Round Australia by bike - Day 021 - Timber Creek to Doon Doon

Day:	021
Date:	6 June 2008
Start	Timber Creek
Finish	Doon Doon Roadhouse
Daily Distance:	315km
Daily Speed:	n.a.
Relative to Schedule:	-601km
Daily Podcasts:	Here
GPS Track	Here
Journal:	I got up with very little enthusiasm, tip-toed around in another cabin with paper-thin walls while I got ready and was on the road around 1:15am.  I tried not to think about how many more days I would have to do this.  I have had enough. Once riding I found it was quite warm (20+C), and soon stopped to take off my jacket.  I also noticed that there were no stars in the direction I was traveling, which was a bit ominous, and probably explained the higher temperatures.  I tried to put my negative thoughts behind me and focused on maintaining a good pace and finding a radio station I could listen to.  I finally found a staticky ABC Radio National station and enjoyed listening to their various current affairs programs as I cycled along.  I stopped after 60km to have a snack in the dark at a rest area, surrounded by sleeping caravanners, and again after another 60km in another rest area just as dawn began to break and the caravanners began stirring.  The light revealed spectacular rocky crags and ridges near and far.  As usual my fatigue abated a little as it got light and my mood lifted.  I continued on the undulating road through similar country, spotting another loping dingo crossing the road ahead, until I reached the West Australian border where there was a quarantine station and they checked my bags for fruit and meat.  I gained 1.5 hours moving into a new time zone. It was then about 40km into Kununurra, a significant regional town.  The area is near the huge man-made Argyle Dam which provides irrigation water for a variety of tropical crops and there is also plenty of mining activity nearby, as well as plenty of tourist attractions.  I stopped at a huge service station/store for lunch and didn’t bother going into the town itself.  The place was buzzing. I left Kununurra, with the intention of riding another 100km to Doon Doon Roadhouse which was about where I wanted to end my day, but where I was not sure there was any accommodation.  The road had turned south and the wind was a strong south-easterly, making the riding slow, barely above 20kph, and I was tired.  It was also forecast to rain, but I didn’t get more than a few heavy spots of rain every now and again.  However, both the wind and rain are forecast to continue for the next two days, which is not good news. Offsetting the weather and fatigue was the magnificent Kimberley scenery I was now riding through.  Long high rocky ridges overlooking the valley and great views from the higher road elevations, although the hills added a bit to my misery.  I arrived at the Doon Doon Roadhouse to discover they had just given away their last accommodation, but I decided to stay in their campground where they suggested I sleep under the BBQ shelter because of the impending rain, and I had a nice shower.  I had a chicken schnitzel at the roadhouse for dinner and intend another early start tomorrow.