VAST- 7000kms

Dearest Intrepid Reader,

Western Australia is vast.

I have been mentioning that we are fuelling up or staying in road houses. However it occurred to me, today, as I was riding that I may need to elaborate to bring about understanding of how it is out here.

Today we left the town of Karratha, the first stop was Fortescue Road house. Not a town, just a Road House.

The F is for the road house. Yes, road houses have their own kilometre advisory signs. This is because, there is no towns.

Our next stop was Naturra Roadhouse in another 170kms. Again, not a town.

It was frantic at the Bowsers, so many people trying to get fuel and food.

Half of our whole trip will be in Western Australia.

It’s frantic because there is only minimal staff at the road house trying to do so much, for so many. Why?

Because there is at least another 252kms until there is actually a town.( Actually, its really only a tiny village, that needs to generate its own electricity with wind generators and consists mainly of caravans).

The roadhouse staff need to be thanked for making it possible for us all to be out here, making our way through Western Australia.

It is one thing to see it on a map and quite another to actually ride around this state. Just out of the Nanuatarra Road House, a rather dilapidated sign announced, a Landing Strip for the Royal Flying Doctor. RFDS

I then noticed some markings on the road and realised the road, itself, becomes the Emergency Landing Strip.

The patient would be taken to the road house to await the RFDS plane. As the plane gets closer the road is shut so the plane, can land and take the patient, most probably to Perth, 1200kms away.

The isolation is astounding.

Something, I try not to think about, when I am riding.

Every thing is vast out here.

The road trains:

The Anthills:

The horizon:

We are now in the Pilbara. It is known for, First Nations people’s, ancient landscapes, red dirt and its VAST mineral deposits.

The two main towns are Port Hedland and Karratha. Karratha was established in 1968 to accomodate the processing and exportation workforce of the Hammersley Iron Company and has a population of 17000 people.

When we left Nanuattara Roadhouse today , we swapped the Krakatinnie over to the Loveliness, as with 252kms before the next fuel, it might be riding on fumes with the Harley.

Just as well.

There turned out to be a huge cross wind.

I really did not know what was happening.

The front wheel kept moving accross the road and it was taking a lot to hold her straight. Maintaining speed and position was quite a task. I kept at it for quite a while, however with minimal foliage and trees there is not a lot of reference points to how much wind there might be. It’s a weird feeling. Is it wind or is it not?

I ended up checking in with the MOTH who as always, is my safe harbour, even in a windy desert.

He advised it was just the cross wind and I would be fine. He had my back. So I was indeed fine.

The trailer was like a sail and the wind had gathered under the tonneau cover which is why I felt the drag more than ever, once I started towing.

We were nearly 100kms down from the road house and just after that we seen the sign to turn right, to Coral Bay. As soon as we turned the pressure eased. The wind was at our back.