15/02/12
This was to be an early departure of Adelaide but Ben rang and asked me to pick up some stuff from a Korean grocery shop.  No worries, but where to load it ?? I bought a blue Coles chiller pack and what didn't fit into the trailer went into it and then secured it to the top of the esky. As a result I didn't leave Adelaide CBD until 1000hrs and was still in the suburbs at 1100hrs. I topped up the bike and the two spare fuel containers on  the outskirts and onto the open road at 105 kph. (On the road once more :-)) The road was flat, the bends few and far apart and it was warming up quickly !!

 I stopped only to refuel (except for the Green Shed) and, even with the AirHawk seat on my butt was starting to complain. The bike averaged 5.9l/100km all the way to Coober Pedy. I was sitting on 105 - 110kph.

Hills to the left of me :-)

Hills to the right of me :-)

Look at those curves :-)

 Boring. I wanted hills and curves !! I pulled into Coober Pedy just on sunset (2030hrs) and looking for somewhere safe to camp for the night. As I was refuelling a couple of blokes came up to look at the trailer and my tow bar setup. They asked me where I was headed and I said "somewhere to pitch my tent". "Go and see next door" they said. 20 min later I was in my tent asleep !!! 850km closer to Darwin !!

16/02/12

The 'HILLS' of Coober Pedy !!

Woke up at 0530. Time to get up !! Looked at the phone, 0630 !!, my, where did that hour go ?? Better get up !! Looked at it again and it was 0730 !! Better get up this time :-) It sure was hard. I must be getting soft, or somehing. I packed up and was 'on the road again' by 0800. Beautiful and cool after last night's arrival temp of 40c !!

The sweeping forests to the Opal Mining country :-)

Bike still sitting on an average of 5.9l/100km until I reached the NT border. Upped the rate to 120 - 125kph. Fuel consumption jumped to 6.7l/100km. I had to add fuel to the tank as I wouldn't have made the distanceto Alice Springs  !! The bikes a little thirsty when pushed whilst towing a trailer :-)

I arrived in Alice Springs at 1400hrs and as I was refuelling Ben pulled up behind me at the servo. He had seen me at the last set of lights :-) With directions to his place I was soon unpacking Jeinie's and his stuff, and with a coldie in my hand, calling it a day :-) Dammed HOT...

This trip is coming to an end. Another two days on the road and that's this trip done !! It seemed a million miles away on Boxing Day when I started ...... :-)