The only other vehicles on the road were 'Road Trains' and 4wd's towing caravans. I was starting to wonder if I might be insane for doing this, when on the horizon I spotted what looked to be another bike, a kindred spirit. But no, it was only a push bike! As I drew nearer I noticed a thick black haze. I felt a little sorry for the guy seemingly alone in the middle of nowhere so stopped. Drawing to halt alongside him, the haze turned out to be a thick swarm of disgusting big flies. 

Inwardly I wondered if I was safe. What horrible thing he must have done to seek redemption with this suffering but no, he pulled the fly net back from his face and was grinning. Chris was from Canada and was heading to the Rock too. I explained I couldn't stop and talk as I planned to get to the rock before dark. He was incredulous but wished me well. I left Chris with his flies and thought he would probably still be on the same stretch of road when I came back! 

Stopped for petrol at Cadney Homestead, doing the same were 4 other guys. Three Japanese tourists on KLR650 hire bikes and one Aussie on a TT600 who had met them on a trail and became their defacto guide. Mike the Aussie told me the Japanese riders were amusing. They sat exactly on the speed limit when on the highway but as soon as they touch dirt, the throttle hits the stop and they're off like pensioners bathed in Kerosene. We were on the same route and decided to try and get together for a few beers and a gossip that night. He recommended "backpackers" accommodation. As there was little choice for accommodation we figured connecting again would be easy. I went in for a cold drink and glanced out the window as they rode off. You could pick the Japanese, they were the ones with their side stands still down, just as well there were no left turns for 500km!

When I came out, I noticed an AU Falcon with a conspicuous alloy bull-bar with two curious plastic devices attached. The driver spoke first, asking if I was the guy in the cabin next to them at Port Augusta? I hadn't noticed them so asked what time they left this morning. "5:00am" he proudly said, "what time did you leave" he asked? "A little after 7:00am" I replied. "Jeez, how did you get here so soon, this is our first breather" he said. I didn't tell him of all my stops. I had to ask, "what are those things"? "Roo scarers" he replied. "I'm so lucky I nearly hit more than 20 Kangaroos coming up here this morning, hate to think what would of happened if I didn't have 'em".

I dug a little deeper. "What happened before you had the Roo Scarers"? "I hardly ever saw any Roo's; I'm so lucky I have them now" he said. "How do you know the Roo's can hear them?" I asked? "A lot of energy has gone into designing these things in the NT; they can only be heard by Roo's, no other form of life can hear them" he said, glancing upwards at slightly demented looking wife sitting in the car. "The misses reckons she can hear them and they drive her crazy but she can't," he added. "Hmmm, how much are they" I asked, imagining something with this much scientific input was going to be an astronomical price. "80 cents each" he boasted. Said it all really, Roo magnets I reckon. 

More petrol at Marla, then Kulgera, Erlunda, Curtin Springs and the race was on. I was in the NT and took the opportunity to take a photo of my speedo. Not easy I can assure you, but I even managed to snap myself, my hand fluttering in the 230kph wind. 

I could see the sun setting and knew it would be close. At long last, I arrived at Uluru National park at around 5:30pm and frustratingly had to queue to pay my $15 entry fee to enter Aboriginal land. It was worth it though, seeing the rock was a mystical experience. It was absolutely brilliant and as I drew near the colours constantly changed. Not subtly but quite dramatic changes, from almost yellow, to red, to dark brown as the sun played with the giant form in its dying moments.

There were thousands of tourists in 4wd's and camper vans in spots set aside for ideal viewing. There were no other sport bikes out there so the novelty of the big V twin with a throaty sound caused a large percentage of teenagers to abandon their educational pilgrimage, preferring to watch my bike idle past their campervan. I could sense the parents admonishing them, missing a lifetime opportunity just to look at a motorbike! I took a few snaps then parked close to the rock for some "artistic" shots.

Darkness was soon upon me so I started to head back. My plan was to stop at Ayers Springs Resort but I was concerned my insect crusted look would be unwelcome in the lobby of the $300 a night hotel. Also, having only covered 1,200km for the day I was as fresh as a daisy so decided to press on in the dark.........continued overleaf