Way out West 2025. 30th of July. Day thirteen.

Jet A-1 fuel camp on Connie Sue Road to a camp on the Connie Sue 84.5kms later.

Awoke about 5 needing a loo visit. Sun glow is starting in the Wesr and the frost is setting in. It’s freezing. Back into warm bed and did a bit of blogging before another hours sleep.

No sleep was forthcoming and dressed in the frosty cold freezing.

We got away at 9:40, a late start due to fiddling with power in my van (I had none) and Stef had a leaking milk container in the car to clean out.

Our first detour from the main route to Manton knob 480 m altitude took us up above the surrounding plains and rocky outcrops- a nice view of things.

Stopped to look at Benchmark XP117. Although I think we were all just happy to get a break from the corrugations and rocky rutted road. Some skinny bits with trees right up to the edges making it skinny for vehicles to squeeze through.

We stopped at McKenzie Gorge which had a lovely view over the surrounding rocks and landscape. The red/yellow of the rocks are beautiful against the white of the spinifex and plants.

Lunch stop about 1:15. I took a tour of the group. Pics and captions will elucidate further.

Harkness Gorge was a little further along and another detour to the in the vista. The rocks amazing reds and mustard yellow. We were astounded to see Ficus trees growing in the Gorge below us.

We continued on our way, with a range of cars leading the way.

Lots of diversion tracks off to the left or right of the road to avoid poor conditions- usually corrugations but sometimes wash aways etc.

Lots of places where the track was narrow with trees growing up to the sides of the cars.

We found a campsite around 3:30ish. Which was very nice to pull up early and have no problems to sort out. Time to do the firewood, unpack campers. Phil and Mary phaffed with washing that had been sitting in their Scrubba bag being jiggled and shaken around all day.
I had time to make good use of Brian’s Starlink and post a couple of blogs.
We had leftovers for tea (Thai Yellow Beef Curry and rice) and Mary made lemonade scones in the camp oven served with jam and cream. Yummo. Brian shared some Jim Beam Bourbon Port he was gifted for his 21st Birthday- it was rather potent and we nearly all tried some with him.

The sky was clouded over today and when we pulled up I would swear it was threatening rain, but Willy weather says none expected till next Wednesday. There was a brisk breeze. The sunset on those clouds was sensational and we had a strange and faint rainbow behind us too.

The clouds put paid to satellites and star gazing tonight …or so we thought! Later on the clouds cleared and just prior to burying the fire. I saw three or four shooting stars – we wondered if it might be the perseidis?
Into bed by 11:00.
While today was a short distance driven, we all enjoyed the shorter day and the stunning privilege it is to be able to come out here and experience the sights, the countryside, the trees and plants, the rocks and just being out here. We haven’t seen another soul.