We were all up bright and early, with Steve on the stove before 6.30am making porridge for us all. There was a reason for this: we were all looking forward to seeing the Devils Marbles – this was 100km beyond our scheduled finishing point, but if we get in early enough to Tennant Creek we can make it out there before sunset.
Before we left Renner Springs, we met with a teacher from a school we had visited in Geelong two months ago, travelling now in the Northern Territory with her husband.
As we could start running right from our accommodation at Renner Springs, Bayarkhuu set off early while we were still packing up, and had clocked 10km in the morning cool before we caught up with him in the van ...
Today we knew that we were in a new region. After persevering for two days through the uniformity of the flat and dusty planes, the road to Threeways gave us some variety:
... greener and more colourful, with winding and undulating roads.
Even the uphill sections, after the pancake-like flatness of a day before, were a welcome relief.
Running was a delight – partly because of the scenery, and partly because it was a relatively easy day, allowing us to arrive early to Tennant Creek ...
Samalya goes in for the perfunctory runner's stretch ...
... while for Bayarkhuu, stretching is more an all-encompassing state of being ...
The earth gets redder and redder ...
... the vegetation sparser ...
Bayarkhuu and Samalya prefer being out on the road to sitting around in the van, clocking up extra kms just for fun. For this ever-cheerful German and always-positive Mongolian, it is not about the number of kms run, the distance or the time ...
... it is just the sheer joy of it all!
Now let's fly ahead and see what the next boys team is up to, who have started further along the road.
Abhinabha reflects ...
Although the Australian outback is perhaps known for its vast stretches of barren, arid land, once you actually run through it, it becomes apparent that it is just as versatile as any other landscape. The outback is constantly changing! Where yesterday was all desertland with hardly any trees, today the trees returned again in their full glory, and the land seemed greener than before.
Our team had to cover a mere 43km today, but everyone was happy with an easy day of running after yesterday’s ‘killer’ mileage day. Although I planned to do 14km I ended up with only 9 and all the happier for it.
There is something profoundly meditative about running here in the outback. The road stretching on for miles ahead, the ubiquitous nature, the vast blue sky and the bright sun create a very peaceful atmosphere, where worries and anxieties are non-existent and life becomes very simple ...
We happened to meet quite a few fellow travelers along the road. At around 11 a.m. we met Hélène, Thomas and Xavier from France, who were traveling around Australia in their car ...
... unfortunately they made slow progress, as their car suffered from engine problems because of the heat. When we finished our running they were again stranded by the side of the road. But the car problems couldn’t dampen their cheerful spirit.
Later on, Drishalu ran into a couple from Germany, who were cycling from Adelaide to Darwin. They loved riding on this highway, they said. Traffic wasn’t at all as bad as they had been told and they liked the friendly spirit of the people they met along the way. Needless to say we cried ditto to their experience.
As our girls team was on lunch duty today, we had the last section to cover – only 34km today, nice and easy, which is good because tomorrow will be higher kms for all the teams, so everyone was happy with 8km each.
As Roos was out on her first run for the day she met the same two German cyclists who would meet our boys team a little further along the road. She happened to have some information in her pocket about the Peace Run and gave it to them ...
... after a brief chat she was on her way and they continued cycling towards us ...
... they have been cycling from Adelaide up the middle of Australia and hope to reach Darwin (only another 1,000km away) before their tourist visas run out in 4 weeks. They are averaging about 80 – 100km a day ...
... their journey included a 1,000km side trip to Uluru – which they assured us was very well worth it!
Then we took off to catch up to Roos – thinking she would have run over her 4km stint; only to find she had been stopped by a couple of other cyclists and motorists all asking about the Peace Run! With her trusty Peace Run cards in her pockets she was able to stop and chat with them and give them some information. Who would have guessed these cards would come in so handy out on these quiet roads!
Our finish point was at Three Ways, where the Barkly Highway coming from Queensland to the east, connects with the Stuart Highway which runs north-south between Darwin and Adelaide ...
... with the Barkly Highway being our new road and daytime home from tomorrow, it is farewell to the Stuart Highway. Thanks for taking such good care of our runners!
