Come drive with me…
Ever heard the Emerson Drive song “I love this Road“?
Or Keith Urban‘s “Where the Black Top Ends”?
I adore them both … so here is what I want you to do.
Choose your favourite driving song up here at the top of the post, then let it play as you scroll your way through some of the images shot during my almost 2000km drive last week to Blackall (western Qld) and back. Pretend you are on the road trip with me – keep your coffee close at hand (it’s an early start) and I will try not to talk too much (but I cannot promise that I won’t sing!).
So crank it up, kids!
River coming to life…
Silent except for the tyres on the concrete bridge …
Morning light caressing pasture and mists…
Highlighting rhythmic sweeps of the landscape…
Brightening to share last glimpses of our river and gums…
Hills getting smaller, skies bigger…
Trees change shape ….
…and size…
And roads loooooonger…
Dirt detours with special friends…
Gates across red dirt roads…
Halfway through epic journey – check out sign. Jack Howe a champion shearer after which the blue work singlet is named, the Black Stump mythical map point for people explaining how far outback something might be: ‘Beyond the Black Stump’!
See the whole town map is also included!
Wide, wiiiiiiiiide streets. Space is one thing there is not a shortage of out here…
Fabulous sculpture of Roly Poly grass ball…
Headless horseman? (A local might need to ‘splain this to me!)
Then we are back on the road after this event – to head home. The roads are BIG out here and so is the traffic. 
This was an average truck (with three trailers/dogs) – Aussie highways usually only allowed one trailer.
Let’s go a different road for a while? Off the beaten track maybe?
Already worth it… no traffic!
No-one pointing at the crazy lady…
…taking photos in the middle of the road…
Panorama of that VASTNESS on the i-phone baby… (click on pic to see it properly)
How. Is. That. Sky… *sigh*
*Double sigh*
Funny creek names…
One of VERY many dry creek beds…
Leaves and sky relieving the sepia of the parched landscape…
Ready for some d-d-dirt? A few corrugations to keep you awake…
Dodging the deep red sand and curious cows…
Back on the highway as the sun sets…
I love this road…
♥
Real Bush Babes...
21 Comments
bushboy
I love it BB….you have made the mirror shot yours….I’ll take a drive with you anytime…
little bb
bushboy´s last blog post ..A Small Fire
BB of Oz
LOL – thanks mate!!! You crack me up with the ‘little bb’. Do love me a good mirror shot… you can take them sitting down!
😉
Kelly
You could get an entire calendar (or two!) from the gorgeous photos in this post!
Thanks for taking us along on the journey.
Kelly´s last blog post ..Honey Bun Cake
jeanie
I do hope you were stopped when you got that river one up first – folks, that is one skinny concrete bridge, and its freaky enough driving across it without adding ANY degrees of difficulty!!
Thanks for the drive.
jeanie´s last blog post ..Mexican Rice – Paradise Style
debby
Roadtrip! I love it.
debby´s last blog post ..This and that.
Charlie
My favourite road trip album is “Shell Shocked” by Michelle Shocked!
In particular, “East Texas Red Clay Back Roads” & “Anchored Down In Anchorage”.
Love your photos!!
Mx
Loved the drive! Brings back many memories that used to be the norm closer to home. Thankfully they have been altered with a strip of smoother (and less dusty) black stuff over many years. Perhaps not so photogenic?
A lovely set of very evocative images.
Mxx
BB of Oz
To explain this comment: Mx is my mother. She is now almost a ‘townie’ with no dirt road between her place and town. Stop skiting Mum!!
♥
Fleur McDonald
Wanting to a Road Trip you my friend!
Fleur McDonald´s last blog post ..Bush Tales by Pip Courtney ABC Landline
BB of Oz
Be careful what you wish for Fleur!!
Jayne
Sigh, that was spectacular.
Thank you 🙂
Jayne´s last blog post ..September 17 Events in Oz History on this day
Marion
I really like this post. The pictures and the comments are poetical. Thanks!
Colin Huggins
Well done – an excellent Panorama of the “Outback” for your overseas viewers.
Not real sure if I really enjoyed seeing again the “red dust” roads – dust,dust and more dust from memories of the past.
I hope a local can explain the “headless horseman” statue? Must have some historical significance.
KAddy
always happy to “take a back road” or “the road less travelled”
especially when I head “way out west”
“eating up bitumen” and I don’t mind a little “mud on the tires”….sorry I’ll stop now 😉
One of my favourite posts thus far – just love the “wide open spaces” 😀
Bill
Thanks
Sal
Loved it. Now especially curious about the Fred Rich crossing. I am wondering which Fred Rich it is named after? Shall endeavour to find out… it may just be the husband of a very lovely couple we know from Blackall, maybe?? Loved the post 🙂
BB of Oz
I don’t know… could well be!! Dismal Creek cracked me up. Someone was having a down day when they named that one!
Donna
What a great post. I chose Keith!
Audrey
Sigh! This was lovely, thank you! A road trip in Australia is on the bucket list of this Canadian prairie girl!
Anne
Ah you are making me miss the roads and the wide open spaces, the small towns with wide streets and the wide blue skies contrasting with the green, brown and red of the land. That red bitumen and dirt road looks familiar. Can I ask which roads are they? They look close to where I used to be … mind you all the roads in that area are pretty similar but after some time you can see slight differences. Beautiful photos. What about a bit of James Blundell I love this Road or Alan Jackson Red Dirt Road.
Anne´s last blog post ..Saturday Sunrise
Tracey
Loved the photos. So evocative.