Day 33 – Alice Springs to Tennet Creek Via Greyhound on to Threeways Roadhouse 25 K

This was a difficult decision. It’s not a turn any of us envisioned our trip would take. When we parted ways with David at the Alice Springs YHA Hostel this morning we were all saddened and sullen at leaving each other. One way or another we wish we had more time, less pains and could continue our adventure together. The sky was dark and overcast reflecting all of our moods. I’m writing as our Greyhound bus is rolling along a remote stretch of the Stuart Highway north of Alice Springs where speed limits do not exist. The terrain is flat much the same as we have experienced south of Alice.

David spent a lot of time alone last evening. He talked with Mary Anne, his son, and daughter. For David, stopping his ride is a big sacrifice. He was going to spend the day looking at his options for heading back toward Port Augusta. David does intend to finish the ride, just not now, and without the unrelenting back pain he has been experiencing for the last weeks. Joe and I know how determined he is.

Greyhound has put us back on the time line we had set for the trip.  We arrived in Tennet Creek at 3:00 PM. The crew was able to place our bikes and bags in the cargo hold without any disassembly. Getting on the road in Tennet Creek was easy and we had a few hours of daylight available. We changed into our riding clothes in the bathroom of the local roadhouse, topped off our water and were on the road quickly. The Threeways roadhouse was only 25 K further north where a highway from the east to Queensland intersects the Stuart Highway. The decision to move on from Tennet Creek was easy as tomorrow will be the longest distance over the next few days. Finally the wind was at our back and we covered the 25 kilometers in under an hour.