An unexpected desert delight

I was staring down the barrel of ~150km of potentially very sandy and corrugated track. However, the further I went along the route, the more stoked I became. This is what my trip is about – a bit of unknown, having a crack and enjoying the adventure! I took the not too inspiringly named ‘Public Access Route Eight’ towards Dalhousie Springs.

The road was pretty lumpy, with nowhere to dodge the hidden corrugations or baby head sized rocks under the midday sun.

Occasionally the corrugations would join forces with sand and a short but punchy climb over a dune. Hard yakka!

I lowered my tire pressure and was able to pedal through for the most part with a bit of pushing here and there.

The wind blew across me for a while but as I turned north it was behind me once more. My excitement grew as I hit the entrance to the Witjira National Park.

Not long to go, I was pretty chuffed that I was going to make it to Dalhousie just before sunset. I was greeted by a solitary dingo and a campsite full of FWDs and off-road caravans.

I arrived at 5:45pm and I made a beeline for the springs, keen to see what all the fuss what was about.

Boy oh boy was I glad to be there. A friendly camper who was drying herself off saw me on the bike and offered me a cold can of beer. I was parched and gladly accepted. Just before I hopped in the water, another camper and two of his boys approached me. Matt said that they had passed me on the road a couple of times already and kindly invited me to camp and have dinner with them. Once again, I gladly accepted Matt’s offer but first it was time to test the waters of Dalhousie Springs. The highly mineralised water comes from part of the Great Artesian Basin aquifer and is heated by the earth’s core to a nearly perfect 34-38°C in the main pool. The springs are located on the western fringe of the Simpson Desert. They are a popular starting or finishing point for FWDs crossing the Simpson. Hooley dooley, my legs and I were in heaven soaking in this deliciously warm spring water as the cold of the evening set in.

Someone had even provided a bank of pool noodles to make soaking in the water even more relaxing. Shep (my mate in Melbourne who had suggested to come here) you bloody ripper!

It was tough convincing myself to get out of the springs but a rumbling belly proved to be enough motivation. Matt, Greg & Russell had travelled with their sons from Port Macquarie and were planning to cross the Simpson Desert. The friendly group were super generous as I hoovered up the offered sausages, salad, pasta and noodles washing it all down with a few beers and even some Baileys.

The lads were curious about my adventure and I was more than happy to answer their eager questions. I thought to myself, it doesn’t get much better than this, that was until Russell suggested a night time swim in the springs. The chill of the dark was little deterrent and it was amazing to float in the warmth of water under a bright starry sky. What a fantastic way to end a big day in the saddle!

The next morning, Matt offered me muesli, coffee and freshly cooked pancakes for breakfast. If only the hospitality at all of my campsites was this good! In seriousness, a massive thanks to the Simpson Crew for their kindness and generosity, especially Matt – you are all bloody legends and I hope we cross paths again one day.

I don’t expect or rely on the generosity of others. However, I do have faith that most people in world are nice and just getting on with their lives despite what the news tells us about each other. I look forward to meeting some of them as I make my way across the world.

After a third and final dip in the springs, it was time to hit the road. Next stop Mt Dare Hotel – ‘South Australia’s most remote pub’ and within spitting distance of the Northern Territory border.

I had another fairly good run on the variable road but was later slowed by a deep gravel slog through a river bed only to realise there was a nice alternative on the bank above. Note to self – don’t forget to look up sometimes.

I enjoyed a coke and my last beer in South Australia whilst chatting to some friendly motorcyclists before heading off for a bush camp just across the NT Border. Elated to see the welcome sign, it felt good to be crossing into the Northern Territory. Some big hitter natural wonders were in the pipeline including Uluru and Watarrka (Kings Canyon). Bring it on!