Some one had to finish the Leonora/Gwalia/Lake Ballard Ride

[Bozo]

Given that the Easter ride was washed out finishing in a puddle at Paynes Find I thought it was necessary for some one to finish the itinerary.

On Thursday I finished work early and hightailed it to Kalgoorlie.

Leaving Kalgoorlie at first light I slabbed it to Menzies before turning off to Niagara Dam.



The desert riding season in Menzies is open


The rainfall meant that Niagara Dam was one third full.


Kookynie was deserted which is not unusual for a ghost town



The Kookynie to Malcolm Road was generally in good nick but soft in the floodways. Not a cloud in the sky.

[Bozo]

Water had only just stopped flowing over the roads


Refuelled at Leonora (plenty of options).

Headed into Gwalia and took the obligatory photo of the Pink Camp



Had to slow down for cows lots of times but did not see a single Kangaroo


The road to Lake Ballard (Menzies Sandstone Road) had been damaged in the heavy rain. Parts were being resheeted and erosion damage at floodways were being repaired.

[Bozo]

Lake Ballard had a lot of water in it so only a few of the statues were accessible and even then it was slippery in places



I decided to take the long way back to Menzies via the Riverina Snake Hill Road....mistake. The road has a floodway every 500 metres that were still soft and no repair work had been undertaken. The 36 kilometres to Riverina Mine took 45 minutes and all of my adrenalin.

The Evanston Menzies Road was better but with lots of soft spots.

[Bozo]

Stopped for some two up on the way back to Kal but it was deserted



Lake Perkolilli is just off the Kurnalpi-Pinjin Road

[KoosWA]

All in 2 and a bit days? Well done!

[jono]

Geat effort and photos, you packed light, I couldn't see your tent!

[Bozo]

Came back today via Bullfinch-Mukinbudin-Dowerin-Goomalling-Toodyay-Perth




It was all going really well until I turned off to Baladjie Rock...the track got worse after the photo and it was a battle to turn the bike around so I had to wheel it backwards up hill to an area that was drier and where I could get grip to climb out of the rut.



A great trip but there is nothing better than arriving safely in your own driveway to the smell of grasshoppers slowly cooking on the magnesium heads.

Consider the Easter Leonora-Gwalia-Lake Ballard ride now done...the only thing missing was the use of tents but done is past tense.

Bozo

[Bozo]

More photos

Menzies


Gwalia



Inside Pink Camp Gwalia



Lizard on a dry section of the Riverina Snake Hill Road

[Cookie]

Hello Bozo

A great effort, thank you for completing the missing pieces of the puzzle, excellent photos, I will have another attempt next year.

[BillB]

All I can say with this effort is incredible. Well done and great photos. Was it hard to get comfy accomodation and fuel?

[Swampy]

Fantastic effort Bozo and great pics to back up your trip.

Sure your not a member of the "Iron Butts" ??

Swampy

[Bozo]

A pretty scrappy short video is at: https://youtu.be/12wiTUl7wpk

The road from Menzies to Kookynie is sealed through the town to the start of the Kookynie-Mt Remarkable Road.

The Kookynie - Malcolm Road that takes you to Leonora is a well formed gravel road with some of the floodways being sealed. It was a bit corrugated and you will note that the GoPro has rattled loose.

Bozo

[Bozo]

Another short video is at https://youtu.be/Be4MXnAdDgM showing the town of Leonora and the nearby Township of Gwalia.

I was surprised that the Shell Service Station you see as I enter the main street is a Coles Express and at the vibrancy of the town. The Leonora Motor Inn looked to be modern comfortable accommodation for those rare occasions where BMW riders stay indoors.

The Pink Camp is the building with the bedsteads for a fence.

Bozo

[intherough1]

In contrast to Bozo's blue sky ride, here's a video of what I had to contend with on the road to Lake Ballard on Easter Sunday. I'd never done any kind of flood water crossings on a bike before so this was a teeth gritting real challenge for me.

Plenty of flood crossings and the last one was almost white water rafting material - well to me it seemed like it. I don't think the Tourance Next tyres were really meant for these conditions https://youtu.be/H62peRb8EL8

No Easter bunnies were harmed in the making of this video. However, as I actually didn't see any, I'm presuming they were all drowned!

Ariel

[Swampy]

Well Done Ariel, Great Footage and good ride..........Might be an idea to take a wet suit, snorkel and flippers next time mate

Regards

Swampy