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Published: August 8th 2007
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Lights Out
What was left of the spotlights at Top Springs We headed off this morning with our earliest start yet. Were up at 7:15, gone by 8:45. Headed up the highway and then turned left onto the Buchannan Highway, towards Top Springs.
The road was a dirt road but not in too bad a condition. Hit a few rocks along the way, and what felt like a large rock when we crossed the train line. Turned out it was not a rock after all, but one of the spotlights that fell off. Bruce was not impressed when we stopped a bit further up the road and found the bolts had not been tightened on the where the actual light fits into the frame/back cover of the spotlight, so the glass and lens fell out. The other light was the same with almost all bolts about to drop out.
We eventually stopped at Top Springs for a break, and to double check what was left of the one spotlight. By the time we got there the now empty casing had actually sheered through the mounting plate on the bull bar and ripped it right off. The one remaining light had also sheared through the mounting plate. So they both came
Lights Out
The spotlights had sheared off the mounting on the bull bar. off, and we did some running repairs on the front of the car to the light leads, protecting them from water, but both lights had to come off.
When the spot light when under the car it also cracked one of the protection plates under the car. Not too badly, so no repairs needed there but with all that crap from the light spraying around, it is a wonder more damage to the car, especially tyres, wasn’t done. We then pumped up the tires and headed on the bitumen to Kalkarindji. It was meant to be a nice road, but I think at times the dirt road was better. Approaching Kalkarindji we noticed lots of beer cans spaced at regular intervals along the road, VB at that, and the dry zone. Much to our surprise it was an aboriginal community not a local town and there were several hundred cans at the gates to the dry community. After our experience in Tennant Creek, we were now hesitant to stop here. Bruce approached the local cop shop for advice, and to tell him them had alcohol on board. During the conversation, Bruce received - what he described - as professional hints
to possibly not stay here the night given that it was pay week and the locals could get a little restless. Given the next destination was 400+kms, we went to the servo to get diesel only to find the pumps were padlocked. The place did not open again until Monday, and it was only Saturday - the manager was long gone ducking the weekend problems no doubt. That meant the toilets to the camp ground were not open either, so we decided to bite the bullet and drive to Halls Creek. It was 400km of dirt road, and we estimated we would get there by 5:30pm WA time, about 7pm NT time and did not think it would be dark.
The road on the NT side of the border was quite good. Few bulls that would not move from the middle of the road, until we revved the engine at them to give them the speech, and some nice scenery similar to the great farming plains of the southern US. However, what we watched constantly was the Diesel needle go down because of the tough roads and constant slow downs.
On the WA side the road turned into
Sunset in WA
Our first WA Sunset a goat track, very rocky and corrugated which hadn’t seen a grader in quite some time. Much to our horror, the sun started to set at about 4:30pm WA time. There was a spectacular sunset just over 100km out of Halls Creek. Bruce was playing chicken with the fuel gauge to see who would win. I won out and got him to put our spare 20l into the car. Turned out it was well needed.
The next 100km took us over 2.5 hours to do, and we really needed the spot lights. It was like climbing over rocks going around a mountain, constantly watching out for kangaroos and cows on the road, as well as washouts from the recent heavy rains. Very hard driving. We were relying on the GPS to tell us where we were, but it wanted us to turn right where there was no road, so even it was lost. At about 6:15 WA time we sore the lights of Old Halls Creek, where apparently there was a nice camp ground and we cheered. There is nothing like getting lost, in mountainous country, low on fuel, and the GPS has no idea where you are.
Desert Refuelling
Tapping into the emergency supply. Bruce lost the game of Chicken. We were going to stay 2 nights here, to get over the big drive (over 800km, mostly on dirt) today. When I checked in the place looked horrible. Toilets were just a tin shed with walls, but not to the roof. The cubicles were covered in dust as though they had not been cleaned for several months and just looked down right yukky. We booked in for 1 night, had a quick feed and went to bed. Early for WA time, but not seen were are still on NT time.
When we woke (at 5:30am) as the sun was rising the place did not look any better. Off to chase tourists, specifically backpackers at Wolfe Creek. (insert Bruce’s evil chuckle here)
After 2 weeks on the road for our Western Australia holiday we have finally made it to WA. The weather is a lot warmer here, than in Alice Springs, so let the real holiday begin.
The phone Bruce bought is working out great, we are sitting at the service station in Halls Creek doing this before we head off. The wonders of modern technology.
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