Days 96 -101, 1,725 -1,880 km Jamestown to Stirling North (Port Augusta)

PORT AUGUSTA! We made it!! It's been a long time coming, and it's quite a milestone. Not because it's nearly half across the country (that honour goes to Kimba, 150km further up the road), but because it's here I get the WA quarantine process finalised for the boys, and bring my van up from Melbourne, so that I can self-support with feed and water for sections coming up as needed.

But let's backtrack a bit and finish up the week before I get too wrapped up in planning the future. We left Jamestown, waved off by Chelsea and her family, heading off into what promised to be a fine sunny day, following minor back roads North as we avoided highways and made for Wilmington.... However, it wasn't long before the wind picked up again and the boys kicked up their jig, scuttling along at a rate of knotts and being way more excited than ANY situation warranted. And of course our route took us through windfarms; giant turbines whirring ominously on hilltops and casting strange spinning shadows - the stuff of nightmares! I must say I was impressed with the numbers and size of the turbines - and they were definitely well positioned, if the next few days were anything to go by! Lots of wind. But it was still pleasant country to ride through, regardless of the wind, with more rolling green hills and grass to keep the boys happy at night.

And then on Tuesday the wind dropped and we arrived in Melrose nice and early, which gave the horses an afternoon off and myself an opportunity to explore the picturesque town and its excellent little museum. Melrose is nestled at the base of Wangyarra/Mt Remarkable, a startlingly imposing mountain that forms the heart of the Nukunu people's country and is part of the longest songline in Australia, extending all the way up to the Gulf of Carpentaria. It was beautiful to stroll around through native woodland - all the lands since Burra have been cleared farmland with very little native vegetation remaining.

Wednesday was a leisurely day in the saddle (always is when I ride Micky and there's no wind) as we followed the rail trail up to Wilmington, ambling through farmland, safe off the road... Ah #railtraillife! We were welcomed into Wilmington by Annie, whose kindess and generousity in hosting us was much appreciated.

The next day dawned misty and still, and I just KNEW it was going to be a good day. Annie gave us an honour-guard down the road, and then left us facing the Southern Flinders Ranges... which we somehow had to cross. I find myself in quite a privileged position on this trip. I am often facing the unknown, and always ask for and appreciate advice, whether it be on route choices or the amount of feed ahead. It's always enlightening to listen to people, but at the end of the day, I'm not really under any obligation to follow anyone's suggestions, and I always find it secretly entertaining in how much difference there is between different people's advice. So it was with Horrocks Pass, where the main road climbs over the range from Wilmington to Port Augusta. Everyone recommended against riding the highway. So that left me three choices: Ask someone to float myself and the boys through the hills. Ride far North through Quorn. Or find some bush track through the hills. I went for option 3. Sometimes maps can be deceiving. Things that are marked as roads may not actually exist. There may be clear tracks not marked on maps (although they usually show up on satellite). In this case, there was a track with a clear Right of Way marked on the cadastral information (thanks to Sue at Renmark info centre for putting me on to this great resource - search "Nature Maps SA"), even though no one I spoke with had heard of it and one person warned me off venturing into the hills, because they were "real mountains". But I decided to risk it.

And my reward was the best day's riding of this whole trip.

A leisurely morning ambling up to Hancocks Lookout, with thrilling views down to the Gulf and across over Port Augusta, and then a SPECTACULAR afternoon following an old stock route down the other side, looking down into gorges, plunging down steep tracks and walking under the breath-taking white gums lining the creeks. Before long we were through the ranges and down at Nectar Brook, leaving me quite sad that we only had one day in the ranges. Then we had a long run across to the highway, were local farmer Rodger had set up camp for us, complete witn roaring fire, stew, and many tales of by-gone days.

From Spear Creek, it was a leisurely ride in to Stirling North, with much lush greenery for the boys to chew on, until we were welcomed to Port Augusta Horse Accommodation by Ruby (even though I somehow managed to ride around in circles for 15min trying to find a VERY obvious gate!). Big thanks to Ranges Fodder and Saddlery for dropping off a stack of feed for the horses...

Because we're gonna be here for a while! The boys have their vet check and liver fluke drench on Monday (part of the quarantine process for WA), and I'm heading down to Hobart briefly to see my family, then returning via Melbourne so I can pick up my van and fill it with feed for the ground ahead. I have no doubt the GGs are going to love their little holiday.... And hopefully I can fatten Smicko up a bit!