Day 8 - 24 May - Hann Crossing to Musgrave Road House - 81 km

Another early start, up at 6.00 am. On the road by 7.45 pm after a quick visit to the river to wash night's dishes and get water for the day. Not much later we were crossing Morhead River, wheeled the bikes as it was shallow. From there through Nifold Plain, grassland with endless termite mounds. 

Joe had headed off before me and was about 500 metres in front.  As he rode along he disturbed about 15 wild pigs that took off away from him.  As I got to the same spot, they had got over their fright and started running after me.  The first i knew of the pigs was when I heard grunting and saw 15 pigs running for me.  Started peddling like crazy and they gave up.  But my adrenalin was up for the next hour.

The birdlife was fantastic, brolgas, jabiru, egrets, red-tail black cockatoos and eagles.  Ran into a sandy patch just before Saltwater Creek. Another beautiful river crossing. 

The Ranger's have put up this barrier at Saltwater Creek so they can stop 4x4 s from coming in and damaging the road.  We were able to easily get under the barrier.

The road was pretty rough and rutted at times.  Wild cattle had made the track worse when it had been muddy and the hoof prints were baked hard.

Sometimes the road almost disappeared under the grass.

 Only 43 to go.

 Some helpful person had put up a road sign so we would know where we were going.  OK if I was going to Adelaide or Melbourne.















Finally got to Musgrave Station.  We had showers to wash off 3 days of sunscreen, sweat and dust, put on our washing and went for a curry pie and a beer.  When we set up our tents there was 1 other in the field. About 6. 00 pm a tour bus arrived and 20 tents suddenly appeared.







Interesting place.  Airfield goes right up to the roadhouse and the Royal Flying Doctor Service was there when we arrived.










Road trains also pulled in as well as numerous 4x4s.

Our resaearch had suggested that we could get supplies at Musgrave.  Very disappointed to find they only do takeaway and meals and not much else. So we had to make do with very limited supplies until Coen 106 km away.  We got them to make up sandwiches and we bought 2 cans of corned beef as back up supplies.

106 km is a biggish ride on asphalt, and it would be a tough ride to get to Coen in one day on the dirt.

We ordered dinner, Joe barramundi, Tony steak. The servings were huge but we finished them.

Another early night in the tents.