Deer Park

The first day’s track

We take a short winding road out to Eagle Bluff

On a still day, without waves, you can see two species of shark, rays, all kinds of large fish here. Not today

There’s a type of parrot that breeds on these rocks

A second beach, further down the road

Perfect

Miles to go…

Shell beach

Entirely shells

Then we turn the corner north and headed up the long of hot, straight and dry nothing

Cooling off in the shade

To the town of Cervantes

Where there are cockatoos making an incredible noise in the trees

They watch each other land on small things, bully each other, and perform tricks

Crazy, wonderful birds

More fisherman on the waterfront

The next day’s track, many more miles of hot nothing, there and back

And this is why the great kangaroo hunt has ended. In the last two days we’ve seen a dozen, all road kill. Not the way we wanted our kangaroo relationship to start. I could tell Lucinda was sad too as we rode by them

Vultures or whatever, we don’t know yet, marking the dead

It’s a wasteland but it’s beautiful

Into the shade for a minute or two. Possibly a well-known rest stop tree

Then, after gassing up in the outback village of Gascoyne we head off to the Junction Race Club, in the middle of nowhere, where there’s a big event

The entry

They wrist-band me for $25

We park and go to the spectator building-and-bar. We’re early because we want to check things out before all the people arrive

There are two bookies getting ready, opposite each other

The other

Early arrivers. Always a drag for dinner but fine here

Check out the horse trailers and rigs. Very Australian, very cool

This one doubles as shelter from the sun

Generators, fuel, powering the whole thing

Lots of family shelters for those who came the night before

Then off to see the horses. They’re walking them out here to soak them off from a big central barrel

They’re hot and either comatose or pissy

This pretty pony doesn’t look up to a big race but is being groomed with love. She’s in race number 1 and called Cognac Blue

Back at the bar, a super-cute young Aussie couple

The place starts filling up

Time to read the program, no time for the form. It’s the same format as Hastings Park at home. I hunt for Cognac Blue and bet on her to win. Hideous odds against that happening

Then head over to check out the parade ring, right in front of the jockey’s enclosure

The horses come out to the track, warm up

Go Cognac Blue!

They head off to the start. Lucinda thinks we should be out there with them, beat them in 1st gear, wheelie across the finish line, grab the nearest decent Aussie babe and ride off into the sunset. I agree, I say to her

We wait. The anticipation of they’re off! and the sound of thunder

They ride the back stretch before heading out of the corner. Very few sporting things are as magnificent Lucinda says

And our almost-finish-line photo. But no sign of Cognac Blue. oh well

Time for lunch here because we have to go. We have to be off the road by 5:00 to avoid being hit by a kangaroo, as frequently advised by everyone

Then back across the desert to Cervantes.