[LewisM]

Had to do a rush trip to QLD on Saturday afternoon, to be back in Canberra before Monday work/school... so, trusting in Google maps to find me the best and fastest, off I went...

Told me after Wellington to take the Cobbora road so as to shave 1hr 03min off the trip (I always go Dubbo-Gilgandra-Coonabarabran)... that seemed OK, well cared for country road that becomes a NEW country road after a little ways. Then it tells me to take a detour left to continue onto Cobborra Rd (I guess I was actually on the Cobbora-Dunedoo road previously) instead of going to Dunedoo - apparently 21 minutes longer. Cobbora Rd turns into a small country lane - yeah, not too bad, for now...

Then I see the sign I was dreading, especially considering it was now night - GRAVEL. Still, Googel said I was saving time on my trip instead of the Dubbo route. The gravel starts off well graded, and maintaining 80km/hr at least was OK.

Then the ruts. They start shallow. Then the pointy sharp rocks. It was becoming evident a grader had not been down this track in years. I am down to 40 to avoid the rocks and not shake the snot out of the car. Then the ruts become mini-gullies...I mean easily 8 to 10" deep, and closely spaced. Plus the mini-boulders and more sharp and jagged rocks. And potholes (probably wombat burrows). Now doing 20km/hr....and not a single house light or sign of civilisation (nice sky at least!)

Finally break onto some crappy sealed road and onto Castlereagh Highway. Total time saved? NEGATIVE 8 minutes - yes, it cost me all the time saving PLUS some extra.

Looked in the settings in Google maps and there is NO option (at least on iPoo) to avoid unpaved roads (read - goat tracks).They need to add this!!!

Then of course I had the dreaded Pilliga Nature Reserve between Coonabarabran and Narrabri with it's incumbent road trains and only ONE over-taking lane for 1hr 20 mins, but that is another story...

Oh, and best night skies? Nope, not Coona. Not Coolah. Not Narrabri. The best BY FAR was outside Moree. I was able to watch M42 naked eye, while driving with the sun roof open. No problem seeing it. No problem seeing the LMC with structure detail when taking a wizz...not to mention other deep sky stuff...just eye popping wow sky. Coona was OK, but not as good as the stretch Moree to Goondiwindi.