Simpson Desert Trip July 2010 (2nd Attempt)

[Dave]

Hi All, ONE WEEK until Decision Day.

I will bring registration forms to the Club Meeting next week, and email forms to all those that have expressed interest but do not attend the meeting. Rego forms are for attending the trip, and for booking campsites (numbers and vehicle details etc).

I know that some people have already ordered Desert Parks passes as per the Itinerary. I am told that they go up to $110 next month, so if you do want to save $3.00, please do order yourself, otherwise I can get them for you. The rego form will ask if you need one, and for money up front.

Please do consider the trip over the next week. If you do want to come and can't attend next weeks meeting, please PM or email me to confirm your interest (see list of people that have expressed interest), and make sure that I have your email address to send a rego form.

We will have a discussion session after the meeting, and I will attempt to answer any questions. June meeting at TJM may also be useful for any shopping.

Dave

[Dave]

Hi Glen, the closure on the QAA line is Eyre Creek. It is still flowing, which means that you cannot cross the desert from East to west or Vice Versa. I hope that the claypans West of Big Red will have dried enough to let us get to Eyre Creek for a bush camp from Birdsville. It will be as much desert as anyone will see from the East until the creek falls enough to cross - sometime later this year...

SA Transport now posts that Innaminka will re open at the end of this month (May) so we will have 1 month breathing space for everything to dry out.

Dave.

[Dave]

At the SJC Meeting tonight I handed round registration forms, and collected $110 from anyone that wanted me to get their Desert Parks Pass for them. I have also emailed registration forms to everyone that had expressed an interest and given me their email address.

I asked a while back for anyone that was on the "maybe" list to let me know if they intended to come or not, but I haven't heard from any of them, so I am assuming the group will consist of;

David G (me), Eddy & Passenger Michael, Glen D, James D, Ivan & Kellie, Michelle & Adam, Geoff K (Jaffas) & Julie-Ann, and Ian & Ann W.

That's 8 vehicles, and possible a 9th - Ken and Olga - friends of mine, and I will let you know if they are coming when I know.

If there is ANYONE else, please PM me as soon as possible, I need to make bookings etc.

Thanks,
Dave

[Michelle]

This is so exciting! Thanks again for all of your hard work Dave

[Dave]

As per last nights concerns - this from ABC News online on 5 May;

No extra ferry for flooded outback track

Updated Wed May 5, 2010 1:12pm AEST
Outback ferry last used two decades ago (ABC News: Lew Chinner)


Calls to upgrade an outback ferry service to help pastoralists and tourists cross a flooded section of the Birdsville Track have been rejected by the South Australian Government.
There is concern that attendances might be affected at the Birdsville races in south-west Queensland.
The annual outback meeting often attracts up to 7,000 people but coordinator Lisa Pearson says it could take up to 14 days to get the anticipated crowd across the Birdsville Track on the old punt.
"About a third of our race crowd comes from the south," she said.
"We'd be bitterly disappointed in this day and age if they can't provide a service to meet this century's requirements."
Local MPs want a larger, mothballed punt brought north from the Murray but Transport Minister Pat Conlon has ruled that out.
"There's no way of cutting up a ferry, dragging it up there, installing the infrastructure. The flood would be over before that was done," he said.
Mr Conlon says he will ensure a punt that is already at the track crossing goes back into service, even though it has been sitting idle for years.

So, a ferry will run, we should be okay! How long the crossing will take, we shall see! (We will be going through long before the Birdsville Race crowd)

Dave

[glend]

Just a reminder to people on the Desert Trip that LPG gas and Butane canisters can be a problem when it gets cold (and it will get cold in the desert at night). Here is a comment by a fellow over on the Campertrailer Group website about gas bottles:

"... a time in the Simpson Desert when it was -4 in the fridge and -7 outside. Try putting your hands in the fridge to warm up :-).

