Tough gig for some

If you thought we've been slumming it a bit in our air-con chilled, leather-lined G-Wagens, pumping iPod tunes through the Harman-Kardon audio as we rock 'n roll down another set of corrugations, spare a thought for Martin Boonman, a Dutchman who's cycling the Canning Stock Route as we speak... solo!

We passed Boonman a few days ago just after Well 30. The 34-year-old thrill-seeker said he'd left Halls Creek on June 18, which means he was averaging around 21 thigh-burning kilometres a day.

"I'm looking forward to getting down to Well 26, where the wells are less spread apart," said the friendly and obviously slightly crazed pedal pusher, who was carrying just 30 litres of water along with food and gear on seven small bags hanging off his bike.

Fitted with wide, balloon-like tyres, to ride easier over the sand, his off-road bike also ran a spare, third 'trailer tyre'.  At that stage he'd had two punctures, either riding up the soft dunes or if too steep, trudging up them!

We didn't get a chance to ask him what his motivation was, or what he was carrying for food, but he did say he was "meeting lots of people along the way," so we assume he was getting a regular feed, one way or another.

Then there are the four blokes, led by adventurist Tim "Caveman' Barrot, riding red postmen's bikes, from Wiluna to Darwin via the Canning Stock Route. The 3000km ride is aiming to raise $100,000 for children with cancer.

At least they have a support crew, although apparently three are inexperienced motorcyclists, so it should be interesting.

"We can't do a lot of practice on the actual bikes as we don't want to wreck them before hitting the route," Barrott said before heading off.

Meanwhile, with the 'finish line' oh-so-close, Day 10 of the Mercedes-Benz Canning Stock Route drive was a day of catch-up, and after clocking 224km over seven hours driving -- our biggest day yet -- we were finally back on schedule, pulling into our spectacular campsite at Breaden Hills, just as dusk fell.

Earlier that day we'd lunched at Well 43 -- now just a depression in the ground -- before enjoying a thrilling rollercoaster ride of around 70 dunes in quick succession before Well 44. Good fun.

Then a quick blast across a marshy lake bed, before a stop-off of for clean, fresh drinking water at Well 46; a lovely shady area where many enjoyed a refreshing 'bucket' shower. To add further interest, the restored well had a resident: an inquisitive olive python.

Another highlight was a blast up a tall, rocky outcrop, which afforded sweeping views further than the eye could see. More lush desert vegetation, too, including acacias and white gums, with plenty of pink, red, yellow and purple wildflowers.

The only negative were the branches crowding the track, causing havoc with UHF aerials, sand flags and G-Wagen side mirrors!

We also travelled through picturesque spinifex plains dotted with termite mounds, standing tall like armies of giant pepper shakers.

The lowlight was a minor collision between G-Wagen '4' and '2' after confusion in a bunched-up convoy; a bent spare tyre cover and smashed headlight resulting in two new nicknames: 'Back up' and 'Cyclops'!

G-Wagen '6' also achieved its first puncture, courtesy of an unseen big rock as light was fading, and the G-Professional ute's fuel filter required a thorough clean out after some dodgy diesel clogged it up.

By Day 10's end, we're camped in a magnificent location, near the Indigenous protected area of Breaden Hills, below two magnificent flat-topped mesas, with the orange disc of sun setting slowly beyond the endless horizon as we pulled into camp.

Due to the increasingly pleasant nighttime temperatures as we head further north, a few of us decide to sleep under the stars, and are rewarded by an unforgettable, sunrise 'wake-up call'. Magic.

Day 11 consists of a brisk 159km drive to Lake Stretch, passing the Australian Geographic Society's 'Notice to Travellers' sign before stopping off at Well 51, the last of Canning's stock route wells and also noteworthy for its large windmill.

The rest of the journey is through north-west station country past Lake Gregory, enjoying our first two-lane, 80km/h stretch of track in more than a week.

Day 11 also sees our first sections of white bulldust: talcum powder-like dust that rises up from the vehicle ahead in a billowing cloud, like it's travelling through thick fog.

Of course, a day on the Canning is never without drama, and just a few kilometres from camp, G-Wagen '5' dislodges its AdBlue tank, for the second time this trip.

As usual, tour leader Geoff Becker has calculated fuel consumption to perfection, and although many vehicles are by now showing 'Reserve' on the fuel gauge, there's no cause for panic.

"We've got another 60 to 80 litres left (in the jerry cans), but there's a servo just 10km up the road," he says, with relief.

Lake Stretch, another Indigenous protected area, is a sight for sore eyes: a 'proper' campground with hard ground for securing tent pegs, shady white gums and a cool lake for washing off all the red dust (our first swim in a fortnight)...

Tomorrow is our final run into Halls Creek, where we officially cross the end point of the Canning Stock Route Heritage Track, at the Billiluna-Tanami track junction (about 8km from Lake Stretch).

Then it's a charter flight to Perth, hot shower, and farewell dinner with a few celebratory beers. We're already suffering from sand dune deprivation syndrome...

Tracking the Canning Stock Route: