Crossroads

Ok so we finally left Texas after 5 days which again was only a stop for a photo and then move on. Oh and by the way Texas has an internatinal airport. "ONLY IN TEXAS!!!!!!!!"

We proceeded to Goodniwindi pronounced Gundiwindi after the legendary horse” Gunsynd” which did not make much sense to me even though they gave me the comparable word Bundaburg is now Bundy same thing. Well it has nothing to do with that as it is not spelled Boondaburg, it is actually spelled with a “U". Anyway we parked our trailer in a caravan park as there was no free camping areas in Goondiwindi and to the east we had the Newell Highway to the North we had the Leichhardt Highway, and to the west of us was a railway line and some smart alek decided that this was a great spot for a caravan park. Well the industry there is mainly cotton farming, but they also do sorghum, wheat and cattle. They have had a bumper crop this year with all the rain so they are averaging 15000 road trains on those two highways at that junction next to our caravan park every 24 hours. I have never in my life seen so many road trains in such a short period needless to say we did not sleep at all. If it was not the road trains going past it was the railway trains it was a loose loose either way. We did do a cotton tour and we saw 27 black kites on the oval but the best thing about Goondiwindi was the damper. Everynight at the park they served damper and hot tea or coffee, it was the best damper I have ever eaten so all in all it was worth the stop.

Beautiful black Kites

Me checking out my new business venture

Road Trains

And more road trains

And even more

Rod's new hobby

Yip it's really him

Here is the damper recipe for all you wanna be swaggers with your billy and camp ovens give this a try Rod did and it was delicious.

GERRYS FAMOUS DAMPER

3 Cups of flour
1 teaspoon of Salt
2 tbl spoons Marg
1.5 Cups of milk
1 Cup water
Blend in salt with flour, rub in the marg, mix in the milk and water with a spoon (like a cake mix) place in a greased tin. Smooth the top with the back of the spoon damp the top with milk and sprinkle flour over. Cover with foil and bake in a hot oven 180-190 degrees for 1 hour. Then uncover for a further 15 minutes.
Variations:
For fruit damper mix in 2 cups of dried mixed fruit or dates.
For cheese damper mix in 2 cup of 5mm cubed cheese (you can also add sun dried tomatoes and or olives)
For onion and garlic damper add 6-8 cloves of garlic and 2 large onions.
Yummy, enjoy, let me know if it tasted good.

We then came to a crossroads literally a crossroads in fact it is called Moonie Crossroads and it is a Xroad in the middle of bloody nowhere. It is a pub and petrol station with not a single house in sight, but you stand in a queue to get a drink or a coffee and the cb radio is going non stop with all the truckies placing there tucker orders. People come from out of the woodwork to this little spot. It has the most amazing art work and there is a poem that kinda says it all so I will leave it up to the experts then…….

On a lonely Leichhardt highway
Where the moon shines full and bright
There is a pit stop called “the cross roads”
that comes hurtling into sight
where the truckies pause for tucker
and the locals and there likes
saddle up to hear the bull dust
as the Moonie Madness strikes

Men will gather in the bar room
dipping whiskers in there beers
as the women circulate and soon
proceed to bash there ears
while the car lights keep on buzzing
just like moths they flutter in
zapped again by Moonie Madness
as the nights events begin.

When you are struck by Moonie Madness
all your troubles slip away
with that pack of feral grunters
you caught grazing yesterday
where the crops grow big as bean stalks
and the rain pours down in flood
and the madness like a steam train
goes rattling through your blood

You can taste it in your beer there
you can smell it in the dust
all the cattle chew upon it
it is the one thing you can trust
to be waiting at the cross roads
when your horses need a blow
like a pig dog Moonie Madness
gets a grip and won’t let go

It will rise up like a black snake
and bite you on the arse
you’ll be hailing cars to pull in
and cursing those who pass
as they disappear together
with that monster cool (the swine)
that inhabits Moonie waterholes
where madness snaps your line

So climb aboard the bar mates
lets see who who’s riding time
go cross eyed at the cross roads
not to stop would be a crime
lay your swag and boil the billy
rest your sole and park your wheels
and hit the road with Moonie Madness
snapping at your heels….
byMarco Gliori

Sheer Moonie Maddness I say....

As you can imagine a good night was had by all and we did manage to get some sleep….. I did anyway not sure what happened to Rod…… he must have been struck by Moonie Madness.