Heading Outback in a Week
By Judy Evans
@JudyEv (325793)
Rockingham, Australia
May 26, 2016 7:29am CST
Next week we are going to take our bus, which is now a motor-home, to a station north of Paynes Find in the mid-west region of Western Australia. We will be helping at an endurance ride which is being held there. Horse-riders will ride a distance of anywhere from 20 to 160 kms, depending on which division they enter. The 160 km ride will be held over two days and consist of several loops so that riders return to their camps after each leg.
Paynes Find is about 430 kms (267 miles) north-east of Perth. It is miles from anywhere and the population is listed as 77. We will be another 20 kms north of the town. At Paynes Find itself, there is a roadhouse, a gold battery (which is the only currently operational one in the state) and not much else. It is a former gold rush settlement and the area is renowned for its wildflowers. Unfortunately I think we'll be a bit too early for the best of the flowers.
It will be a great adventure for us as we haven't been that far inland too often. The dirt will be red and towns few and far between. We will probably take two days to get there as it is around 650 kms. We will most likely camp the first night at New Norcia, Australia's only monastic town. The photo is of New Norcia from a previous visit.
And as an advance warning, we will be without the internet for about a week. How will we exist? Your guess is as good as mine but I guess we'll manage. But I'll be around for a few days yet.
28 people like this
27 responses
@JudyEv (325793)
• Rockingham, Australia
29 May 16
@CRK109 I can still remember my early 'googling' attempts. I wanted to write about a particular dog breed and thought I'd have to go the library. But I searched and this great list came up with everything you could ever want to know about the breed! Talk about manna from heaven! 
1 person likes this
@CRK109 (14558)
• United States
28 May 16
@JudyEv There is good and bad to the internet. It's addictive, which is bad. But we have dear friends across the globe thanks to our computers and it's so nice keeping in touch. But I also truly enjoy a little time away from electronics. I find it very peaceful. Of course it's difficult for the generations who never knew life without the internet. I can't imagine how they would ever survive if we suddenly lost our internet connections.
1 person likes this
@annierose (18936)
• Philippines
26 May 16
That is such a beautiful photo. Do you get tired walking around and seeing the touristy places? I guess not. 
2 people like this
@annierose (18936)
• Philippines
28 May 16
@JudyEv It is good you still remember the details. Do you write a journal about your trips?
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325793)
• Rockingham, Australia
28 May 16
@annierose Many of our trips get written up as articles for Bubblews or MyLot and I do take notes as well but not always a journal as such. The photos help bring things back to mind too.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325793)
• Rockingham, Australia
28 May 16
Thank you. I'll tell you all about it when we get home again. I'll put up a few posts before we go away as we're not going till next Wednesday.
@Marilynda1225 (79731)
• United States
26 May 16
Sounds like quite an adventure and hope you have a great time. Can't wait to hear about it when you get back
3 people like this
@JudyEv (325793)
• Rockingham, Australia
28 May 16
Hopefully there will be a post or two in the trip - and no doubt lots of photos. :)
@JudyEv (325793)
• Rockingham, Australia
28 May 16
I used to ride a lot as a child then we had harness ponies once our own children had grown. Our nephew sometimes rides in endurance and we went as volunteers. We quite enjoyed helping and now we go when we can whether our nephew is riding or not.
@suziecat7 (3350)
• Asheville, North Carolina
26 May 16
That sounds like an exciting adventure. Have fun!
2 people like this
@JudyEv (325793)
• Rockingham, Australia
28 May 16
We are looking forward to going. I f the bus runs well we might do some more trips. While it's winter in the south of the state, many retirees (grey nomads we call them) head north to where the weather is normally warmer.
@JudyEv (325793)
• Rockingham, Australia
28 May 16
Thanks. It should be fun. The weather is supposed to be good. They have less rain out there than we have here.
@silvermist (19702)
• India
27 May 16
I am sure it is a nice trip.When you return I am sure you will have plenty of photos of whatever wild flowers there are .Also looking forward to see what those reddish dirt roads look like.Wish you a wonderful trip.
2 people like this
@silvermist (19702)
• India
31 May 16
@JudyEv Thank you.Looking forward to all those photos with your account of the trip on your return.
1 person likes this
@IreneVincent (15962)
• United States
26 May 16
This sounds like a wonderful trip. I hope you will tell us all about it.
On another note: Do you know who I can contact at myLot that can tell me about what to do about someone who is trying to mess with my computer through myLot. I looked all over the site and can not find a contact person
2 people like this
@IreneVincent (15962)
• United States
28 May 16
@JudyEv I did not hear from anyone after sending a message to @mylotbugs So far I have not seen the message again, but I don't know if the problem has been fixed or not.
1 person likes this
@acelawrites (19273)
• Philippines
26 May 16
I guess wonderful time awaits you there! It is such a nice experience because I can picture the beautiful place you are going to visit. Enjoy!
2 people like this
@JudyEv (325793)
• Rockingham, Australia
28 May 16
Hopefully I'll have some nice photos when I get home.
@JudyEv (325793)
• Rockingham, Australia
28 May 16
@precious4011 That will be much appreciated!
1 person likes this
@precious4011 (294)
• Nigeria
28 May 16
@JudyEv don't worry, I will ask the weather to do you that favor,.lol
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325793)
• Rockingham, Australia
29 May 16
I hope so but all the horse ones will be pretty similar. There will be people saying 'if you've seen one horse, you've seen them all'. But there is the gold battery out that way and some really red dirt and perhaps some wildflowers.
But there is the gold battery out that way and some really red dirt and perhaps some wildflowers.1 person likes this
@Jessicalynnt (50525)
• Centralia, Missouri
29 May 16
@JudyEv weather as cold and wet? Wasnt it wet last time?
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325793)
• Rockingham, Australia
29 May 16
@Jessicalynnt Yes it was. This is further north and inland so should be warmer (daytime) and drier. It's supposed to be fine but the nights get very cold as there is usually no cloud cover. I've packed my bedsocks and beanie.
1 person likes this
@JohnRoberts (109857)
• Los Angeles, California
26 May 16
Great looking building. Your adventures sounds so great. Of course, being Australia is exciting to me.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (325793)
• Rockingham, Australia
28 May 16
Spanish Benedictine monks established the town where the photo is taken. A Spanish influence can be seen in all the architecture.
@teamfreak16 (43421)
• Denver, Colorado
26 May 16
Have a safe trip, and hope it's lots of fun.
2 people like this
