There was no rain in Coober Pedy when we awoke but there was certainly plenty to the East. After a shower and breakfast, it was time to grab a few geocaches before heading north to the Northern Territory border. There was a few drops of rain on the windscreen on the trip north but it was actually cold and had to put the heat on, that is until we hit Kulgera. The traffic had been light but when we got to the Border, there was vehicles everywhere. Refuelled at Kulgera and it was summer again with temps in the low 30’s.

We travelled east towards Finke and the roads were dusty and the temps warm but the closer we got towards Finke, the darker the clouds and the stronger the winds. A quick stop at Lamberts Gravitational Centre Monument which is supposed to be the gravitational centre of Australia.

We did a drive-by of Finke and probably should have fuelled up but were a little late for the General Store as it was all boarded up after closing time.

As we left Finke, it wasn’t long before the roads turned from dust to mud and the bottom of each dip was a flowing creek. My travelling partners were getting a little apprehensive but I convinced them to continue. As we came over one rise 10 km south, we were greeted by a group of travellers and the flowing Goyder Creek (150 metres wide). Was this going to be the end of the journey south.

The others had been there for 30 minutes and in that time the creek had receded 6 metres. The wait was on and with some of the group walking the road, a track was worked out through the water and all waited while the first vehicle headed across. He got over OK and the rest of us followed.

After getting across this creek, we were then presented with 25 km of mud and water across the road. The going was slow with some spots having to be walked first before proceeding but after an hour or so we came across dust again.

By the time sunset came, we were at the South Australian / Northern Territory Border again but no problem with traffic here except for cattle roaming.

My travelling companions headed to Mt Dare from here and I continued south along the Ghan line to grab some caches before meeting up at Mt Dare in an hour or two – or so was the plan.

All was going well, arriving at dusk at Abminga Ruins then arriving at Eringa Waterhole in the dark. Headed back out the road I came then off east on the Mt Dare Road but didn’t get too far before “disaster” struck. I was coming around a corner at around 80 kph when there was a creek crossing with mud rather than water. I slowed up and feathered the brakes but unfortunately something gripped and I found myself heading off into the scrub on 2 wheels and starting to tip over. I managed to wrestle it back onto 4 wheels before going over but not before popping a tyre off the rim.

A quick check of the car to check for other damage then rang through to Mt Dare to let the Parrots know not to expect me for a while as I had some work to do. After getting the spare wheel off, jacking up the car and taking off the “popped” wheel about 20 minutes had transpired. It was interesting watching the various insects making their way to the light from my car.

Had a look at the tyre and there appeared to be no damage apart from a lack of air so connected up the compressor and it popped back onto the rim and stayed up so back on the car it went. Put the spare back on its home, car off the jack and 35 minutes later and a bit of mud, I was on my way again to Mt Dare.

The road was getting muddier and there were a number of lakes where the roads should have been so after some off road driving, I eventually made it to Mt Dare, albeit a little later than planned. The Parrots were in the bar having a lager or two waiting for me. The staff got me a pie and beer for tea – it was 10:00 pm after all. A last downer for the day – the fuel truck hadn’t been able to get through for 3 weeks and they were out of unleaded fuel and we didn’t have enough to get through to Oodnadatta. That will be tomorrows challenge.

We went down to the camping area and the first thing we found was the insects and mosquitoes hanging out with us. So after a quick shower it was to bed. It had been a big and different day today.