2014 Simpson Desert Meetup Trip Report

[snicko]

BIG RED

You have to be there to understand the feeling you get when you see this sand hill....



Adrenalin................nervousness.............. ..Excitement................anticipation.......... ......fear................overwhelmed............. ...happy................disappointment............ ....ecstatic................the list goes on.

Some of these feelings go through you at some stage. This sand hill sucks you in and if it wants to it spits you out again.

So much happened at the same time that it hard to remember what actually happened and in what order and to who!! If that makes sense? If I have got things wrong people please let me know!

We all lined up. Darren, Steve, Winnie, AB, Rossco, Snicko, Roofy, Kat, Stropp, Nev (in Snickos car! hahaha)
Each vehicle has three strikes then out.



Letting tyres down (Some of us in a bit of a panic!! hahahaha)
I couldnt stand still, or talk (that dose not happen EVER!! hahaha) or know where to point the camera...I was so nervous!!



In the first round Rossco and Stropp got over.
Other randoms were there as well so the second round was mixed in with them.

In the second round Darren, Winnie, AB, Roofy, Steve and Stropp had another go.

Darren made it over..WOO HOO
Winnie made it over..WOO HOO
Every one knows that poor AB was so close but no cigar.
Roofy gave it a really good go.
Steve gave it a really good shot as well.
Stropp had forgotten to put his go pro on so he did it again!! A bit special as he got up twice!! WOO HOO x2 hahahaha

And me...........
1st attempt Well I pushed my little 3L to nearly the redline and got to within a couple of meters.
2nd attempt Had a bit more of an idea of what to do but got to the same spot again with less revs.
3rd attempt With two under the belt felt better but still got to the same spot again.

Thank you Rossco for taking my camera and taking this awesome photo.



Another awesome Rossco photo.



And another awesome Rossco photo.



When Nev had his turn he got to the same spot I had all three times as well.

Big Red was not playing the game for us. It wasn't our time. We both were disappointed we didn't get over but Big Red is not going anywhere!! We could have persevered but it’s a long way home if something goes wrong. Big Red, we will be back................. it’s a promise!! Hahahahahahahhaha





















Just in front of Zac is where the cars come over.



If you over shoot the entry this is the exit!! hahahahaha the other side of Big Red!



Everyone did get up one way or another and we had a group pic taken on the top.
Was an absolutely awesome experience.

Photo bombed by a police car!!

[snicko]

BIG RED done!! (by some people!!)

Now on to Birdsville



Lunch at the bakery....Camel pies all round!!




Booked into the Caravan Park and some did repairs, everyone went and had a shower and others washed clothes that by now were standing up on their own!! Phew. Was free time to do whatever.

The plan was to meet at the Pub for dinner at 6pm but some got there early!! And enjoyed the liquid amber!! hahahahaha







We all had dinner which was nice to all sit around the table together.



Steve had arranged the day before to get a tea towel from Birdsville, and we all signed it and Steve give it to Darren for being our fearless leader. Was such a good way to say thank you to Darren.



Had a really good night.

(Travelled 102km)

[snicko]

SATURDAY 5

We slept in to 7am as we were not leaving until after Lunch.
Went to the Bakery for Breakfast. Yum



Packed up and we rounded up the possie and all reversed our cars in front of the iconic Birdsville Pub!
Awesome site. I think we all puffed out our chests in pride.



The Pub photo bomber!! hahahaha



Just checking to see if the extra fuel tank is still there?? Both AB and Winnie had the bolts on their sub tanks come loose.



Beautiful. Just love the Desert Sturt Pea. Found one growing in the garden outside the Bakery.




Kat, Em and Steve stayed with Roofy and Jane, Rossco and Nicole for a rest day / Repairs. Rossco got his brake line repaired and Roofy got the squeal fixed as well as it was the belt tensioner making all the noise.

Darren, AB, Winnie, Stropp and us left at 1:30 to go to Haddens corner.
The roads were not too bad (compared to what we had been on) and got there about 4:30.pm



















Nev got a great fire going so we all sat around and relaxed.


Travelled 269km

[snicko]

SUNDAY 6

Woke up to the sound of a Dingo. Winnie was lucky to actually see it.
There were plenty of prints of Camels as well.



AB and Darren had a bet on and AB lost so he had to cook waffles for breakfast. I think Darren got ripped off as he got everything ready and AB just put the waffle in the fire!!







Left 9:00am









.........and drove to the Dig Tree where we had lunch.







