"Are We there yet Dad FFS"

So my son and I decided we would go on a trip ,the planning had begun. I wanted a Simpson desert crossing to get my boy in the thick of it .Having just got his bike licence 4 months 4 hand I thought what a great way to get into Distance riding . We talked about it but decided it was not the right time ,he has shin splits from basic training in the Army .So a plan was hatched ot do a lap I had done the pervious yr ,so I knew the way and what to expect

The idea being bit safer first time out on my own on a long ride with me as the go to man .....not real good at the go to man

So bikes ready ...Zac on his Wr250r me on the trusty xrr


Our decision was to carry light ...Xped mats for sleeping ..wolfman self inflating pillow....sleeping bag ..thermal liner ...tent ..all worked well but cold when you had to get up in the morning

We started out on Sunday morning I was keen to get going and zac was up early as well. Plan was to head out through Warwick then Goondiwindi then onto St George. I knew the dalby way was full of rd works and slow

We made good time and was into our first stop at Warwick fuel and maccas .Then we pushed on for St George b4 it got to late and the roos came out ,we made first cam about 10 k out or St George in the bush ,,few jim beam cans and a few fireworks were set off ,great way to start a trip





We packed up early and headed for Thargomindah, plan was to get there mid arvo and get some more jim cans and camp the night at the river just b4 town ,was cold and down to 4deg in the morning.We started the fire and had coffee and porridge with condensed milk








We pushed on to camerons corner via Nucundra .We passed about 5 rd trains heading out of thargo ,zac got his first taste of get on the dirt and get stuck into it ,made it passed them all no worries





we found the first of our last yrs stickers


left a note for whats his face


We got fuel at Nucundra and had a can of coke ,brushed the flys away ,There was another group of rd trains there also and headed off just after pulled up .Looks like we have to pass more on the way to camerons ,but it was all good ,day 3 ended with us at Cameron's Corner



We had a drink or 3 and had a yarn with Fenn ,had dinner and headed for bed







Up early again and it was a lil cool at 3 degs in the morning ,waited for the sun to come up and packed our gear and head for the strzelecky track ,Seems the famous Camerons corner double decker bus has been removed :eek1 I read it on a letter in the pub


There is also a book to sign in the pub ,Last yr our lil Wez sign the book not long b4 he crashed ..it says giddy up whoo back...may be the later should have been the first


and it had been removed the tree is gone as well and a water thing is there now and a holding pen and loading ramp for cattle ,We went right passed ,also missed the short cut as we were having fun on the track
,lucky we did as this is when we stopped up just short of the intersection and we heard bikes coming .I said to zac I can hear bikes he agreed ,nxt thing we see are 2 dr's fully loaded Adndrew and Chriss from Sydney .We chatted a for a while and I rolled Chriss some smokes as he was out and not near a shop ...he was very thankfull



We had to get going if we wanted to make Arkaroola tonight so off we went down the strez , a little while later I notice my gps has gone to battery mode and im wondering why ,nxt my lights go out :eek1,I think shit not now ,I looked down to see a loose earth wire on the battery ,sheesh easy fix ,I forgot to lock tight them the days b4
I raced up to catch zac and tell him to stop ,so we pull over and I pulled thafairing off and sorted out the problem ,took 45 mins tho .This was making up for the reasons we didn't make Arkaroola that night ,we also stopped a few times to look around

More soon

Good effort so far. And shin splints for the young fella, the good old issued boots are renowned for that!

We stopped at a bore on the strez track ...for get its name was real nice with a cold water pond and a warm water pond .Nice place to camp but no wood ,there are water tanks there unshure if you can rink from them






We made camp a lil bit short of Arkaroola that night ,but it turned out to be a great spot to watch the sun go down and relax with a good fire and the turn off to Arkaroola with our sticker Derek placed 12 months ago




We walked over the other side of camp with our chairs and a cuppa tea and watched the sun go down






more as I sort the pics out

Nice one Sean-0

dad and dave, put that one on the wall boys.

Nice part of the world! Thanks for sharing

good stuff .. however i do wonder why you pick on me so much

Great ride report sean-o, looks like you and Zac are have a great time, ride safe, will be good to catch up for another ride some time. I hope that little book I got you is keeping you entertained, perhaps you can find a new nick name for Derek

Great stuff guys, we where working keeping the country going while you where away.

