I would have left Swan Reach Sunday but the wind was fucking horrendous and it was easier to stay put. A couple with a caravan came and parked beside me during the day and James just had to go over and say g'day. That got a conversation going which led to me having drinks in the pub over the river with them (Sue and Rob) late afternoon. That was excellent for a couple of reasons a) because I had interesting company that actually conversed and b) because they were on their way back from WA and could fill me in on the best things to do. Now I can't wait to do the Horizontal Falls!
Despite the persistent wind Monday I headed north on a gravel road that ran pretty much along the Murray all the way to Morgan where I stopped so we could have a wander (along with a normal poo for James, thank goodness after his upset system). From there we followed the river east (upstream) to Waikerie where I went straight to the spot I'd picked on WikiCamps, Holder Bend Reserve.
I spent two nights at Waikerie mostly because I really wanted to do some tyre swapping and there was a tyre place, but also because it was lovely camp down beside the river for free (yet again) and it was a pretty place. It even had silo art. There was one drawback, however. The Sturt Highway ran along the top of a cliff above the camp. It was sooo bloody noisy at times with trucks at night! Such a shame. I did go to the local Tyrepower but after a fair bit of tooing and froing about whether it was legal to have two different tyre brands and tread patterns on the one axle (which I didn't after my flat at the Flinders Ranges), we agreed that given it was the rear and all the numbers were the same (265 60/R 18), I would have to be bloody unlucky to get pinged by the cops on what's a bit of a technicality. The second hand All Terrain tyre that replaced my stuffed road tyre was noisy, but l could suffer through that till both rears wore out a bit then buy a good new pair.
HOLDER BEND gets a 3.5 from me. The Murray is beautiful as always. There are no facilities and there's not a huge amount of flat ground along the river. It has phone reception and is close to town but gets quite a lot of road noise.
Next morning l continued to follow the Murray, this time as it wended south through to Loxton. There were great reviews for Thiele's Sand bar. I wasn't disappointed. What a beautiful place. I pulled up on flat ground looking out over a beach which James absolutely loved. First thing I did was ring the local chiropractor as my back had started to spasm when I got out of bed, then driving really aggravated it. I could hardly bloody walk. Luckily there had been a cancellation at 2.30 so I was slotted in. Needless to say that meant unhitching, winding down stabilizers etc which quite literally added more insult to my injury. The young sexy doc was very good. He did quite a bit of work on various parts of my back and I walked out in less discomfort. I spent most of the remainder of the day walking up and down the beach in my bathers, keeping moving, improving my suntan and throwing sticks in the water for James. He had a ball. A lovely fire capped off the day and I went to bed pretty much pain free. I was a bit sore when I got out of bed next day but a long walk on the tracks through the bush on the banks of the river loosened me up. Once again though I had to keep moving most of the day. Sitting really aggravated it.
THIELE'S SANDBAR gets a 4.5. It's a beautiful spot beside the river though the landscape leading into it is ugly. The area is large and flat, there are sandy beach areas and swimmable water with a sandy bottom. It has rubbish bins, is close to town and has good TV and phone reception.
I was surprised there were no other campers at Thiele's. I reckon it's among the best locations I've ever seen on the Murray. It's flat, roomy, the river is wide and shallow for a long way out and it's so quiet, unlike Holder Bend. It would be perfect for kids. Late in the afternoon when I was having a nanna nap l heard a bloke speak to James. I went out and we got talking. "You've pinched my spot. I always stay right there." He was friendly enough and given his van was quite big I assumed he was with his wife. "There's still plenty of room", I said, so he went back and moved his van over. As it turned out Bill was solo with a fur baby named Winnie the Pooh. He was a country bloke, probably in his 50's, could talk the leg off a table and loved a beer. It wasn't long before he told me he had met several solo women during his four years on the road, a couple of whom he had a friends with benefits arrangement with. He was not at all sleazy and quite upfront in offering his services to me. I thanked him for his generous and selfless offer and explained that given I was quite practised and adept at the art of self gratification I would not require his services. We shared a great evening by the fire along with some delicious Murray Cod that he had caught and, some bloody funny conversations. He was great company, genuine and open, and I felt safe and comfortable around him.
After a coffee next morning the four of us went for a walk. Winnie and James had clicked and bounded ahead together happily. Bill is pretty tall and with his long legs set a cracking pace that almost had me jogging to keep up. We followed the dirt tracks running through the bush beside the river for a good hour chatting constantly. I had to admire Bill. He was in a workplace accident four years earlier that had resulted in multiple fractures in his skull, spine, ribs and legs and put an end to his construction business. Fortunately he had work cover insurance so had gone into semi retirement, traveling and picking up a few hours work here and there when his health would allow. He talked about the mental battle he'd gone through and about day to day pain management. He wore morphine patches that he replaced every five days. He really worked on staying active and positive. He was quite an inspiration. When we got back to camp Bill packed up and after a warm hug, left for Adelaide. I hope l could be as strong and independent as Bill if shit happened to me.
