Dry

After Kununurra the weather and landscapes go a lot dryer. The ‘floodway’ signs seem a bit obsolete when passing the Kimberley’s sandy arteries. Distances between roadhouses and townships are increasing and so are the temperatures. Matters get worse now that we no longer find watertanks at the rest areas, so we have to load the bikes with as much water as we can. The 300 arid kilometers between Halls Creek and Fitzroy Crossing we have to ration our water, not easy at 45 degrees in the shade and the air so bone dry that eating a biscuit is impossible without water to wash it down. On december 30th we decide to take advantage of the near full moon and cycle about 60 kms at night. In the magical blue moonlight under a star filled sky, we can at least see that we don’t miss much; savannah plains. If emptiness is your thing, they’ve got lots of it here. One advantage of the changing climate: the nights have become bearable, so sleeping a lot easier. After the last 100 kms at half a liter per 10 kilometers we arrive, drained of energy, in Fitzroy Crossing, where we stay for a day of rest and a very quiet New Year’s Eve.

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