Today marked our last morning in Cleaverville, and it seems Mother Nature knew we were leaving. After weeks of perfect Pilbara weather, she shed a tear for us overnight – though in typical dramatic fashion, she followed it up with one of the most spectacular farewells we could have asked for.
I'm glad we'd packed everything away yesterday evening, because waking to wet canvas and damp gear is nobody's idea of a good start to a travel day. But that sunrise rainbow – actually a double rainbow arcing over our dusty coastal camp – well, that made up for the damp ground beneath our feet. Lisa reckoned it was Mother Nature's way of saying "here's what you're missing" as we prepared to leave the Pilbara behind for this trip.</p>
The 26-kilometre drive out to the main road was a different beast this morning. What had been a dusty, corrugated track for weeks was now a muddy, slippery adventure. The Ram wore it like a badge of honour – absolutely caked in that distinctive red-orange Pilbara clay. We're going to need to find a car wash in the next few days, though part of me likes the visual reminder of where we've been.
By the time we reached the water fill point back in town, the school holidays were well and truly over. What a difference that makes. The access was so much better without the holiday crowds – we could actually manoeuvre the big Whitehaven into position without performing a seventeen-point turn.
There's always something bittersweet about leaving a place that's treated you so well. The Pilbara has been spectacular this trip – the weather, the fishing, the sunrises, and that incredible sense of remoteness you just can't find anywhere else. But that's the beauty of this lifestyle – we're not saying goodbye forever, just see you next time.</p>
Now we're pointed south, the Ram and van both wearing their outback dust with pride, ready for whatever comes next on this endless Australian road.