I was leaving that day too, bound for Jamieson in Victoria. My Roller friend Karen had won an auction that gave her ten nights at the caravan park there. She had the option to take two sites for five nights instead, so invited me to join her. Given I was heading back to Daylesford for Christmas with my family, the timing was perfect. We were booked in from Sunday till Friday. Jamieson was close to 800 km from Loxton, so I allowed three days travel.
My first night stopover was an old favorite, just south of Robinvale on the river. It held clear memories for me. Several years earlier Brian and I were camping there when, in the middle of the night, the heavens opened and it poured and poured, non-stop. In the morning we figured we should leave, but when Brian tried to drive the car he had absolutely no control over it as it slid over the mud. Well, the rain persisted for days and Brian ran out of beer. Now we really had an emergency on our hands! We waded out through the mud and hiked into town, got supplies, taxied back as far as the cabby would take us, then hunkered down to wait till the track dried out a bit. A couple of days later we managed to get the car out and drive into town where a bloke at the local servo rang a farmer not far from our camp. He very kindly met us at the start of the track with his huge tractor and literally dragged the caravan to firm ground. It was actually pretty harrowing to watch. I really thought the van would roll. This time, however, l checked the forecast and the weather was clear, warm and sunny. James and I have lovely overnighter.
ROBINVALE scores a 4. I love it. The bush walks are amazing. There are no facilities but there are lots of different little spots to prop beside the river. It has phone and TV reception.
Saturday night was not so lovely, though the location at Casey Bend near Wharparilla was, like most spots on the Murray, just gorgeous. It was not a big area for camping purposes, but my van was the only one there so it didn't matter. I lit a fire and settled in for the evening. A short time later five utes arrived full of young blokes, they set up camp and the loud music started. Bloody hell! I eventually went to bed and managed to get to sleep but was woken up twice by yahoo's tearing along the tracks with motors revving and lots of shouting and laughing. Don't think I'll bother coming back to Casey Bend again - at least not on a Saturday night! I must clarify, however, that l didn't feel personally at risk. The young fellows had been very friendly, and the hoons in cars were just local dickheads doing probably what they do every Saturday night.
WHARPARILLA (CASEY BEND) I rate a 2. Don't bother by the river but there is an area before the river that has a toilet and would be ok for an overnighter. It has phone reception.
One of the things that amazes me most about traveling solo is that bullshit is pretty much redundant. You become more aware of what matters and what doesn't. It's ok to wear undies for a couple of days when clean stocks get low and sheets can last a good 3 to 4 weeks before a wash. You eat the food on board even if it's the same as you had the last 4 nights. You shower every second or third day to save water.... baby wipes do wonders. The car stays dirty cos as soon as you clean it, it will get dirty again. When you meet people you make the effort to connect. That's the best. You might only have a few hours to spend so there's almost no small talk....It's travel experiences, sharing of personal information about background, family, plans and regrets (my friend Dot would say I overshare) and I often feel l have made a friend in a very short time. Appearances don't matter, just words and actions do. And I think, even from a distance, you get a sense of who is ok and who isn't. And that applies to places too. It is so much about living in the moment and just relaxing with that concept and trusting the world and the people around you. 99.9% of it is good. I think the greatest risk to my safety is the road, and I drive with absolute diligence. That really matters. And James is always harnessed in!
Despite the persistent wind Monday I headed north on a gravel road that ran pretty much along the Murray all the way to Morgan where I stopped so we could have a wander (along with a normal poo for James, thank goodness after his upset system). From there we followed the river east (upstream) to Waikerie where I went straight to the spot I'd picked on WikiCamps, Holder Bend Reserve.
I spent two nights at Waikerie mostly because I really wanted to do some tyre swapping and there was a tyre place, but also because it was lovely camp down beside the river for free (yet again) and it was a pretty place. It even had silo art. There was one drawback, however. The Sturt Highway ran along the top of a cliff above the camp. It was sooo bloody noisy at times with trucks at night! Such a shame. I did go to the local Tyrepower but after a fair bit of tooing and froing about whether it was legal to have two different tyre brands and tread patterns on the one axle (which I didn't after my flat at the Flinders Ranges), we agreed that given it was the rear and all the numbers were the same (265 60/R 18), I would have to be bloody unlucky to get pinged by the cops on what's a bit of a technicality. The second hand All Terrain tyre that replaced my stuffed road tyre was noisy, but l could suffer through that till both rears wore out a bit then buy a good new pair.
HOLDER BEND gets a 3.5 from me. The Murray is beautiful as always. There are no facilities and there's not a huge amount of flat ground along the river. It has phone reception and is close to town but gets quite a lot of road noise.
THIELE'S SANDBAR gets a 4.5. It's a beautiful spot beside the river though the landscape leading into it is ugly. The area is large and flat, there are sandy beach areas and swimmable water with a sandy bottom. It has rubbish bins, is close to town and has good TV and phone reception.
