Mt Augustus to Cheela Plains on the BMW R1250 GSA + PIX

[spacey1]

Here is the weather report for Mt Augustus, Western Australia

Australian Bureau of Meteorology (BOM): http://www.bom.gov.au/wa/forecasts/mount-augustus.shtml

If deciding to climb, proceed with extreme caution and prepare with water, hat, sunglasses, protective boots, long-sleeved shirts and trousers.

Even gloves on your hands in case of a fall on sharp rock.

Let someone else know that you're going on the climb.

Of note: Mt Augustus has Optus Mobile coverage (not Telstra).

A landline phone box operates at the Mt Augustus Tourist Park using a Au$5 phone card purchased from the shop at the park.

[spacey1]

The Pingandy Road

Finally, it's time to ride the Pingandy Road. It's one of my favourites here in Western Australia.

The plan... The little Yamaha 250 is unpacked and fueled for JonO to enjoy the ride. The big tank on the little bike was apparently good for just over 400 km. Neither of us carried any luggage which would allow us to make the ride really enjoyable. We riders would go on ahead, stop for the inevitable photo shoot. As and when the vehicles caught up, we would stop for coffee and eats as we saw fit. There was plenty of time. It was only about 400 km to Cheela Plains Station Farm Stay, our destination.

What could go wrong... We had all fueled up at the Mt Augustus fuel pumps the previous evening ready for an early start. So we all knew where the bowsers were...

Morning... We awoke to see this strange weather event sliding over Mt Augustus, beautiful and monsterous all at once.






JonO issued instructions to his troops to follow us. I headed over to the bowsers then waited at the sign on the intersection of the road inland. The sign that was a sheet of galvanised iron with 'Pingandy Road' hand painted on it the last time I passed through here. Now a proper gazetted Main Roads sign in all it's glory... and marginally confusing...


But I'm ready and waiting at 08.30 hrs... And waited... JonO arrived... And waited...
We're thinking "Where are the vehicles?" JonO heads back... No vehicles?

At 09.05 hrs, we're both back cruising the Mt Augustus Tourist Park scratching our heads? No vehicles? Asking around no one seemed to have any idea where or which direction they headed off on... We all had Telstra mobiles therefore should have been able to contact them... No signal?

Asking around, we discovered that Optus won the contract to supply coverage to Mt Augustus... One generous camper allowed us to try to call the vehicles... No success...

I purchased a Au$5 phone card for the phone box at the front of the shop. I picked up this mud map in the shop.


JonO called Family at home in Perth who would maintain a vigil on contacting the vehicles. And we waited...

Around 10.00 hrs, I said to JonO that we should get on the road. We had 400 km to go to get to Cheela Plains Station. If the others had gone in the wrong direction and decided to push on the long way round to Cheela Plains Station and we were still waiting at Mt Augustus, that would have been... challenging. Time was fleeting. JonO had no wallet, only water and a phone. I had wallet, phone, water and snacks. Everything else was in the vehicles who were supposed to follow us.

From a safety perspective, there were two vehicles with four drivers. They were together in a group. They would eventually work out the error of their ways and at the very least head to Cheela Plains Station from where ever they were. We appraised the folks at Mt Augustus Tourist Park of the situation and headed inland on the Pingandy Road. We would phone back to Mt Augustus once we reached Cheela Plains Station to close the case.

So at last, we're off... JonO is also carrying his new drone so we have to put it in the air. I'm not prepared to ditch the photo stops either.








The spinifex grows in mystic circles in every nook, gully and slope, almost wreath flower-like.




It's harsh land out here. I don't really understand how stock survive on the meagre pickings.


The road continues to twist and wind up hill down dale, motorcycle bliss...




The last time I traveled on the Pingandy Road, it was a two-wheeled track. Every crest was strewn with slippery rock. Over almost every crest was a right angle turn, closely followed by a left 90 degree turn on the same slippery rock down into a dry sandy creek crossing.

This photo illustrates just that, but without the slippery rock and most of the right and left turns. A major safety upgrade. I bet they've had to rescue many people from this section of track prior to the upgrade.


We stopped for a photo / drone shoot at this peak on the road-side.








The geology of this land is incredible. I'd like to see a scientific explanation of how these structures formed... Maybe I can prime one of our geos with beer. I'd be happy to listen to that story. Our Earth's history is long.




Every rock, large and small, must have an amazing story to tell. Please explain!


It's 12.15 hrs and we've pushed over 100 km. Roughly 300 km to go this afternoon.


At the intersection to Pingandy Station, we're not going there - (Google Map: https://www.google.com/maps/place/23%C2 ... 117.557661)


And there we have it... The end... Can we turn around and do it again... approximately 120 km of bliss...








Now it's a northerly heading up the Ashburton Downs-Meekatharra Road. For future reference, 386 km to Meekatharra from here. I'm thinking that might be a plan for a future ride.

[KoosWA]

Nice write up. And then......

Did Jono buy Ian's WR250R?

[reklaw]

Nice write up. And then......

Did Jono buy Ian's WR250R?

No Koos, I think that was his sons.
Sold mine for asking price within 48 hrs. Brilliant little bikes.