Coonamble continues

The heat was prickly this morning. Dry, baking, sweat beading under hats and shirts, sunshine for miles and clear weather for our day of driving ahead. Smith Park played host to our morning check-in and Coonamble Rotary Club fed and watered us. Generous spirits and generous serves of bacon and eggs from Rotary Coonamble fortified us for our dusty drive to Burren Junction and they even tipped in a cash donation on top of all their other generous contributions. True to the spirit of a country town several of the local businesses of Coonamble also donated money and the local auto-electrician provided services and parts to many of the cars.

The road today was dusty. Really dusty. A brown fog featured for most of the morning as we weaved our way through Pilliga State Forest. The route this morning was particularly challenging with switch back corners* and obstacles on the road. Scenic, picturesque forest vistas framed the sandy route until we burst out and through Gwebegar and Pilliga townships.

We motored into Burren Junction for a school visit and lunch. Mid-harvest, one of the busiest times of year for the tiny town, the people of Burren Junction were warm and welcoming despite the season, and lunch was a marvellous buffet of cold meats and salads.

The puppets were on fire again, delighting the kiddies of Burren Junction School. Again we were blown away, the kids of Burren Junction raising money for Camp Quality and presenting the puppets with their generous donation.

It was a leisurely stop for the esCarpadians but Lightning Ridge was calling so the convoy cranked their engines and hit the road for another dusty stretch of north west NSW's finest outback roadways.

* Please see the next post for action and excitement from some of the switch back corners of this morning's route. Deviously planned by Ben our thoughtful route director.