The first stopover.....

This was a first mishap. The rack had loosened up and was making a 'popping' sound. So the spare tyre had to come off and we re-arranged the packing. The rack just wasn't strong enough to hold the weight of the spare tyre, 2 petrol tins (full) and the toolbox. So Greg took the tyre and Chris readjusted the load until the next day.

We landed in Mitchell the first night and stayed at the showgrounds. It was freezing! Everyone managed to put their tents and swags up and we all headed down to the local pub for dinner. Here's everyone in our group. Starting from left to right, we have Terry, Matt (son), Steve, Michael, Sasha, me, Graeme, Chris, Col, Julie (red scarf), Margaret (behind), Greg, and Amelia. We all retired early that evening, as we were all excited about the trip. The next morning it was still freezing. We were all up and moving at 6am. It was also a lot harder to put things away when your fingers are so cold and the canvas for the beds didn't want to work in the cold either. It was slow going that morning,.. because of the cold and trying to get into a routine at the same time. But...we all made it. Our next stop was Cooper's Creek.

Where to start.......

Well now.  Because I missed so many days in between the trip, I thought I would take a few pictures and go through our trip.  So here's the first part....

This is the very first morning where we had met up at Col and Margaret's house the night before.  Col had packed that night and we were just finishing things out the following morning.  We slept in our sleeping bags in their loungeroom.

 

Col and Margaret's son, Greg, with his partner Amelia, showed up the following morning ready to go.  So here's 3 Scouts all ready to go.  We headed out for Chinchilla to meet up with our Gympie party.

 

                                                      The fellas compared vehicles, double checked their own vehicles, and we waited on one of the party who got called away to do 'mechanic' duties.  In the meantime we got re-acquainted with each other and once we got everyone together again, we took off.

 

This was it!  The start... of our adventure......

One more night and we still haven't been able to climb Ayer's Rock......

Well, it's our last night and we still haven't been able to climb Uluru due to the winds.  Word has it, that since the Aborigines don't really want you to climb the rock anyway, it's just a way of saying "no".  In their culture, it's forbidden to 'climb' anything that's natural.  They firmly believe in Mother Earth and the spirit of the mountain.  In their culture, they believe it's disrespectful to climb this mountain.  I for one, don't want to climb it, but there are others in our group, who do.  Maybe it also has something to do with the full moon coming up.

Chris wanted to stay a few more nights, but that wouldn't guarantee that he'd be able to climb Ayer's Rock.  And he also checked to see if we could stay a few more nights, but at $450 per night,....I DON'T THINK SO! .....  So!  we pack up tonight and head out tomorrow morning.  We'll check the park first to see if the climb is 'do-able", otherwise, we're heading out.

We did a walk today..... 7.4klms long.  For those 'brisk' walkers, it would normally take 3 hours.  For me,...well, I think I did it in 5 and half hours.  We got lots of pictures and a lot of breaks for me.  And the walk was classed as 'hard'.  And I can now vouch for that!  I was exhausted!!  The older people in our group, had aches and pains in hips, feet, and knees.  But then, the lucky devils got to walk another 2.5 klms in Walpa Gorge.  Chris and I headed back to Uluru to see if it had opened up yet for the climb.  Nope....so we headed back to the cabin.

I've rested up now and it's time to pack up.  Chris is fixing a few things here and there on the truck and tonight we pack.  So with some more pictures to download and emails to check, I'll leave you now so I can pack for our next adventure.

We're here at Ayer's Rock, now known as ULURU....

We made it to Ayer's Rock.  This morning we were supposed to walk up, but it's been cancelled due to the high winds.  And is it FREEZING!!!  Chris's knees have seized up and I'm frozen to the bone.  And yet,...by this afternoon, we'll all be thawed out and in T-shirts.  And then late in the day again, back to freezing conditions.  The dramatic weather conditions is something to get used to.  Layers.  that's what I've been told.  You need to dress in layers to account for the weather changes.  Okay.  DONE!

We walked around the "rock'' and looked into the Aboriginal culture.  The Aboriginal culture goes back nearly 40,000 years.  And their stories, like most tribes, are handed down verbally through the generations.  You can almost visualize the tribal women at the base gathering food.  Only the men folk climbed the mountain.

Well, after the walk, we stopped in for a cuppa and a muffin.  Chris and I came back afterwards to do some more "fixing" and some washing too.  We'll head back there this afternoon, once the bones have thawed out and the asprin kicks in.

And as I wait for my clothes to wash, I'll go back into the sunshine and have another cup of coffee.

We're half way through our trip now....

