Arkaroola to Maree

I will definitely come back to Arkaroola. Its beautifully spectacular up here and there is much walking to do. Doug and the staff are cool people too; full of interesting info as well as being nice friendly people.

It was dirt all the way today apart from a few short stretches between towns. I’m so used to it now that I only notice when the road is sealed. Which it rarely is.

It was 100 kms of good dirt to Copely, through the Gammon Ranges National Park. It is hard to describe how stunning the landscape is up here because essentially, its rock outcrops, gum trees and dry creek beds, looking out over km after km  of flat and featureless floodplain.

But the rocks of the park area are rich reds and oranges, browns and blacks, and the gums are all old and gnarly. The rock strata is clearly visible too, jutting out of the ground and weird angles that indicate some serious geological activity in times gone by.

The road wiggled through Italgowie Gorge, and that was different again, twisting over a couple of kilometres of vertical rockface.

Traffic wise, it was a busy day. I think I saw ten vehicles in the whole 100kms plus two lizards, both of which were sunning themselves, several kms apart on the red hot white road sand.

I reached Copley by mid afternoon ( I left late due to talking bikes and travel with various people  -again) where Shirley in the bakery/ campground office made me a milkshake and a salad sandwich, both of which were just what I needed. I’d been drinking plenty of water and was keeping sufficiently hydrated but I needed something else. And that was what she had so that is what I downed and they were both spot on.

When I left there, it had heated up considerably. I dont know what the temp was but it was well over 40º which made for two more hours of shadeless bumping along over rough dirt. I had a bit of a tired phase too so I started shouting and singing to myself to keep me going. Music doesn't keep me awake, and there is no radio reception out there, so do it yourself noise is the only way. And I’m quite good at it any way.There was nothing to look at either, the earlier scenery and foliage having stopped way back. It was just saltbush scrub, the odd isolated bush, sand and occassional wandering cow.

Then an emu appeared from an isolated bush to my right and made a dash for the other side of the road. Bloody hell, that woke me up alright! It was about 8m from me when it emerged, but I was on loose gravel and sand so couldn’t brake or change direction sufficiently to stop before I hit it. So alI I could do was just hold on and prepare for impact, and at the same time, wonder where its mate was. I missed the frigging thing by about a metre and they’re even bigger and more stupid looking close up than they are from a distance. Then it’s mate appeared just behind me, crossed over then both ran back infront of me to where they’d come. It was by far the closest call I’ve had yet. Stupid, stupid birds. But given how ridiculously silly they are, I’ve yet to see any emu roadkill.

A few kms on, and the road suddenly became sealed! Dont know why as it was in the middle of nowhere and lasted for only 17kms.

But that was such a treat and it perked me up. Then the gravel returned but Maree, but my destination was within striking distance. But just before I got there, I saw a weirdo statue on the right. It turned out to be a commemorative stone to John Stuart, ( Brit of course) who pioneered the route from Adelaide to  Darwin in the 1860s. 

That must have been a harsh old job; imagine them out there in their heavy clothes, carrying all their gear, trudging along for kms after kms just to connect two places. The old Ghan train route also goes this way. Its no longer used and was prone to waether damage, espcially flooding and subsidence due to the sandy soil. But Doug whom I met up at Arkaroola over the last few days trold me he could recall as a small child being taken across Australia on that train, and at this point, railway workers having to get off and walk infront of it to spot any damage.

The Birdsvill track to Birdsville  starts just on the edge of Maree, marked by a cairn to the cameleers and other early pioneers.

I found a campiste in Maree - tatty but clean and it will do. $10.00 per night, and even a bit of grass to chuck my swag on. I’m going to try and get going early tomorrow because I know its going to be superhot. If I can make William Creek by early afternoon, I can maybe avoid the worst of it.

Camel cup is here in early july. It would be good to see it  but I might aim for the Birdsville races in September instead.