30 June 2017 - The Oodnadatta Track to the Pink Roadhouse and Beyond


MARREE

Roads closed. Night in Oasis caravan park.  Dinner at pub - Joe Ahern fireside. Joe Ahern - a bloke who travels around the outback singing for his supper basically.  Cat and Lorraine enjoyed his singing long into the night.  We were so taken with Joe's singing capabilities, we each bought one of his CD's the following morning.  He had left by the time Lorraine arrived at the store, so the storekeeper took her $10 and $3 for Joe to post his CD.  And aren't we all thrilled about that!!!!!  Cat and Keith have played his CD - much to Keith's disgust:  "Me and my brother - heading down the highway - down from the plains - down to Port Broughton - I drove a Norton - me brother drove a Matchless ... ... ... on and on it goes.  And it got into our heads :(

COWARD SPRINGS

We broke camp this morning at our usual time of 9 am and headed for Coward Springs.

Headed on to Strangways Springs where we spent ~ 2 hours looking around the settlement.  There were the building remains of the men's quarters and store; kitchen and living quarters; a store, manager's residence and telegraph station; woolshed; and some beautiful dry stone-walled stockyards.  After looking at the settlement building remains, we did the Mound Springs Walk which took us through the desolate cemetery, and various springs.  Returning to the carpark we didn't notice that some *&(%$ had undone the clips on the off-side of our van that hold our roof down.  Not long after we returned to the Oodnadatta Track, the roof flipped up and has done some major damage probably requiring a new roof.  We will continue and have it checked out in Alice Springs. 

Back on to the Oodnadatta Track heading for William Creek we were hoping to find a beer which we did for $9.00!!! 

Algebuckina Bridge was a really pleasant two night stopover. The temperature was certainly rising - we were enjoying beautiful sunny days of 18 C.  Walked bridge, picked up spikes and curly wurleys for Olivia and Connor for possible future school projects. 

Beautiful sunsets. 



Our campsite at Algebuckina Bridge
We had a beautiful campsite - so peaceful - until the Germans and their drones arrived!  Not content to just fly over the Bridge, they flew over our campsite - for about an hour!  Lorraine called out to Cameron she'd pay him $5 if he could shoot it down in one shot.  We called out to ask them to turn them off, as they were extremely noisy.  "Not as noisy as you!" replied the German.  So, Cat was outraged.  And she very quickly sorted him out.


Pic Cat and said German


2 July OODNADATTA

Pink Roadhouse - diesel $1.80/lt, coffee, reprovision, gas.

A roadtrain not going anywhere!
Likewise this pink canoe

Thankfully no road trains and lunch at Pedirka Siding ruins. 

Muddy, rocky and sometimes deeply rutted "Public Access Road No 8" we travelled the rich red dirt road into the Witjira National Park to Dalhousie Springs while I blogged this part of our story!

 "Me and my brother - heading down the highway - down from the plains - down to Port Broughton - I drove a Norton - me brother drove a Matchless ..."

(We are at Alice Springs - huge issues with the internet even here :(  and clearly it's difficult to get the photos onto the blog - so some will have to wait till later when they all get coped onto the laptop and get sorted :(  -  as always, the best laid plans of mice and men!



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