Carry on up the Kidson

Have a great trip Vivien. Am sure you will of course.

Can't help with the Gary Junction Road though. Did hear from Willie, that they were about five days apart for the possible meeting point, I reckon that no one would wait that long, Footy, Willie or anyone else for that matter. Was bad luck it didn't work out.

Hello John,

It's funny how you spend months planning a trip and think that the time to leave will never get here. Now, it's down to the last bits and pieces of packing and organising things at home like dogs, horses, mail etc etc oh, and of course the dreaded bills that don't stop coming.

Six weeks away is going to be so good!! Can't wait to get out on the track but am psyching myself up for corrugations etc. You sort of forget what they're like in between visits!! Still, just being out travelling is worth it anytime.

Was bad luck the meeting in the desert didn't happen for Footy and Willem. We're hoping to catch up with Laura B around the Kings Canyon area on the way home, so hope that works.

Best wishes

Viv

Forgot to mention, drove around 1/2 the Kidson at night, due to a combination of circumstances including possible heavy rain.
Normally I dont drive in the bush at night, you hit something or get lost. But with moving maps and a top speed of 40K/h we were OK...except for some
blasted camels that almost cost us dinner at Sandfire.

Thanks Footloose,

Wasn't sure how long it would take...so that gives an idea. Hope the camels are still around..not on the road though!

So nice of you to help with the hand cream...chivalry is not dead, it's alive and kicking in the Gibson Desert!!

Look forward to reading your trip report when you get it done.

All the best

Viv

Viv, you can get fuel at Kintore, just down trhe track from the tower hotel. Have a peek at Lens old burnt out truck at the next community. Some B% has stolen the Lens plaque at Sandy Blight Junction. Very cold in Alice when we were there, take your winter woolies. No probs with firewood along that track. There's a burnt out 4wd towards Gary junction itself, not sure of its story. Say gooday to the folk at Well 33 for us, they'll certainly remember Dave and I and are nice people.
All in all a good track...in the dry...compared to the Plenty (pretty ordinary).

"Hand cream"??? It begs the question, Why is a bloke carrying hand cream in the Desert???

Ah!!! I know to help out all the wayward damsels a good looking bloke like you comes across in his travels or are you one of those metro sexual type blokes Footy???? :-))

John, metro sexuals ? ME ? I already had the two young ladies seat belted in before Dave realized that left no room for him :))
He suffers from cracked skin (and sense of humour). Hence the exclamation from one lass, "Oh it's got Allo Vera in it !" (whatever that means).
But they did remember him. I mean where else except the Gibson would you find a bloke with Alo Vera to change ya tyre ?

Thanks and we'll say hello at Well 33 for you and Dave. Glad to hear that you two had such a good trip.

Viv

Hi John. Yes, Lens old truck is still being looked after. I was quite impressed, as we arrived there so did other travellers, so its well known and photographed.
Apologies for the lack of HF contact but I was probably out of the car rescueing damsels in distress. Or doing the washing :))

LOL no worries Jim, Damsels take priority over me any day.
You seem to be having a poor run with your winter outback trips.

I got stuck at Warburton Rd House for 2 nights when the rain closed the GCR but still had a ball.

Any pics of Lens truck you could email?

John, I watched the rain come over while sleeping on the ground at Razorblade bore. That's what kinda motivated me to mozy on towards civilization.
Yep, have a couple of pix, but I'm still brain dead as to an email addy for you.
Sorry, its called post trip lack of stress syndrome :))

Email on the way, LOL

Email replied to. Enjoy :))

Hi Willie. I'll probably still be sleeping or lost in the long grass around here.
I've only just stopped singing "the long and winding road". Lousy voice keeps wandering animals at bay...except for camels. Sing it loud enough and the cops at Eucla will pull you over for a random license and sanity check. I'm sure there's a poem in there somewhere...in fact I rekkon I've collected enough material for poems and yarns for a few years :))

One for you Willie. I'm sure you can relate :))

Now Dave was playing with the torch
The GPS was on
"Where are we Dave" I asked again
"and where's that crossroad gone ?"

But Dave's attention wasn't on
Details such as those
Beside the track a monster of
A camel then arose

We chased the camel but
He deviated not
And Dave, its sad to say, well
He nearly lost the plot

"Go on get off the track"
Or similar he spoke
If he'd have had a cattle prod
It would have got a poke

"Just run im over, shoo! Nick off"
He said time and time again.
He checked his watch, and GPS
..............

"The roadhouse's closed at ten !!"

Thanks mate .

No worries....that's exactly what happened if I leave Dave's language out, and don't mention that there were actually 3 camels...they only got off the track about 30K from the main road...we were worried that we might end up herding em into the path of an oncoming semi or worse still, down to 80 mile beach where we planned on staying :))