cairns to the lions den

Today was a short day in terms of kilomtres but it also held our first lot of dirt riding so we were on the road early again. Although the skys looked menacing we were confident it wouldn't rain as we headed out of cairns on our way to port douglas for coffee and the on to the daintree. Port douglas is a really nice little spot albeit a little touristy but the coffee was great.

the main drag of port douglas 

the lovely village of daintree

Daintree is a sweet little place were we once again encountered ridiculously nice people who were very helpful and extremely interested in what we were doing, and as the conversation progressed, full of really interesting tales of their own adventures, like riding push bikes from cairns to broome. From daintree village and the mandatory photo with the the big barra, it was back down the road to the daintree river ferry and into the daintree rain forest.

big man, big fish

 waiting for the daintree ferry

Initially the road was tight winding bitumen through lush overhanging vegetation. This lasted a wee while but not that long. From then on we were on dirt, well mud really, we clay, firmish yet as greacey as.

myall creek, daintree rainforst

Although it was slippery everything was going pretty well and the bikes were great, until we came down a small incline and came face to face with our first creek crossing. Although it wasn't very deep, it was pretty rocky so we got off the bikes and walked across to check it out. It all seemed ok so the big fella went first and did it easily. Then it was my turn, i was well nervous but it hasd to be done, so i took it steady and got through. That was that, i was blooded. After much celebrating we were off again through the mud and up some of the steepest roads i've seen some of which were concreted and some not.

The second creek crossing we came to was a slightly different affair

deeper than my boots

After that the road changed from muddy to dry in the space of a river crossing, weird. It was nice to ride on dry dirt as we could pick up the pace a little.

out the front of the loins den hotel, definitely worth a visit

We finally arrived at the lions den, tired, covered in mud and with very wet feet. What a great place, an ecclectic blend of everything with stickers, graffiti, tee-shirts, flags and anything else you can think of hanging from anywhere there's space and if there isn't space then they hang it anyway.

inside the lions den

Ourexact location: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=-15.7061,145.2226&ll=-15.7061,145.2226&ie=UTF8&z=12&om=1

We scored a small room and got cleaned up with a very welcome hot shower. Then it was into the pub for a much deserved beer and dinner. The dinner was one of the best we've had on the road and the pub was full of other travellers who are very keen to swap stories, very colourful locals who are also keen to chat and very friendly bar staff who all appeared to be from the north of england.

Tomorrow is another early start with the first stop cooktown and then onto musgrave.