Notes & Photos of my trip to/from Mt Dare S. A.
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There was a meeting with the Daniels (Russ & Trish) organised for Arkaroola before the Mt Dare meeting, as I had never been to Arkaroola always spending too much time in the Flinders I was looking forward to this trip. Also the possibility of the trip across the Simpson Desert looked good. Left Sydney and again along the tar so as to maximise my time in the Gammon Ranges (Arkaroola). Overnights at Nyngan (hit sheep on way, had a bloody knee, the sheeps blood not mine. I did wonder at the looks in the bar as I came in). Then on to Broken Hill. The only interesting bit of this road tricks me into thinking something is wrong with the rear of the bike. I stop and check, but all is OK, it's the road here does this to me, as I cast my mind back, almost every trip. Meet Mad Mick and Dick Barington & Co. They are going via Birdsville and across the Simpson.
The next day turned off the tar at Yunta and up to Wilpena pound. Changed tyre on way . Then Balcanoona, well a short distance away on a natural spring, Grindles hut is just over the range (no road, just walk) The next day a short trip up to Arkaroola. Stay here three nights. On the first night Russ rings to say Lanusch has hit an Emu with Sue in their sidecar and they will be spending some time fixing the sidecar. So will meet him in Maree. Book in for a 'tour' the only way you can get to see some parts as they don't allow private vehicles. As I'm the only one booked its unlikely to go. The next day a 4wd party has booked the rest of the tour so I'm on. The 4wd party have 4 people in two 4dws (one with trailer) and are paying for 7 as 8 is the minimum number required. They are in a hurry so don't mind paying. The tour is OK but I would not pay more for it. The next day I tour the national park tracks, some good steep bits and some better scenery.
I take the long way , going up to the Strezelecki track then into Maree. I camp out near the gas pipeline. Then go into Maree. No sigh of them, just another lone rider waiting so we book into the pub. A quite night and more waiting the next morning. Final people start arriving. Then the local cop comes by! He's got bad news for Russ, a pipe has burst at home flooding the kitchen and lounge. We proceed a short distance out of town and camp, I catch up on the news. Maggie had cracked her bikes sump causing a delay while it was glued back to together. Kenny Hamilton got oil from 100 kms away (Yunta). While the rest wait some make up sump guards out of road hazard signs! The road contractor further up the track who is replacing the 'warn out' signs. He is not concerned that half the bikes have road signs as belly pans. They did leave at least half of the signs behind, using the remaining bits to stop further cracked sumps. I am getting nervous about this trip!
Some of us stop to see the sights abandoned railway stations, bridges, water purifiers and mound springs. Make camp at William Creek, it has the saltiest water in the shower that I have experienced. The towel will need a wash in clean water. At least the beer is cold. And who do I meet? The 4 people from the 4wd party in a hurry, have flipped their 4wd north of Oodnadatta and are now proceeding home. So holiday message; don't hurry. Yet more bad news, Dick has fallen off going into Birdsville, ruptured spleen. Now in Longreach Hospital. Can I go home now please?
So on to Mt Dare. Kenney goes and bogs his G/S in a salt pan. Makes a real mess... As the salt pan is well off the track he's just looking for "fun". And hes got it. At Oodnadatta he goes and uses the washing machine to clean his cloths. North of Oodnadatta we have the rolled 4wd on a car trailer being towed back to Oodnadatta. Looks a mess. I find the spot where it rolled is a bend and a small bump in the corner. Enough to upset a vehicle at speed, particularly one that is loaded and with a trailer. Lanusch's sidecar's front end has snapped where it was repaired from the emu crash. John Cecil was driving at the time, said he just hung on till it stoped.. put it on a 4wd's trailer and it's off to Oodnadatta. Mean while they manage to get to Mt Dare. We roll in and set up camp. The prices in the bush are high, but ... The prices have been inflated for us! Thanks Phil, if you ever have a host by the name of Phil... he's moved on from Mt Dare so keep you eyes pealed. Its a problem, if you let people know your coming they can prepare, fair enough, but these preparations also consisted of inflating the price.
The Bendigo boys (John Cecil and Greg Doudleday) in their outfit ask if I saw a third gear as I was coming into camp "No?" "Ours went missing on the way in" John strips the gear box. As he is doing this a film crew arrives by helicopter. The are out here to film some camels but as we are here they film us! McArdle gives a presentation. They try to film John in the midst of his gear box, John gets the shits and takes most of the gear box and him self away from prying eyes. But it is not fixable with the bits here. so he reassembles it. And they go on to Alice to pick up a gear box being sent to them, instead of crossing the Simpson with a small band of us. A real downer.
