I have taken a long time to get around to putting this to words, the whole adventure took a lot out of me but also revealed some things that I feel have made me better understand myself and my ability to interact with others. I will write this as if it just happened, it will not be blow for blow and many of the finer points have been lost in time.

I rode from Brisbane to Fremantle on the 13th and 14th of January, covering 4430klms in 45hrs 22mins for an IBA world record. I stayed with friends from Sunday 15th to Friday 20th and then left to head back to the east coast at 11pm on Friday the 20th January 2006. (times stated are AEST)

I had done the Brisbane to Fremantle east to west crossing now I was attempting the shorter 4000klm Fremantle to Sydney crossing west to east under 50hrs. I felt good, my right hand is back to normal after taking a beating coming across. I am rested and eager to get going.

Extracts from my message board, quote from my wife Wil:
Davo has just rung to say he has left and is heading home ( the looong way round!). Zadok is leading him out of Fremantle after being seen off by Dianne & Rob A. Clocks on the servos terminal were slightly out, so short delay getting times on start docket rectified and initialled, but Davo said the servo guys were extremely helpful.
He sounds good and is rested and positive. Although very few times over the past 27 years have I seen him anything but positive!!

RobA said:
Saw Davo off at Freo - seemed relaxed and ready to tackle the trip. All the best mate!!

Friends were there at the Fremantle BP to see me off with Marty on his GTR1000 leading me out of town. I am heading towards home, mind you even when I get to Sydney I will still be approx 1100klms south of home.

Nothing outstanding here apart from a B-Double truck (two trailers) trying to kill me. As I pulled out to overtake him somewhere near Southern Cross a strong beam of light shot back at me as if an oncoming vehicle was coming. I ducked out again to have it happen once more. Turns out he was directing his spot light into his side mirror to blind me (read later on about this happening again)

All good going down to Norseman where the highway turns left for the long east crossing. Just before 6am and I am in Norseman where I take a 20min break for food, 754klms in 7 hours. Once again my start time was set to take in getting to this point at daybreak or close to it so I can run across the bottom of Australia in daylight.

Caiguna at 9.51am for 1131klms and just under 11hrs, so far am doing well. Temps are good, traffic is light and body is feeling great.

Border Village at 1.41pm now 1487klms covered in under 15hrs but its all changing for the worse. I stayed at Border Village for almost an hour, drinking and sweating. It was not looking like improving so I pushed on. I talked with some travelers who I had passed along the road and they commented what they thought as I went by while they were sitting in their aircon cars. To this day I don’t know were I got the determination to continue through this next section

Daughter Kristy says:
Just had a call from Davo he is travelling ok but is really feeling the heat. He is just outside of Border Village and it is 42 degrees... ahh hot, hot, hot. He won’t be having much of a stop though because he has to keep on the move. The next couple of hours are just sheer determination due to the heat and not many stops.

Not far down the road it got worse.

Wil says:
I have just spoken to Davo. He had a little less than an hour stop at Border Village. He is on his way again and the temp has reached 44 degrees C. He is feeling the heat a bit more than I would like. I will call him again in an hour as I am a little concerned that he is not quite himself.

My wife Wil was not letting on to readers how bad I was feeling, as she says there was no point everyone stressing. It gets worse real soon.

About 30mins out of Yalata I called my wife on the phone, I recall gasping but telling her to keep talking to me and I would make it. She was crying and I was in tears, the enormity of what I was doing and the inability to stop was intense. She was pleading that I pull over, I recall saying “there is not even a bush over ½ meter high, they is no shelter I must keep going”

I got to Yalata somehow, experience maybe but more than that. The side winds had also been intense this last section, I had the bike on a constant left side lean for much of it riding with my right hand. My wife on the end of the phone got me though this section and finally there, there is no doubt in my mind about that.

Wil says online:
Back again. Davo has made it to Yalata. Very harrowing across the Nullarbor with temps between 48-49. Unless I'm wrong that’s about 120F. He is staying PUT until weather becomes more friendly. Thank goodness as he was beginning to feel a little dizzy and he sounded it. I think he was looking for a tree to live under! Then on to Ceduna.

It had actually peaked at 49.5C and had been over 46C since approx 2.30pm, its now 5.05pm. I sat inside the Yalata servo for what my logs tell me for 30mins but it seemed far more than that. I sat on the floor and drank and drank gatoraide till it almost came pouring back out. I left Yalata at 5.40pm and its now only 200klms to Ceduna. I now had the last stretch into Ceduna, shower and sleep for a couple of hours. It had to get cooler didn’t it?

At 7.42pm on the 21st January 2006 I get to Ceduna. It’s still 46C and hot, the last stretch has been relentless and I focused on my goal and grunted it out, quite literally at times. Breathing had been extremely difficult however my tall screen had stopped me from getting a sore throat from the winds and heat.

My wife Wil, says online:
Hello Everybody. Good News Davo has just pulled into Ceduna BP. Temps up to now have still been around 45-46 degrees. Now it’s time to rest.

A mate from Canada Neil says online:
Is 45-46C normal temps for that region in your summer? DAMN that's hot!

It’s midnight on the 21st January 2006 as I head out of Ceduna heading east. It’s all on again. I have covered 1966klms and including this 4hr sleep stop I am at the 24hr 49min mark. Still more than enough time to complete the ride under 50hrs, or so I thought.

My wife posted online:
Last update for tonight. Davo has just rung. Had a good 3 hours sleep and 2 showers. Hitting the road again, on to Port Augusta. Feels better and ready to move ride on. I'm off to bed. Back in the morning.

Chris says:
Looks like another very hot day tomorrow on Davo's route, just riding in this heat is a feat in it's self, to do it under a schedule is a hardship we can't appreciate.

