Simpson desert ten yrs on meetup July 5th Coober Pedy start 2024

A bit more well it's working https://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/foru...2024/07/75.jpghttps://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/foru...2024/07/76.jpghttps://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/foru...2024/07/77.jpghttps://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/foru...2024/07/78.jpghttps://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/foru...2024/07/79.jpghttps://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/foru...2024/07/80.jpghttps://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/foru...2024/07/81.jpghttps://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/foru...2024/07/82.jpghttps://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/foru...2024/07/83.jpghttps://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/foru...2024/07/84.jpghttps://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/foru...2024/07/85.jpghttps://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/foru...2024/07/86.jpghttps://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/foru...2024/07/87.jpghttps://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/foru...2024/07/88.jpghttps://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/foru...2024/07/89.jpghttps://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/foru...2024/07/90.jpg

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Originally Posted by Plasnart

Cuppa and a durrie. Those were the days!

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Indeed! :smileyvault-cute-bi

I have the same pic somewhere. There is a small shelter/free camp at Cuppa Creek (not that we could find the actual creek) where I left my mark back in 2009. I suspect a funny durrie may have been involved at the time.

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Well we are home.
Wow what a trip!!! We knew we were risking it with the weather and it didn't work for us.
We started at Port Agusta as our main meet point and were meet by a few extras. Great feed at the pub!
After 2 wet nights in coober pedy we made tracks for Uluru..
Jumped into Curtin Springs for 2 nights and a single day at the rock.
The westbrooks tackled the 7.4km return 'Valley of the Winds" hike and geeze the kids slept well that night.
The deviation though allowed the tracks to dry out and we got the green light to go.
Made headway back south to mount dare via Finke.
Wow I have never seen corrugations like these!!!
So bad it rattled my overflow pipe off the radiator.
Granted the factory clip and not been installed correctly but it's been like that for 75000km and finally let go.

Topped up at Mount dare at $3/L !!!!
Then onto Dalhousie Springs.
First night was a great night for the mossies!!! Daym. Nothing kept them away and my legs were pin boards!!
But Wow the Springs!! Will be back for sure.

After a few refreshing swims it was time to depart and tackle the main event.
The French Line!!!

Wow. Simply wow. It was wet. But stunningly green!
It was like driving through flower fields or along paddocks of canola!
The sand was mostly firm which allowed for easy traversing of the dunes.. we most of us anyway but I'll let that member tell his story.

The flats were a fun challenge working our way through some interesting puddles, but mostly following the previous lines.

The days were long doing it in 3 days and when big red finally come into view it was a sense of relief that we were nearly there.
The climb was fun and nailed in the first go.

Birdsville Pub was the rest for the wearing and unfortunately our first night was cut short when the 2 generators that supply the town shut down, and the pub had to close...
Second night was a bit of a disappointment with the meals, but the venue, group and atmosphere stayed high.

We were hopeful that south West qld would have dried more but that was OT the case so we abandoned the strez and shot south on the Birdsville Track.
It was wet!!! Nearly every dip and creek was running and the cars got filthy!

Mungeranie was our first stop south and what a great little pub. Price was ok and meals a bit hit and miss but over a great little stop in the middle of nowhere.

Next night and the last was Farina. Unfortunately we rolled into the bakery too late but we absolutely made up for it in the morning filling up on delicious goods before the 500km home.

The ranger held up well.
It did everything we wanted, and the only time we needed to redo a dune was went momentum wasn't quite there.
17.3lph across the desert due to how firm it was.
Plenty of power there for Big Red.

Was an epic trip with a great crew!!https://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/foru...2024/07/91.jpghttps://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/foru...2024/07/92.jpghttps://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/foru...2024/07/93.jpghttps://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/foru...2024/07/94.jpghttps://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/foru...2024/07/95.jpghttps://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/foru...2024/07/96.jpghttps://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/foru...2024/07/97.jpghttps://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/foru...2024/07/98.jpghttps://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/foru...2024/07/99.jpghttps://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/foru...024/07/100.jpghttps://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/foru...024/07/101.jpghttps://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/foru...024/07/102.jpghttps://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/foru...024/07/103.jpghttps://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/foru...024/07/104.jpghttps://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/foru...024/07/105.jpghttps://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/foru...024/07/106.jpghttps://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/foru...024/07/107.jpghttps://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/foru...024/07/108.jpghttps://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/foru...024/07/109.jpghttps://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/foru...024/07/110.jpghttps://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/foru...024/07/111.jpghttps://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/foru...024/07/112.jpghttps://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/foru...024/07/113.jpghttps://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/foru...024/07/114.jpg

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Nice report Kallen. Where was that pub photo taken with the great man Piercey in it? I haven’t heard him mentioned or in any other photos for this trip??

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Originally Posted by Cuppa

I wanna know what has happened to Stropp's Starlink? Not a dicky bird! Pleased to see you've made it out to Dalhousie Springs & across to Birdsville. I didn't think you would be able to. Thanks Rossco for the pics.

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Hey cuppa, starlink was flawless, used by at least half the group to post pictures and messages 👌💯

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Originally Posted by Plasnart

Nice report Kallen. Where was that pub photo taken with the great man Piercey in it? I haven’t heard him mentioned or in any other photos for this trip??

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Plassy, picture with piercey was at port Augusta, he drove up to meetup prior to leaving but didn’t make the trip with us.

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Originally Posted by Stropp

Plassy, picture with piercey was at port Augusta, he drove up to meetup prior to leaving but didn’t make the trip with us.

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Avo also come across for dinner.

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G`Day Folks.
Pearcey had thought about doing the run with you guys ,gals and kids but things just didn`t turnout time wise for me. Any way Avo rang and wanted to meet up, so I dragged the van to the Gutta and had a great meet with a great bunch of folks.
After, Avo and I were going to head to Fowlers Bay to dong some big fish on the head but alas that didn`t work out either.
Avo did a rush home and I headed down Yorkes to try my luck fishing. LUCK I must have kicked a China-man as I did catch a few but all throw backs.
Thanks for the reports and the paintings of your great trip folks. So glad you all survived and made some great memories.
Next time maybe,Hey.

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Originally Posted by Stropp

Hey cuppa, starlink was flawless, used by at least half the group to post pictures and messages ����

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Very pleased to hear that Stropp, mine is installed, just waiting for one extra cable in the mail to complete it, although probably wont fire it up until shortly before we head off again. I know someone who recently did the lower half of the Canning with a new Starlink set up, & it crapped out fairly early in the trip (router died - although I'm not certain whether it was a Starlink router or aftermarket). If the same had happened to yours I would have been concerned.

We arrived home an hour or so ago. Very tired family and no matter where you've been it's always great to get home.

92 hours behind the wheel and just shy of 6000km, I'm very happy with the little silver wagon even though all the beeps and alarms give me the shits! https://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/foru...024/07/115.jpg

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