From/ To Today =
Eastern Chief Bore West Harts Range to
Hamilton Hotel
Rest Area
Km travelled today = 683 km
Fuel cost at Jervois $2.166;
Tobermorey $2.30;
Boulia $1.799
High Points = The ever changing scenery.
Roads over the order into Qld.
Low points = A bit of are we there yet creeping in.
Yes NT roads, yuck.
General:
What is that noise!!!!!!! The alarm is going off in my ear. It was so quiet after the cattle settled down and beautifully warm that sleep came only too easily. Morning ritual over, packing up was also better with a dry tent to pack away due to the gentle breeze lazily blowing through the
camp.
Well the horror stories of the Plenty Hwy came true. A lot of the way it is like driving in water with one wheel or the other being pulled in any direction other than the direction you want to go in. I have never ridden a Rodeo bull but now I imagine what it is like. Whenever a patch of bull dust appeared, tense up hang on and ride this beauty. At Jervois we are told a truck has possibly rolled over further down the road and we may be stopped until it is cleared. Worse still it is carrying fuel so a clean up possibly required. As this is not confirmed I agree to phone the station on the sat phone to let them and other traveller there know where it is. Good news, did not come over the truck so kept riding the bull to the border. Not only a change of states but total change of roads. NT side the bull, Qld side add 10km to the speed and take off the riding gear. The Donohue was such a pleasure, yes the surface had corrugations and small rocks but in all a highway. At one stage having been seduced by the condition of the road I was taken back when it became a single lane track with grass growing in the centre. Still a good surface with the same speed capability. The floodway’s with bitumen just teased me into thinking the gravel was over but no more gravel to follow. Another dramatic change was the scenery. Almost as soon as we crossed the border the small trees and spinfex grasses disappeared to be replaced by plains that stretch for ever in both directions. Very few trees, hills or mountains and dry. The cattle around
Tobermorey look hollow where the further east the better they look. Kangaroos, wedge tailed eagles and dingos were out and about on this stretch and broke up the vista. Now the night stop is not in a luxurious hotel but a
rest stop on the road side. The
ruins of a hotel are near by. Tomorrow aiming to be around
the Oasis roadhouse, big pull but we all have to have goals.