*The map should show now the entire trip so far, but doesn't seem to save much location information as we thought while out of Telstra reception. As a result there are gaps missing from our route, but hopefully you'll get most of the key points.
Also, not many photos until I can get a better internet connection*
This morning we were all awake well before the sun was up, so we had the truck packed and waited for the sun to rise so we could set off. Of course, that meant that the sun was right in our eyes as we were driving since we're heading east then south east.
Today is the first day since we were in NSW that we have seen sheep. We've seen cattle everywhere, except where mines took up the space cattle would otherwise have been, we've seen a few goats, but no sheep between day 2 and today. Maybe sheep are the real indication that we're getting closer to "civilisation".
Winton was where we were relying on stopping for fuel, but coming through town there didn't seem to be any functioning servos. We were forced to stop at the bakery so we could ask where to get fuel. And since we were there anyway, Frog and Tony got a coffee and pie each.
We stopped twice on the road for breaks and saw lots and lots of emus. They were mostly in paddocks, in groups of 4-6, so I'm not sure if they can jump over the fences... Does the farmer own those emus now?
The next town was Longreach and apparently the horse races are on there today. As a result, the police were breath-testing everyone coming in and out to the west. They had all traffic diverted into a rest stop for a quick go on the breathalyser, then "thank you, off you go." First time I've seen an operation that size.
Once we got into town we got sandwiches from a bakery, then stopped at the Qantas museum in the way out of town for a photo of the 747 they have there. Then it was onto Matilda Way towards Barcaldine.
At Barcaldine it was just a stop to get fuel and an ice cream.
Next, Frog rode the hundred or so kilometres to Blackall where we stopped when we got to the middle of town to suss out accommodation options. We picked the Acacia Motor Inn and Frog got to work putting the road tyre on the back of the bike, as the dual-purpose tyre was close to wearing out and we won't be doing any more dirt. Sealed roads all the way home. Absolute gravy.
To get the road tyre on, Frog had to remove the trail bike tyre from its rim and put the road tyre on the rim then swapping the wheel and tyre currently on the bike for the newly tyred rim. Getting the tyres on and off the rim required some ingenuity from Frog, but he got it done and had it on the bike before dark.
After showering we headed over to the pub for a beer and a feed, ready to fight off the Saturday night rush. The whole night I think there were two families (eating together) and two men (brothers) and us as the entire paying population at the pub. A surprisingly quiet night at the pub then.
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