On to Innamincka. Some bought an icecream or an ice coffee while others supplies. hahhaha



The pub



We also went into the Museum and checked out the History of the area.



Then headed along the Old Strzelecki Track to Camerons Corner.
The track was a lot of woopise doooos up and over, up and over, up and over, up and over..weeeeeee!! arms up..............like a roller coaster hahahaha

All going well until Stropp said he had done a tyre. Yep I think he was right..OMG!! he had not only done a tyre it was totalled!! (Another one of those what if moments!!)





The tyre was changed (A little beyond repairing!!) and we all started to go, when Stropp came over the radio with “the car wont start” !! Really?? What??

AB (secretly glad it wasn't his car being snatched!! hahahaha) with a snatch strap pull started Stropps car.



We got into Cameron's Corner on dark. After discussion (I wanted a shower) we decided to camp there.



Was cold and we didn't have any wood for a fire. Little Zac was looking forward to going home.
Had dinner.





We spoilt ourselves. AB had brought a couple of tins of Golden Syrup pudding and I had brought 3L of custard......hahahaha.........(Never know when you might need custard.) Was yummy. Previous night I had shared little jam tarts with custard and they were yummy as well.



A shower and into bed early. (Not the best day but all part of the experience.)

[snicko]

MONDAY 7

Got up (was very cold) had breakfast.



Morning check during breakfast!!



Darren gave us a demonstration on how to plug a tyre as Stropp had got a puncture coming back from Mt Dare and he went from two spares to one now to none!!



Camerons Corner Store





Then it was time to say goodbye.................. It was a bit emotional as we had all been together for 9 days and had bonded. (Had plenty of time around the camp fires). Shed a tear.

Darren, AB, Winnie and Stropp were on their way to Broken Hill and we went back along the Old Straslecki Track to Farina.

On top of one of the sand hills it had gotten really soft. Kat, Steve, Roofy, Rossco and Nicole were a day behind us and Kat said that when they came through there was a camper trailer totally written off on the top of this sand hill!!







Darren....Darren.... where are you?? We need you to tell us where to go!! hahahahaha



Nev wanted to do a track he had done 10 years earlier but the track had not been maintained.
Took us an hour and a half to do 40km then half an hour to do the other 40km!!



Therefore we got to Farina on dusk.

TUESDAY 8
Had a rest day. Went to the Bakery for breakfast.



A group comes up during the school holidays and bakes in the historic underground oven.



They make the biggest and best pasties...



An awesome bakery in the outback. Visited many times!! Hahahaha
Kat and Em, Steve and Roofy and Jane turned up in the afternoon.


WEDNESDAY 9
Had another rest day at Farina.



The bakery had a bit to do with that!! Hahaha



THURSDAY 10 and FRIDAY 11

Roofy and Jane went home. Kat, Steve, Em and us went to Parachina Gorge to set up camp and stayed for two very enjoyable nights.



SATURDAY 12

Kat, Em and Steve followed us to Snickoland.
At Blinman we all stopped for a coffee and toilet break and Steve noticed we had a flat tyre when he did a walk around vehicle check.



The tyre was changed, coffee purchased (thanks Kat) and we were on our way. Checked the wheel the next three times we stopped and on the fourth stop after travelling 400km we found two indicators on the nuts had moved and another nut was only finger tight!!
What more can I say??..............................We could so easily have been another road stastic! (Another What If?? moment)
So guys you need to really check your nuts!! Hahahahahaha We did and it payed off.
Home at 6:00pm

Travelled total 3890km...........Took over 1400 photos.....AND.....used 210 in the trip report!!!

So that’s my take on the Meet up in the middle 2014. Thanks for reading.

*******************

Thank you...

Darren, you always had the time to answer all my questions (which were many!) and explained so I could understand. I thank you for taking the time and being interested.

As for our fearless leader you can tell me where to go any day and I will follow you anywhere!! hahaha
Thank you.

Stropp, for being tailend charlie and watching our Butt! Hahahaha When we needed help with the sand hills you was there.

To Winnie, AB, Rossco and Nicole, Kat, Em and Steve, Roofy and Jane and Zac I thank you also for being a part of a great trip I will never forget.





Thats all folks............................................. ....(until the next one!! Hahahahaha)

[jack]

Well done snicko, great start - all is forgiven

[Dave_H]

Awesome write up and pic's Snicko

[macca]

Fantastic read to start the day, thankyou Snicko or is this other good sort writing this? LOL

[AB]

Interesting photo...lol

A1705.jpg

[snicko]

I've got a couple more good ones like that AB hahahahaha