In case anyone out there is feeling sorry for me in that I am quite literally left holding the baby while Tom and Scott head off on a Big Adventure, I feel it’s only fair to say: I did sign up for it. The Canning Stock Route ride has been in the pipeline for several years now, Bryn for less than one year.  There was prolonged discussion when we found out about him, with the upshot that I think I more or less egged them on to going anyway.  One word from me at any stage: please don’t go (ok technically that’s four words) and I like to think the trip would be off.

It was suggested they could postpone the CSR til next year but I’ve got a gut feeling that 5 weeks alone with a 3 month old will be easier than 5 weeks alone with a 15 month old.  At this age, he stays where he’s put, and (sorry, guys) won’t miss daddy too much.  This won’t be the case next year.  So then what, do we wait til he’s old enough to do it with us?  That could be, what, 16 years, if he even turns out to be that kind of teenager?

I did offer to drive the CSR as support vehicle but the boys are (understandably) keen to do it unsupported and in any case I’m not sure our car, a 4WD but with relatively low clearance and 200,000km on the clock, is up for the job.  So instead I am merely dropping the boys off in Wiluna and picking them up in Billiluna a month or so later.  I’ll be keeping an eye on their location via the “spot” to time my arrival to more or less coincide with theirs.

I don’t see much point going all the way back to Perth in between.  Another thing that Tom knows well, that may be less obvious to the casual observer: Sarah on the road, camping out in the bush, is Sarah happy.  My plan is to go the long way round, some 3,000km via Karijini, Port Hedland, Broome, Derby, Gibb River Road, Kununurra, and Hall’s Creek.

These days, a long car ride has much less appeal than it used to. I would so much rather be travelling by foot or bicycle.  However I’m trying to get over the feeling that my adventure is a bit lame and tame compared to the boys’, and just enjoy being out here in our beautiful wild country with my son.  I’ll keep in touch when I can and even attempt to remember to pull the camera out now and then!