The cars made it.  The only one that didn't break down was the Nissan.  And while we all boasted about our Scouts, Michael, quiet and unassuming, was very confident in his car, a Nissan Patrol which he bought only 10 weeks ago.  Especially since his was the only one of six vehicles that didn't have a problem.

And here's the list for all those guy's out there who understands cars and engines.......Graeme's Toyota Landcruiser busted a tyre and a bracket for the engine mount.  Col's Scout busted a shock absorber and broke his front spring shackle bolts and chewed up his wheel studs which destroyed his wheel and his roof rack came astray.  Greg, his son, broke his rear support member, his forward body mounts cracked which had to be welded, the transfer case broke which stripped his lower range gears, his rear brake cylinder had to be replaced, carburetor had to be rebuilt, and he lost his fishplate for his shock absorbers.  Steve, broke a rear spring which had to be welded,   a rock chip in the windscreen, and he had a hole in the transmission cooler.  And then it was our turn.  While Chris had his 'fun' in the hills of sand, he twisted his front drive shaft, and later both front and back diffs shook loose and we nearly lost those.  And then the top luggage rack which I already explained in the previous blog has to be tightened frequently, and the tie rod came away which also caused us to lose our steering, and two out of three fuel senders stopped working so we don't know how much fuel is in the tanks and my door latch is broken.

I really love the desert and we've been having a great trip.  But the next time we come out here, I think I'd like to go in luxury.

Excitement for the day.......

We left Alice Springs a couple of days ago and stayed overnight at a place called Glen Helen. You can see the pictures of it in my link "Photos".

The following day we headed out for King's Canyon. The roads were sandy, dusty, and very much corrigated. We bounced along this road, Chris full of concentration and me holding onto the 'suicide' bar, also known as the "Jesus" bar. I was very nervous on this road as I've had accidents on dirt roads before.

Well, we were about 100 klms in on the road and travelling about 80klms/hr on this rough road. Chris was trying to take my mind off my nervousness. He pointed to some mountains on his side of the car and then all of the sudden, he said, "Hold On, I've got no steering!" Doing my usual, my eyes shut, my grip tightened on the bar, and my head went down. The Scout slid sideways up the road about 20 to 30 mtrs and landed in the sandbank next to the road. Again, you can see the pictures in my link. The Scout made it without rolling for which I am thankful. Everyone else came back and we got the tie rod fixed enough to get us into Kings Canyon for the night. Personally, I didn't know the danger we had been in, but after it was fixed and we had travelled a ways down the road, Chris explained the gravity of the situation. All I can say is thank goodness he was driving. If it had been me, I would have rolled it for sure.

Chris's moment of glory....

The time finally came for Chris's moment of glory. The envy of all, in his little "Thumper". Yes, Virgil is no longer...it's now "Thumper". Chris got to have his bit of fun. He went up Big Red, and a few other hills, but this,....THIS....was his moment of glory.
Some of the guys in the group now want one, and somebody from another group came over and offered to buy it.
I overheard somebody saying in the Birdsville camp site, "I love the sound of that engine". With four Scouts in the group, the rumble of engines could be heard from far and near.
Below is the video of Chris's moment of glory......

But alas, it wasn't to be for too long. As he made his last climb up the hill, his front tail shaft twisted beyond repair, leaving him back to a normal 2WD.

The moment we've all been waiting for......

This video is Steve having a 'go' at going up the hill.

Two sleeps to go......

Okay! we're on countdown time now. It's amazing what things you have to do to get ready for the trip, not to mention the day to day stuff.

This week has been hectic. We've had the Real Estate agent out yesterday to have pictures taken of the property, as we're trying to sell it. So the day before we were madly scrambling around cleaning up both the house and the cottage.

Chris has been still doing tweaks here and there on the Scout. Our friends, who had to do a whole new engine in their Scout, are still doing the mad scramble. They started to put a new engine in last week, and they've been working until 2am to 3 am for the last several nights to get it together. But it's been one thing after another for problems. Chris is feeling a little guilty that he's ready to go and they're still doing the crazy scramble.

We were planning on seeing a movie with Camille, but as it turned out, Kung Fu Panda was suggested to be too violent for 2 year olds, so we bowed out. She'll see it when she's a little older. Besides Ice Age 3 is coming out this year, maybe then we can take her.

We've organized our nephew, Neil to come and help with the house and dogs. That's all done. And because I've been winding down the pantry, I've found that we're starting to rob the Scout of food, so it's off to the shops to restock the house and the scout.

And then Friday, we have people coming to look at the house for an inspection. Keep our fingers crossed.

