Well Thursday 30th March was on us before we could blink. The logistics of loading both the car and boat for our stay in the Yardie Novotel cabin tent for ten weeks took a lot of doing.
150 Chess Freezer, 120 bar fridge, one 200lt makie box fill with 7 x 20lt Rheem Jerry cans within, one 62lt marine ice box. The tent, a Diamondteama canvas job of 60kg with all the poles, no pegs this time. 200mm coach bolts with rattle gun .Sat TV and dish. All the kitchen and game fishing gear.The Bed for this trip, two brand new Queen size euro air beds..(More Later).
Well the Tow truck is our 2012 GX TTD Toyota Seviced by myself every 5000k X 3 for this trip. The trailer a Coaster fully rollered, is now 24 years young with load sharing suspension on its fifth round trip to EXI. All up we are a tad under 5900kg.
We pulled out of the driveway right on 5am to miss the incoming traffic into Sydney and just ahead of the pending rain. Ahead lay 5387km over nine days, our destination of today been Hay, a total of 725km with accommodation booked. We got a clear run south down the Hume HWY.
The traffic coming in to Sydney was just solid. First pit stop Yass for a cupper, then Wagga Wagga for lunch a full tank of fuel to carry us on to Mildura.We use Woolies shopper dockets all the way.
we arrived Hay around 4pm.
Day 2 our destination been Renmark Hotel SA. We got away a little later today as our road trip being a bit over 433km. An easy drive. We stopped in Balranald for a cupper , and we moved off ahead of 2 semi trailers at the other end of town. You must keep to 50km here as the boys in blue love to hit anyone doing the wrong thing. Sure enough they had got a caravan on the western end of town.
It did not take long for the 2 semi's to move up to us and were happy to follow. 10km out of town I ran over what I thought was a bit of wood, no worries. A little further on the leed truck flashed his lights and bang goes a left rear tyre. The tyre ripped from the wheel and buggered the alloy rim. I carry a total of 4 spares on this crossing as getting a spare out on the Nullarbor is like winning lotto.
Tyre changed, we are on our way again 20mins later. We took on enough fuel at Mildura for the last 158km on to Renmark for the day.
South of Renmark I could see a chrome B Double following behind the white Corolla behind us some 500mtr back. He was in one big rush.I cruise on 102km all day. This tanker over takes the Corolla and forced his way back in cutting off the Corolla.
On the next slope he overtakes us up hill blind. Three cars appear and he forces us to take evasive action to avoid a head on. I took to the shoulder proper under solid brakes and blow the front left tyre on the trailer. we rang 000 on this guy and the police said they would stop him, this side of Renmark.
Another tyre change and we roll into Renmark to get extra tyres, and one fitted to the other rim. Not a good start to our trip.
To be continued......................
Part 2 of our trip........ continued.
Day three we were up early for our destination being Wudinna a run of 653.4km, with a big fuel pickup at Port Augusta $119.9 with our trusty fuel dockets, as fuel prices only go one way till we hit the West Coast.
20km out off Renmark we turn right onto Route (64) which takes us first to Morgan and on to Burra. I like this section as the road is good and we play spot the fox. We follow R64 to Cystal Brook where we link up with the(A1).We roll into Port Augusta on time as the wind has been behind us all the way from Sydney.
With all tanks full and a lite lunch we roll on, with the wind up our tail yet again. Kimba has a good over night stop up North terrace end of town with gold coin donation and hot showers for $1.
We can recommend Kimba. But fuel jumps 10 cents a Lt. Up the road Wudinna is $1.25 at the Caltex on your left, as you come into the township. We hold up in a cabin for the night and the pub grub is good value. Wudinna has to be one of my favourite stops on this trip, as the Bakery is Devine.
Day 4 and its up early for we have 701km to cover, to reach Eucla.
200km down the road we reach Ceduna where we top up the main tank as from here, we do not stop for fuel again, till Kalgoorlie.
The BP garage on the western end of town is our fuel top up @$1.299 Lt.02/04/2017
Fuel at Nullabore Road house $1.72 for diesel. $1.76 petrol 02/04/2017.
At Boarder Village we do the Fruit Fly inspection thing. Sir I need to do a full inspection of your vehicle. Not a problem mate, we have non of this and non of that. We open the back doors and the look on his face said it all. Your all good to go. We were packed to the rafters.
If you need to take on fuel. Eucla is 10km further down the road and 10 cents a Lt cheaper ALWAYS. You work this one out.
Our room at Eucla was to say the lease. STUNK.
To be continued...........................
-- Edited by Hey Jim on Sunday 25th of June 2017 06:14:17 PM
-- Edited by Hey Jim on Sunday 25th of June 2017 06:20:54 PM
Holy doolie Jim! Things are hotting up for you, and you've hardly started! Compared to that, we had a dream run both ways. Don't forget to take some pics and put them up for us.... especially at Exmouth, a favourite place of ours (fishing, fishing!). I hope your 'cabin tent' isn't as hot as our last tent stay up there a few seasons ago. No more tents for us up there. Yours will probably have aircon though, which is a blessing. If you're arriving in April, the nights do start getting more comfortable from then to August.
We've used a blow-up double bed too. Never again on them as well!
-- Edited by JocknNik on Sunday 25th of June 2017 01:43:56 AM
You write a good story Jim. Reads like a good book. Leaves me wanting to turn the page for the next chapter (day).
When you said you were carrying 4 spares I thought wow that seems excessive not being offroad but I see you were a boy scout in a previous life. 2 down in one day is a bit stiff. Just goes to show eh?
.Sat TV and dish. All the kitchen and game fishing gear.The Bed for this trip, two brand new Queen size euro air beds.