I love the section from Ceduna to Port Augusta, fast and flowing. It’s a 469klm section and about the 300k mark I come up behind two B-Doubles, I pull out to overtake and guess what? The bright lights in the eyes yet again. Here I am 2,000klms further down the road and I meet the same prick intent on killing me. Some exchange takes place via the UHF radio, suffice to say I was not amused. His mate in the other truck had no idea what this other guy was doing. Anyhow I survived and its nice and cool. I pull into the Port Augusta BP just after 4am having covered the 469k in 4hrs 14mins.

At sunrise I pulled over to take some pictures, it’s a great morning and I am on track to complete the double crossings.

My wife posted online at 6:48am:
Okay. Davo is almost at Burra, about 200k south east of Port Augusta, headed for Renmark. He is definitely back to his old self. Although I have no doubt that he will tell you all a story about yesterday,"one of the toughest days of his life", when he gets back. He rang at 2.30 am this morning to tell me about an epiphany that he had. "How do you ride big miles. Lots of little miles"

I will have to let other people tell most of the story from here. This is part of the reason It’s taken so long to get words to paper. I still don’t know how I got so far in the extreme temperatures.

My wife says at 9.52am:
Davo left Renmark at about 9.30 am after a brekkie and fuel stop. The temp is already 40 degrees, so I think he is feeling a little apprehensive after yesterday. But at least he is not riding across desert this time, he should be able to find a tree if need be. He says that he can see a lot of smoke haze ahead of him and cars all have headlights on. Other than that he is feeling fine and cheerful again. Is riding with the throttle lock a lot of the time and using his left hand, which will probably get a work out because of the strong winds.

At 11.12am on the 22nd Steve from Sydney posts this:
I found this article in today’s Weekend Australian newspaper and thought it might be of interest.

"Heatwave triggers blackouts, blazes" by Kevin Naughton, January 22, 2006

THE bitumen started to melt in Ceduna as South Australia sweltered through a third consecutive day above 40C.
The Far West Coast town was the hottest in South Australia with a peak of 46.5C at 4.30pm yesterday that had even the locals gasping. "It sure feels like the hottest place in the state," said Andrew Brooks, who works at Ceduna's visitor centre. "We get a lot of hot weather here but today the bitumen is starting to melt because it's really extreme. It's taken a few people by surprise and even the locals are doing it tough.
In Adelaide, the thermometer reached a scorching 43.1C at 4.53pm. Yesterday's baking temperatures ensured SA recorded its first official heatwave - three consecutive days over 40C - since 1943.

My wife replies:
Hey thanks Steve, That explains a lot. For one thing, why Davo was gasping for breath at around 2 pm. I have just spoken to him and today is not much better in south west NSW. But he is stopping at every stop along the way for a rest and drink. He knows he has plenty of time and can afford it.

It ends at Balranald, I am beat and can not go on. The longer I sit on the cool tiled floor inside the servo leaning against the drink fridge it all becomes clear as to what I must do.

My loving wife Wilhelmina sums it all up online at 2.28pm on Sunday the 22nd January 2006:

Well it is with mixed feelings that I post this next message.
Davo is at Balranald and cannot go on. The heat is oppressive and he is physically not able keep going. I have asked him to consider pulling the plug and he has regretfully conceded. I am very relieved to hear this, as when I last spoke to him I worried that he might fall over and melt on the road!! He could barely speak. The local truckies have told him that even if he stops for a few hours he will still be riding into 50 degree temps. I think that was enough to convince him.
I also reminded him that he promised me he wouldn't die trying as well as already having a record up his sleeve, so he has nothing to prove, even to himself.
I am sure you would all agree that he has made the right decision.
When I spoke to him earlier he asked what you all thought he should do and I told him that I hadn't let everybody know how bad he was. No point in all of us pulling our hair out. He has gotten a room and is now sleeping in a/c comfort.
He is staying overnight and giving his body a full days rest before heading home. Still planning a stopover with Chris.
Thanks again everybody

Daughter Kristy posted:
Hi guys haven't been on here much this trip, but mum has been keeping me up to date whenever he calls, I know that it has been hard on mum because each time he rings he was sounding worse and worse so I'm glad he decided enough was enough, the heat is just too much for him.
He was done what he wanted 4430 in under 50 hours on the east west ride and he can give it another go when he has rested more.
We're all proud of his accomplishments at home and there are a lot others that are proud of what he has done. And I'm sure he had a great time away and will continue his adventures all the way home. He's not usually one to back down from a challenge but I'm glad he values his life more than pushing himself too far. I'll be glad to hear from him once he has had a rest tonight.

What I did was dig very deep inside and found something that lives within each of us. Inner strength and will power got me there and home, we each have it within us, it just takes longer for some to find it.

I rode in 47+ temps for many hours, peaking at 49.5C. I wouldn't wish that on an enemy. Know your limits, stretch them a little but know when enough is enough. No one ever started to climb Mt Everest thinking they couldn't. Be positive, live each day, do not waste life it’s far too precious.

This is still as I told my wife “the toughest day of my life”

At 3178klms in 38hrs 30mins and the Hay plains before me with expected 50C temps I called it quits and it was all over at Balranald. At no time did I feel I was endangering either myself or the others people on the road. Had I continued on this very might well have been the case. I know a lot about fatigue and dehydration, yet it's always difficult to put knowledge into real life situations. Within an hour of calling the ride off my left leg had the most amazing cramps I have even encountered, I could barely walk. I did the right thing for all concerned.

I want to thank all my GTR-AUS members, and two US based forums the Motorcycle Tourers Forum and the Wild Pelicans for their support. None of this would have been possible without the love and support of my wife and family, I am indebted to them all.
Thanks for reading.
Davo

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