I was surprised there were no other campers at Thiele's. I reckon it's among the best locations I've ever seen on the Murray. It's flat, roomy, the river is wide and shallow for a long way out and it's so quiet, unlike Holder Bend. It would be perfect for kids. Late in the afternoon when I was having a nanna nap l heard a bloke speak to James. I went out and we got talking. "You've pinched my spot. I always stay right there." He was friendly enough and given his van was quite big I assumed he was with his wife. "There's still plenty of room", I said, so he went back and moved his van over. As it turned out Bill was solo with a fur baby named Winnie the Pooh. He was a country bloke, probably in his 50's, could talk the leg off a table and loved a beer. It wasn't long before he told me he had met several solo women during his four years on the road, a couple of whom he had a friends with benefits arrangement with. He was not at all sleazy and quite upfront in offering his services to me. I thanked him for his generous and selfless offer and explained that given I was quite practised and adept at the art of self gratification I would not require his services. We shared a great evening by the fire along with some delicious Murray Cod that he had caught and, some bloody funny conversations. He was great company, genuine and open, and I felt safe and comfortable around him.
After a coffee next morning the four of us went for a walk. Winnie and James had clicked and bounded ahead together happily. Bill is pretty tall and with his long legs set a cracking pace that almost had me jogging to keep up. We followed the dirt tracks running through the bush beside the river for a good hour chatting constantly. I had to admire Bill. He was in a workplace accident four years earlier that had resulted in multiple fractures in his skull, spine, ribs and legs and put an end to his construction business. Fortunately he had work cover insurance so had gone into semi retirement, traveling and picking up a few hours work here and there when his health would allow. He talked about the mental battle he'd gone through and about day to day pain management. He wore morphine patches that he replaced every five days. He really worked on staying active and positive. He was quite an inspiration. When we got back to camp Bill packed up and after a warm hug, left for Adelaide. I hope l could be as strong and independent as Bill if shit happened to me.
I was leaving that day too, bound for Jamieson in Victoria. My Roller friend Karen had won an auction that gave her ten nights at the caravan park there. She had the option to take two sites for five nights instead, so invited me to join her. Given I was heading back to Daylesford for Christmas with my family, the timing was perfect. We were booked in from Sunday till Friday. Jamieson was close to 800 km from Loxton, so I allowed three days travel.
My first night stopover was an old favorite, just south of Robinvale on the river. It held clear memories for me. Several years earlier Brian and I were camping there when, in the middle of the night, the heavens opened and it poured and poured, non-stop. In the morning we figured we should leave, but when Brian tried to drive the car he had absolutely no control over it as it slid over the mud. Well, the rain persisted for days and Brian ran out of beer. Now we really had an emergency on our hands! We waded out through the mud and hiked into town, got supplies, taxied back as far as the cabby would take us, then hunkered down to wait till the track dried out a bit. A couple of days later we managed to get the car out and drive into town where a bloke at the local servo rang a farmer not far from our camp. He very kindly met us at the start of the track with his huge tractor and literally dragged the caravan to firm ground. It was actually pretty harrowing to watch. I really thought the van would roll. This time, however, l checked the forecast and the weather was clear, warm and sunny. James and I have lovely overnighter.
ROBINVALE scores a 4. I love it. The bush walks are amazing. There are no facilities but there are lots of different little spots to prop beside the river. It has phone and TV reception.
Saturday night was not so lovely, though the location at Casey Bend near Wharparilla was, like most spots on the Murray, just gorgeous. It was not a big area for camping purposes, but my van was the only one there so it didn't matter. I lit a fire and settled in for the evening. A short time later five utes arrived full of young blokes, they set up camp and the loud music started. Bloody hell! I eventually went to bed and managed to get to sleep but was woken up twice by yahoo's tearing along the tracks with motors revving and lots of shouting and laughing. Don't think I'll bother coming back to Casey Bend again - at least not on a Saturday night! I must clarify, however, that l didn't feel personally at risk. The young fellows had been very friendly, and the hoons in cars were just local dickheads doing probably what they do every Saturday night.
WHARPARILLA (CASEY BEND) I rate a 2. Don't bother by the river but there is an area before the river that has a toilet and would be ok for an overnighter. It has phone reception.
One of the things that amazes me most about traveling solo is that bullshit is pretty much redundant. You become more aware of what matters and what doesn't. It's ok to wear undies for a couple of days when clean stocks get low and sheets can last a good 3 to 4 weeks before a wash. You eat the food on board even if it's the same as you had the last 4 nights. You shower every second or third day to save water.... baby wipes do wonders. The car stays dirty cos as soon as you clean it, it will get dirty again. When you meet people you make the effort to connect. That's the best. You might only have a few hours to spend so there's almost no small talk....It's travel experiences, sharing of personal information about background, family, plans and regrets (my friend Dot would say I overshare) and I often feel l have made a friend in a very short time. Appearances don't matter, just words and actions do. And I think, even from a distance, you get a sense of who is ok and who isn't. And that applies to places too. It is so much about living in the moment and just relaxing with that concept and trusting the world and the people around you. 99.9% of it is good. I think the greatest risk to my safety is the road, and I drive with absolute diligence. That really matters. And James is always harnessed in!
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