Renmark to Ceduna
Woke early, porridge for breaky and just got going, left Renmark about 6am in a clear and warm morning, lights blazing. Still required the heated suit though.
Noticed the sun starting to rise in my rear view and couldn’t resist at least having a crack at getting the pic without stopping and well it’s not bad.
Pretty non eventful along the Goyder Highway this morning and very mindful that 6 years ago along this very same stretch of road, I it a roo, so eyes were peeled waiting for the giant hopping rats. Thankfully none of them turned up.
Not far out of Burra there was evidence of rain and you could see that somewhere up the road I was going to run into some. Around Spalding it started not much but enough to keep you on your toes. Zigged and zagged through the lush green fields in this area and the GPS had me going through Georgetown instead of Crystalbrook to get to my next fuel at Shell Warnertown. Now doing calculations, kays versus fuel I wasn’t sure this was a good idea. By the time I got to Shell Warnertown, it was raining good and proper and I had been counting the kilometers as I’m still losing about 30kays on the tank. I pulled in on reserve without 2lt left.
Asked the old mate at the servo what the weather was like heading towards the Gutter and he reckoned I should miss most of it, as I was going through the middle. Well, it was intermittent all the way to Port Augusta and beyond. What I did notice that has changed is all the windfarms popping up, they stand there like white soldiers waiting for the weather gods to instruct them to turn.
Had moments of clear sky and pulled into Kimba – Halfway Across Australia for a pic of the Silo Art, lunch at the Big Gallah before grabbing some fuel for the next leg
Not sure if I got more wet from the actual rain or from the road trains I had to sit behind. Even had my own Outback Truckers experience sitting behind a 1-1/2 lane wide load. Sat at a safe distance and when it was appropriate he pulled slightly left to allow me through and the escort vehicle did the same when I caught up to him. Lucky because you couldn’t see a bloody thing from all the road spray even sitting that far behind…passing was interesting.
Between storms on the Eyre Highway and a reminder that I haven’t got that far to go today…only 399 kms
I’d forgotten how long and ribbony the road can seem….almost like Wiley Coyote grabbed one end of it and gave it one massive shake and it just rippled all the way along the highway and you cannot see the end.
Wuddina for fuel and 3 BMW blokes pulled in, all with Dick Strawbridge walrus moustaches and it went something like this.
Bloke: gday love, you going to the Border Run
Me: yep but I got get going cos I have a hydration failure and need parts.
Bloke: Can’t help maybe something in Ceduna. Well see you there, have a good ride.
Me: Thank you and you too!!
Skies looking a little threatening…..
Off I go now looking to find a camping or sporting store open as I’ve no idea when they close. No fear of fuel consumption, cranked on a little speed to ensure I made Ceduna by 4:30pm. Local sports store doesn’t sell camelback anything but they kindly directed me to a camping store on the main street. They didn’t have exactly what I need but had 2x alternatives that I could MacGyver to hopefully make work…..problem solved. Fuel and into my motel for the night which has a restaurant attached so I don’t have to go too far for dinner, which I hear you asking….yes, it was delicious.
MacGyvered the camelback spares to fit what I needed and now have Frankenbak….lol