And Saturday?....WE'RE OUTTA HERE!!!! ..........Did you remember to bring the frypan Chris?....and what about the.....

I'm ready for those cold nights in the desert.....

 

 

 

 

 

 

Okay, I'm ready for the cold nights!  I have my hat from Hobart, Tasmania, I have my poncho, which I made.  I also doubled  it up for added warmth AND this can also be used for that extra blanket.  And then my New Zealand Ugg Boots to keep my feet warm.  Oh yeaaah....I'm ready!

I don't know why Chris shuddered when he saw me.  I also noticed that when he took the picture his hands were shaking.  I think he was trying hard  to contain his laughter.  I believe his parting words were," your Dad would be rolling in his grave if he saw you"..........HI!  DAD!!!

I may not be a glam queen, but I WILL be warm!

I knew this moment would come.......

I knew this moment would come.  We're in the middle of getting ready for a trip and now this moment has come.

Chris and I took Liz and her husband James, to dinner tonight.  We had a great time catching up on news.  They've been away for about two weeks now and Liz's birthday was coming up, so we took them both to dinner.

On the way home, however, we reflected on how the kids were growing up.  I don't usually pay much mind to the kids growing up as they've been in and out of the house for the past few years that I never really gave it much notice.  But tonight, for some reason, it hit me.

This deep,... profound...., sense of loss came over me.  It was the loss of my children.  They've all grown up and out of the house.  I no longer have my children to entertain me.  I no longer have my children to keep me busy.  I no longer have my children to shield me from the world, ...or.....to open the world up for me.  I no longer have those smiling eyes, giggling laughter, incessant chatter, or those hugs and kisses that were freely given.

As I had watched my kids grow with each passing year, I made it a point to realize for myself especially, that I don't OWN these kids, I'm their guardian and teacher.  So with each passing year, I watched them grow, gaining new experiences and learning from sometimes,  painful lessons.  I watched them go through each of the different stages in their lives from tying  their shoes, to going out on dates.  I've been proud of the kids as they've come through all their experiences.

Sure,...it's been tough in some areas, but we all made it through. And they've all come out the other side of ''teenage-hood'' and have found their footing in life, to become adults now.

And now, for some reason, out of the blue,... I sit here,.... reflecting on the times past.  And it hit me, ....that I no longer have children, I now have adults,...who have gone on to living their own lives and gaining their own experiences.  They no longer want to BE with their parents.  They only want to VISIT their parents.  They don't want to live with us or be a part of our lives anymore.  That doesn't mean they're not interested, just that they don't want to live with us anymore.  My children have flown the coop!

Liz, turns 23 this year.  And I guess with her being the baby of the family, this has given me pause to reflect.  I gave her a hug and almost got a hug out of James.  Yes, it's hard letting go.  I thought it would be easy, but it's not.  And once again, growth is happening.....not only for them, but for me.

One week to go....

We're almost there! and now as the due date approaches, Chris needs to fill the petrol tanks,..ALL 220 LITRES at $1.70 per litre!!!!! ( are we going to need a bank loan for that?) We'll have to supply food and firewood for the housesitter(s), clean the yard up (just in case someone wants to see it!), tidy around the house, clean windows, groom Tillie (she's starting to matt up and fleas love that) make lists for contacts, a "what to do" list for emergencies, etc etc etc. And of course the last thing I have to do, is go to the movies for Camille's first time.

Chris was supposed to head off to his mate Col's house to help out with his truck, and I WAS going to take Camille today. Just me and her. I've been wanting to see Kung Fu Panda and I thought I might be able to take her. I didn't think anyone else wanted to watch it. But, now, Chris isn't going to Col's house and when I asked Jen if she thought Camille was able to sit and watch a movie for any length of time, I got " I'M taking Camille to the movies to see Kung Fu Panda!" "oh..... then can I come too?" At least she said "sure!" So that's now on the cards for this coming week too! Oh yes, it's going to be a busy week for sure.

And today, I started my weeding of the vegie garden. I pulled my coriander plants out and found some left over green onions under it. The basil is still growing and hasn't been frostbit yet. My snow peas are going great guns, and my zuccini has finished, so that had to go. Even pulled out some grubs for the dogs. Bella and Jack, both love the little witchity grubs. yumm tasty! (eewwh) well, one thing down, a few more to go.

Two weeks to go.....

Our trip is getting closer. We went to Gympie over the weekend to meet up with everyone who was coming. This way we could organise who's bringing what.

We lobbed up there, a little after 9am at the workshop.

