To Alice and back
Submitted: Tuesday, Oct 07, 2008 at 10:56
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Willem
I am feeling rather seedy this morning after a 13 hour trip and 1350km (2 drivers) home from the Alice. Judith attended the National Art at the Heart Conference where some 950 delegates got stuck into art issues.
I had some time to catch up with old friends and acquaintances and had a beer with ExplorOz Member Hairy (NT)...he is still as ugly as ever...hahaha. I looked at the new developments around town and had to show my drivers licence so that I could buy some beers. This latest law is to prevent bulk buying of alcohol for resupply to problem drinkers but the local feeling is that it won't work
Alice Springs is still looking very dusty ofter the Big Blow a couple of weeks ago.The Centre and the Territory for that matter, is in a constant state of change.
The temp hit 40 last Friday and I sought refuge in my mates swimmingpool. Now I am dressed for winter again here in the deep south...lol
The new Desert Knowledge Research Centre is up and running and we had a look at the various types of Solar Panels on display. Go visit the site
http://www.desertknowledgecrc.com.au/
The road between
Alice Springs and
Port Augusta is pretty busy these days and there seems little let-up from Road Train traffic, caravans, 4x4's towing boats or campertrailers and cars moving at speed despite the fuel prices. Life goes on regardless. Lowest Unleaded fuel price was $1.49(Woolies Port Aug) and dearest was
Erldunda $1.93.
I liked the 130km/h speed limit in the NT and I wish that other state goverments would lift their max speed limits on outback sealed roads to that maximum speed. Still, at 113 cruising on cruise control the Xtrail returned 11/100 with a strong headwind
Cheers
Reply By: Robin Miller - Tuesday, Oct 07, 2008 at 13:35
Tuesday, Oct 07, 2008 at 13:35
Sounds like a nice safe drive.
Did you Have to show your license because they thought you were under age Willem ?
For such a
young fella 1350km should be an easy trip with only black top tracks to navigate.
I bet you probably didn't even have to drop your tyre pressures.
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Follow Up By: Willem - Tuesday, Oct 07, 2008 at 15:18
Tuesday, Oct 07, 2008 at 15:18
So when did I step on your bunions, old fella?
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Reply By: Hairy (NT) - Tuesday, Oct 07, 2008 at 15:56
Tuesday, Oct 07, 2008 at 15:56
Gday Willem,
It was good to catch up for a beer again and glag to hear you both got home safetly.
Cheers
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: Willem - Tuesday, Oct 07, 2008 at 20:10
Tuesday, Oct 07, 2008 at 20:10
Ta mate
We had a head wind most of the way and the little car got buffeted a tad. We were lucky to see only 2 roos close to home and they stayed stationary as we whizzed past.
Cheers
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Reply By: Member - barry F (NSW) - Tuesday, Oct 07, 2008 at 17:17
Tuesday, Oct 07, 2008 at 17:17
Glad you had a safe trip Willem. Are sure the seediness is from driving or was it helped along a bit by some fire
water. I reckon you would need a bulk buy of some beer with that sort of temp! Cheers
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Follow Up By: Willem - Tuesday, Oct 07, 2008 at 20:08
Tuesday, Oct 07, 2008 at 20:08
G'day Barry
Unfortunately that 'firewater' tale is an Urban Myth :-) Most of the time I give it away. Anyway there is none left in the larder.
The days of overindulgence have long gone...............
Cheers
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Reply By: Member - Oldplodder (QLD) - Tuesday, Oct 07, 2008 at 17:28
Tuesday, Oct 07, 2008 at 17:28
Wish I was on the road again. :o(
Better than being stuck in the office.
Now about feeling seedy.
Know the feeling. Can't seem to do those 1000k plus days too many in a row any more.
The roads are better, the cars are easier to drive.
The only thing that has changed is that we are older.
Reckon the problem increases in inverse proportion to the
grey hairs, the ones that are left anyway. :o)
Gee, like the Lancia, I only had a slightly warmed over cooper S.
But still remember draging off those Lancias and their poor cousins the Fiats. :o) But there was one I couldn't catch on the way back from the
Gold Coast to
Brisbane, before it was all dual carriageway. We did
Southport to Holland
Park in just under 30 mins.
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Follow Up By: Willem - Tuesday, Oct 07, 2008 at 21:04
Tuesday, Oct 07, 2008 at 21:04
John
I was disappointed that I hadn't turned
grey at age 60...lol That was my beard, however. Other hairs are few and far between. This inbalance of greyness has now corrected itself....lol
Yeah the long trips are a tad too tiring and one has to concentrate like mad. But the modern cars are comfy and powerful. Our Xtrail is the early model with the 132kw engine and kicking down to pass a train soon has the speed up around the 150 mark.
I too had a Morris Mini Cooper S Competition Special Edition. T'was 1300cc (1972) and could reach dangerous speeds of 200kmh! It had a hard life being used by all family members over the years and I finally traded it on something obscure. The Lancia came later. It was a fun thing to drive. Maybe when I give this 4x4 thing away I will buy another little speedster :-)
Cheers
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Follow Up By: Michael ( Moss Vale NSW) - Tuesday, Oct 07, 2008 at 22:35
Tuesday, Oct 07, 2008 at 22:35
Gday Willem, You jokinly mention giving the 4x4 thing away !! A customer from SA told me a decade or so ago, before my first Patrol, "Dont ever get a 4x4 if you plan to go back to a
sedan at a later date..", he said, "once you have a 4x4, you will never go back to a car!!". He was fairly accurate in his statement to me.. Michael
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Reply By: Brian (Montrose, Vic.) - Tuesday, Oct 07, 2008 at 21:13
Tuesday, Oct 07, 2008 at 21:13
We just returned from a quick whistle stop tour of the top end ourselves and the father-in-law was most impressed about being ask for his licence in
Katherine, granted the reasoning for doing so is not so good, but the old bugga wouldn't stop talking about it for the next 2 days.
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