We're at Camp Beadell in the middle of Central Australia, and we just woke up. In a few minutes, we will continue our journey west. But first, we want to say, "Happy Mother’s Day from the Outback!"

Logbook for May 9th, Day 191
Start: Warburton, Australia
Time: 9:00 a.m.
S: 26* 07.937
E: 126* 34.099
Finish: Camp Beadell, Australia
Time: 6:00 p.m.
S: 25* 33.132
W: 126* 20.040
Mileage: 125
Notes: Welcome to a special Mother’s Day edition of the Drive Around the World Logbook. We drove from our campground at the Warburton Roadhouse along the Great Central Road to where it joins the Gunbarrel Highway. We were surprised to leave the wide, flat, fairly easy-to-travel, fast, red dirt of the Central Road to enter a narrow, rutted, mega-washboarded, rough, treacherous, slow-go track that is the Gunbarrel Highway. I think we were all expecting the sort of conditions we had experienced on the Great Central Road. The Gunbarrel is providing us with a real sense of adventure and excitement, and it makes for some really fun driving, so we’re all quite enjoying ourselves.

Where we are, it is already Mother’s Day, and we have been thinkinga about our moms. By the time this is posted via satellite Internet, it will be the beginning hours of Mother’s Day in the U.S. With that in mind, we are each sending a message to our moms via this logbook. Drive Around the World is blessed with some wonderful moms, and we want them to know how much we love them.

From Todd to mom Karen: Mom, I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for you. I wish you were here. Love, Todd.

From Chanda to mom Brenda: If you were here, you would cook witchity grubs for dinner. J I love you, Mom.

From Colin to mom Jeannie: I wub my mommy.

From Neil to mom Connie: Mama Jamma, I love you, and I appreciate all the support you’ve always given me.

From Nick to mom Bunny: Hi, Mama. You need to go on our next journey. Thanks for teaching me how to be. I’m sending you a big hug from the outback. Love, #5.

From Adam to mom Georgina: Thanks for having me, but just don’t have another.

From Justin to mom Alice: Mom, words cannot express the gratitude I have for all the inspiration and guidance you’ve given me in my life. I hope you have a wonderful Mother’s Day. And know that even when I am at the far corners of the Earth, you are in my thoughts. I love you. Justin.

From Nancy to mom Katie: Mom (MNBH), I wish you were here. Remember all our family excursions to the Grand Canyon, and California, and Maine, and Colorado, and Florida, and that place where you can climb up into the Blackfoot Indian ruins? Remember driving, and stopping to fish for trout, and listening to Willie Nelson, and playing road games? Well, I’ve done all of those things on this trip, just like you and Dad taught me. Guess what? The stars here in Australia are the best I’ve ever seen. I love you to the Southern Cross and back. Love, Nancy (LNBH)

Happy Mother’s Day, moms! Have a great one. With love from the LONGITUDE team.

(N.O.)

Help support our cause: The LONGITUDE Expedition is the longest journey ever attempted with a focus on Parkinson's Disease. The Drive Around the World team aims to raise money for Parkinson’s Disease research by driving four certified pre-owned Land Rover Discoverys around the globe following lines of longitude. Readers are encouraged to pledge small amounts of money per expedition-kilometer via a pledge form that can be found on our Parkinson’s page by clicking here. 100% of donations received go directly to Parkinson's research and all who donate $10 or more will be entered into a raffle to win an expedition-equipped Land Rover Discovery.