Riding the from Cairns to Cape York is a hot and wet affair. Hot in temperature although not as hot as we expected. The wet comes in the form of all the river crossings. Us Southerners baulk at getting our boots wet, but accept the fact that every night you will get soaked, and your life will be a lot easier. Here’s what we learnt from a recent trip with Motorcycle Odyssey Australia we did from Cairns to Cape York.
Following on from the fact that everything gets wet do yourself a favour and bring a small dry bag for your phone! Several riders jumped in the creek with backpacks and all on not realising they were still full.
Bring six T-shirts and six undies. You will need them unless you like wearing wet gear. Some plastic bags for your wet gear won’t go astray either.
Take plenty of photos. This is literally the ride of a lifetime, and it’s great to have a photo to show that you were there!
Bring some roost protection. You ride in pairs a lot of the time and the terrain is rocky. Don’t expect to ride for a week and not cop a few hundred rocks to the face or chest.
Bring pants /nylons with side pockets, a great place to stash your phone and whip it out when your mate goes down for that photo.
Buy a decent Hydration pack 3l minimum with some carrying capacity so you can pack your snacks and lunch for the next day.
Do your research. While it may be cheaper to attempt a trip to the Tip solo, keep in mind there are many hidden costs in venturing this far north. Fuel and food is expensive. The ferry across the Jardine River alone is $50 for each bike and $260 for the truck with no other way around. Jumping on board a tour shows you the popular spots so at least if you did attempt it at a later date, you’re armed with the knowledge of what to expect.
