The repairs after a hard trip........................

Hi Michael

Upcoming trip:

North up the Stuart Hwy, Anne Beadell track, David Carnegie track, Eagle track, Talawana Track, CSR to Calvert Ranges and back to Georgia Bore, Talawana again, Newman, Nullagine, Carawine Gorge, Punmu, Wapet(Kidson) Road, Great Northern Highway.

Then back to Marble Bar and a few places inland and along the coast I have missed out on in the past.

Will be away 10 weeks or so. SWMBO say she has to be home by end August.

This will probably be my last BIG trip. But next year I do hope to avoid the winter all together and go somewhere for 5 months( 1 May to 30 September) where the temperature is more amenable.

Cheers

Sounds great, I'm even more envious now!! Michael

You comen up for a visit next year Willem . LOL

Nick

I think that K is going to be the right place for me. Might even pick up a lazy job there to supplement the pension...lol

Willem,

Enjoy those corrugations on the Anne Beadell uptill Emu, don't envy you that. Pilbara sounds fun, we missed out this year because of an expensive fuel pump repair. We had to go back to work at Mt Dare to earn $.

Regards
Ian at Mt Dare

Hello Ian and Pat - just to hijack Willem's thread. Just wanted to tell you that we miss you and lots and lots of people who normally visit that other place ask where you are and why aren't you at work. Other people no longer work there either.
Hello Willem - you have been busy. You mustn't keep talking about it being your last big trip like that, it's not good for you. Just think on this trip you'll have Judith along for company (and to do the hard work for you. ha ha ha - rolling on floor - and not at the thought that Judith doesn't work hard, far from it - it's the thought of you allowing your precious flower to do anything other than rest and relax under the trees with paintbrush in hand). Don't mind me - I feel good this morning, must be the cold chilly desert air. Have other news for you as well, next week.
Weather is really nice - been very chillybong though.
Ian - some nice fish coming out of Jardines at the moment. We went fishing Friday night - had the world's warmest campfire - big pot of pumpkin soup, very large boiler of lamb chop stew (with everything I could find in the pantry) and then, after some fish were caught, we made pancakes with maple syrup and fresh cream. Boys went down yesterday afternoon for a couple of hours only to find some "tourists" had stolen the rest of our wood pile and carted it all the way back to their camp up the other side of the windmill!! Nothing's sacred anymore - least of all the fish hole!!!!!

Ruth

Yep, this trip is supposed to be a slow one. Paint brush in hand....we even have a screen tent now.....and DVD player to watch painting lessons by.....good grief!!!

Unless I sell the house(I can see Jude glaring at me), funding for Big Trips comes to an end in 2006. But, apart from Cape York and Tassie, I have been to so many places over the years. A number of short trips are envisaged especially to the High Country in Vic/NSW and further north along the Great Divide

Bloody tourists stealing the wood pile. How about a star picket with a notice on it such as...........................lol

Ian

I was at Mt Dare just a couple of weeks ago.

Yep I heard the corrugations were bad along the AB but not sure if they can beat those on the Talawana or the Gunbarrel for that matter :-) Anyway it is the route we have to take to get to the other places of interest.

Cheers

Hey Willem you ever thought of doing a sort of tagalong thing? I reckon it would be something to behold.

Willem,

The Anne Beadell had nasty little 100mm high corrugations just like railway line (felt about the same) every foot for about 300kms up to Emu and, with the track being the same width of the vehicle, no way of avoiding them. Great trip just the same.
The Gunbarrel was rough, washed out and a different experience entirely and since last year graded from 180km east of Carneige Station.

Yet to do the Talawana!!

have a great trip.
Regards
Ian at Mt Dare

Bonz

It has crossed my mind. How about XTREME TREKS.........here you can break your vehicle without even trying!!!!

Way back, starting in the late 70's I owned a compnay by the name of Adventure Unlimited. I ran tours into Kakadu and the Alligator Rivers area. Did this for 3 years and got sick of it. I have been into Jim Jim Falls and Twin Falls 120 times. Enough.........

LOL

Richard

Mudflaps, flares and electrics give me the bleeps

I now think that I should go and buy another G60 Patrol, HJ Troopy or FJ55 LC after this trip....lol

Bob,

It has taken 40 years of doing this camping thing to finally get it right...lol

And I can still see out the back via the rear view mirror :-)

I have just updated my profile. Took some out and added some more...lol

Steve

Yeah, we will be somewhere near the CSR...lol

My roofrack was a 3/4 or 2metres in elngth with 3 legs each side welded on to a gutter mount.

You weight will be around 100 to 120kgs up top. Most roofracks are stated to carry up to 160kgs. I only bought the roodrack to cart stuff around town etc and never intended carrying too much stuff on trips. It has come in handy on trips but the extra weight and the wind drag factor counts against it. I will repair it and sell it.

Cheers

I did hear of a Paj I think it was that had a wobbly top as the weights had been too much and the fatigue hd taken it.

Hello JR - need to talk later in the week - will you be around or swanning in big smoke?

Hi Ruthie, some of the time I will be swanning as you put it. Best Wednesday or Thursday unless you want to call while I am in the car hands free.