Walkabout Day 12 - Uluru - Coober Pedy

I manage an early start, saying farewell to Gemma and Adam and heading down the road at 5:45am. Too early, it turns out, the petrol station at Curtin Springs (originally they were going to call it Stalin Springs!) didn't open until 7 and I got there at 6:45. The emu hanging out by the petrol pump seems slightly put out by my appearance and stalks off, ruffling its wings in annoyance, when I don't leave immediately. I briefly consider pushing on, as I figure I had enough petrol, but I have learnt my lesson and instead, I go for a walk, looking at the aviaries of parrots they have down the back.

Once the shop opens, I fill up with petrol and push on to Mt. Ebenezer, the next stop where Gemma had recommended the apple turnover. I have a coffee and an apple turnover (which was good!) for morning tea.

There were articles on the wall in the store at Curtin Springs critical of Aboriginals. At Mt. Ebenezer there is a gallery of art made by Aboriginal artists employed by Mt. Ebenezer, with a biography of each artist. The difference in cultures between the two stations is striking.

As I leave Mt. Ebenezer I notice with annoyance that I have forgotten to put my earplugs in, yet again. This has been a common theme throughout the trip... get all set, hop on the bike, start riding, notice how noisy it is, pull over, take my gloves and helmet off, put my earplugs in, put my helmet and gloves back on, and start again. I pull over to the dirt on the side of the road and promptly drop the bike as it skids out from under me. I had hit the dirt while still braking, a critical error. I can't initially lift the bike, so have to unstrap the luggage and take several tries to get it upright. I wouldn't want a heavier bike.... it keeps sliding away from me on the dirt as I try lifting. Initially it won't start, but eventually it caught and all was good. The luggage rack is slightly twisted, the rear brake pedal is bent even further up, and the handlebars are now slightly off from centre.. hopefully all repairable.

The most alarming thing is that my fuel efficiency appears to have taken yet another nosedive, only getting 14 km per litre, and that is when riding carefully. I need to make sure I have enough fuel for all of the stages of tomorrow's leg. Coober Pedy to the next station is 260km, I think, which will require the fuel can to make it.

At the second last stop before Coober Pedy, I am checking over the bike when I hear a shout and see someone approaching. I stand up and see it is Yoshi, the cyclist I had chatted with on the way to Uluru! He has made it to Uluru and now down this far while I stayed with Gemma, and is taking a day off to rest. He has teamed up with another Japanese cyclist he met, who is making his way to Adelaide from Cairns, and is planning to cross the Nullarbor after that. Barking mad but I admire their guts. They seem glad of the chance to chat in Japanese. I help them out a little, showing them on my atlas where the watering spots are after Coober Pedy, which is a source of concern for them. They don't need petrol, but they do need water. Then I bid them farewell and continue on my way.

 The clouds had thickened and kept the sun at bay, so the day was pleasantly cool. Now though, they darken and the cool breeze takes on a more sinister edge. Sure enough, raindrops start falling, and I shrug into my raincoat. It doesn't come down hard or for very long, but the coat keeps me warmer in the sudden chill so I keep it on. Before long I am rolling into Coober Pedy. Cones of white sand from mines cover the landscape, like giant traffic cones gone mad. Mining equipment can be seen poking up between the piles.

The town itself is set amongst hills, and the underground dwellings are dug into these hills, like hobbit holes, rather than dug like pits.

I booked into an underground motel, browsed a couple of opal stores, then hopped on the bike and rode around town a little, explorinatoring. I found this plot decorated with sculptures of moon monsters, termite mounds, car crashes and various other bizarre and fantastic creations. It had great views of the town as well, I think whatever this place was, it is my favourite in Coober Pedy so far. I'd love to work on a collaborative piece with the artist and add some animatronics to the sculptures. I sit in an underground church, which I find peaceful. I find a life size sculpture of a vehicle inspired by Star Wars, outside a backpackers accommodation. Its an odd town.