Simpson Desert stroll with Paddy McHugh in 2011

Reminiscing ...
Amazing that we even got thus far on this road.
Simpson Desert stroll in 2011

Photo credit: Paddy McHugh
paddymchugh.com/

Paddy McHugh is embarking with another lot of desert walkers on a stroll across the Simpson Desert this year and I came across this shot on Paddy McHugh's FB page.
(Paddy McHugh gave me permission to upload the photo on my flickr photostream).

This is us!
As far as I remember, the advice was to use this road, 'Rig Road', due to rain being expected. Being so remote, road condition updates may be a bit late and maybe a bit unreliable. A decision had to be made and it led us to 'Rig Road'. Being caught and stranded by rain in the Simpson Desert area is a disaster.

Some may wonder how it came to this. Well, I guess, when there is not much of a track anymore the driver tries to negotiate driving on whatever is the highest part of the road. The track was firm but, with so many wheels to consider, the task proved to be a bit too tricky.

After a lot of head scratching, walking around the scene, looking under, looking over, thinking, trying to lift, trying to shove, listening to advice by non-mechanics and other smart people, 'we' managed to get the situation under control and got the 4WD and trailer back onto the road. Well, this is a road.

Us walkers continued our walk and proceeded without any other major conundrums, apart from a damaged axle, or something, on the trailer sometime later. I have to try to find the photo of the interesting fix. The trailer was done at Kulgera and was left there, unfit for the 2,000km drive back to Townsville.

Camping at Kulgera was another adventure: Domestic mouse plague!

2011 was another year of a mouse plague and even on the trek we encountered mice scurrying across the tents at night. At Kulgera, I discovered one trying to hide in my tent and so did what we've done when growing up on a farm. There are times when you can't be squeamish and have to be rational. There were mice in the roadhouse dining area as well. Mouse plagues are a disaster for farmers, are a disaster for native desert mice, are a health hazard, and have to be controlled by any means possible.

Taken in: Australia / Northern Territory / Simpson (show map)

Taken on: January 26, 2022

Tags:

Australia

Simpson Desert Hike

hiking

4WDriving

Rig Road

South Australia « less

Sets appears in: • Simpson Desert Hike 2011

Groups appears in: • Australia, Our Great Southern Land

Stats: 1,148 views / 2 comments

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