Mackay and Barcaldine
 

17 May. We got a phone call from Luke that another little Schimmel entered the world. Too late to leave today but the bus got loaded up and we left early Saturday morning for Mackay. Arrived in Mackay in the afternoon and to the Mater hospital. Baby fast asleep. Nikaela in good spirit.  The delivery went smooth. No name yet for the baby. We spend the night at Luke and Nikaela's place. Back to the hospital next day. Still no name. Spend an hour there before hitting the road towards Barcaldine and the Guinness book of record attempt at the longest line of LED  lights and most RVs in line. Next day an email they decided on a name Flynn Axton Schimmel.
 
       
                      Susan - Flynn                                                     Nikaela - Flynn                                                                Flynn - Jed
 
First night on the road a rest stop near Moranbah. 19 May Travelled via Clermont, Alpha to Barcaldine. Monday time to explore Barcaldine get fuel and supplies. We had to drive another 120 KM to Longreach and catch up with other Townsville members of the motorhome club. The campsite is 15 KM outside Longreach but we met most of them in Longreach. After lunch to the campsite. You surely know you are in the country. Millions of flies especially after all the rain they had. At night everyone around the campfire. We stayed here two nights and drove the way we came back to Barcaldine. 22 May. Back in Barcy. We paid for camping at the showground but went to the rest area just out of town where we staid before. Only this time there were  twelve  of us. Two days here to get organised for the longest line of LED's and most RV's in a line. The record for the LED's is in China and RV's in Italy. 25th Early rise to get all the members of our chapter together.  It took a while to get organised but finally midday we were all lined up on the roadside. A lot of dead timber around for firewood but also a lot of flies. A net over the head was compulsory. During the afternoon we rolled out our string of LED's when the officials came around to connect them all up. When it is for the world book of records everything has to be done very officially. No photo's of it because they would not have turned out. Happy hour was not just for us. The flies came around by the thousands. Lucky as soon as the sun goes down they disappear.
 
   
 
                             Poster                                                                                  Happy hour
 
26Th May. Everyone exited about how this is going to pan out. Everyone was ready to start driving by 9AM as was forecast but there always is a hold up. Did not start to drive till nearly 10AM. The whole line was over 9KM. To beat the record everyone has to be moving without stopping over a 3KM stretch. You would thing that when the first car drives at 10KM it would be easy to follow. But at some points it was 4KM and other 30KM. and you had to drive close to the car in front of you. We don't know the official results but it looks like we did it. 900 RV's and 6.3KM of LED's. 
View video here     https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YeNc_qQR7ig   or:   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VolbedZrWiM    
After this back to the rest area in Barky where we camped before for the last night. 27th And after getting organised with raffle tickets and a coffee in town on the road to lake Dunn. There is 330 KM from Barcaldine to Torrents Creek. Only one small town (Aramac) or a 120 KM detour to Dunn lake. The country is flat and there are massive cattle and sheep farms. We did the Dunn Lake detour for one night only. The rest of the group stayed for two nights but Susan wanted to be home for her birthday. After all the rain the lake was full and muddy. The road to it was interesting as a local artist had made statues from discarded metal and were displayed every ten KM.
 

   

 
                Fly damper                                                                                                   Statues Lake Dunn
 
After Lake Dunn 330 KM to Torrents Creek. The road varied from good to very narrow bitumen. The last 30KM slightly corrugated unsealed. On one occasion we met a cattle truck which sprayed the bys with cow dung. On the unsealed road the oven fell out smashing the handle. When we arrived in Torrents Creek it did not look to inviting and drove another 50KM to Pentlant. Free camping behind the hotel and a nice beer and meal in the pub for our last night.  Next morning 200 KM and back home.

Statistics.
Days away: 12 Days                    KM driven:  2045                                     Fuel used:   280 L