Our right rear inner, now the spare, won't hold air so it's off to FC Tyre services... but it's early... no sign of life yet so off to the Shell Express servo (no Coles for 400+km ????) but we are going to use our voucher from Kununurra! The road train tanker is on the drive filling tanks so we can't get to the diesel pumps! So off to IGA... which opens early like everything here. Desperately need more fly-spray... and other stuff. Back to Shell the tanker is packing up so we slot in... unfortunately he only moved forward to the next tanks, so it's either wait for him - "I'll be a while yet". or reverse - with the Vitara behind. Nothing for it, Maz holds the Vitara steering wheel straight, so it doesn't counter- caster (if that's a word) and we back up about 20-25 M with great care.
Then it's back to the tyre guy. Someone has beaten us to it, so it may take a while. Finally our tyre gets attention.There is no hope for me to get the safety rim off without big tyre levers and he needs the serious air driven bead breaker to get the tyre loose. No burrs in the tyre but several holes in the tube probably worn from a bit of gravel in the tyre. New tube. All up $75, not bad.
Meanwhile with all this minor driving have been checking under the hood. Everything is ship shape.
By 9AM we are on the road again. Good-bye Fitzroy Crossing. At exactly halfway to Derby was a roadside stop. I slowed down - without warning Maz... We were now closer to Derby than FC; somehow significant, so I had decided to check the engine compartment. Maz relieved! All is well. coolant good, oil good half bolt head still there... Found that the bus was running cooler at 95 that 90 due ram air into the radiator I presume.
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| The West Kimberly FA... |
By midday we are at Derby, having passed Curtin Airforce Base etc and done 260KM. Roll up at the CP in town, well nearest. So we are in walking distance of the shops. It is just after midday (opening time) so we can buy a slab of beer and 6 bottles of wine. AC/DC Sauv Blanc is on special by the half dozen. And buy Pure Blonde CANS. Back to the CP with an IGA trolley... (Maz even took it back!!)
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| here we are at Derby |
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| big mother imported (US) RV - right hand doors and LHD |
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| The other end of the spectrum - gorgeous |
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| walking over to the fence for sunset pix this is the real colour of the sand on the new part of the CP |
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| Derby sunset - over the mud-flats... |
So we are back on our way. Broome tomorrow (do need a new bolt), halfway to Port Hedland the next day, then South Hedland... probably, then?
Maz has a target of Exmouth for her birthday (27th: VD) - 9 days from now and then probably Coral Bay for a day or two - then ???
We still have about a month to get to Perth to meet the new 'Bridges'.
