9th August - 50kms out of Halls Creek 338 kms for the day and 5,332 todate

We were aware of the time constraints for getting fuel so we rose and packed up with only a muesli bar and a cup of tea for brekkie.  This part of the Tanami was much quieter than the previous night so we had an undisturbed night’s rest.  The shop at Balgo closed at 12 pm on Saturdays and probably the fuel with it.  Colin also wanted to check out the Art Gallery and maybe buy a painting.
We had the usual mix of relaxing and nerve racking road conditions and took the turn-off to Balgo about 35 kms down the road and there was another 35 kms to the township.  We got there to discover that the shop hadn’t opened yet because the clocks went back 1 1/2 hours when we crossed the border into WA!  We had to wait an hour, but could fill up at the pump while we waited.  There was a big sign stating that fuel was only available when the shop was open, but like a lot of signs out here they don’t mean much.
While we were waiting for the shop to open we chatted with the locals.  Alan spoke to an old aboriginal stockman who had worked all over the north of Australia and he said “hard work, good life but no pay”.  Balgo was altogether a more cheerful place than Yuendumu.  We replenished our water and bought brunch and some fruit and muesli bars for later.
Then we went to find the Art Gallery, but it was closed because the manager had  gone off to Darwin like Yuendumu.  But this time a passing local said he could go and get someone to open up for us and soon we were looking through hundreds of paintings on display or hanging on racks. I was wondering how to chose especially as the prices ranged from a few $100 to $20,000.  I saw a mounted painting leaning against the wall that showed a four branched plant over a multi-coloured background and bought it.  The artist was called Francis Fernandez.  The two staff helping gave me a receipt and will post it back to Melbourne. I hope Morag likes it. (She did)
We were getting concerned about the earlier sunset catching us out on the track and set off to ride back the way we came into Balgo and off to Billiluna and on to Wolfe Creek on the Tanami.  The road surface was even more challenging than before with some of the best and the worst sections we had encountered.  We were traveling quickly due to the road conditions and soon reached the turn-off for Wolfe Creek.  Others we had talked to said this road was quite rough as it was basically a farm track.  It was badly corrugated but worse it was heavily rutted with deep sand and in places no obvious wheel tracks to follow.   I led the charge and had to keep the DR pinned to stay upright. I eventually got to a farm gate and waited for Alan.  He didn’t appear and I doubled back to find Alan unloading the GS which was on it’s side.  He had got caught in the soft sand at the side of the track and the GS went down in a slow speed tumble.  Neither he or the bike came to any harm.  We decided to abandon Wolfe Creek as the road was getting even worse and headed back to the Tanami and on to Halls Creek.

Alan drops the GS on the way to Wolfe Creek Meteorite Crater

The next 70 kms of the Tanami was the worst of the lot with one especially deep sandy section where I was barely in control until I remembered the mantra “when in sand accelerate” and I cracked open the throttle and miraculously the DR straightened up.  There were also rutted gravel sections on corners, which were particularly tricky to negotiate as you couldn’t afford to slow down at all!
Alan’s HEMA map on his phone had the sealed section starting 40 kms from the Northern  Hwy, but we didn’t find it and a local ute driver confirmed it didn’t exist, so we stopped for the night only 45 kms from Halls Creek as the sun was setting.

After we put up the tents we climbed a small hill on the other side of the road to watch the sunset and it was a very beautiful sight as the shadows spread across the rolling hills.

We rode 338 kms today the longest distance by far and after we had finished our meal we both collapsed into bed for a well earned night’s rest.  Tomorrow we will enjoy the luxury of a motel room with a shower and bed after 3 days on the road camping in the bush.