TO ALICE SPRINGS
OR
6 DAYS AT 45 DEGREES PLUS!!!
After a good drive out of the Sunshine Coast and over the ranges I was generally heading west into the Queensland central west and outback. West of the ranges it was HOT, HOT, HOT and DRY, DRY, DRY!!! Surprisingly considering all the complaints about a 1000 year drought and so on all the stock I saw were in good condition. I stopped at Charleville for the first night out.
The photo shows a skinny looking Boab tree.
The next morning the drivers side mudguard support was looking a bit fragile so I tied it up as best I could. One of the towns on the way was Barcaldine where the labor party is said to have been formed under "The Tree of Knowledge" during the shearers strikes of the 1890's. By the time I got to Longreach both the front mudguard supports had given up the ghost so I took the guards and supports off and drove as an "open wheeler". It was a Sunday so there was no chance of getting any welding done. The Stockman's Hall of Fame and the Qantas Museum are both located at Longreach.
I made it to Winton for the night. The Caravan Park people gave me the contact details for a local welder and because it was so hot gave me dinner and a couple of beers. What fantastic country hospitality!
Interesting sight in Winton.
The clutch had been getting progressively worse and was now not working at all. After various checks and bleeding and so on I checked the master cylinder plunger and it had somehow managed to wind itself right out so there was absolutely no action on the clutch at all. Fairly easily fixed thank goodness.
I took the mudguard supports to Diamantina Engineering where they said they would weld them and give a concrete guarantee. The guarantee lasts until the items are off the concrete. (And there wasn't any anyway!). The welding job was excellent and I was on my way by midday. I headed off on the less preferred route on a single lane road to Boulia where I planned to stay for the night.
It was another 45 degree day. Red hot and as dry as I've ever seen. there was a Caravan park at Boulia, but it was unmanned. All the facilities were open and there was a note on the office door to leave payment under the door. I was the only one there and it was quite comfortable considering the heat. I was starting to get cramps during the night due to loss of salts through constant sweating so I'll need to get some salt tablets as soon as possible.
Heating a cup of coffee (on spare wheel) in the shadiest spot for over 50 Km.
Next day I continued on to Mount Isa, another 300 odd Km on the single lane road. One of the mudguard supports had broken again (in a different place) and as I came in to Mount Isa I saw a Panel Beaters shop, so on spec I pulled in and they were able to help. I was directed around the back out of the sun to dismantle the support and a young Chinese who could not speak a word of English interpreted my sign language and did a fine job. I'd had enough of 45 degree heat so decided that a night in an air conditioned motel room was a good idea. Oh, what bliss! I slept the sleep of the just, but some clown had left the clock radio alarm set for 5.00 am which spoilt it a bit.
The road from Mount Isa to Camooweal was like a super highway compared to the roads of the last 4 days. Last year there was still areas of single lane road through here but over the last 14 months the work had all been finished. I had a good cruise through Barkly Homestead and on to Three Ways where I stayed for the night. I had originally planned to go up to Darwin and back, but time constraints and the heat made me change my mind. Besides there was only 240 Km or so that I hadn't covered last year on my round Australia trip. Another mudguard support had gone by now so I got a referral to a welder in Tennant Creek, 25 Km down the track. I'd got some salt tablets at Mount Isa and even though I had a hot and uncomfortable night I wasn't getting the cramps that I'd had earlier.
The welding job was good again and I was on my way to Alice Springs by 10.00 am. I stopped off at the Devil's Marbles on the way. Quite spectacular!
I also called in at Barrow Creek as it featured in a recent outback murder case. Very underwhelming!! There were Aboriginal women sitting on the ground near the petrol pumps drinking beer, the petrol was the most expensive for the trip at 165.8 cents per litre, and the shop was dingy and unwelcoming.
As I came into Alice Springs I got a few drops of rain. This signaled the end of 6 days where the temperature had exceeded 45 degrees (and I wasn't one bit sorry). I did a bit of a tour of the town and took a few photos before bedding down for the night.
