Day 330 | Near Pituri Creek crossing: another cloudless day
74 km | zzOz total: 8481 km
Kaaboom!
My old favourite, the rear XR, explodes.
Sheesh.
She’s been with me from Esperance, done over 10,000 km over the last 2 years but I had noticed there were a few minor cut in the tread, starting to perish.
These limestone roads, while faster travelling than the soft stuff, well, from yesterday back, are harsh on the tyres. There was no obvious hit rock scenario that I can think back to but there is now a terminal 200 mm split in the tyre. And a slightly smaller rent in the tube. It’s history as well.
Out with the Crossmark.
It’s forced me to do some thinking about my planned trajectory across Queensland, the up north bit to Cairns. Tonight I finally totted up the distances from Boulia, that’s pronounced Bull-ya it seems, not the more prissy way I’ve been saying, and the news is pretty clearcut.
Cairns via Carnarvon National Park: 2300 km, 1000 km unsealed, ie, 6 weeks with a few breaks or diversions.
Cairns direct via Winton: 1350 km, mostly sealed, ie, 4 weeks.
OK, there’s not so much in the way of time pressures but the Cairns – Cape York lark will be almost 1500 km each way, almost all unsealed.
The explosion today was really a wake up call to get to that northern most pointy bit of Australia more directly.