Preparation for Cairns to Darwin

 Cairns to Darwin
29th April to 27th May 2013
28 nights camping
1 night backpackers
7 meals provided
1 free cycling jersey
$2,640.00
including GST   

Cairns to Mt Isa
29th April to 11th May 2013
12 nights camping
1 night backpackers
3 meals provided
$1,210.00
including GST


Get those Granny Gears Goin!!!!19k climb up the Gillies Range to the lovely little town of Yungaburra. BBQ tonight and a nice comfy bed for those weary legs. If you fancy some platypus watching there's a chance you might catch a glimpse of one down at the local creek.

Our first night is here

Yungaburra Pub- not sure if still working as a pub.

Platypus

Lava Caves

 Once we get over the first day of climbing, any other climbs look like baby hills.

The surprise at Mt Surprise is that there is no mountain. Can anyone guess what Mt stands for?  Take the opportunity to check out the Undara Lava Tubes or take the Savannahlander train down to Einasleigh for a beer at the pub!! A real treat.                                                         

 

Georgetown

The Purple Pub

Krys The Savannah King

The largest crocodile ever caught!!!The best fish & chips are at Karumba which works out to be a 71 kms ride on your day off & then the same back again.

Burke & Wills Roadhouse- staying here.

From the B & W Roadhouse we head to Mt Isa. We pass through Quamby& hope the pub is still open by the time we get there as we are planning on staying.Looks as though it's going to be a bush camp. Then onto the hottest town in Australia & hopefully the temperature will be reasonable when we get there- this is Cloncurry. At Mt Isa we join up with the Rocky to Darwin route and we get to have a few bush camps which are usually a lot of fun. Dirty but fun!!!!

Then before we know it we will be entering the Northern Territory. We cross the Barkly tablelands onto the Stuart Hwy where we hook up at Three Ways & the road to Darwin.
From here on we start entering the tropics with thermal pools, ferns, giant termite mounds and hopefully lots of wildlife- watch those crocs & fruit bats!!

We go to some unusual pubs with undies hanging around the bar, graffiti over every inch of wall space & the best steak in NT.

Daly Waters Hotel- Rest Day

Mataranka is the capital of the thermal pools and we have another rest day here to soak those tired bones.


From here we go to Katherine & Katherine Gorge- another rest day before we get to Darwin & the end of this leg.