Racing at Charleville

Today:

Distance:  6.2 km

Time: 32' 50"

Rate:  5' 18" per km

Weather: sunny, temp 18 degrees, humidity 25%, wind west 15 kmph

Week:  6.2 km,  July: 17.4 km, Year:  1238.65 km

We have moved from Birdsville to Charleville, still in outback but more central western Queensland. A couple of nights free camping on the road, met some great fellow travellers, some on the road permanently, some just taking a few years of ambling along at snail's pace.

Birdsville was quite some place, really enjoyed to isolation, dust and the desert. Left town with light drizzle in the sky, not good on roads recently closed due to water. There is so much out there, so green.

But it makes travelling a hazard. We crossed thru 4 mud holes, the car & van are now brown instead of white. Tomorrow is vehicle cleaning day. Luckily, there are no water restrictions in Charleville however dry the ground is at the present.

Like Birdsville the water comes out of the ground from the Great Artesian basin at around 85 degrees, very hot. It is then cooled, 4 times in Birdsville to be usable.

Here, not quite cooled as much, so the water in the cold tap is still warm, good enough to shower & wash up with adding hot water. And still good enough to drink straight from the tap.

The image shows I ran around the race track, twice, starting at the van park, the a bit extra at the finish.

It's not Melbourne Cup standard, in fact not grass, just flattened & graded rich brown dirt, and soft. No race records would be set too often. Next time, I'll run bare feet, that will make the shower worth while.

We will stay until next Monday, washing, cleaning & sightseeing. But also just resting, too much travelling is tiring. It looks a nice town, dry & cool now it's winter, but in summer it would be very hot.