DAY 41 30 JULY TOWNS RIVER TO MOUNTAIN CREEK

Another very tough day of loose sand (=walk), corrugations (=walk) and some stones or clay (=ride).

We were sitting having a sandwich when a caravan came round the corner 300m away sliding sideways in the loose sand. A significant minority of drivers have this idea to go fast on corrugations to “get on top “of them.  That is rubbish!  You trash the suspension of your car and van, have limited control and if you do hit a hole under the bulldust you’ll rip your wheels off. Best to do what the locals do – 40-60 on the worst bits.

Road improved to gold standard formed and rolled clay for 20km after the Port Roper road turnoff.  It degenerated a bit, but still good, past the abandoned St Vidgeon mission but still rideable.

I blew out soon after and we found a campsite on the banks of Mountain Creek about 10km short of Ngkurr (on the other side of the Roper River) or 14 short of the fabled Tomato Island campsite (showers, drinking water, lawns).

Chris O’B had blasted on ahead so we didn’t know where he was and abandoned him to his fate. If he couldn’t listen to the days plans as they developed this will happen. Anyway, we knew he had food and water and a stove so he would be alright.