June 30, 2003
Radios
We're blasting along a track in the desert in a convoy of two cars. We're looking around for a good site to launch the KAP rig. The problem is, at 80kph the dust cloud hangs a mile from each car. The chase car is going to have a miserable and blind-dangerous drive if it's trying to stay within a half-mile of the lead.
Ling and Mom are in a truck. Dad and I are a half mile in the bush running the KAP rig. Matt is 500ft away driving the camera. None of us can hear each other talking, so we can't take any pictures worth a damn.
Smells like we need radios. Three of them, in fact. Portable ones.
The thing is, the little standard walkie talkies you buy from Walmart aren't going to cut it at all -- especially in the cars. We need something with some juice.
The thing is, I'm not sure what's the best answer.
The Australian Solutions
The basic choices in Australia are CB, UHF CB, HF, EPIRB, and Satellite Phone.
EPIRBS are the emergency distress beacons. I think I read recently that the emergency authorities in Australia no longer to respond to these. Too many false calls.
Satellite phones are only good for emergencies or long distance calls. No use for truck convoys or foot exploration.
I finally found a good discussion of the different standard choices for outback radios...
The best-recommended gear is a UHF CB. Sounds decent. Worst case, the simplex range in "highly vegetated or built-up areas" is 10km. Absolutely nowhere we will be travelling would be considered either "high vegetated" or "built up." If we get twice the worst case, 20km, that's certainly good enough for our needs (convoy and foot patrol).
Finding this clear and concise discussion chopped out a long-winded ramble by me. I think it is a clear choice to get three UHF CBs.
The Fun Part -- Acquisition
I can get pretty excited feeling like some sort of hardcase Phillip K Dick or William Gibson character jetting into Tokyo's Akihabara district with nothing but a backpack, coming exclusively to buy specialty communications gear for his international crew.
So when I am in Tokyo on Friday, looking to buy some CBs for our family vacation in Alice Springs, what do I buy?
I'm not sure what my selection criteria should be. At first guess I'd say:
So what are typical UHF CBs sold out there?
ICOM sounds like a good candidate... What about their offerings?
Variations seem to include:
1) power... 4/1W(selectable), 5W.
2) frequency width 12.5khz or 25khz (sounds like america restricts to 12.5khz)
3) different frequency bands... Looks like the Australian repeaters are 477+ while some of these ICOM units are only 430-470MHz. hmmm. Wonder what is the best range to get?
*4) {I suppose the VHF models are useless?}
How about checking out some of these models for starters and commenting on what seems good/bad about them...
Flight Details
So I have reserved five tickets roundtrip Singapore/Alice Springs (via Darwin).
Singapore/Alice Springs
Saturday, August 16
Depart Singapore 2215
Arrive Darwin 0415
Leave Darwin 0620
Arrive Alice Springs 0840, August 17
Alice Springs/Singapore
Saturday, August 30
Depart Alice Springs 1230
Arrive Darwin 1425
Leave Darwin 1550
Arrive Singapore 1840, August 30
Now the trick is to get tickets US/Singapore/US leg. I guess it is better to be here a few days earlier, than a few days later (although both would be nice!). At least then we can do some last minute planning, equipment checking, and timezone adjustment.
To do:
Matt: start figuring out what flights you want to make. I think try to be here at least with some margin in Friday, just so that if flights are delayed, it doesn't cascade into problems with the Singapore/Alice Springs segment.
Mom/Dad: When can you come? When must you go? I'll start looking for tickets for you.
Everyone: Need to get Passport numbers (email them, don't post them as comments) so that I can have the travel agent book our electronic visas (a non-issue). This is not a big hurry. In the next week or so is plenty adequate.
MDS: I'll pay for these tickets end-July. Presently they're just safely reserved for us.
Time to Escalate
So it's almost July. Time to get in gear. So here is this week's plan:
Flights:
I have already reserved five tickets roundtrip Alice Springs/Singapore/Alice Springs. I don't recall the dates, but I'll find out Monday and get them posted.
