Dust nothing but dust up the Cape

Submitted: Saturday, Jul 09, 2011 at 14:50
ThreadID: 87460 Views:2888 Replies:6 FollowUps:3
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We are on our way up the Cape toodling along in ye olde tug lugging a trailervan mobile tent behind. Now at Coen on the river.

The road isn't that crook but north from Musgrave there are some bad patches of corru's....and the dust..it just hangs there. Every night I have to shake the ole airfilter out.

So as i said we are taking it easy but them Victorian Drivers are not. Hellbent to sit on 80/100kmh and over taking in the dust and there is plenty of it. This morning a Triton towing a hired camper nearly took me and the oncoming vehicle out. Also seems that few people are on Channel 40 if they have a radio at all. And not to mention the old campfires with every conceivable piece of rubbish in them. Here at the Coen River someone has thrown a largish filleted fish carcass in the river. There are rubbish bins ten metres away!

We are only doing short days until we get to the tip and will then work our way back over a month or two seeing the sights

Cheers

Spero
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Reply By: Member - Toby R (WA) - Saturday, Jul 09, 2011 at 14:59

Saturday, Jul 09, 2011 at 14:59
I just returned from a 14000k trip to the Cape and had a ball i hope you have a great trip up there mate and a quick tip watch out for Nolans brooke it's claimed a few 4wd's this year.
AnswerID: 459496

Reply By: Member - OnYaBike - Saturday, Jul 09, 2011 at 15:09

Saturday, Jul 09, 2011 at 15:09
Hi Spero, just got back yesterday evening, camped at Charlie's Mine at Coen. Worthwhile for $5 a head donation. I passed the camps on the river Thursday evening but it was filling up already so gave it a miss.
You are right about the dust but it is just a fact of life. At least with modern aircon vehicles the dust stays outside and you arrive fresh and clean.
I mentioned in a previous post that there seemed to be much less traffic than in previous years, and so it was on the return trip too. I think I caught up with only one vehicle on the way home.
Next year I think I will retire so I can make my visits more leisurely, and explore some of the interesting side tracks and stay at some of the inviting looking creeks.
AnswerID: 459498

Reply By: Diesel 'n Dust - Saturday, Jul 09, 2011 at 16:01

Saturday, Jul 09, 2011 at 16:01
I love the dust!!

I'm with ya on stupid drivers and even having spent 6 years in the Pilbara my experience is short! But many will never respect the Bush and it's Folk. It's a shame!

I would love to do the Cape but it's a long way from Perth!!

Take care Serpo

Matthew

Matthew Clements
I just love the Pilbara!
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AnswerID: 459502

Reply By: Patrol22 - Saturday, Jul 09, 2011 at 18:00

Saturday, Jul 09, 2011 at 18:00
SIF 4x4 - you may find that the vast majority of folks travelling up that way are on Channel 10 - which is used by the most 4WD clubs and those travelling on tracks. I tend to have one radio on Channel 10 and my other on scan ....just in case.
AnswerID: 459511

Follow Up By: Tjukayirla Roadhouse - Saturday, Jul 09, 2011 at 20:11

Saturday, Jul 09, 2011 at 20:11
definately should be on 40 for the road. I know some clubs and mags push for ch10 for 4wdérs, but that is just plain confusing. We use 40 here, and personally always use 40 anywhere we go, as that way you usually get advance warning of trucks coming the other way for some distance before you reach them. Not only that, but everyone that works out here uses 40 (shire, trucks, passing workers etc), so will always have it on that channel.
On ch40 you can usually hear plenty of chatter about what is going on, with roadworks, dangers on the road, approaching hazards etc.. yes, it is usually very annoying when you hit the city, but then it doesn't need to be on in the city.
Just my opinion, but i am fairly ANTI all these different "allocated" channels.
Yes, if in a convoy, then pick a different channel, but still have someone scanning 40 as well.
Same with stations we worked, we would use a working channel, but always switch to 40 as soon as we hit the road, as do most others i know.
I'm not quite sure when the trend to have different channels for different class of vehicles started, but for safety, i'll always use 40.

end of rant .. LOL
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FollowupID: 733084

Follow Up By: Crackles - Saturday, Jul 09, 2011 at 21:38

Saturday, Jul 09, 2011 at 21:38
Doesn't matter what channel people travel on as everyone should be driving like no one else is listening. If every car on the Cape was on channel forty, imagine the background noise and people talking over the top of each other. While great in theory, on a busy route like the Cape it would not work in practice. I often travel in a convoy of eight to ten cars and would find it impossible at times to manage the group without clear communication.
Cheers Craig...
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FollowupID: 733091

Follow Up By: Patrol22 - Saturday, Jul 09, 2011 at 22:57

Saturday, Jul 09, 2011 at 22:57
Agree Crackles...I usually start out on 10 with 15 as the standby...and then often have to find another channel in the busy areas. I've certainly found 10 to be the best to monitor in 4WD "tracks" and use another channel for convoy chatter. Like I said earlier in tight areas when oncoming traffic could be a problem I have one radio on permanent scan. That said, there are lots of folks out there who have no radio in their car at all, and for the most part on the highways the caravan community are on 18. There are parts of the country where even the truckies don't operate on 40......can't be sure but I believe that the Pacific Highway Syd to QLD border the truckies use 29 or 19 or something with a 9. Like Tjhukayirla says can get a bit confusing at times but everyone on the same channel......well that simply doesn't work either. With the introduction of the 79 channel set we might get even a little more confused.
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FollowupID: 733098

Reply By: Member - Scott A (NSW) - Sunday, Jul 10, 2011 at 14:06

Sunday, Jul 10, 2011 at 14:06
Interesting reading on the uhf channels, but back to the initial post "Dust, nothing but Dust"

Preparation has started for May next year, straight after the wet - can't wait.

Will continue to read the Cape threads with great interest.
AnswerID: 459576

Reply By: Fatso - Sunday, Jul 10, 2011 at 18:32

Sunday, Jul 10, 2011 at 18:32
I know a couple of blokes that rode push-bikes to the tip for a charity fund raiser as well as the adventure.
They did it when the road was closed because of the wet season.
2 reasons for this were the availability of drinking water & the absence of traffic.
It would have been suicide to do it in the tourist season.
It was rain, slush & mud all the way & what little traffic did come along travelled very slow & was very visible.
AnswerID: 459601

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