Our camping ground for tonight is just 24km south of here in Tennant Creek, a short drive away ...
There was some excitement, as this is the largest town we have visited since Katherine and the last significant population centre we will visit in the Northern Territory. With a population of 3000, the classic mining town has such luxuries as a café (selling great coffee) and a well-stocked supermarket, where many of the runners loaded up on essentials for the days before we reach the next major town ...
The Tennant Creek Fair (featuring the Peace Run) is tomorrow, so the streets were lined with visitors from towns and communities around the Northern Territory and Queensland. The main street, the shops and the café were somewhat busier than usual.
We pulled into Outback Caravan Park to be greeted by Jan, our host for this evening ...
Jan had already been looking on our site to see where we had been.
She directed us to our camping site for the evening and a place to plug in our campervan ...
... thank you so much for such a beautiful place to stay!
While swimming in the cold-water swimming pool at the caravan park (the perfect balm for weary legs!), Oyungerel met with Beryl, Hayley (Beryl's mum) and Lucy (her friend), who were very happy to play their part in the Peace Run!
After checking in and setting up our tents in Tennant Creek, 10 members of our team hopped in the van for a special side trip to a rock formation called ‘The Devils Marbles’, 100km from Tennant Creek ...
We arrived in the late afternoon and were immediately stunned by the beautiful huge boulders that lay scattered across a vast expanse of land, often in the most bizarre formations.
At the information point we learned that these boulders are the leftovers from a huge granite formation that was formed some 17 million years ago ...
... you could definitely feel the ancient vibe coming from the stones. It was as if time stood still.
We learned that the strange formations were caused by a geological process called ‘weathering’, whereby rainwater seeps into small cracks in the rocks, causing them to break down and sometimes split in half.
Next to the scientific explanation the information board also explained the Aboriginal People's point of view, which I actually found more interesting ...
Australia’s original inhabitants called the Devils Marbles ‘Karlu Karlu’ – meaning ‘round stones’ – and to them it was a very sacred site where they performed sacred ceremonies.
The Aboriginal People believe that there are people living in caves under the huge rocks ...
One traditional owner claimed he had seen one as a child when he was collecting water there and that this person played with him ...
It was considered dangerous because although the cave people were kind, they could make you ‘mad’ and keep you with them. It had happened to one of his cousins, the Aboriginal person said, who had disappeared there.
... fortunately we didn’t encounter any of the cave people.
We stayed until the sunset, meandering and climbing the huge slabs of stone ...
... quietly sitting down to absorb the peace of the surrounding nature ...
... or tuning in to nature’s more dynamic side ...
We also met some kind-hearted folks, who saw our T-shirts and asked about the Peace Run. This is Ion with Christine, Brooke and Erin, who also happen to be staying at our caravan park tonight in Tennant Creek, where they had already met Oyungerel and heard many stories from her about our adventures.
And wouldn’t you know it, we bumped into Liam, Alex and Rory again!
We first met these three lovely kids in Melbourne in May, when the Peace Run visited their school. Then in June we ran into them again in Broome, Western Australia, where they were on a holiday. And today our paths crossed for the third time, here at the Devils Marbles! A truly cosmic coincidence ...
Naturally the Peace Torch also made its acquaintance with the Devils Marbles.
Being surrounded by all that pure, unspoiled nature really got me reconnected with nature’s peace and energy. I loved every minute of it! It inspired me to poetry and I collected my notebook to scribble down a few lines that came to me during my meditation. I’d like to share them with you ...
MARBLES DIVINE
Ancient stones,
slabs of granite rock.
Your massive bodies reverberate
The earth’s hum.
You are singing,
but we hear not your songs.
The days of the old ceremonies are gone
and no more will they return.
The sun sets on the vast plain.
Soon the stars will dance in your sky-halls.
In that hallowed night new songs are born,
earth’s awakening to heaven-light.
When the waters of peace inundate the globe
you will sing those new songs.
– Abhinabha Tangerman (Holland)
The sunset provided a magical glow to the whole setting, painting the sky in the most amazing colours.
