The day started as usual, me packing up and Din going for her daily walk. After picking her up some way down the track, we wandered northward. Track conditions were, as always, changing from stony to damaged washouts to sandy. This made our progress slow, on average, about 15kph, this didn’t bother us. As Din always says, if she can’t clearly see the animal prints on the track, we are going too fast.
Coming to a clear, stony area, for some reason, there were messages, written out in stones, on the side of the track. Some had been there for quite some time, by the dates stated. Someone started it and others followed, adding their own statements.
Well 3A came up, and we stopped for the obligatory photo. Next up, well 4A. at this point of the track, we were entering cattle station country. The previous owners of this property didn’t allow trailers or heavy vehicles on this part of the track, due to many of the said vehicles having gotten stuck and getting the station workers to rescue them. Due to the risk of losing a life, the station banned them from their part of the track. A new route was dozed through the area, which bypassed the worst section, and the new owners relaxed the rules, so now all vehicles can use the station road.
On a sign at well 3 it stated that this part of the track had steep entrances to dry creek crossings, one reason they discouraged trailers and longer vehicles. They wern’t joking. Some of the crossings had Ned scraping his bum on the way out. Not a problem though, with a slow steady approach we scraped our way through. The country would suddenly open up and you passed over clay pans with wide open skies, then it would close in again and you were scraping through tight mulga scrub, then open sandy stretches. Anyone who says traveling through the desert is boring, they don’t know, it is always changing, keeping your interest in your surroundings.
4A was our camp for the night. In the morning, we carried on to well 4, Ned all done up in his desert gear, with extra fuel on the bulbar and sand flag, as well as firewood in front.
Well 4, also known as Windich Springs, a pleasant billabong with tall gum trees providing shade along the banks. As I approached the edge of the springs, a dingo looked up, startled, from his morning drink. Staid still and looking intently at me for a few seconds, then trotted off a little way and looked again. Finally deciding I wasn’t worth the trouble, he sprinted off into the bush.
4B next, the track winded through malley scrub, with rough patches, stones littering the ground. Then sandy stretches, crossing some clay pans, the smooth surface felt good under Neds tires, breaking the driving experience, 4B was a little off the main track, we drove up to it, not wishing to miss any wells on our journey. The well was in ruins, only a bit of the original structure collapsed on the ground and the well hole fallen in on itself.
Soon, we were at the station border. Passing through the gate, we continued on. Eventually, well 5 came along, a refurbished well, with a hand winch and bucket to get water. With water laid on, we camped up for a couple of days and made the most of it, with the shower set up and fire crackling, heating water. Bread dough was kneaded, and a cake was mixed up. Even done some washing. A good camp all up.
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