With high hopes for a dry week three, we were woken on Monday morning to h
eavy rain and thunder storms. From 04.30 hrs to 07.15 hrs 26mm of rain fell. No bore run then, well there certainly should be plenty of water for the cows with all the rain! The water tank at the main house was once again not filling. This time we had to walk back down to the woolshed, there was no way we would be taking the work’s ute down the muddy track and across the little (now larger) creek. Joints/pump and pipes checked and repaired we returned to the main house, Monday would be a gardening day again, as was Tuesday. The garden Sandy and I reckon must be about an acre and includes a main lawn, numerous fruit trees, veggie patch, tennis court and lots of trees, shrubs and hedges, enough to keep Sandy and gainfully employed. Of course we also had our charges to keep us company and busy.
Wednesday dawned bright, we had now had no rain since Monday morning, so sandy and I we’re keen to see if we could get a bore run under our belt. We were doing well, the ground was reasonably dry and we had no problems getting round, it was nice to be out on the tracks again and to see how green the place was becoming with all the rain. That was until just before lunch when we were trying to get from dam number 3 (Barnam Dam) to dam number 2 (Twin Dam) when disaster struck. We had been warned about the ‘Black mud’, always said with a knowing smile and shake of the head (what did they know), we had nodded back knowingly and smiled back, mud was mud wasn’t it, and there was certainly plenty in the Isle of Man and Scotland, what was the big deal? Sandy and I were to become intimately acquainted over the next couple of hours with Black Mud!
eavy rain and thunder storms. From 04.30 hrs to 07.15 hrs 26mm of rain fell. No bore run then, well there certainly should be plenty of water for the cows with all the rain! The water tank at the main house was once again not filling. This time we had to walk back down to the woolshed, there was no way we would be taking the work’s ute down the muddy track and across the little (now larger) creek. Joints/pump and pipes checked and repaired we returned to the main house, Monday would be a gardening day again, as was Tuesday. The garden Sandy and I reckon must be about an acre and includes a main lawn, numerous fruit trees, veggie patch, tennis court and lots of trees, shrubs and hedges, enough to keep Sandy and gainfully employed. Of course we also had our charges to keep us company and busy.
Wednesday dawned bright, we had now had no rain since Monday morning, so sandy and I we’re keen to see if we could get a bore run under our belt. We were doing well, the ground was reasonably dry and we had no problems getting round, it was nice to be out on the tracks again and to see how green the place was becoming with all the rain. That was until just before lunch when we were trying to get from dam number 3 (Barnam Dam) to dam number 2 (Twin Dam) when disaster struck. We had been warned about the ‘Black mud’, always said with a knowing smile and shake of the head (what did they know), we had nodded back knowingly and smiled back, mud was mud wasn’t it, and there was certainly plenty in the Isle of Man and Scotland, what was the big deal? Sandy and I were to become intimately acquainted over the next couple of hours with Black Mud!
We were bogged, well and truly, up to the axles bogged! We tried backwards, forwards, digging, using small and large branches, the ute just got deeper as our shoes got higher (platforms), and we got hotter and dirtier. Finally we made the decision we were going to have to walk back to the main house to pick up another car to rescue the work’s ute, this was a walk of about 7km in the heat of the day over rough terrain. The journey took us a little over 1 ½ hours, not bad really, we must begetting fitter.
We decided to take our car the rescue the ute as it had a winch and all the recover equipment in the back. So off we set, travelling the route we knew was okay to come up behind the bogged ute about 40mins later. We planned to pull the ute out backwards onto the firmer ground, but no joy, the backend of the ute was so far down the only way to get the ute out was to pull it forward. We took our car passed the bogged car with some problems, but we were able to rescue ourselves and we were then able to recover the ute, both cars were now on dry ground. The trouble was we were now on the wrong side of the boggy ground. Sandy and I were very confident of getting our car back across to get back to the main house; we could then pull the ute across, or leave it to pick up when the ground was drier. Plan decided, we drove our car back across the boggy ground when disaster struck (sound familiar), we tried backwards, forwards, digging, the car just got deeper as our shoes got higher (platforms), and we got ....yes well you know this bit. After a couple of hours struggling we had got no further, the car only got deeper and we only had just over an hour of sunlight left, before the sun set! So once more Sandy and I had to walk to 7kms back to the main house leaving our car bogged and the ute on dry high ground but on the wrong side of the bog. We got back by 7.30pm and still had the animals to look after before we could see to ourselves. Needles to say we slept well that night, we were buggered!!!!
Thursday and Friday (25th & 26th Nov) became gardening days, there is a surprise. At about 3pm on Friday we took Wally’s ute out to the two cars still stuck between dam 2 & 3 to see what the ground was like. We were able to drive our own car out easily now with its better tyres etc, but we were not game enough to try and get the work’s ute back across the bog just yet. We drove our car and Wally’s back to the main house.
Saturday morning we drove back out to the work’s ute to rescued it. By mid morning all the cars were back at the main house. Sandy and I celebrated by taking a run into Longreach for a coffee and a piece of chocolate cake (it is many weeks since we had had any chocolate cake). Saturday afternoon the heavens opened again, as they did the early hours on Sunday morning. When we went to feed the animals at 6am the rain gauge measured 36mm rain fall, thank god we got the cars back and had not waited
Thursday and Friday (25th & 26th Nov) became gardening days, there is a surprise. At about 3pm on Friday we took Wally’s ute out to the two cars still stuck between dam 2 & 3 to see what the ground was like. We were able to drive our own car out easily now with its better tyres etc, but we were not game enough to try and get the work’s ute back across the bog just yet. We drove our car and Wally’s back to the main house.
Saturday morning we drove back out to the work’s ute to rescued it. By mid morning all the cars were back at the main house. Sandy and I celebrated by taking a run into Longreach for a coffee and a piece of chocolate cake (it is many weeks since we had had any chocolate cake). Saturday afternoon the heavens opened again, as they did the early hours on Sunday morning. When we went to feed the animals at 6am the rain gauge measured 36mm rain fall, thank god we got the cars back and had not waited
until Monday!
Sunday Sandy was kept busy washing all the mud off the car, inside and out. It is awful stuff, setting like concrete when it dries and is very difficult to get off, be it your clothes, boots or cars.Well with all the rain, we definitely will not be going out to do a bore run on Monday, and if anybody warns you about black mud, listen!!
Sunday Sandy was kept busy washing all the mud off the car, inside and out. It is awful stuff, setting like concrete when it dries and is very difficult to get off, be it your clothes, boots or cars.Well with all the rain, we definitely will not be going out to do a bore run on Monday, and if anybody warns you about black mud, listen!!
You two are certainly becoming Aussies... black mud, search and rescue missions and drop scones! Well done to both of you. It has been good reading your adventure and I'm sure you will continue to enjoy and (slave) away with the dogs, cows and garden being tendered to.
ReplyDeleteRegards
Julie and John Possum Park
I'm enjoying reading all your adventures, I thought this was partly a holiday as well as travel?? Seems a little bit like work to me!! Enjoy your Xmas and New Year and look forward to further commentary, seems must be nice down time to be in charge of writing the blog that day/ week!!
ReplyDeleteJanice