I am off on the trip I always wanted to take .Only possible with a fantastic 4x4 club.The Land Rover Register of SA.The Ann Beadell Hwy/Canning Stock route/Tanami to Alice,
I have lots of outback driving experience but this makes my solo travelling safe.Still solo but with a great group of supportive folk
Leaving July 2 will post a report when in 3G range which won't be often.I keep family and friends aware of progress via SPOT2
Drive a 1998 Landrover Defender Camper with 200L fuel/100L water and very well set up overpast 6 yrs.
SPOT2. Google it guys. It's a sort of on-line tracking programme. You can see every day whereabouts someone is, and how far they have travelled.
A couple of years ago the Cape Yorker guys used it so that those of us who weren't lucky enough to go that year could follow their progress day by day.
Cheers,
Sheba.
-- Edited by Sheba on Sunday 5th of June 2011 08:13:43 PM
The trip is organised by the club.Advertised and interested folk apply.As you get to know club members you can guage if said trip would suit.I this case most of the 10 vehicles drivers are retired folk therefore the pace of the trip is set accordingly and as it can be very challenging ,difficult terrain your vehicle must be well equipt and have had an extensive service.You need to carry spare parts,food ,Fuel and water for travel distance of 1100 k's+ and be prepared to sit and wait for roads to dry if weather is adverse so lots of tucker on board Most 4x4 clubs run similar trips.Others of like mind get together on trips via exploroz.com. The cost is simply setting up your vehicle ,fuel and food for the duration.In my case this is a 6 week trip returning from Alice via Chambers Pllar and oodnadatta track. The Spot 2 is an epirb type device with the ability to track your daily movements,send SMS or email plots of your position to up to 10 recipients on a daily basis.Family etc know where you are at all times and the emergency function is excellent as well. I also have a HF radio so can get track reports ,weather get messages from folk via a dial up message service and of course listen the the outback service of the ABC If any of you are exploroz members you will be able to track my progress via EO Track Me Leaving July 2 expect to be back aboutAug 6 or so
nearly 7000ks of the best of remote Aus.It really was the trip of a lifetime.That desert counrty on the Canning stock route is truely remarkable in the constant changes of vegetation and eco systems.The wildflowers and flowerings trees were quite beautiul and the birdlife prolific.Daily visions of flocks of budgies,zebra finches ,occasional bustards Etc.
Many camels -there must be thousands of them out there
But the horrorgutations!!really bad and very slow going travelling 100k's a day was average.
Just loved the sandhill country.
My 1998 Landrover defender did the trip with no problems and delivered me safely home.My thanks go to my great travelling companions for such a memorable trip