Slept with the gas canisters in or under my sleeping bag so they'd be useable in the morning.Kids decided to sleep out one night and woke with a thin layer of ice on their sleeping bags."

Not sure sleeping with a gas bottle was wise (what if it leaks - and some do); I've also heard of people putting their gas bottles inside an empty esky to keep them insulated during the night so they would work in the morning.

On a trip to Bylong in June last year I had problems with getting the gas to work first thing in the morning (once the sun got on it things were ok).

I recall that Dave has a way of warming up his butane canisters. Warm water (not hot, just 25C is enough) works to get the gas moving - but how do you get warm water when you have no gas? I have heard of people putting hot water into a vacuum flask the night before and it was ok for heating the gas bottle in the morning.

Other options include: digging a hole in the ground to sit it in (the ground will always be warmer than the air) with a piece of foam over the top; leaving it in or under the vehicle wrapped in a towel or blanket; etc.

Don't ever consider trying to warm a gas container over (or near) a fire - you'd be up for the Darwin Award.

[Heidi]

we use the duel fuel burners for this reason. The single burner packs up pretty small and can run on coleman fuel, shellite or unleaded. They burn pretty hot as well so you don't use to much fuel with it. Brian has even been known to use the coleman fuel in his jeep when he ran out of fuel.

[Dave]

Hi,

This Dave doesn't use warm water. I only have the single burner butane (spray can size bottle) stove. If it is too cold, I leave the gas cover open, and use my hand to warm it. Once the burner is going, there is usually enough heat from the burner to help warm the can. For emergencies I also have a Metho Stove, which I guess you could use to warm water...

In some (not all) camp sites we will also be able to find and burn wood. I know, really old tech but...

Dave

[Jaffas]

Hey guys,
What spare parts / tools are people taking? I'm starting to get my stuff together this weekend and wanted some ideas.
Cheers
Geoff

[glend]

Here is my list of things probably considered vehicle related, and in addition I will do an oil and filter service before we leave:

• Spare Air Filters * 2
• Spare Oil Filter
• Spare Fuel Filter
• Oil 6ltrs (full change or spare oil for top up) - amount undecided
• Transmission Fluid - amount undecided
  
• Accessory Belt
• Radiator Hose (bottom) maybe
• Diesel Fuel (2 extra 10 litre Jerrys)
• Bulbs (2 old headlight H4s)
• Bulbs Rear (Signal and Stop) 3157 P27/7W & 3757 APY27/7W
• Fuses (selection) 10,15, 20, 25, 30, 40, 50 amp
• Duct Tape
• Galvanised Wire
• Welding rods (2.5 amd 3.2mm) and Bush welding gear (jumper leads)
• Spare Tyre (2nd mounted)
• Auxiliary Battery
• Oil Change Container
• extra Coolant – Mopar 5 year 100,000mile Formula HOAT (Hybrid Organic Additive Technology) Maybe
• Brake Fluid – Mopar Brake Fluid DOT 3, STDS SAE J1703, DOT 4 or DOT 4+ is acceptable.
• Diesel Power
• Funnel and tubing
• Hose for transmission cooler, etc
• Hose clamps
• Epoxy putty stick
• Radiator Stop Leak
• Torx bits
• Jump-start pack
• Cetek Charger
• Tools –spanners, sockets, pliers, hatchet, etc combination knife
• Recovery Kit – bottle jack, jack handle, jack pad, strap, rated shackles (2), Equaliser, gloves, small tarp (blue one).
• Long handled Shovel
• Compressor and gauge
  

In addition there are camping related items of course.
Its probably overkill if all of us carry many of the same things that might be general use items for all vehicles, like brake fluid and coolant for example. So we should probably discuss spreading these things around so that one person isn't carrying everything. I suggested to Dave that maybe a little pre-trip meeting would be a good idea (could be before or after the next Club meeting).

BTW that is the long list I also have a shorter one that is perhaps a bit more optimistic.