Expressions of interest for Birdsville trip mid November??
 

Hi guys,

I have been planning a trip to Birdsville (from Melbourne or Mildura) and I finally got time off work to go. I will be leaving mid November and going via Mildura, Broken Hill, Cameron Corner, Innaminka, Birdsville, Lake Eyre, and Flinders ranges and Murray Sunset NP on the way home. will be a 2 to 2 and half week trip.

Looking for expressions of interest if anyone wants to join me.

The route is flexible, dates are not so flexible.

If anyone is interested post here or PM me.

I'm temped
 

last year in july missed a doing bits I really wanted to see but cash is always an issue.

get a joy ride over Lake Eyre....

If you are tempted then you must want to come but you are making excuses why you shouldnt :nod:

So..... you should just come along!

I'm only planning to stay in paid accom in Birdsville 1 night (pub), Marree 1 night (maybe) and Flinders ranges 1 night (youth hostel price so $25 a night). At this stage I am wanting to camp all other nights, so making it a cheap trip.

So any more excuses?

Its either going to be hot and dusty or hot and muddy, either way it will be awesome! :blob9::HappyRoll_ANPIUI:

Definately getting a joy ride over lake eyre!

Get the helicopter ride over Lake Ayre as it flys alot lower.

Have you done any of these roads before ? It is still wet in places out there now but should be fine by then.

A bit of sand around Merty Merty that can catch you out and the corner country is about the only place not a real good idea to ride alone.

I may be tempted to come along as I was planning a trip out to the corner country again about that time. Oh but i'll be cheating as I will be on my TT600R.

Hi SKT

Unfortunately Puffy and I are headed that way on 17th October for 14 days. Our current "schedule" - rain, rivers, water crossings and GOD not withstanding - goes by Mildura, Hawker and Marree on the way out to the Birdsville Loop including Tiboburra and White Cliffs on the way home - approximately 4,200 kms all up :023:

Sounds like we intend to do failry similar trips - yeaph we'll be camping most of the way as well !!!

Ditto the comments re a flight over Lake Eyre - remember to arrange in advance if you really want a specific time.

Damn pity we all couldn't have got the trip schedules right - would have been a great adventure :022:

Did you sort out your racks and panniers yet ?

Hey Pete,
Im leaving about the 14th November. I still havent purchased those racks and guards yet but today feels like a good day to spend money.
I wish I could have gotten the time off work to go with you guys, maybe next time.
Im planning a very similar route to u guys but I think I will go in reverse, up through Nsw first, birdsville loop then SA. Just incase anyone else on the east coast wants to come along (HINT HINT Supermanaint and Woottonboy).

Good luck to you and Richard, hope you guys have a great trip.

Hey SKT,

It's gonna be really warm then (in the high 30's) but you gotta go when you can.

May be able to meet up at Tibooburra, take lots of water and a cool vest.

Will have a look at my planing soon and let you know (may be able to meet at Broken Hill maybe).

Thanks for the advice. You should definately come along. From Toowoomba I could meet u in Tibooburra? Why not bring the xt?

Oh the XT is to pretty haha, the TTR just laughs at sand and from Bourke to Wanaaring can be hard work at times.

I love my XT and use it as my touring bike (dirt and road) but the TTR needs a run and may be on some rough stuff on the way out there. Plus it may be handy to be a a lighter bike at times.

Bye the way, I have just fitted Wirth fork springs and a Ohlins to the XT and it's now as tall as my TTR :103:

Does it have more ground clearance now?
Have you had your suspension tuned or were the springs set for a weight originally?

will you explain to el boss?
 

why I can't come to work???

love to go, but unless it rains a lot and jobs get cancelled my arse will be Newcastle working....

My next trip is the "Rocket Run 2012" (maybe in April or May planning in progress).

woomera rocket range (just to see it) and ground zero at maralinga then back again via great ocean road

Oh yeah it's sits a fair bit higher, when I take it off the centre stand it doesn't drop much now (just the right amount). I would guess it's about an inch taller maybe, the front forks play a big roll in that.

I put Wirth progressive fork springs in (I think these would be perfect with a big tank) and the rear Ohlins is tuned to my riding weight and style.

Bike rides grrrr-ate now, for a while there I thought they fixed all the roads up here :042: (yep that good):toothy5:.

Mate, like others here I am familiar with the country you intend to ride through. Please be aware that at that time of the year it's not uncommon for temps to be in the mid to high 40s. Believe me, this is not fun. I was a contract musterer a couple of years ago around Glendambo and there was a two-week heat wave in November that nearly flattened all of us. That was the fifth year in a row that we were heat-waved in November.
If you absolutely must do it, my advice is don't anyway. But as long as nothing goes wrong, you will probably be ok. But if it does you will wish you'd waited for cooler weather.
Good luck, whichever way you decide to go.

I should agree with 66T really, it can be done but it is bloody hot out there.

Other things to contend with are possible grass fires at the moment (they can move quick and there's nowhere to run), possible dust storms (which can make it very uncomfortable), big distances with nothing inbetween (can be a real mind game for some), lack of places to cool off.

It is beautiful out there but not for everyone.
Years ago we took some mates out to the corner country through Qld to Innamicka they back to Tibooburra, Bourke etc. They were mentally stuffed half way through and have never been back.

It can be done in the summer months (not really recommended) but you have to have it together, the right gear, the right mindset and carry lots of water. For example I have a 3ltr camelback plus I carry 6lts or more extra water depending on where i'm going out there and top up every chance.

There are also predictions of a wet summer, if that happens then you can't move out there, roads are shut fast and fines are big.

So best advice I could give is to have very felexible plans, reserch and don't be disappointed if you can't get out there this time.:tear:

Thanks for the info guys.

Im aware that it can get really effing hot, dusty and wet out there at tht time of year. My plans are very flexible. Thats the beauty of an adventure, plans are made then you have to change them and sometimes you end up somewhere great that you never planned to go.

Im going to keep an eye on the forecast each day, if it looks like it will dump down with rain or be 40+ then plans will have to change. There is plenty more of this amazing country to see without havingto perish in the desert to see it. Its not worth it if I dont make it home.

I will be taking plenty of water for sure.

From the way you plan to come up there are plenty of great parts of the country to see anyway, sort of makes me jealous.

I will be in central N.S.W. mid to end of Oct getting in some warm weather practice hehe.

Anyway it's still sounds like fun to me.

Yeah I agree that it would be good fun if the weather holds. I love that country, as I grew up on a sheep station north of Port Augusta. Only trouble with checking the forecast is that you might already be there, and there's nowhere to go to get away from the heat except through it. Still, if you've got plenty of water and shelter you should be right.

Hows the planning going - have your plans firmed up yet. Got the bike fully sorted ?

We've just returned and had a great time !!! As you know it's bloody HOT up there at the moment.