Day 14 Eucla to Bush Camp 115 kms

I woke early to visit the toilet only to find a thick sea mist shrouding the camp site. Walking to the toilet I noticed a thick BLACK light coming off from the back of the toilet block. I couldn't work out what was happening at first and it all looked very eerie.
When I returned to the truck I decided to take a photo of the black light to see what could possibly be causing it. After we packed up this morning I went for a walk around the back of the toilet block and found the travelers cross with 2 spotlights aimed at it. This I presume was the cause for the eerie light.
When we loaded up today, after Collis went around and picked up the bags for those in the luxury apartments and then came back for us 'plebs' belongings, he checked the speedo and it was sitting at 666. This was all looking a bit ominous for the day ahead.
Collis had asked everyone to meet at the border crossing for a photo opportunity. When we arrived they had been there for a half hour eating breakfasts and doing some shopping. Everyone was here except for John who was last seen eating breakfast at Eucla. They decided not to wait any longer for John before they took their photos but we were now missing Jim.
He had been on the phone when we all piled out for the photo and when Collis went back to get him he had disappeared. So the group photo is now missing John and Jim.
Back on the road again and still no sight of John. We stop at 50 kms for a morning tea/lunch break, as it is already nearly 12 o'clock as we have gone back to Adelaide time. We catch Jim who is leading the bunch. The break is near the beginning of the cliffs and most ride out to have a look. Ben says he saw whales and apparently there are up to 52 whales with babies out there at the moment.
Originally we were going to ride 130 kms for the bush camp but the riders have requested to stop around 110 kms due to the possibility of head winds. No real head winds eventuated but mostly side winds after our break. This decision was made last night at the briefing. At lunch Collis tried to stop a few drivers going our way to see if anyone had seen John (was he behind us or in front). Only one driver would stop and he was very suspicious of us. He said he had not seen anyone riding. So we took off again leaving Annie still hanging around the lunch break spot on her own, she didn't seem in a hurry to get back on the bike. Well, we found out later that she started riding when this car passed her and then pulled over further down the highway and the male driver hopped out of the car standing there just watching her come towards him. She was very aware that she was out there on her own and was feeling quite vulnerable so she slowed right down. In the distance she spotted a bike rider coming back in the other direction and thought she would stop this rider and ask for assistance. The rider turned out to be our Peter who had spotted this guy in his mirror and knew Annie was back there alone so went back to check on her. The two rode on together and there were no incidents but Peter is now our local hero.
Seeing John did not seem to be behind us he must have slipped past us at Border Village and is in front of us. So Collis and I race down the highway and drive 130 kms but there is still no sign of him. If he is further ahead then he must have been flying along today. We decide to go back to the 110 km mark, set up camp, unload and then if John doesn't arrive we would have to drive back to Eucla to find him. Once the camp was set up Collis started stopping drivers coming in both directions and one guy had spotted a rider, of John's description, about 30 kms from Nullarbor. We pull out the satellite phone and ring John but his phone is turned off so we then rang Nullarbor Roadhouse who confirm a John Tracey had arrived and booked a motel room. At least we now knew he was safe.
I continued with the meal preparation but everyone was upset that John had decided to take this course of action and not let any of us know.
We had all been very concerned about his whereabouts as this was very unlike John who is usually very responsible. I reminded Collis that the sooner we write up a code of conduct the better for all future rides.
It is Lorraine's birthday today also and she wore her birthday girl badge all day. Anyway I asked Collis to have an early briefing today so that we could present Lorraine with her little present from all of us as she had run out of red wine and this was part of the present. Dinner tonight was Chickpea curry followed by fruit damper. The curry was a huge success but the damper (was all eaten) was a huge disappointment that it was not totally cooked but everyone seemed to enjoy it. Nothing compared to the dampers prepared by Fliss and Jacquei on the other rides. Oh well, it all filled the spot.
Richard surprised us all with his story telling about a couple of Irish brothers and their escapades in outback Australia. It was very funny and entertaining. We all want a new story before the ride is completed. Everyone was in bed by 9.30 pm, spread out across the camping area but still we were pretty close to the road and the trucks were constant most of the night.
Around midnight I was woken by Collis turning on his torch and yelling "There is someone out there!" I turn over to look at him and he is half out of the truck without any clothes on. I tell him to put something on but he just keeps heading out. I hear him run twice around the truck and the campsite with his scuffs on and then he relieves himself before sheepishly climbing back into bed stating, "It's pretty cold out there". I ask for an explanation and he had heard a car pull up and then thought he heard footsteps around the truck but it must have been his imagination. Eventually we go back to sleep when at 3.30 am I hear what sounds like footsteps and sounds like someone trying to get into the van but Collis is also awake and said it was the same sound he heard earlier and it might be the trees. Funny sounding trees so I open the zipper and shine the torch around but find nothing. No way was I going out there on my own. Anyway, we now have our Nullarbor nymph but ours is male.