Student Blog 27 Oct

27/10/09 Student Blawg

Today was the team's third day on the road. We left Renner Springs at about 8:25 am with the solar car in the trailer. The solar car stayed in its trailer for most of this long stage due to setbacks caused by a dust storm and empty batteries.

There were a lot of interesting landmarks in today's drive, including the Devils Marbles (an interesting rock formation) and Wycliffe Well, apparently visited by aliens. The town seemed obsessed, with extra terrestrial paraphernalia strewn around the caravan park. At the Barrow Creek pub, we saw the local's and visitor's custom of writing messages on money and then sticking them to the wall.

We took the car out of the trailer at 65 kilometres from Alice Springs and drove the rest of the way up and down undulating hills. We reached the highest point of the whole trip (730 metres above sea level) and after navigating through a ridiculously complicated leg through Alice Springs, we reached today's control point, the Crowne Plaza. The support vehicles split into two teams; one stayed and recharged the batteries and the other went shopping, while the bus came to Macdonnell range caravan park and set up "camp" (dorms tonight, but we need to remember that it's all thanks to the people that set up Beattie and Morgan's tent the previous night *wink, wink* Jeandre', Ellie and Roxanne). To the delight of some of the team members, there is an abnormally large jumping castle, as well as a pool table for the less energetic types.

Tomorrow we will continue south towards Coober Pedy. We hope to reach it by 10 am on Thursday. 687 kilometres in 11 hours can't be that hard, can it?

Love,
- The Team