Stuart's Pool { The Bumpiest Ride Yet? }

I love a weekend where we get the chance to do a little road trip and sightseeing. It's a long day. And it always makes for a quiet catch up nap day on Mondays, but they are worth it. Everytime.

Our trip to Stuart's Pool, was one of the rockiest and bumpiest rides that we've done so far. Ungraded roads (read lots of bumps, holes in ground), steep hills up, steep hills down. We really tested out our little bumpy car, and maybe our daughters in the back seat too. Really, a car needs a lift kit to be able to drive over such surfaces, with more ease, and less risk. And ours doesn't have that.

Does it sound like I know what I'm talking about? Well I really don't at all. But I will say, in the short time that we've been up here, that my husband is 4WD'ing like he knows what he's doing. And I'm mildly impressed with his newfound driving skills. Though it does help, when travelling on such bumpy roads, to do so with someone in the know. Insert Mark. Who knows what he's doing. Or at least more than we do. Which isn't hard at all.

We were given some friendly advice from a driver by on his return back from the pool. The road ahead was very uneven. And with our cars, it might be best for us to first walk the bumpiest parts of  the track, decide where to place ours tires before we start driving. And he was right.

So there was lots of this.

And that.

Checking of depths.

Checking of tracks before we ventured up.

Or down.

Before finally finding ourselves at Stuart's Pool.

These drives are always scenic. In fact, the drive is one of my favourite parts of the trip. I don't 4WD, so I can really take in the vast, undulating landscape that is this country. There are times being up here where I just can't stand living up here another day. Particularly with all the hot weather. But trips like this, always remind me, how lucky we are to live here and be able to enjoy this part of the country.

Have the chance to get out and explore somewhere new on the weekend?

Hope this post hasn't been too 4WD'ey. It wasn't meant to be!!!

A Drive Down the Fortescue River { The Wrong Way }

Our bumpy car has been on a hiatus. Too hot to be taken out on the road for any type of adventure, it has languished in the drive. Taken out only for the occasional small trip around town. Not quite what it is meant for.

A spontaneous call over the weekend, ended all that. And took us on a drive in the wrong direction (further away from civilisation than we intended) down the Fortescue River.

A mostly dry and sandy riverbed made for surprising fun. We took the mountainous way to reach the river, which was typically scenic and stunning. A reminder that despite the mundane of town, that we are lucky to be surrounded by such beautiful scenery. And to also have this opportunity to live here, and be able to enjoy and do things that we would never have experienced otherwise. This, is partly what we moved here for. An adventure. Albeit a red one.

 

 

A love heart in the sky! ( Please excuse the dirty windscreen! )

 

 

The wet season has arrived here, and while nowhere near enough rain to fill the river, small waterholes have formed in and along the riverbeds. A perfect spot to enjoy the peace, rest and wet the feet. Or if you're young enough to still get away with running around nudie rudie style, then you can cool yourself off completely.

Driving onto the riverbed.

 

 

 

The smiley faced man who may, or may not have wanted to go left.

 

 

 

Without a road sign in sight, and the evening approaching faster than we realised, it was time to make a decision. Do we go left or do we go right down the river, back to the Great Northern Highway and home. We took the left, a scenic drive yes, but the wrong choice. One which we realised after a good while. A U-turn. And then a faster drive home than the one we made to arrive at our afternoon waterhole. It all left the car a little quiet. It was a rather fast and bumpy drive. Nobody wants to 4WD in the dark. Or get bogged.

 

 

 

Funny how a toddler can pick up on everything left unsaid. The mood of the car told her that we were lost. And she was a little concerned. No we weren't lost at all. We just took the long way home was all.

That we did.