Last Updated on August 3, 2015 by Red Nomad OZ
South Australian traveller ‘Rest’ stops are a perfect amalgam of political correctness, public safety and parsimony. Endless signs lining outback highways encourage drivers to stop, take a break and revive – and to facilitate the traveller take-up rate, rest stops like this one are provided! Just the inducement needed to pull over and break ones journey, don’t you think???
BUT … hunger and fatigue overcame our reluctance at this rest stop just north of Coober Pedy, and we pulled in for lunch…
… and a short while later, this road train emeged from a cloud of dust to park alongside us – and inadvertently provide this great outback shot!! And far better to meet it here than on a one-lane bitumen road with knee-deep bulldust on each side and outback protocol (and safety) dictating we pull over to let it past …
By Australian standards, this is a pretty big rig. But not the biggest by a long way! The current world road train record was set in 2006, when a Mack Truck towed 112 semitrailers – a total length of over 1,474 metres (4,836 feet) – for 100 metres (328 feet) in Clifton, Queensland!
As it turned out, we’re parked in a truckies rest stop – although it wasn’t marked as such on our map. Now, I’m sure you’ll agree that with enticements like these, truckies will be begging to take more regular breaks – and our outback roads will be so much safer!!
@RJ Fry – thanx so much! Maybe it proves yet again that the best shots are unrehearsed and unplanned!
That really is a fantastic outback snapshot!
It’s what comes to mind when I think of the great outdoors, dusty orange landscape and road-trains.
@Rachel – stop, I’m blushing!! But it’s actually my favourite outback shot as it epitomises the essence of the outback! Come back any time!!
That is an amazing shot! I love the redness of the outback — and the contrast with the row of those semis!
@Facing50 – Yeah, I guess the sun isn’t as much fun without the space/adventure! Thanx for dropping by!
@Kathy – well, that’s a great reason to come visit!! What an excellent tourist attraction!
@Manzanita – I SO admire the dedication to commit to the A-Z thing! I don’t find them boring – especially when they teach me about stuff I don’t know!! Thanx for dropping in!
Thought you were still on hiatus. Thanks for stopping today. Thank you for peeking in from time to time. I appreciate it and I know dancing isn’t your interest but just stop and say “Hi” once in a while….. this A-Z thing will be over in 10 days. Of course I could talk dancing forever but I know it’s boring if it’s not your cup of tea.
I love these truck stops. I need them. Falling asleep has never presented a problem for me….. When the warm sun is shining on my steering wheel, I want to sleep. I try everything to keep awake but I just have to stop and walk around. Sounds like “hunger and fatigue” got to you too.
Until later….
The bus on my site is one that takes the cruise shop passengers around the city to see the sights. This stop is a hill high above the downtown and the harbour. I think the bus is pretty cool, too.
Thanks for visiting my site. 🙂
Kathy at Oak Lawn Images
Now, I may have the sun at the moment but you have the space and adventure! See, I’m still dropping by. I apparently still require my OZ fix. Congrats on the guest post too below. Just been reading that. Bril!
Carol
@Sailor – whoops, sorry, knew I’d left someone out! Our refreshments were what we’d brought with us – no shops out there!!
@no-one – You could be on to something there, my friend! BUT … toilets/seats/shade are a common feature of many interstate rest stops! Just sayin’ …
@Mrs Tuna – maybe you’re meant to bring your own loo!! HHHMMMmmm… never thought of that!
@Stuart – HHHMMMmmm… never thought of that either!! Although the presence of the truckie might have put me off my game …
@Windsmoke – there IS a bin! Look carefully between the car and the truck!!
@Ann O’Dyne – I get your rage, my friend. But hate to point out this is a fuel tanker …
And the Canning Stock Route will have to wait for a rig upgrade – ours is sadly inadequate for those conditions!
@Alessandra AND River – sorry, both wrong! Both us and the road train are parked IN the rest area!! Yes, that’s it!! Bin is between vehicles – and composting toilets are now a feature of almost EVERY other interstate rest stop I’ve ever visited! Go figure …
@Alessandra; that long stretch of red dust is the road.
I’m betting no toilet was put there because some idiot said “but how will people flush it?”
Probably didn’t even think of a long drop dunny such as is found on many outback stations. But a shade area of some sort would have been nice, even a half shed with a bench seat.
Those long straight stretches of red dust road can be pretty hypnotic, all the signs pointing out rest stops are absolutely essential.
The incredible thing is not that I cannot see the rest area, but I cannot even see a road!
but there was a pergola, and amenities, and trees … till a stonking great fully loaded roadtrain flattened it all and it blew away.
and this vegetarian aint following no links to no roadtrains. how do they unload those poor beasts? they have to JUMP OFF.
Try driving The Canning Stock Route.
X X X
Looks like the workers went walkabout and forgot to install the loo, bin or even some shelter :-).
Maybe the bin doubled as a loo…Outback practicality!
Looks like you had a long journey through the deserts and finally got some refreshments. Oh yes, these road trains look huge! Cruise Picture
That is ridiculously long. And are we back to potty breaks again?
Heh. I like to think they had plans for a toilet block and possibly a lovely pergola, but after putting in the bin, in true Aussie fashion they decided “she’ll be right like this” went for a smoke and never came back.