31st May 2019

Well 36 to Bush Camp 4kms Nth Well 38 52kms

Max is feeling a bit low, and has lost his mojo. So we are all in the Pussy wagon, and driving. As it turns out, that was a great decision, as the majority of the morning was just like driving through a giant sand pit. Over dunes, on dunes, along the bottom of dunes. Sand, sand and sand. Quite outstanding for photos and drone footage, with the deep red sand, black, burnt trees, and big blue sky. It would have been an bloody tough day for Max, and we wouldn’t have made it past Well 37.

 

No, we are not bogged, just the angle of the picture. But there was plenty of sand driving today. Red and burnt.

Another Well with no water, and actually nothing really left of it. After lunch, Max decided to smash out the last bit, over the rocky outcrops, to Well 38, and the proposed bush Camp among cabbage gums. It was much better riding, and it seemed to break him out of his mojo funk. The camp spot was not really ideal, as we were on top of the ridge, there were a spattering of trees, and the wind wash blowing very hard across the whole space. Not much to be done now, so we set up as best we could, scrounged some wood for a fire, and relaxed.

 

A lot of the northern Wells seem to be in, or on, a soak. Most are in ruins. A very dry day. Burnt and dry.

I did love the clay pans. A little burst of speed, very briefly, was so satisfying after days and days in second gear.

We started to come our of the sand, and onto a rocky rise. Might be time for Max to smash out a few more kays hey?

 

Well 37, can you spot the “fly bomber”? It had a little water in it. Enough for birds and small animals to sustain themselves.

The wind dropped, it started to get very cold, and after attempting a few night time pics, we were all in the tents, warming up and having yet another early night. It’s just how it is when you camp out, get up with the sun, go down with the sun. It’s really pretty good. Why don’t we do this at home?

I have a lot to learn, but Max is pretty good, and gave me a start. It was fun and frustrating all at the same time. Nothing really shows the spectacle of the stars properly, you just have to go see for yourself.

1st June 2019

Bush Camp to Bush Camp 9kms Sth Well 41 79kms

We awoke in the morning to a howling wind, throwing bucket loads of sand at our tent. On my side! Very, very unpleasant. It was also cold. How the hell Do I get up with this crap going on? Max had managed to get up, pack up and was sitting in the car eating his nuts and berries. He intended to cycle, but I was thinking it wasn’t a good idea. Will got up, with the intention of making coffee and eating breakfast, but as soon as he got out of the tent, he knew it would be impossible. Huh, so I got the sand off our bedding, and rolled it all up, and immediately got the tent down. It had a Dunes worth of fine sand in it, and that would have to wait. The wind was increasing, as Max rode off into the sand storm.

Will and I packed the car in less than half an hour, and dived into it to get out of the viscous wind. So the flies didn’t have a chance this morning, but the wind took over the duty of pissing us off. As we drove along this rocky section, the sand blowing across the track, it was difficult to see Max’s tracks. That crazy bugger, he should have bailed.

Just as the dunes started, we came upon Max, deep in the zone, pedaling like mad. Head down and trying very hard to push into the sand storm. Finally he discovered that we were stalking him, and pulled over. He’d ridden only 5kms. There was very little hesitation in chucking the Troll on the back, and escaping the horrible wind.

Max was not happy. He really wanted to ride, but the sandy dunes that filled the last couple of days, and now this wind, had really tired him out, and worn down his resolve a bit. Totally normal, and even Will and I were feeling a bit over it. Yes, the countryside, the deserts, are incredible and amazing. They are also tiresome and slow going. I don’t care what anyone thinks, it isn’t easy being dirty all the time. Everything is dirty. Impossible to stay clean.

Well, Well, Well……..it had to be said. We are getting Well overload now. Dusty, ruins, with plenty of history.

Today we are all wondering what is becoming of our journey. So we stopped for lunch in a nice grove of Desert Oaks, and had a good discussion about what we are dealing with, our individual thoughts on what we wanted, and how to proceed. It was just what we needed. The decision was to drive to a camp site close to Well 41. There is water at this Well, and we will head there tomorrow, and do some washing, have ourselves a wash, and then a short day. Off we went.

This track is really incredible. So many changes in the terrain, and without warning. Another clay pan to “zoom” across. Hello third gear, how you been?

Well 40, Tobins Grave, along with a grave for the aboriginal man that was killed at the same time. They killed each other. Finally I spotted a little dragon. They have been quite hard to find. Too many cats and not enough water, or shrubs to hide in.

Just around 3pm, we came to a low lying area, between two big dunes, that had beautiful flat ground, and lots of Maleluca scrub, that protected us from the wind. Bloody perfect. So we got sorted, and a fire going. After a rough start to the day, it ended well, with a cold calm night. It’s getting dark before 5:30pm, and light after 6pm. We are heading to our tents around 7:30pm, as it is starting to get cold and we are all tired.