Then next step is to figure out USA/Singapore/USA tickets for MWE, Mom, and Dad, and get those booked this week.
Accomodations:
Once we know the travel dates, I'll make booking reservations at the various waypoints in Alice Springs, and the Eastern, and Western Lobes.
Car Rental:
I need to study this futher, but it's less urgent compared to the Flights and Accomodations.
KAP Rig:
Matt is sorting this out.
Other Stuff:
What other stuff needs planned six weeks in advance?
Revised Itinerary -- The Eastern Lobe
Now that I've had my epiphany, it's time to sort out the exact details of our revised route, based in part on Vic Widman's recommendations and my personal experiences and research. I'll break it into two pieces, the Southern Lobe and the Eastern Lobe.
This is a pretty straightforward arrangement. The distances are moderate, there's a nice loop to be done, and the lodging points are well located.
Highpoints will include a lot of mines and industrial archeology. As well, some serious 4wd routes up into the mountains.
Route:
Day 1: Alice Springs to Ross River Homestead; an easy, short drive [Ross River Homestead]
Day 2: Explore around the Ross River/Arltunga area [Ross River Homestead
Day 3: Cattlewater Pass to The Gemtree [Gemtree]
Alternative (A):
Day 4: Gemtree back to Alice Springs
Alternative (b):
Day 4: Explore around Gemtree [Gemtree]
Day 5: Gemtree back to Alice Springs
Choosing between Alternatives A & B can be done on-the-fly when we're there. I am leary that Gemtree is something of a bad tourist trap. However, I think the loop itself is quite a good trip.
June 29, 2003
Revised Itinerary -- The Southern Lobe
Now that I've had my epiphany, it's time to sort out the exact details of our revised route, based in part on Vic Widman's recommendations and my personal experiences and research. I'll break it into two pieces, the Southern Lobe and the Eastern Lobe.
Southern Lobe
Route:
Starting from Alice Springs.
default route
Day 1: Alice Springs to Finke (Apatula) to Old Andado [Old Andado]
Day 2: Explore Simpson Desert around Old Andado [Old Andado]
Day 3: Old Andando Track back to Alice Springs [Alice Springs]
alternate route
Day 1: Alice Springs to Finke (Apatula) to Old Andado [Old Andado]
Day 2: Explore Simpson Desert around Old Andado [Old Andado]
Day 3: Old Andado to Mount Dare [Mount Dare]
Day 4: Explore Witjira/French Line [Mount Dare]
Day 5: Rejoin the Old Andando Track back to Alice Springs [Alice Springs]
Discussion:
The problem with the lobe is that the few (non-camping) accomodations available are at awkward locations. Finke, an Aboriginal community, has no accomodations for people. The three next nearest locations are Kulgera (148 km west), Old Andado Homestead (122km east), and Mount Dare ( 176km southeast)
Kulgera is the easiest to get to, but once there, then what? You have to take the stinky, boring Stuart Highway back to Alice Springs. It's a tedious, rubbish drive. There's nothing to see along the way. Furthermore, the area surrounding Kulgera is Anangu Pitjantjatjara Land -- a giant Aboriginal area where all roads and tracks are off limits to the public. So we couldn't even use Kulgera as a follow-on exploration base.
Mount Dare is at the tip of the Witjira National Park, full of hot springs and assorted ruins. This park is the western terminus of the infamous 'French Line' road that crosses 1100 sand dunes across the Simpson Desert. There would be plenty of stuff to see around here. The problem is that it's notionally 176km away, but I didn't take this leg when I was there in June. Figure a good trip along the Finke race route is going to be a very full day. This could easily be another 3-4 hour drive at night. I don't think it's a good idea. I'd rather make a push to along a track I already know. Which, unfortunately, resolves me to suggest we drive east to Old Andando Station.
