Birdsville Races - Ride Report

Well given that the races only start today, 3 September, and I am writing my ride report today you can probably guess that this trip did not go so well.

We started out by planning our route using maps and planned on going from Canberra to Cameron’s Corner then onto Innamincka and Birdsville via Walkers Crossing.  After researching the potential conditions we found that Innamincka and surrounding areas were very badly affected by flood and Walkers Crossing was not likely to be re-opened until November.

We then planned an alternate route to Birdsville via Mildura, Flinders Rangers and the Birdsville Track.  However the week prior to departure significant rainfall was received and the Birdsville Track was closed.

Finally, our third option was to head straight up into Queensland which was mostly tarmac and as we got to Bourke we were going to get information from locals on the conditions via Hungerford and head North West towards Birdsville or keep on heading up the main roads and plan a dirt route home from Birdsville hoping that the extra week or so would allow for roads to dry out.

Finally after a lot of packing and re-packing to get the weight down my total load was ~32kg which included the weight of panniers and bags.  Probably heavier then I wanted, but I did not want to shed any more weight by ditching thing I could possibly need in the event of a breakdown.  So with a new Dunlop 606 on the rear and full tank of fuel I was ready to go.

Saturday – 28 August 2010 (Canberra -  Parkes, ~320km)

We left Canberra a little after midday on Saturday and headed straight for Parkes.  Sun was setting as we got into Parkes and it was a boring uneventful trip.

Sunday – 29 August 2010 (Parkes – Bourke, ~434km)

Sunday morning my riding buddies bike would not start, after a jump start from the local NRMA we headed off for Bourke at about 10am.  Again not much fun, all tar transport sections just to eat up the miles to allow for more time on the dirt.  I did not appear to be getting good mileage out of the KLR so made note of the ODO reading before leaving Nyngan.  As we got to Bourke I had to switch to reserve at 205km!

We stopped for lunch and I noticed that my rear tyre was also destroyed!  I am guessing too fast for too long on tar has contributed to both.  When I refuelled it took 18.5 litres.

These same knobs all the way around the tyre were destroyed. 

Given it was Sunday we had to call it a day as I could not get a new tyre and was worried that I was not going to get one at all given there were no motorbike shops.  So we pulled up stumps at the local bowling club to consider our options.

Monday – 30 August 2010 (Bourke – Quilpie, ~556km)

First thing in the morning I headed over to the local tyre shop (Hawkins Tyres) and got a 17’ tyre.  Not only was I surprised to actually get one, but the price was the same as I would pay here in Canberra – which given the location I was very surprised and the local owners could not have been more helpful. 

We found out that the roads north of Hungerford were closed, so at about 10am again we were on our way to Cunnamulla via Tarmac.  Heading out of Bourke there was a sign ‘Next Fuel 250km’, given my previous days efforts I took it easy and sat on about 90-100km/h.  At Cunnamulla when I filled up after 260km the bike only took 13.5 litres, so I had a fair bit left in the tank and the tyre was looking great still.

After lunch at the local Hotel Cunnamulla we headed off for Quilpie to stay the night at the local Motor Inn via the Pub with no town (Toompine).

Tuesday – 31 August 2010 (Quilpie – ‘Clifton’ Station [-25.647968,143.168474], ~228km)

The plan was to head out to Windorah and head towards Birdsville taking it easy.  Mid afternoon we were just going to pull up stumps somewhere off the road and camp the night before doing the last few hundred kms into Birdsville.

It was the first morning we got away at a good time and were riding out of Quilpie at about 7.30am after a feed at the local bakery.

At about 80km east of Windorah we were passing road works and my ridding buddy was in front.  We were both sitting on about 100km/h and he over took two 4WD’s then came up behind a local council truck working on the road.  I did not see the incident however the 4WD witness explained that the truck was off to the right of the road and my mate staying in the centre of the single strip of bitumen was passing the truck when it pulled back onto the road and took out the bike and rider.

The photos explain best the outcome of that;

Luckily we were prepared with a satellite phone and EPIRB which we carried with us.  I called 000 and in a little over an hour the local ambulance was in attendance and took my buddy to the Royal Flying Doctor plane which flew him to Toowoomba.

The outcome, my mate had a broken collar bone in three places which needs plating – and very sore from a lot of bruising. 
The bike is destroyed.

In the opinion of the flying doctor, the neck brace that my buddy was wearing may well have saved him from being in a wheel chair or worse given the way he landed – on his helmet and sholder.

So I guess this was the trip to Birdsville that was not meant to be, we will have to try again another time.