One of the guys who's coming along, is a mechanic. He's offered his services to tune up all the vehicles. So Chris took up that opportunity and boy was he glad about that. A few minor problems could have turned into a few MAJOR problems down the track. So he was very happy that it was looked at. And one of the other guys who was getting his truck tuned up as well,....well, he's in for a whole new engine. He WAS going to wait until he came back, but there's some major problems with his valves, so now he's at home doing the mad scramble trying to get a new engine put in AND tested before the trip.

Us girls?....well,...there was a mall just two blocks away, so we covered the mall from one end to other. And then we went into town to do some MAJOR retail therapy. We found lots of bargains.

Later that night, we stayed at one of the couple's home. They put on a WONDERFUL B.B.Q. We had two roasts with all the trimmings in a 'bush' BBQ. ( a 40 gal. drum) It was quite cool that night, but a good time was had by all. Chris and I slept on the floor in the loungeroom right next to the combustion heater. (oh yeah!)

Next day, back the trucks went to finish their service.

Chris was very impressed about the machinery they used, and also, the Scout's performance.

Oh!....and on the way up to Gympie?, we came up with the name Virgil for the Scout. Yes, yes, thank you,....I picked it. Chris is still deciding if he wants....oh never mind, who am I kidding?....I LIKED Virgil....I just shortened to Virg. LOL Well, let's just say it's undecided for the moment. Anyway, Saturday, us girls headed back into town for more retail therapy and to 'do' morning tea. A cup of coffee and caramel tarts. Oh yeah!....my kind of therapy!

We headed out of Gympie around late lunch and went off the beaten tracks, heading for Toowoomba. Virgil did really good! We bounced along and I DO MEAN bounced! And the views were great. I was hoping we'd see some deer, but it must have been too early in the day yet. Ah, well.

It was pretty fun travelling off the beaten track like that. It gave the Scout, I mean Virg, a chance to show off.

We had to stop along the way as the other couple we were with, had something hanging off their chassis. When we stopped,...there were cows in the paddock who came running over to the trucks. They thought we had hay or grain, I guess. It's a bit unnerving to have large bullocks running at you. I'm just glad I stayed in the truck.

Well, the weekend finished off with us visiting friends in Toowoomba. We stayed at our old family friend's house. We had a really great visit. We stayed up to 1:30 in the morning, talking and talking. I could have talked all night; there was so much to catch up on. And we went to Sizzler's in the morning for breakky. I have never eaten so much! Toowoomba FINALLY started serving breakfasts in their restaurants! And with all the people I saw in that restaurant, it definitely was worth it. And a couple of hours later, we caught up with another friend and 'did' lunch. We were STUFFED! Whew! Chris and I didn't need to eat anything for dinner. It was so good to catch up with friends this weekend, AND meet new ones.

We have worked out what we DO need to take, and just how much room we have. So there's some adjustments to be made. Apparently, the temperatures in the desert can get down to -15 C.

........... Long-johns.....check! ......Ugg(h) boots........definitely check!!.......

It's finished...............ALMOST

'Boys and their toys' is how the saying goes, well,......Chris has been 'living and breathing' the Scout. His last thoughts at night, are of the Scout. His first thoughts in the morning, are of the Scout. He talks about the Scout, incessantly. "I gotta get a hose for this,.... gotta get the brakes done,....gotta get a part for that...I did this to the Scout,......I did that to the Scout"...well, you get the picture. And now, his frantic race to get the Scout done is finally coming to an end as the Simpson Desert trip looms ahead. He's almost disappointed that the Scout is close to being finished. He's had a lot of fun with this project. He got to work with his hands, learn new things about the mechanics of a car, and has even met some great people along the way.



Chris started this project when we got back from our last trip in October. So he's done this in a relatively short time. It should have lasted a year or two, but with the opportunity of this desert trip coming up, he stepped the pace up, to have the Scout ready by then.



But these last couple of days have proved to be difficult; for there's an elusive squeak coming from 'his' side of the cab that has been driving him crazy. That annoying little squeak, namely from down under his seat. It's been driving him to distraction. He spent the whole day, trying to work out what's causing it. Now, the day wasn't too bad. He managed to get a few other noises fixed and the wobbly wind screen wipers have now been fixed, but the 'squeak' is still there.

For him, squeaks in the car are like fingernails across the chalkboard. Yep, very irritating. And now, Tuesday. Today. The squeak is gone!!! Now we just have to work out what's squeaking on 'my' side of the truck. So we're off for a little short jaunt.....Tootles!

Testing the scout....AND my video.....lol