Day 10 Mystery Box Rally Stage 4 - Arkaroola to Silverton 23 October 2018

A cool breeze took the heat sting out of the air at around 2am. There were still pockets of laughter and drinking around the campsite, some hardy souls partying on into the hot night. Triage and air supply had been like a Faustian drama - heat, sparks, theatre - just amazing.

Briefing exposed another birthday, a team that didn’t sign in (very poor form) and the destination for tonight - Silverton, Mad Max country and back in NSW just north of Broken Hill.

Buddy Group 14 was not first out this morning. In fact, they were nearly last. That was fine, they passed five groups already broken down on the track out of Arkaroola. Once on the track to Yunta on the Barrier Highway, Buddy Group 14 made good time passing even more groups. A call out from Good, the Bad and the Ugly stopped the team suddenly. A flat tyre? Actually no, just more of the exhaust parting company with the car. Team Digger Boys did some running repairs to their exhaust with a long string of cable ties and a coat hanger. Here’s hoping it stays on!

There followed a clear run all the way to a windmill about 60km out of Yunta, a perfect spot for lunch. Back on the road and back in the traffic for a few kilometres, then the teams in front seemed to all break down letting Buddy Group 14 sail on through. Another three teams had stopped to check out some ruins - the team was clearly in front until Henry decided to drop the awning off the side of the car a mere 2km from Yunta. It got chucked in the back of Das Po Po but too late, Buddy Group 6 passed on by.

Fuel stop at Yunta and pump up the tyres, then back on the road - bitumen all the way to Broken Hill. A couple of massive wind turbine towers on the back of trucks had left Yunta not long before, Buddy Group 14 soon caught up and slotted in behind the monsters. No chance of getting past with a police escort, and anyway they take up both lanes all on their own. The break down genie was flying in front of Buddy Group 14, within 5km one of the trucks announced they had a flat tyre and the whole convoy pulled off the road. Not good for the poor truckie that had to change a tyre in the heat and flies, but great for us!

The 200km to Broken Hill just flew by, the only blip a wobbly front tyre on Team Digger Boys that didn’t merit too much hassle. Fuel in Broken Hill, out through Silverton and a trip out to Mundi Mundi Lookout, famed for its role in the Mad Max movie, then back to Silverton for sign in and camp.