Seriously counting down now....

Well the time has nearly come, the last of the packing up is almost done. Phones have been running hot between the players with the last minute details to be finalised.

The 64 million dollar question is...will we all fit? With some recent changes to plan, there is more needing to go into less vehicles...but we are confident it will work out.

The first of the crew were due to depart around lunchtime today, so here's hoping Cathy and Mike have managed to get away safely. 4.30PM update - pouring rain in Ballarat. Let's hope it's pouring rain on the bushfires in the Simpson, so we can gain entry to the desert next week.
The next three vehicles leave tomorrow, with first cab off the rank being Stef, Meg & Milani, departing Traralgon at approx 9.00am, with a stopover at Moe to pick up Kerry, Rohan and Nicola, and repack some gear, then off to Bamawn Extension to do another transfer of goods and passengers, have lunch and then set off for Swan Hill with John joining the convoy.

Ska (Nicola's car) is pretty much packed and ready to roll, not quite sure where will poke some of the gear of others...tomorrow morning...all will be revealed.

For every ONE thing that goes in, it feels like FOUR things come out first. Still roomy at this stage.

Trying to stuff the last little bits under the floor.

Food in.

Clothes in.

There are rumours running wild that the Dundeks won't be ready on time, but they are pretty determined. According to the most recent intelligence on progress, the Disco is still in 'bits' all over the garage floor, the new water tank is due to be finished, but isn't yet...but there is still a confident determination that Steve WILL NOT beat us to Parachilna Pub!!!!!

...meanwhile several hundred kilometres away John is working on packing in the gear as well. Here are some progress shots...

In the cabin.

Looks like plenty of room in the tray and we wont go hungry.

Heaps of room to go. Pleny of room for Ro's gear, IF we can get it all to Echuca.

Been around to visit friends around the corner. Pete is off to Melbourne tonight as he is working at the MCG tomorrow for the Grand Final. His job is to drive the Manitou that delivers the centrepiece to the centre of the ground tomorrow. He is very excited and a tad nervous ... see the photos below. All the best Pete, we will be listening to the coverage... I hope you don't rate a mention.

Pete proudly wearing the MCG vest.

and the back view.

 Well the time has come to post this blog. Check the lists for the 456th time and prepare for the last sleep in a real bed for a couple of weeks.

Goodnight. See you on the next blog.

Another late entry, whilst things are almost done for some of us, it seems Stef and Meg are still hard at it. At 9.58...

The food awaits its entry to the vehicle...don't think we will go hungry, do you?

And Stef continues to work and fiddle, with the vehicle. Hope you guys got some sleep overnight.

A last minute update on Saturday morning: Cathy and Mike made it as far as Horsham last night, poured rain all night, so they sensibly found alternate accommodation option. AND they have figured out how to take photos on the phone so here's a couple of shot of the vehicle and accommodation in Horsham.

Cathy and Mike still have airspace!

Taking it easy in dry accommodation.

Teachers Games - Bendigo 2011

Hello all, just a small interlude prior to the Simpson Sojourn. I am away with the "Gippsland Regional Office" (GRO) team at the Teachers Games.

We left Moe today with 10 or so of us on the bus to Bendigo, a range of others have joined us, having made their own way to sunny Bendigo.

Our first 'event' for the Games was the Carrington Trivia Challenge - a team of us had entered. A big evening with 15 teams entered, held at the The Metro Muggs Irish pub.  After much fun and frivolity, our team were lucky enough to come out winners, by ONE point, from another Gippsland team - Liddiard Rd.
For our troubles we recieved a cash prize and a fabulous cup.

As a result we have some extremley excited team members...now back to motel for some sleep, prior to team participation in a range of sports tomorrow including tennis, golf and netball...wish us luck.

Will try and post a photo - bit tricky without all the bits and bobs I usually have at home....



The winning GRO team with two hard working organisers. L-R Chris, Leah, Loretta, Britt, Organiser 1, Carolyne, Organiser 2, Jenny, Nicola, Peter.



