Tuesday 20 October 2015

esCarpade 2015 - Day 3 - Charleville to Blackall to Longreach

Damian woke up bright and early in Charleville...  Today was meant to be a day of long drives on the dirt - Charleville to Blackall - 336km by the route notes, and Blackall to Longreach - 230km by the route notes...

It was also to be the first school visit for the boys!!


Damian was up early enough to catch the sunrise...







Pretty spectacular stuff!!


Lined up at breakfast...  Damian had his photo taken by a local journalist - might make the local paper (again)!!


Breakfast at the Charleville Showgrounds...



Driver briefing...


And lining up for the school visit - Charleville State School.



On the oval...  Damian run amok with a water cannon, while Angus threw lollies at the kids!!


Selfie time!!


Mmmm tasty!!


Fred wreaking havoc while finding his seat!!


Some great costumes this year!!


The puppeteers doing their thing...



Kurt, one of the photographers, being the star of the show!!








Buzz Like You dancing up a storm!!


After the school visit finished, it was decided that there wasn't enough time to follow the route notes to Blackall, so the boys embarked on a 302km journey via the bitumen...


So dry out there...



Still smiling!!



Angus having a quick snooze... good work if you can get it!!








Plenty of roadkill to dodge on these outback roads!!


Hay destined for farmers in need.










It's a long trip!!


Damian thinks he's hilarious!!



After a while, it became a sport to photograph cars overtaking Booger Mobile!!
 



Scooby!!


Smurfs about to overtake...




Booger Mobile returning the favour while the others were stopped!!


Wrong way!!










1089 whizzes by!!



The Statesman...






Lunch at the Blackall State School was prepared in this massive roving hospitality training facility!!


Having got to lunch so late, the boys decided that there wasn't enough time for them to do the dirt section in the afternoon either, so they headed up the bitumen towards Longreach - a journey that would still be 212km or so!!




Hi Rollers rolled past!!





As did a bunch of others!!





Angus snoozed... again!!


Damian thinks he's hilarious... again!!



Once again, passing those who passed Booger Mobile!!






Car 50... complete with new windscreen!!




All the rivers and creeks are bone dry...



Entering downtown Barcaldine...




The Tree of Knowledge... birthplace of the Australian Labor Party...


More aptly named the stick of knowledge these days!!



Stopped at the Commercial Hotel for a refreshing beverage, only to find Bundy Bear cooling down in the fridge!!


Looking the goods as per usual!!


Heading towards Longreach, the sun was getting low in the sky... time to get a move on before it becomes kangaroo alley!!






Passing through Ilfracombe, whose claim to fame is a bunch of old tractors and machinery!







Arriving in Longreach - home of the QANTAS Museum!


Pre-dinner selfie...


Pre-dinner bus selfie, complete with photo bombers!!


Dinner at the QANTAS Museum, under the stars (and the wing of an airplane).


Good seats!!


The band played...


The scotch flowed!!


And the boys got chastised for walking through the museum when it was closed... an easy mistake to make!!  ;-)


All in all, even though they didn't get to do the dirt, the boys did get to do one official school visit, and attend a second school today... Booger Mobile has continued to perform brilliantly, with fuel economy constantly surprising the boys!!

Tomorrow is rest day in Longreach - time to give Booger Mobile a well deserved bath, and maybe an impromptu (voluntary) school visit!!

Stay tuned…

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