stand guard. I think the mate is planning the trip around Cameron corner, Strezleki track and around that area. So unless we are blessed with rain in the next few months, I reckon it will be a dry affair. Though, having said that I do expect it to be sandy. I have driven the dingo fence from Camerons Corner to Broken Hill (in work time of course!) and it is dune after dune. Hard work in the 4by let alone the big Bull.
you were a lucky man, baldy, a wild bull or cow are dangerous animals, great start , your pics will be interesting to say the least, cheers,
I lived in cairns for quite a few years and done a reasonable amount of riding on the cape on my old kdx200, plus 2 trips in a nissan patrol, never to the top though... In my opinion you would be mad to ride in this area without knobs on, unless your taking the paved inland route of course! The start of the trip, from mossman to the bloomfield river through the daintree rainforest is beautiful. The track conditions change from season to season so best be prepared for anything. There are the biggest hillclilmbs with huge washouts and a rocky watercrossing in each vally, it can be really tough if its wet, the track turns really really slippery and the water gets alot deeper... Between bloomfeild and cooktown is straight, flat extremly corregated roads, a tip to try is riding on the sandy edge of the road, or else just turn your damping all the way down. It also pays to stop regularly to let the suspension cool down, it gets quite a workout and gets very hot very quick and can lead to failure Is your friend gettin a 640 or a 950?? I'd think the trip would really suit the 950 with lots of oppertunity to really open it up Make sure you post some pics!!! Hey baldy, glad your enjoying it. I bet that bull really scared you, I think it's best you don't come across any wild pigs then, or god forbid, a razorback
Yeah he is getting the 640 Adventure. I have tried much coercing to steer him the way of the spinning propeller but to no avail. Yup the knobs sounds like the go. Gonz.
