Destroying the canning

Gidday shaker

No one ever has trouble finding the CSR tracks. Sometimes there are four or five of them!

Cheers

Yes, having done it I know, as has the Gunbarrel & almost any other badly corrugated track that you care to mention. The same applies to the High Country!

Bob. Not at all. By the time the first group went through. The second were 8 wells behind. Dont think the wind was blowing strong enough to repair that time frame. Ive seen it in PNG. East timor and the Solomons. Ive been doing this for 30 years and it was the worst spring smappers ive seen.

The funny thing is that the bloke waiting for the shocks would probably say what a great time he had...."the Canning was tough, it beat the crap out of me, but I overcame it. Can't wait to go back". Maybe the real measure of a challenge is whether a bunch of indigenous locals sail past him in a Falcon? :-)

Made me chuckle, and a good point to boot!

Well said Alan.

Had to laugh at this one.

Sounds like my missus............as I do all the cooking, she is now being used for what she was intended to be used for.......tongue in cheek people

The bikes should be on your list as long as they carry a gps.............bike without gps'es is very costly as we have all heard.

Just makes me chuckle Pop.

We will be there soon and what do I do if they come up behind me. Stop and suggest that they go around me. Maybe get a puncture. The image is amusing. Anyway, why should I get off the road. They wouldn't for us and I have experienced that before in trying to get around one on the Bungle Bungle road. Maybe what goes around may come around.

Phil

Thanks Andre for your follow up and your reference to my "Good Story" In particular your references such as "Minimal wheel spins" Slightly heavier etc etc. The Canning is a route that is designed for people to enjoy a part of the outback in a manner where their safety and vehicles are not put in jeopardy. It is not a track designed specifically for Die Hard 4WD drivers to challenge themselves over complicated dunes etc such as some of the replies here boast. A lot of the people we met on the track are retirees who simply want to enjoy the beauty of the track rather than engage a challenge that could end their Canning experience.

If your vehicles were only carrying weight "Slightly" heavier than the average camper, then why did they fail their practice attempt at the Canning and had to be rushed back to the manufacturer for urgent repairs to meet their booking requirements. Plenty of people with slightly lighter campers seem to manage with vehicles which are rated much lower than the Benz without difficulty at all. Now this would mean that the vehicle that you pay a couple of hundred thousand dollars each for is an expensive lemon to do the job or your professional drivers cannot get a slightly heavier camper over the dunes. Maybe replace them with some compatible cruisers. After all there is little difference.

I am fully aware of how dunes repair themselves as I have driven them for many years. I am also aware that it does require wind and time to do so. Two things which were not around between your first tour and second tour a few days later, I am also aware on how to set up vehicles with proper weight distribution to enable climbing the dunes without difficulty. Now the video footage and photos I have taken at the numerous attempts at a particular dune (4 attempts with minimal wheel spin of course) Tend to show people bouncing high off their seat and massive scalloping on the dune surface that would greatly affect a smooth climb for any person following. The chances of suspension damage is increased for them which of course destroys their Canning Experience.
Maybe you should get out of your office and do the tour in your four wheeled vehicle which tows that huge trailer and see what the poor driver has to go through to get it over the dunes.

I will send my video and photos to trackcare WA and let them decide what they think.

Is it possible for us to see the videos anywhere?

We are going that way, north to south, shortly and I would like to see them. I am hearing both sides and although we have timed our trip not to coincide with the large group I would like to see any track issues. We are prepared and don't anticipate any issues but . . . .

You don't sound like a bad boy to me, you sound like a bloody cry baby.

Phil

Good idea, send your video to WA Trackcare, you might even succeed in getting the Canning closed!
Did you ever hear the saying " Live, and let live"?

Hi Badboyz,

Firstly I have over 20 years of remote desert travel experience and done the CSR countless times and have seen it all.

You single out Outback Spirit saying that they are ‘damaging the dunes’. There are many people travelling in regular 4wds (some towing campers) with concrete hard tyres that charge the dunes rooster tailing sand and digging holes in an effort to get over them.

I note that Andre said in reply:
‘We also carry all toilet waste off the stock route and donate funds to Trackcare for track maintenance.’ This is more than most people do re the CSR.

Don't single out tour operators - people who can't get to the CSR any other way have a right to see the CSR.

I think its about continuing education of the mindless using these tracks at different times and places. Majority of people are very responsible and we need to be mindful of how we raise and discuss these issues otherwise more tracks will be closed down.
Remember - people living in glass houses throwing stones.

Get out there.