Easy travel out to Freeth junction. We over night on the way at Dalhousie springs, a natural hot water pool. The ranger checks us over for camping fees, as we all have dessert parks passes we are OK! The next day past Perni bore for lunch. The spring is too hot, because the water is running too fast, I slow it down. It is decided to take the rig road as the last year has seen very little rain that makes the sand on french line better. The rig road was clay topped like a tar topping out here but has a few wash aways. The most difficult bits are the dune tops where sand has blown across the top of the clay over half a metre deep. The 4wds drive to the left as the sand is blown from right to left this is the end that would have been shallowest. But it has now got to the stage that the 4wd track goes completely off the topping meaning that you must float on the sand. The sidecars have a real problem as they have to turn in the sand that digs the front in and the side car wheel is on the longer outside path making for more work. They would be better off coming the other way, east to west.
Once most of the way across and stopped before going in to Peopels corner I notice oil under McArdles bike... main bearing seal. Sally then tells me that one of the rear shocks top mounting has separated. They want to take the easy way out, OK. But we all go in to Peopels corner. And back out The french line is not that difficult... just the fuel requirements are a killer. And so we separate, two of the sidecars go out the 'easy way'. 5 others and I go out the 'short' way. One big sand hill to go. Well there are a number of sand hills and one steep creek (dry) crossing. Another night on the track, making 5 days to cross. A good trip. Well it was good that we all got through, we could have done better in terms of performance (fuel consumed, weight carried, time spent relaxing), may be next time?
I manage to get some rooms at the pub so we have a night under a roof, but only this night as a tour group has cancelled. McArdle arrives but not second side car... We ask; they have left them behind. I am pissed, so is every one else.. pissed as in too much beer at this time to ride out. Beetle takes off in his side car any way. I take off after him, but cannot take him out of going, it is very dark! I leave him too it. Russ points out on my return to the pub that he's gone the wrong way. I have a few more and go to bed. The next day (McArdle sleeps outside... no one lest him in) both sidecars return, all is well they just ran out of petrol some 20 kms from Birdsville.... mutter mutter. Beetle had eventually realised his mistake and taken another track across to the right road, but he had to go all the way on to the road house before realising that he must have passed them. He turns around to come back and finds them but it's too late to come into town. The leave in their sidecar, going home. The rest of us go across to the camp ground set up and do the washing. Write letters and buy combs, food and drink beer. The Bendigo boys arrive having gone the long way around due to numerous road closures - wet weather in the top part of this country. Much discussion about the trips so far. We plan the next bits, on to Innamincka via Haddon corner.
Seven of us continue on to Innamincka over nighting twice, one a bit out of Betoota. The fellow here is finally selling up. A new couple will take over. He has some real old wines here... I do hope the new people appreciate what they are getting, even in its current state it is very good, it needs cleaning most of all then you can look at maintenance and paint. I wonder what it is like now? I do hope they have not spent too much money, that will make it too expensive, just enough to keep people overnight is all you need. And on to the next over night. Now it's my turn, I have drooped the tent pegs off the bike and cracked the rear sub frame. So up early next morning and into town and strip the bike for wielding. The wielder remembers McArdle! It was an extensive repair job. McArdles not mine! At this pint we split McArdles going home, the Bendigo boys off to Coongie lakes... I should have gone with them... And the Daniels and me off to Cameron's corner (making three corners this trip).
Over night at Cameron's Corner. The local Land owner checks out which way we come in to the corner, he's closed off the short route that goes through his property. Its closed so that people won't crash on it as claim legal that their crash was his fault... sigh. I supply appropriate answers. The next morning Russ finds me cleaning the alternator slip rings... its not actually the problem, that's worn out brushes.. but the clean helps. I don't tell him this. Bad karma. We get into Tibooburra. And separate.
Over night in Bourke. Then I ride straight through to home. I don't mind riding at night when I'm doing it in the city environs, less likely to be taken out by animals and I've seen the view before. Time to maintain the bike. Replace both alternator brushes, both carby diaphragms have rotted and are partly glued to the slides, no wonder the bike had no wide open throttle! The throttle cam gears are also a little worn, so I replace these. Oh, and the usual steering head bearings, the corrugations pound them out.
That's about all I remember.
Back to my home page Dated November 2000