The journey has begun.

[Gulf]

Re: The journey has begun.

Thank's Al,
I'm loving the adventure! Keep'm coming . Following this thread has me wanting to get on my "little scooter" with only a bed roll and see some more of my country .

[brickie in oz]

Re: The journey has begun.

My next stop was to be Arkaroola in the Flinders Ranges, lovely part of the world.





Arkaroola.




I left the next day heading for Yunta, down the road I came across this hill and sign.

[brickie in oz]

Re: The journey has begun.

After so much driving my lower back was killing me, the tablets for relief were left at home so I stopped in Marree at the Royal Flying Doctors Service and the delightful nurse gave me some anti inflammatories and the pain was gone.

Just before Marre.



I left Marree feeling like a new man. (I just couldnt find one.)
Heading south for Leigh Creek I called in to Farina, this was supposed to be the town to grow all of South Australia's wheat in the 1880's, the town lasted a few years and the weather won.



There is a conservation group that every year travel to Farina to rebuild what they can, they open the bakery and sell bread to travelers.

The underground bake house.



The oven is underneath the gravel.

[Greenman]

Re: The journey has begun.

Hey Al - The central bit is certainly is an interesting part of Australia. The contrasts in our vast land are amazing, particularly where the various landscapes meet the ocean.

I have just had a couple of days on North Stradbroke Is with my grandkids with amazing beaches and the migrating whales visible from the shore and that is a whole different world.

I hope you have found your journey rejuvenating.

[brickie in oz]

Re: The journey has begun.



Pimba

I stopped at Pimba for fuel and a bite to eat, the road splits here and heads for Alice Springs or Roxby Downs, the Ghan railway line also runs past the Pimba roadhouse.



I stopped at Woomera for a look at all the relics then made camp for the night in a disused rail siding 5kms further north.
Next day I headed for the opal town of Andamooka, I spent a couple of hours there and then headed for Roxby Downs.

The road from Roxby to the turn off at the Oodnadatta track for Lake Eyre was surprisingly well maintained, well it was until I hit the end of the BHP mine lease and the road turned to crap, it was like driving on a chocolate mouse.

Lake Eyre was reached and I camped there for the night.



Lowest point in Oz.

[brickie in oz]

Re: The journey has begun.

Some more pics. Follow the link for more pics and vids.



Warning signs.



Dog fence.



A bad place to die.



Furthermost point from home in the trip, Lake Eyre.

I took the long way to Burra in SA, I went via Berri the home of fruit and wine, I picked up a 12 case of clean skin red wine for $48 on the way through.
Part of the next leg of the journey took me to a place where I had to catch a ferry across the Murray river, I just followed the GPS and was pleasantly surprised.

I found a place to stop for the first night just before Burra in a layby, I must have triggered something as the next minute there are all these bikers coming from nowhere and circling to check me out, then came a car full of heavies, I didnt stay, I kept driving.

I found another quiet spot and set up but couldnt light the fridge, I couldnt work it out so I left again and pulled into the caravan park at Burra so I could plug in and keep the food cold.
I though the camp fee of $25 per night was outrageous, but I needed to sort out the fridge.
Turned out to be the gas regulator has screwed itself in and wasnt allowing the gas through.
I spent 2 night in Burra then headed for Woomera.

[Laurentius]

Re: The journey has begun.

Hi Al,

I was about to put a world wide alert, out for you! Afraid, that you had went skinny dipping in a pond and had attracted saltie with your dangling participle, since you bloke can't speak the Queen's English!

[Faith In Virginia]

Re: The journey has begun.

Looking forward to the story of your adventure..safe journey home

[brickie in oz]

Re: The journey has begun.

My last stop and first Internet connection for a while, I'm in Broken Hill NSW and heading home.

[Sharkey]

Re: The journey has begun.

Hey Brickie, looks like a great trip.

If you want to read about the history of the area look for any books by Len Beadell. He selected the Woomera site for the army and then built about 6,000km of roads through the outback so they could retrieve the rockets.

Len Beadell - Wikipedia

[brickie in oz]

Re: The journey has begun.

I found this little gecko last night underneath a sheet of tin.
It's about 3" long, such beautiful colours.

[brickie in oz]

Re: The journey has begun.

My first night in the outback with a fire to cook tea on, what a relief from staying in that horrid caravan park last night with all the noise.

The night sky is just so full of stars even though its a half moon, seen four travellers so far, I call them travellers as they look like stars that travel, obviously satellites.




Camp spot for the night.

[brickie in oz]

Re: The journey has begun.

I got to woomera today, here is my new lipstick.



Nowhere to hide, near woomera.

[stonecutter]

Re: The journey has begun.

Could be an Australian sub-species of Chupacabra.

[david s]

Re: The journey has begun.

Follow those tracks and report back.