July 14: Lake Argyle and Beyond

Biting into the cold, crispy red wedge of watermelon in my Warmun Roadhouse room last night, I felt like I had won the jackpot. Ensconced in my cool air-conditioned room with plenty of snacks and a hot meal waiting from the roadhouse diner, it was the perfect spot to plan out today’s ride to Lake Argyle and beyond.

Arriving at the remote outpost yesterday afternoon, I immediately felt welcome. The host had left the air conditioning on in my room and there were three free cold bottles of water waiting in my fridge. The little camp store not only carried yogurt and fresh fruit but also offered “bush medicine” made by the local Gija people designed to treat aching muscles and arthritis.

Waking up early to beat the heat, I headed north to Kununurra and then east to the Lake Argyle turnoff, making my way south along the access road past beautiful purple and yellow blooming trees and a variety of tributaries.

Reaching the crest of the overlook, I took in the broad sweeping vista of Australia’s largest lake, formed by damming the Ord River. This freshwater reservoir in the northern territory in the East Kimberly Region is popular with tourists for boating and fishing and offers beautiful views of shimmering blue water nestled in the cleft of the foothills in the otherwise arid landscape.

Returning to the main road and continuing east, I passed the border into the Northern Territory and gained an hour and a half, putting me just a half hour behind Melbourne time. Passing through Timber Creek and making my way to Victoria River I am ready to head north again in the morning. With WIFI rather spotty, I’m going to keep this a little short and post now while I can. What a great day on the road!