Shock and ore...

...iron ore that is.

Sorry, been spending a lot of time in iron mining country and it's starting to affect my mind, as well as the colour of the bike and everything else I have with me. Everything has gone an interesting Tango orange. It's the new black, trust me!

So, first post since the essential two week petrol/work break, and it's good to be back on the road again. My backside thinks differently however, the bike saddle certainly hasn't got any comfier while it has been off the road.

Put the bike back together and remarkably it all worked pretty much first time, nothing bounced off back down the highway as I set off from Perth at least; which I took to be a good omen. Sticking fairly close to the west coast it is pretty much the same monotonous landscape, all the way up to Exmouth. There were a few exceptions such as the Pinnacles, Shark Bay etc, but mostly it was beach after beach after beach, paradise you would think? I'm not much of a 'beach person' to be honest, as I think I mentioned before; so I found myself getting a bit fed up with all the bloody beaches after a while. Never get bored with the scantily clad young ladies you tend to find populating beaches though, so there is an upside to everything!

The Pinnacles Desert, very pointy

Called in to see the 'famous' Dolphins at Monkey Mia, as it is apparently against the law drive past without stopping; judging by the visitor numbers at least.

While I was in the area I thought I'd bury the bike in the sand, to see if it made a good castle substitute. Decided not, as it doesn't have the requisite number of turrets to be a proper castle.

Hello China? Little help please...

This was the point I gave up in my attempt to reach 'Steep Point' (the most westerly point on mainland Oz). Loads of suitable excuses, but the best one is that it was the Easter holidays at the time, and all the passing 4x4s had churned the track into 30km of deep, deep sand. After getting stuck for the first three times, I decided my sanity deserved a break and I turned around. Good job too actually, as it started chucking it down with rain soon after. I'll be back to conquer that bit later though!

Exmouth and the road leading to it (there is only one), are in a ludicrously harsh and unforgiving section of the 'Pilbara' region of Australia. Similar landscape to that of the Nullarbour Desert actually, only with fewer trees. (if that is actually possible!) Aggressive heat, no trees at all and very limited water availability, meant it all got a little bit poetic on the ride north.

'Ode to a tree, by me':

If I could but see one more tree

I swear t'would fill my heart with glee
For 'neath majestic, shady bough
I would not sweat so, from my brow

Cook my brain, and it starts to come out with poetry. I think I need to get out of the heat more!

Exmouth is THE place to go swimming with Whale Sharks, or as the locals know them 'cash cows of the sea'. Everyone is in on the act, and all claim to be the 'world experts' on said beasties. Decided to take their words for it, as my budget definitely didn't stretch to the $400 for a 10 minute snifter. I contented myself with snorkeling on Ningaloo Reef and lurking at one of the more interesting beaches in the region.

I could warm up to some of these beaches, really I could

From there I headed inland to the Karijini National Park, and the town of Tom Price. Iron ore mining country, complete with some fairly spectacular (and thankfully shady) gorges. Some of them even had trees, hooray! Grabbed a permit from the local mining company to ride up the 350km of their rail service road, as an interesting alternative to the highway. It was good fun as the track ran right alongside the railway, which was constantly in action. 2km long iron transport trains thundering along, with me riding alongside. Adrenaline charged stuff!

Have paused for a moment in Broome to get the bike a few presents, things like a new tyre and an oil change as she's been so well behaved recently. Might treat myself to a shower too. (Australia breathes a sigh of relief)

Lots of pictures below. Click on any of them for a bigger version.

Hooray for water!

Bike plus pointy thingies

Dolphin at Monkey Mia

Just call me 'Action Man'

The consequences of not paying attention on the 'Pilbara Iron' access road, that used to be a Landcruiser

Stingray at Monkey Mia

Useful for a rest those pointy bits in the Pinnacles

My camp at dawn (DAWN, that's bloody early that is!) on the way to Tom Price

Trip mascot at 'Natures Window'

There are some BIG things out here on Australian roads

Sundown at Shark Bay

The 'Sandfire Roadhouse' living up to the 'fire' part of the name

Recovering Gosling One from the clutches of the sand

Shothole Canyon on the route up to Exmouth

Should have packed a bucket and spade really

Splashy splashy

Shovelhead Ray at Monkey Mia. This fellow accompanied me down the beach for about 45mins

Approaching 'Steep Point' in Western Australia

Campsite before setting off for 'Steep Point' (not in the water obviously)