Australia – Page 32 – Not Your Average Engineer

August 8, 2010January 23, 2011

The Great Straight

Back on the track heading west we encountered a section of road that the expedition dubbed “The Great Straight.” We have never before or since seen such a perfectly straight road with no change in elevation or anything to break the monotony. It was a sight to behold.

The remnants of an old pump windmill that used to supply water to travelers along the road.

Is that a road train or a mirage in the distance?

Finally an end to the straightness of the highway. Here the expedition made the decision to turn south toward Alice Springs rather than proceeding north to Darwin as we had originally intended. Time constraints prevented us from reaching the sea.

August 7, 2010January 6, 2011

West into the Night

An interesting business that we encountered on the way out of Mount Isa.

As the sun sank low in the west, the expedition stopped at an outback encampment of caravans and trailers. A group of what would be called Snowbirds in North America had pulled up for the night and circled the wagons to protect against the unknowns of the night.

The lead expedition vehicle preparing for a night of roughing it in the bush.

The great beyond.

A road train rumbles by in the night.

The heavens unfolded above us in a way totally unknown to the majority of the world’s population.

With night fallen, the expedition built a cook and watch fire. Or attempted to. The meager fire-starting supplies purchased several days prior proved to be less-than-ideal for starting and maintaining a fire of sufficient heat to cook kangaroo meat in the dutch oven.

Only through the fearless bravery of my Akubra hat did I manage to keep the fire going with my breath until our dinner had cooked. We estimated that it took us nearly four hours to prepare the meal in this manner.

Dawn over the campsite.

August 7, 2010July 1, 2020

Mount Isa Rodeo

Having procured Akubra hats at Mansworld, the expedition proceeded to infiltrate the Mount Isa Rodeo for cultural observations. We soon found the southern hemisphere’s best calf ropers, bull riders, and barrel racers. The dark red earth of northern Queensland, Bob Katter’s own country, is in blood of these cowboys.