Day 13 - Pardoo to Jimbalakudunj - 806 kms

I slept for a solid 10 hours and woke up with the sun all the way for the first time on my trip. I had woken up once during the night to cover my gear when it started raining only to realise in the morning that it was a sprinkler at the campsite next to me that I could have just turned off. I had to make up some time today if I wanted to get back on track and get in the repairs needed in Broome before the Gibb River Road. As I drove north the landscape steadily became greener and the air more humid. The trees had also changed from the desert scrub brush to bottle trees and gums. In addition to this there are mounds everywhere that look like a giant dog was leaving piles in every field. On closer inspection these are termite mounds and some of them are over six feet tall.

On arriving in Broome the "Cyclone Emergency Route" signs really made the transition to the tropics complete. I was able to get a new front tire mounted and replace my phone here but managed to burn my shoulder on the exhaust while tightening the chain. If you squint your eyes it kind of looks like Australia. Add that to the list of bumps and bruises that Alicia will need to nurse when I return to Adelaide.

My plan from here was to start the best part of the ride across the Gibb River Road but when I stopped to fuel up I found out that the second half had been closed due to heavy rains and flooding. There was a loop I might have been able to ride but the chance of getting stranded if additional rains came and the thought of more deep water crossing in true croc country convinced me to take another route. While trying to find a camp spot the local police pulled me over. They were just doing a random license check and when they saw I was a seasoned tourer and not a C.U.B. on a Hayabusa they were very friendly. They pointed me to a good roadside campground 30 kms down the road and off I went.