Day 118

Date:- 10 July 2010
Distance:- 108.26 Km
Distance to Date:- 6219.6 Km
Start:- Territory Manor Mote - Mataranka
Finish:- Riverview Motel & Caravan Park
Comment:- Wandered around the park before tea. It was fully booked out. Had a nice tea in their restaurant and latter was invited to join Garry and Cheryl from Perth. They had flown to Darwin, hired a car and are driving around the top end for a few days.

I was in bed by 9.30pm and had a very good nights sleep. Up at 7am, packed, had breakfast and on the road by 8.30am. Light easterly breeze, clear sky, just another day in paradise.

Stopped at Rest Area (97) to check it out. Toilets (no paper), water and shelter. A big area and seems very popular. Had a cup of tea and an orange for my break.

About 70 km out from Mataranka a caravan stopped ahead of me and hailed me to stop. He was concerned about my visibility on the road and gave me an orange Hi Vis jacket to put on, which I did. I do appreciate it when people show their concern like that. Thank you.

Rode past the turn off to Cutta Cutta Caves National Park. Seems very popular judging by the number of cars that have turned off in front of me.

Down the road and past the Tindal Air Force Base and 15 km to Katherine. About 8 km out of Katherine there was a sign pointing to a bike path. Onto the path I went. It ran parallel to the road and was in better condition than the road. About 6 km down the path I felt something funny with the bike, low and behold a flat tyre on BOB. How annoying. Removed the wheel stripped it down and couldn’t find anything in the tyre, so I put a new tube in and put everything back together and set off to find the caravan park which was about 3 km down Victoria Highway. A No Vacancy sign was out but I still went in to enquire as to accommodation further down the road only to be told they can squeeze me. Thank goodness.

I was shown to a nice grassy and shady area which will suit me fine. Joyce, a traveller who I met at the front gate of the park and was aware of my demise came over and gave me an icy cold Bundeberg Ginger Beer.

Tomorrow is a rest day to do the washing, catching up on Emails, check over the bike and that tube. Down to Woolies to get some provisions and if time allows a dip in the thermal springs which are just over the back of the park.