This tiny little station is the easternmost dwelling on the western edge of the Simpson Desert. It's ostensibly a guest compound for tourists, but frankly, proprietor Molly Dare, historically heroic, is also monumentally ferocious. It's the best I can come up with though. It's sanely reachable from Finke, and it will serve as a reasonable base of exploration. (We can spend a day picking around the homestead and the surrounding Simpson Desert). Finally, the drive back to Alice is scenic and varied.
This lobe turns is a three day trip only (only? only!). It would be possible for us to add on a few days and more things to see. We'd leave Old Andando and head south to Mount Dare. Use Mount Dare as a base of exploration for one or two days to see Witjira National Park and the Simpson Desert. When we leave, we just push the whole way back up to Alice Springs in a single day. I drove from Finke to Alice Springs via Old Andado in one day (a farther trip) so it would be possible. Plus, all the roads would be familiar.
My Arbitrary Decision
We'll do the the extended-cut version of this trip. The Finke Race Track, two nights at Molly Clark's Lockdown, two nights at Mount Dare, and then a haul back to Alice. After a few days r&r in Alice, it'll be off for a three or four day trip around the Eastern Lobe.
I'll schedule some dates and make the bookings.
June 27, 2003
Itinerary
When I received the proposed route from Vic Widman I felt like it was too audacious -- just too much packed in too short of time when I reflect on how much dawdling around we always seem to do on these desert vacations.
Composed of three lobes -- the west (longest), the south, and the east -- the route needed surgery and I suggested we toss out the southern lobe. We'd only take the western lobe, and if time permits, a dash around the eastern lobe.
When I went to Alice Springs early this month I wanted to drive the Finke race track, but timing and logistics didn't allow this. Instead we drove round the Old Andando route up along the western edge of the Simpson Desert. The landscape was rugged and attractive.
I've developed a slow-percolation epiphany that actually the best thing for us is to skip the long western lobe and instead do some variation of the Southern lobe, including the Finke track, as well as a comfortable trip around the eastern lobe.
Why? It offers the most robust and flexibile logistics a better and more concentrated selection of things we want to do.
The idea is that we would operate more often out of Alice Springs. Since the trips are shorter distance, we can schedule them more flexibily, according to what we want while there.
I think these two lobes have a richer and more concentrated selection of activities we want, including serious 4wd, Aboriginal culture, and more industrial archeology (Arltunga mining).
The chief sacrifice is some of the more spectacular natural world -- places like Palm Valley and Kings Canyon. Western loop seems to have more emphasis on natural wonders and less on the other things we want to do. I've seen some of the areas south of Alice Spring, and trust me, they are beautiful (and alien) also.
This will simplify the trip, make it more flexible, and possibly have a richer set of experiences with more time to soak them up. Assuming you are all in agreement, I will draft up a second rough itinerary and start tentatively booking some lodging.
June 15, 2003
My Review of a Britz Bushcamper
Even camels die on the blasted edge of the Simpson Desert
A significant goal of my trip to the 2003 Finke Desert Race was to do as much logistical reconnaisance as I could for our August Outback 2003 trip. One important detail is our vehicle arrangement. To that end I rented a Britz Bushcamper to see if it would be tolerable to pull around the desert, acting as our mobile Road Pantry and Rest Station.
The Bushcamper is a Toyota Landcruiser with the rear cabin replaced with some RV-style infrastructure.
Bushcamper as a Truck
The chassis is a 4.2L diesel engine, a five-speed manual transmission, and 4wd. The 4wd has high and low range. The hubs are locked on the wheels itself. It has two fuel tanks. It seats, ostensibly, three people across its bench seat. Airconditioning and a radio/tape player are the only amenities. It comes with no specialized recovery equipment (like a winch or high-lift jack). It has fairly high clearance. It only has one spare tire.
I liked the manly roar of a manual, diesel motor. It sounds like elementary school bus.
Around Alice Springs it drove easily enough. City planners kept in mind that 90% of the population drives a Toyota Landcruiser or comparable, so parking and access is no problem, except for some of the canopied parking lots.