Team walking proudly with the cup and the sign, through the streets of Bendigo.

And here is a short video of the win going totally to the heads of the GRO team....all in good spirits of the games.

Pre Trip Preparations

With the experience and learning from last years trip, I thought the preparations for the trip would be THAT much easier...and I guess they have been. However, the preparation phase has thrown a few curve balls my way.

The most pressing issue when entering a desert for a couple of weeks is water, even though much of the outback is in flood, it is a matter of , water, water everywhere...but not a drop to drink.

I determined that I would purchase a bladder that was the same as the one I borrowed last year. A sketch of the requirments were sent off the company. It turned out they were upgrading their technology and many communications were being blocked as junk and spam. Anyway finally sorted that out, and a box arrived at work. Unfortunately the contents didn't much resemble the borrowed bladder.

Black one is the new one...

...grey one is what it should have looked like!

 It didn't really fit in the car and I wasn't real happy. After much filling, washing, rinsing, trialing, changing fittings etc. I decided to ditch it and use the same one I took last year.

I organised for new tyres, a slightly bigger size, for some more height, we tested one and went ahead.

Tyres fitted and just doing a bit of a test run up the bush.

Don't you Ska looks SOOOO much taller?

 When fitting the tyres the guys noticed that one of my poly air bags was split...so began the saga of replacing that which was only purchased for last years trip.

here's the split the tyre guys noticed...lucky for me they did.

Got that all organised, only to find when getting ready to fit that one, that the other was split too.

here they are - removed and ready for sending back.

Hoping for a full refund on replacement. No news yet!

Anyway the folk at Gilmour Motors were fabulous, got another down and fitted it while I was in Melbourne.

Food planning, purchase and preparations have also taken place. We should be living like kings.

I hope the preparations, planning and new bits and pieces hang in there.

Simpson Sojourn 2011

Well, within a week we will be on our way, off on the next 4wd adventure, following our Coober Pedy and Turn Left adventures in 2010.

This year is a quick 2 week trip to complete the section that SOME of us were unable to do last year, due to some vehicle issues.

We have been planning to head off the to the Simpson Desert all year, but due to floods etc the Desert has been closed, or it didn't suit members of the group. So about 2 months ago it was decided we were on...for October... and here we are.

The group came together for the first meeting - back in late July - initially looked like 7 vehicles and 14 people, we are now down to 6 vehicles and 13 people.

One of our group this time is a wildlife carer - Cathy, so we have had interesting 'extras' at each meeting - first meeting, we had Dan the possum.

Our second meeting was at my place and I remembered to take some photos. At this meeting our 'extras' doubled in numbers - with Dan making a return performance accompanied by Sage the wallaby.

Snug was lapping up the attention...thanks Meg

 Steve, Col and half of Stef.

Mike and John (Dad)

Pizza all round. From bottom left - Milani, Mary, Col, Jaydon, Kerri, Steve, Cathy, Mike, Dad, Meg, Rohan.

Mike, Dad, Meg, Ro and Milani.

Kerri, Steve, Cathy, Mike.

Jack was taking a relaxed approach to the whole meeting idea.

Feedtime for Sage, with Meg and Cathy.

How cute is that Wallaby?

At our fourth and final meeting last night, we were a bit concerned to learn that the Simpson Desert is closed again - till next Wednesday, due to bushfires on the Northern Territory border...seems we are destined not to do this trip...anyway we will barrell on and hope that things are a bit calmer, clearer and OK by the time we get there.

The trip begins on October 1, for some, and we will all meet up at Marree in SA on October 3rd, ready for some early morning flights over Lake Eyre on the 4th. We will then proceed up towards Birdsville and another "must do" - crossing the Cooper Creek via the Cooper Creek Ferry, again this is a ferry that only runs 'rarely' when the outback is in flood.

After that we head into the Simpson and we make the rest up as we go along.

I hope that there maybe SOME internet connection for some updates along the way...but make no promises.