I had just registered the old MK so it was a good chance to give it a first test drive to see how it goes.
I left thursday night after work and was surprised that "Little Red" managed to drive up Cunninghams Gap in top gear ... my GU ute and my GQ wagon would have no hope in doing that!
I drove on through the night stopping in a parking bay and rolling out the swag about 2AM for a sleep.
About 5AM it started to rain so i rolled up the swag and hit the road again with the sun coming up not long after.
When i passed through Moree the sun was just over the horizon and i stopped to get some pics of "The Big Plane" parked in/through a hotel.
on the way out of town is an old flour mill
the trains are long out this way
I stopped for a break beside the river at Nyngan
Nearby in the tourist park is a couple of Camels
LOL at the sign
On the road again and the lack of room in the footwell and the cramped driving position was making things pretty uncomfortable ... I'm only a short arse and the seat does not move back far enough for me ... stuff knowns how a 6 foot bloke would even fit in the cab!
I passed a "Shoe Tree"
A big load
When i got near Wilcannia i found the first road to Menindee closed
I drove into town and found the second road down to Menindee closed as well so i had to head to Broken Hill and take the Bitumen road south from there.
Oh well ... it was a nice night for a drive
About 10PM, after 1700.03 Km, I finally arrived at the site where Bourke and Wills had their base camp for their crossing of Australia and rolled out the swag between Mum n Dads caravan and my Brother in laws camper.
The next morning i took a pic of our campsite.
on the Left is another couple, Jeff and Annette,who were camped there, then there is Mum and Dads caravan, my swag, Graeme and my sister Deb in the Rodeo and on the right is Mum n Dads friend Kevin
The birds were flying around the outflow pipes doing a spot of fishing but there were thousands of dead carp left over as the floods receded from the camp grounds
I walked over and had a look at the signs and blazed trees
Dad was trying out his new "ex Telecom" GU Ute on its first big drive towing the Caravan
That evening i headed over to Menindee Lake for the sunset and the shot i had driven down for ... the sun was setting in the wrong spot and the floods meant i was too far away from the trees to get the shot i wanted so this was the best of the shots i took.
On Sunday we all headed to Menindee for a look around the Maiden Hotel where Bourke and Will hung out a bit ... there were dozens of bikes and trikes lining the street
We then headed out to Kinchiga for a look around the historic sheep station
Note the wooden wheels ... "wood" have been a rough ride LOL
The yards now only have dragons
Back to the Woolsheds
We then headed over to Copi Hollow where Broken Hill Water Ski club has an awesome set up beside the water.
That evening i headed to Lake Pamamaroo to try for the dead tree shot again but the sunset was still in the wrong position
Back at camp Dad had his fire cranking
On Monday Deb and Graeme along with most of the campers headed back to whence they came and the boys collected some more wood for the next few days.
Birds were wading in the carp filled shallows taking their pick
I headed up to the block dam for a look, the road was well under.
The block dam was stopping the fish going upstream and the birds were having a feild day
That afternoon i went in to Menindee for a look around the old cantilever railway bridge
Then had a look around the nearby railway station
I had a look to see if the closed roads were open yet ... nup
On Tuesday i threw the swag on the back of the Ute and headed towards home and passed a strange sight in the flooded paddocks beside a pub ... Shark !!
Funny looking cloud
Not often you see mailboxes in a petrol station
Along the way to White Cliffs i passed an old bridge ... yep :)
Some of the old mining equipment at White Cliffs
The old Solar Array at White Cliffs
I headed North on the dirt road to test Little Red out on some corrugations
I'm not saying the old Patrol is slow .... its just that Emu's are faster in a drag race !
The old bridge near Bourke
Did i take a wrong turn somewhere ???
Dropped in to Lightning Ridge to have a hot soak to ease the aches and pains
One for the tourists
Had a look around the gardens
Some bloke is building a Castle
Some trees carved by Aboriginals have been cut down and moved into protective custody
I passed the Wobbly Boot Hotel and later that night arrived back home in beautiful downtown Jacobs Well.
Little Red went well with no extra problems occuring, the weather was great, the company good and i had a good holiday ... what more could you ask !!
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