Russells Ride 2010, Australia

Hello, my name is Russell Nurse.

This year's ride is a follow up of my first long distance dirt and tar ride last year.

We (my son Karl and I) traveled 8300km in 16 days on a pair of DR 650s and afterward I found I really had the bug.

The Donahue and Plenty Highways, the Tanami Desert, Wolf Creek Crater , the Kimberleys, Birdsville & Innamincka were no longer just places on a map and I'm itching to get going again.

Last year was about learning (lessons like running out of fuel on the Tanami or getting water in our fuel) fortunately we had vehicular support.

This year I've got a new side kick (my eldest son Luke) and we're doing it without support. On the agenda is Menindee, Tibooburra, Camerons Corner, Lyndhurst, Oodnadatta, Mt Dare, Dalhousie, Purni Bore, Finke, The Olgas and The Rock, Jervois, Boulia, Bedourie, Cordillo Downs and more.

I'll be blogging my way, as internet access permits so subscribe to the Two Wheel Touring Newsletter (see side bar) to follow my progress.

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20 June, 2010
Windorah to Toompine. We filled up in Windorah - the service station attendent was blind and appeared to operate the business by himself. I felt I was stuck in a movie. We left Windorah after stopping to check out the solar collectors at the edge of town.  Road to Quilpie was a narrow one lane road  and we spent plenty of time dodging grey nomads and road trains.
Our plan for today was to get to Glentuckie Station which is 80km south of Eulo and should have been an easy run.
Luke's tyre was holding up OK but my bike had developed a vibration which became more noticable when cornering.
At Quilpie we had lunch and I checked the spokes on my bike. The bikes had taken a real pounding over the last few days so this sort of problem would not have been a surprise..
We left Quilpie and headed south.70km out my rear tyre blew, worn out by being out of balance after loosing a wheelweight. This process was alarmingly quick.
Luke checked his phone and by a stroke of luck we had service. A few phone calls and a tyre was found at Quilpie.
As I had no way of carrying the weighty wheel a roadside tyre change was the order of the day. Back to Quilpie on Luke's bike to pick the tyre up and ride back. About 2 1/2hours since the blow out by the time I get back.
Removed the Avon rear and put on new tyre and repacked just as the sun went down.
I had found out that there was a pub 5km from where we had the flat so we headed there.
Toompine (known as the Pub without a town) was dimmly lit and I was feeling I was in that movie again. The bar as empty and eventually the barmaid turned up - she was a backpacker.
Thankfully that's where my movie ended and we went on to sink a few beers, get a cabin, have a HUGE meal and the barmaid, who was a hairdresser, gave me a haircut. What a top place!!!
The showers were straight from the bore and the cold water is cooled in tanks to get the temperature to a useable level.
Best shower of the trip. A difficult day ended well....
 

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