Into the Outback! Mt Isa to David Hall Rest Area - 98kms

Winter Solstice today.  Up with the birds this morning, loaded up to the gunnels with water and emergency food for the long day--or maybe days ahead. 

Had a great ride for the first 25kms, then Del had yet another puncture. Sure that there must be something in the tyre causing it, we eventually discovered a tiny shard of glass. Puncture was fixed and off we went at a great rate of knots, to make up for lost time.

Riding in the afternoon heat was tiring, but we eventually arrived at the David Hall Rest Area at 3.30pm.

Imagine a large, round area covered in stones and hard, red soil. No toilets or trees, just a roofed concrete picnic table. That's our home for the night! Yay!

➽ TO DONATE to our chosen charity, the Neurological Foundation of NZ via our GiveALittle Page

Fixing Things! Rest Day in Mt Isa

A chilly start! No rest today but celebrated with a yummy strawberries and yogurt breakfast.
Spent the morning mending punctures and planning food and water needs for the difficult week to come.
 

Mended a collapsing back pack and dressed Del's skinned leg - an unplanned collision with his bike axle.
Walked into town (still in hoodies) for stores and lunch.

Mt Isa is a sizeable city of over 22,000 people in 2016. It's a typical outback city, with untamed gardens and verges.
 

Dominated by the Mt Isa Mine, local motels seem to house many of its shift workers.
The shallow Leichhardt River flows in front of the mine.
Definitely more indigenous folk than we've seen previously, in schools and shopping areas.
Currently trying to squeeze the extra food and water into our trailers! Wish us luck!

➽ TO DONATE to our chosen charity, the Neurological Foundation of NZ via our GiveALittle Page

Scary Ride! Fountain Springs Rest Area to Mt Isa - 60kms

Packed and breakfasted by torchlight as usual.

At 10kms we hit the highest hills of the ranges and did a fair bit of walking. Big road trains came at us from both directions. With little or no shoulder to escape to, we often had to rely on the skill of the drivers to keep us safe.

At 25kms we left the hills with a fantastic downhill run and eventually, after another long, roller coaster ride, we arrived at Mt Isa.

Vacancies at motels were hard to find but we finally found a room at Forth Street Motel - further from CBD than we'd have liked, but glad to be here.

Time for another rest day, I think!

➽ TO DONATE to our chosen charity, the Neurological Foundation of NZ via our GiveALittle Page
 

Flat out! Cloncurry to Fountain Springs Rest Area - 61kms

Sunrise is getting later the further west we go. Waited patiently for enough light to get going this morning.

Quickly hit the hills of the Selwyn Ranges. The roller coaster road twisted and turned dangerously and there was little shoulder to ride on.
Wayside plants and grasses scratched our legs as we went by dodging the cats eyes and judder bars.
Very busy traffic. Road trains and side show caravans from the weekend  Cloncurry Show.

Three flat tyres today!! Just our luck when we had a hilly 60kms to get through. Del's rear tyre tube had to be changed twice and then his trailer tyre developed a flattie! It's those grass thorns again!

Arrived at the Rest Area around 2.30pm and set up camp.
Avoided the grassy patches - sleeping on stones tonight!

➽ TO DONATE to our chosen charity, the Neurological Foundation of NZ via our GiveALittle Page 

A Let Down! Oorindi Creek Rest Area to Cloncurry - 68kms

The wind dropped just in time for us to get the tent erected before nightfall.

Woke up to a flat mattress - on hard stony ground, too! Will check it out tonight.

Cycled out of the plains, into a roller coaster road and into the lower foothills of the Selwyn Ranges.

Beginning to see more termite mounds.

Had head wind, tail wind and side wind in equal measure!

Our bright, fluoro shirts worry the birds. All along our route, they send alarm calls to each other.

Saw two freshly killed wallabies on the road. Very little road kill considering the number of road trains that use this route.

Cloncurry is another small outback town, with a single main street with parking in the centre of the road. Everything's closed on Sunday except for one small supermarket.
The town is famous for establishing the Flying Doctor Service.

Tomorrow we attack the hills of the Selwyn Ranges. Will be a challenging day- or maybe days!

➽ TO DONATE to our chosen charity, the Neurological Foundation of NZ via our GiveALittle Page  

Blown Away! Julia Creek to Oorindi Rest Area - 70kms

A chilly night gave way to a crisp morning. Cycled most of the morning in thermals and rain jackets. Fingers and toes were quite numb for a while.

Scrubby trees are appearing more frequently now and the prairie grass is becoming  thinner and trodden down by grazers.

Had to get off the road for two oversized loads. Each one took up all of the road.

Arrived at the Rest Area around 12.30pm.
Blowing a hurricane and no protection from the wind. There are composting toilets and concrete picnic tables, but having difficulty finding a suitable spot for the tent. Ground is stony and uneven.

Will clear a patch the best we can and put up the tent later in the afternoon when the wind drops.

➽ TO DONATE to our chosen charity, the Neurological Foundation of NZ via our GiveALittle Page    

Magic! Corella Creek to Julia Creek - 52kms

Magical moments, when taking off at first light, the sun breaks over the horizon and gradually lights up the golden Prairie grasses as far as the eye can see.

Had a yummy salad dinner and spent a comfortable night in an unusual Farm stay last night. Hostess Georgie couldn't have been more considerate and attentive.
Young German campers arrived late in the afternoon and camped somewhere amongst the birdlife.

Another ideal cycling day today - straight, flat road and a tail wind!
Many loudly twittering "clouds" of small birds gathered above the fields and did aerobatics above our heads.
Found out later from Michelle at the "i" centre, that they are budgies!!!

Got to Julia Creek motel by 11.00am then headed off for some lunch.

Spent the afternoon surveying the difficult days ahead.

NB Just clicked over our first 1,000 kms!

➽ TO DONATE to our chosen charity, the Neurological Foundation of NZ via our GiveALittle Page