On the highway it was tolerable. The extra high rear roof gives it some drag, but the wind is so sedate there, I wasn't getting pushed around too badly. Fuel mileage was mediocre. I didn't keep accurate mileage records, but a 4 or 5 hour highway run at 100-130kmh (without aircon; using 2wd) consumed roughly one quarter of total tank capacity. That's enough to get us from diesel waypoint to diesel waypoint with some safety and screw-around buffer, but nothing exceptional.
On the tracks it was good. We didn't do any extreme rubicon-style 4wd, just driving on their backcountry roads which are either wide ribbons of gravel, or wide ribbons of 18" deep sand. I popped it into 4wd and, after getting used to the vehicle, was able to run it anywhere from 60-100kmh (35-60mph) in these conditions. Sand, by far, is the harder of the two conditions to drive in.
If I think back to our previous trips to Death Valley (including the Lippincort Mine Trail), Arizona, and Nevada, I can't recall a single track we took there that the Britz Bushcamper would be unable to ably follow.
I think there are harder trails to follow (like the Finke race trail), which would be fun to try. I think their primary difficulty is sand, not Rubicon boulders. From what I can tell, to drive successfully in sand requires smarts and a few peripherals, not a more aggressive truck. Drive sanely, with lower air pressure, and have some shovels, air compressor (for re-inflation), and some traction material, and we should be fine.
Problems I had with it? After a few days of extended 4wd driving, I couldn't ever get the transmission to return to 2wd. I tried quite a bit, including re-reading the manual, but never made it. It's annoying in that driving around town is more of a fight. It would have been much worse if it was stuck in 2wd. Not sure what the solution is. Perhaps I wasn't properly following disengagment instructions? But I know for certain that previously I was able to shift in and out. I think we should research this problem (it must be commonly discussed) and find out what to do regarding procedure, precaution, and fixes. 2wd-lock would be no joke.
Reverse is sometimes tricky to find, but not big deal. The transmission and steering felt nearly indistinguishable from my 1989 Toyota Corrolla DX.
Foolishly I didn't carefully inspect the windshield when we took possession of the truck. I noticed a spider-chip a few hours later. Chipped windshields are a common problem there (especially when we'll be convoy driving), and Britz will charge you for them. We need to remember to thoroughly check the windshields. They didn't notice the chip, due to some clever camoflauge, but inspect more assiduously next time.
The dust level of the outback is staggering. Every vehicle pulls a mile-long plume that extends a hundred feet into the air and a hundred feet wide. For reference, Matt and Adam, it's very, very comparable to the desperate sprint across the Cadiz Playa a few years ago. Thus, you've got to keep windows and doors locked down. Some of the chintzy RV-style windows liked to vibrate open, so they required some routine patrolling. The ambient temperatures weren't too bad anyway, and the aircon was strong enough, so temperature inside was cool. The sun was pretty fierce, though, so for comfort sake we're going to want to bring some of those corny suction-cup-mounted window blinds. Otherwise you'll be making makeshift bandana blinds pinched into the window.
The headlights were somewhat weak (no big bank of Hella lights, like seemingly every other vehicle, 4wd and sedan alike, seem to have in the Northern Territories). That's annoying, but it's good practice not to drive at night anyway, so less important. The more annoying issue is that there is no "headlight on" alarm. So if you drive with your lights on in the daytime (not a bad idea considering some of the dust clouds you are tangled in), it's very, very easy to leave the car with the lights on.
My verdict that the Britz Bushcamper is a sufficient 4wd trail vehicle.
Bushcamper as a Rest Stop and Mobile Pantry
Once you've pulled over for morning coffee break or an afternoon lunch, the Bushcamper has to become an RV. It meets minimum expectations.
The specifications says the Bushie sleeps three, has a refrigerator, sink with water-supply, and two-burner stove, as well as dining table.
In practice I find you have some marginal cabinetry, a small refigerator a third to one half the size of a standard big Coleman cooler, a severely wheezy LPG stove, and a water tank and tiny drain.
