DAY 47 X AUGUST MATARANKA TO KATHERINE

Pushing on to Katherine today. My brother had decided to go up to Katherine to see the gorges and spend another day with. me without upsetting the other riders by insisting on another day in Mataranka.

While Peter and Rob wandered down to the thermal Springs with their pool noodles the riders packed up and headed north on the Stuart Highway.

Highway riding comes as a bit of a shock after so many weeks on lightly trafficked outback byways.

Strangely,  we had a few close passes by professional drivers in roadtrains and smaller truckw. Usually, the bigger the truck the better the drivers try to treat bicycle riders.  Maybe schedules were tight?

Anyway,  we ran the gauntlet of tourists who wouldn’t move over to pass us, oncoming overtakers enjoying the 130km/hr speed limit in these parts and trucks without becoming imprinted into the bitumen.

Bruce surprised us by meeting us at the Stockman’s Memorial horse and rider statue at the entrance to Katherine. He had lots of useful advice on where to shop, seek touring advice and stay.

Our first choice of caravan park was booked out so we ended up at Knotts Crossing cp and resort on the road out to the gorges.

As we were setting up camp the camp security guard approached and warned us to be careful of light -fingered locals who had the habit of entering the grounds after midnight. Duely noted.

Peter and Rob were late in due to dirty fuel stopping their V8 diesel farm ute halfway from Mataranka. Anyway the resourceful farmer cleared the lines and carried on.

Shopped up a calorie laden arrival present for ourselves of softdrink,  flavoured milk, fruit and ice-cream.

Back at camp all four riders plus the farmboys went to the resort restaurant for a nice but not particularly memorable dinner.

And so to bed with an ear open for sounds of wrong doers.