28 July, 2016
Following the French Line, we camped the next four nights in the Simpson Desert between the dunes. The map shows our route to Birdsville and the dots our camp sites.
The road was corrugated and the going slow, rarely over 35 km/h and often under 20, but we were happy to shake along at that rate viewing the array of yellow, white and purple flowers that grew to the horizon on either side of the track.
Lunch was in a field of poached egg daisies and below the distant hills was like a field of lucerne.
The dunes were low at first but as the day wore on, they increased in height which was good practice for what was to come.
We paused at the capped Purnie Bore where water is allowed to flow to sustain the creatures that have come to rely on the water.
That night we camped between the dunes and enjoyed a glorious sunset from the dune above our camp.
For five hours driving we managed 80 kilometres, and there was no possibility of travelling faster. It was a great day. The track is very undulating and we continually ride the sand waves till a larger dune appears and over we go to be handed a panorama across the swale to the next large ascent.
The landscape is splendid with wildflowers as before but now a large lavender bush about to bloom has appeared. We are probably a few days early for them but the others are more than a consolation.
Many lizards scurry across the track and a curious dingo lay on the road before lazily wandering off, turning back to give us a look as if miffed we had disturbed its nap.
Just five cars on the track today. Someone reading this might recognise their fridge we found on the side of the track.
Late in the day as we were setting up camp, a Wrangler became bogged on the steep dune near our camp. When they were towed out, it was discovered they had driven in 2WD since Dalhousie Springs, so it is no wonder they were bogged a few times before this.
Brad made a banana cake again tonight!