Somewhere in the Simpson Desert to Somewhere in the Sturt Stony Desert

After enjoying another sensational dinner of beef burgoine we were all fully carb loaded for the day ahead. With the tribal council having convened over dinner and agreeing on a pre-dawn start, we set set off at 6am and rode into a gorgeous sun rise. The stillness and crispness of the morning was gratefully received by us as we were greeted by a rainbow of delicate yet bold colours.

The first 20km passed by with relative ease, but as the sun rose it became clear the we were in for an arduous morning. The road surface was becoming increasingly challenging with the Stony Desert living up to its name. Loose stony surface, punctuated by soft sand filled gutters, as well as a solid head wind limited our speed to a steady 15km/hr.

The sand monster reared again as Ric and Andrew each bit the dust a couple of times. Thankfully only wounded pride and no broken gear.

On the whole, it was a lonely day as we were passed by a solitary vehicle. We have come to appreciate how tough the people that trail-blazed these remote outback areas were. The countryside is, at the same time, beautiful and brutal.

Tackling the day in 10km stages, we were met by the troopie at the 40km mark for some peaches, and then again at the 70km mark for lunch. 20km to go!

On the whole we all felt pretty good, Ric having recovered from his flat day yesterday. Andrew tapping out a rhythmic cadence, Pete continuing to look comfortable and Dom keeping a steady speed.



At 90km we were greeted by another great bush camp site found by Alan and Julie, and another afternoon of lazing around reading and recovering for the next day.

Distance today 90km. Time 5:36

Grand total 860 km