Fathers riding with sons

So after the nights camp 45k off the strez,we headed for Arkaroola .Great rds in to there on the back side of the gammon ranges I think it is .Made Arkaroola bit b4 lunch time and had a feed and fuel and got water.I was about to buy 6x 1.5 ltrs bottles when I spotted a 10 ltr box with a silver cask in it for 7 bucks so I grabbed that .Turns out the cask was to stay with us for the nxt week till it started to leak ...was good to put water in and then pop in the bladder bra
On the way out of Arkaroola we met up with paul I think it is with a 800 tiger heading back to Birdsville .Had a chat for a while then we headed off to look for camp ,Weetootle was the spot we chose ,we grabbed a bottle of tia maria at Ark and a few jim beams and club Canadians ...set for a good night


zac heading back with wood


p/b is giving me grief more soon

Enjoy, I lost my dad a few years ago but have great memories from so many amazing adventures together.

Good rd. Seano . Picture don't work though
Good reading while I lay here in the farter in north Dakota. More please

Where did you get those chairs look better than my 3 legged stool,
great ride report great way to spend some time together.

Cheers Phil

Good one Sean-O,


Going by the amount of firewood collected, it is no wonder your son looks exhausted.

Keep the RR coming Sean-0.

That's why i got the SE so Jack and myself can go 2up.

:eek1 you must be new around here


they are Helinox chairs, fast services , he a top fella in queensland

top photo boys ! front page stuff

livin the dream

Really a fun RR. Thanks for the time....

Gary "Oldone"

Grampa’s Nationa lMonument Ride
Grampa’s Lake Superior Ride

So we left for Wilpena pound the nxt morning a fantastic ride in great gravel rd's and no1 about

On the way we went to look at some nice rock art ...I went there last yr but to lazy to walk to see it ..this yr I made the effort and glad I did

this photo is a block of stone that has been carved very nice



We rode into the spot and had a blast on the track ...follows a creek bed and some sand and rock ,,great fun





Was a hot walk in all out gear but good all the same ,We got back to the bikes and headed for wilpena ,not a big ride but fun as there are some nice tar rd's and great views

We we're out of gas for the jet boil so grabbed a suitable bottle ,,10 bucks so not to bad price fuelled up and had a feed and drink and called home hubg around for an hr or so ...I was keen to do a great rd to Blinman


On the way about 20 k from the shop I noticed fuel spilling out of my fuel cap :eek1,dam it I had dropped the rubber seal that goes in the cap

I pulled up and told zac what had happened ..I raced back to the servo hell for leather as I really needed that bloody thing
Got there quick smart and couldn't find it Damm I must have dropped it at camp the night b4 at Weetootle ...kick the ground a few times and swore at myself but shit happens and I needed a fix

sat there for a few mins and thought ill give the wetone's ago so I did that made it fir and screwed the cap back on ,hey this might work I thought ...but nup no good soon as I got back to the dirt it stated to leak as it was wet with fuel ....fuck this is no good what am I gunna do ...stepped back and looked at my bike and what I had to work with

we had spare tubes but I didn't want to ruin a good tube as fa sure I would need it b4 I could replace it
nxt plan ....my shoe's ill cut the inner sole out and make a gaskit ...so I did and it worked for the rest of the trip never leaked a drop




We shot down razorback and had a blast ,did a few ride by's for the camera and just loved every bit of the rd ...I could ride it all day I recon and still find something to look at
We headed for Blinman for the night and road in around 5.30 roos every where so it was 60kms for about an hr to get in safe and sound
As we wroad up we seen 2 more DR's ....bloody things are every where
well set up bikes looked like they were on a big ride as well

We went into the bar and grabbed a beer and asked for a room as it was time to have a shower and wash some socks
no 1 in there so thought the owners of the bikes must have been at the shop or something
anyways were got our room and heaed to for it when up come Craig and Bert ..both good blokes and telling us they had just had the ride from hell toget to pub on a 3 day trip they were doing ...funny story that went on for a good 30 mins

anyways we chatted a while and then we headed for our room I was dog tired and needed a good shower ....turns out Craig and Bert are staying nxt to us so we chatted some more and more hahaha was funny and Bert is a short fella of 140 kgs and his bike was lowered to suit his short lil legs so it was a good larf top bloody fella's

We had 2 larg pizza's for tea and very nice they we're but we couldn't eat them all so in the zippy bags and into zacs tank bag ...made for a early stop when we headed off from Blinman the nxt morning ..was bloody 2 degs again shit it was cold
that's the first time I seen frost on my bike I was impressed