Terry Smith Lookout to Inca Creek Rest Area (70 km short of Camooweal).

A quick update while I have battery in my laptop and coverage on Telstra 3G

Up early and a slow careful ride into Cloncurry (80km). Of course – no motorcycle tyres available. Try Mount Isa – 120 km further up the road.

Quick call to the two motorcycle shops Google maps knows about. The first only has Kenda 'knobblies'. The second (the Harley dealer) has 2 Metzler Tourance dual sport tyres! Yippee! Hold them both I say I'll be there shortly (hopefully). One small problem, the Harley dealer can't/will not fit them. I'll have to try the other shop.

Again I set off at a slow (90km) pace, trying to preserve what little rubber I have on the rear wheel. Slow and steady, and the ride is improved by the scenery approaching Mount Isa. Broken rocky hills and an undulating road keeps me distracted as the kilometres slowly unwind. I'd left M & U baclk in Cloncurry shopping and having a brew.

Finally Mount Isa appears – whew! Fortunately the 2 bike shops are a block apart so I stop at the first to confirm he is happy to do the fitting. No sweat $30 will do the truck – come back at 2pm. Swing by the Harley dealer just as M & U catch up with me. Marco has checked the supect piece of metal in his tyre – turns out to be just a shard of rock that has not penetrated far. Still we take both Metzler's – just in case. M will carry one as spare. It will fit all three bikes and by the time we reach Darwin it will probably be needed.

Lunch while we wait for the tyre to be fitted. Then back on the road. Our planned camping spot is surrounded by bushfires/burn off, so we press on another 30km.

I have mobile coverage and just enough batter in the laptop to upload these update to the blog. Photos will Have to wait.