Heading Home via Clare and Barossa - Wineries. August 3 and 4....HOME!

From Port Augusta through the South Australian wine regions, on the way we stopped at Harry's roadside stop for prawns, jams, crab meat etc.
Some of the wineries we sampled were  Jim Barry's, Skillogalee, and looked for a couple of Stef's favourites near Angaston - found Rochfords, but the other one was "no longer"

Coffee at Clare, got a new watch battery...thank goodness, I don't know how many times I looked at a 'dead' watch.

The weather had turned cold, windy and miserable. We stayed at the Top Drop motel in Nuriootpa and were recommended to eat the Angus Hotel - the meal was really good and reasonable, a very nice pub and over 150 years old.

The next morning we started off and decided to head for home. Dad stopped and stayed at Stawell and we ploughed on through rain all day to arrive home about 10.00pm.

What an amazing trip.

Lunch at the park in Angaston - step back in time in the "Comfort Station" behind the statue.

The sculpture was titled "Pete's Day Off" not sure if Pete is the horse or the bloke.

It is to commemorate the Clydesdale and its contribution to the country.

Heading South through Coober Pedy, Marla etc to Port Augusts. August 2 - Day 28 on track.

After our last "campsite" for trip, we packed up a bit damp underneath tents etc. Headed off to Coober Pedy for fuel, on the way to Port Augusta we stopped off to look at some Sturt Desert Pea growing by the roadway - finally we had seen some, Meg had been waiting to see them for the whole trip - they are just the MOST stunning flower - and this was a really healthy looking bunch. We then detoured into Woomera to have a look at all the "military stuff" that was on display before staying in the Acacia Ridge Motel in Port Augusta - the shower was heaven...pizza/pasta for tea and another early night.

STURT DESERT PEAS

The Police came down the highway on wrong side and pushed us off, there was a wide load coming

WOOMERA

Heading South from Lambert's Centre. August 1 - Day 27 on track.

STATS: got forgotten as we did more kms and were heading home. sorry bout that. I will have a total at end of trip.

From Lambert's Centre we headed out through Kulgera (again!!) - pumped fuel and tyres, and headed south through Glendambo, Marla etc towards Coober Pedy. Camped off road about 100km north of Coober Pedy. A surprise for Milani after tea.

Milani photographing a tree.

The tree above up close

and again, didn't see too many of these.

an Eremophila at our lunch stop.

A Corkwood I think, toughest looking trees...really rugged and sculptural.

the flowers were  quite soft looking.

and unprotected.

amazing up close.

Just to prove Ska was back 'on task'

We saw this bloke a couple of time, 2 camels and the back of an old van, as his "Caravan". Stopped on the road for a cuppa and camel rest.

Milani decided she was going to run a 'shop' and her name was Crystal, the currency was rocks and sticks, here is the snack section.

Meg and Stef's set up, here comes Milani's hat.

Dad and his set up.

Pre dinner drinks and snacks by the fire.

The campsite, the major Stuart Highway was about 1km to the right of us, but we were well hidden from view.

Sunset beind my 'set up'

and again the colour in the clouds was changing by the second.

Still more colour.

Dad cooking the steak with sunsetting behind.

The sky was looking pretty intense out there.

Stef, Milani, Meg and Dad playing with their sparklers.

Is that an 8 and a 9?

lighting up again.

Here is a video of Milani with the last two sparklers.

Leaving Mt Dare/Heading South - home....maybe. July 31 - Day 26 back on track.

STATS:
Distance Travelled: 145kms

So we finally got all cars on the road, and sadly left Mt Dare.  We had no option to return home via Kulgera again (which made it our 4th trip out the same route)

We made it as far as Lambert's Centre again - it was nice to pull up early in time to collect wood, set up camp, cook a good chicken curry and still be in bed early.

Leaving Mt Dare for the last time. Ska is looking particularly pristine compared to the Disco and Dad's Ute.

More of Mt Dare, the fuel pump on left, and workshop in the middle.

The tank and grader (not sure what that did)

The view of the road out of Mt Dare....what was ahead, we had no clue.

Not too many still photos, but I have some good videos, most too big for the blog, I will see what I can put on later.

Eremophila by the roadside.

and another.

and another

and again.

and again.

This is looking across the Finke river, we went over and back to have a look. A week earlier this track was shut due to the water across the road.

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Here was the only remnants of that water.

Looking back at the crossing as Dad comes across.

Dinner at the Lambert's Centre campsite.

Sunsetting beneath the clouds at Lambert's Centre.

And inevitably the dishes have to be done....

Here are some of the videos of the road/river out of Mt Dare. This was exciting stuff.

This one shows Stef leaving a puddle and Dad driving through.

and this one is a long one taken from Ska's dashboard of a long line of water we drove through.