The 'two' of 'three' sleepers theoretically sleep in a claustrophobic roof space that would remind you more of the Underground Railroad than the Orient Express. Instead, two people can manage to sleep in the one-person's bunk below (the couch slides out against the counter. Two people who do not enjoy intimate relations might not enjoy the closeness, however. For one person it would be no problems.
There is very little storage room -- anything in the aisle blocks the cabinet doors for opening. The inside card table? Forget it. Way too much work.
The refrigerator is more like a cooler with ice that melts slowly. You can turn its coldness to 5/5 while driving, but if it is just sitting on battery power, they recommend you turn it down to 1/5. We learned, the hard way, how flimsy containers on things like yogurt and cottage cheese are very happy to explode inside the box as you race over the road corrugations. Ziplocs and tupperware are the order of the day.
The stove frankly sucks. It's a coleman two-element stove to which you attach an LPG tank. Even using just one burner produces an incredibly weak flame. The regulator is non-adjustable. It can take > 20 minutes to boil a kettle. My mountaineering stove does a much faster job of things. Either we need to find another stove or a different regulator. IT really sucked.
The sink was ok. My silly wife didn't understand why when she poured out leftover minestrone soup why the sink drained extremely slowly from the on.
(hint: Maybe it is because the drain plug is 1-inch diameter?) It's really disgusting to have water sloshing around the sink while driving. Strictly liquids only in the drain (which just empties out below the car anyway) The water tank is something like 50gallons, which is quite a lot. We just used that for cooking. I had bottled water to drink.
Embarassingly, I thought the tank required a special fitting for filling. When I simply crammed garden hose into the tank to fill it up, the water poured out as fast as I was filling it. Then I finally realized, "maybe the tank is already full."
Cars are never quiet. Trucks louder. Bad roads make it worse. High speeds aggravate that. Having a cabinet full of cutlerly, stoves, and foodstuffs turns it all into a giant fiberglass and aluminum tambourine from hell. You can wedge clothing in amongst the stuff, but you just have to accept that it's going to be a loud ride.
The extended roof gives you enough headspace to stand up fully (I'm 5'9") 6'+ might be a problem. The roof is not climable and not suitable to shoot photography from.
So how?
As a rental vehicle, it's about all you can expect. It can serve our needs as a pantry and an occasional forward accomodation if one or two of us wants to camp out while the rest are at a lodge somewhere. (to catch morning sun for photos or whatever).
If I lived in Australia, and was fitting a truck, I'd be doing things a lot different. The cabinetry and bed arrangement is an inefficient joke. I could ditch most of that. The refrigerator is a good idea, but could take up less space and have bigger volume. The draining sink is sort of nice, but unecessary. The stove sucks. Nearly anything else would be better. I'd rather have a shorter roof w/ a nice rack-platform than having the extended bubble roof.
The truck has none of the safety, extraction, or communication equipment we'll need. Off the top of my head we'd want:
Tire repair kit
2nd spare(?)
Shovel
2-way radio
Snatch straps
Traction equipment
Tire compressor
Don't doubt that it's nice to be able to eat on a couch indoors. The bush flies there are absolutely disgusting. I've never encountered anything like it. It doesn't matter where you are, stand around five minutes, and a swarm of flies will be hovering and crawling all over you. There is nothing which repels them. They are ubiquitous. In the hottest, most barren, desolate country they materialize out of nowhere to feed on you. Flynets are a must. It's nicer to be inside the car, away from them.
So in my opinion, the Bushie is not perfect, but I think it is decent and adds a dimension of civility to the trip. I continue to think that we should have two vehicles no matter what. Seeing how little cargo space the Bushie has, however, makes me think just another conventional Land Cruiser might not be enough. There is a vehicle called a Toyota Troop Carrier, more like a Chevy Suburban, that sounds like the people and luggage carrier we need. I am not sure where to rent one of these, and will have to investigate.