jhn.holgate Posted June 10, 2015 Report Posted June 10, 2015 I've been following Chris Rishworth as he cycles into the outback areas of Australia - he does a pretty good job on his vids and they make for much better viewing than what's on the gogglebox at the moment. In his latest vid, he's heading north from Tibooburra along the Silver City Highway up to Eromanga. Watching some of this video got me thinking, what a hell of a good place for some buggying. There's some huge stretches of....well, nothing at all. You could probably buggy straight up the highway without seeing a car for hours (although you may want to get the heck off the road if you see a road train coming). It looks like you can just about buggy anywhere you like in places. Have a skip through the vid and see what you think (or sit down and watch the lot). A possible buggy trip one day?.....hmmmmm..... Quote
gum-nuts Posted June 10, 2015 Report Posted June 10, 2015 Let's do it... Extreme Kites across Australia! Custom off-road buggys, some big depowers and some 4wd support! Some crowd funding and a good cause to raise money for! Bring it on! Quote
jhn.holgate Posted June 10, 2015 Author Report Posted June 10, 2015 I was thinking more along the lines of finding a good spot with stuff all around and a suitable camp site nearby and buggy till we're sick of it. Pub nearby would be good too, but I think Chris mentioned he stopped at Eromanga (I think) and payed $52 for some snickers bars, can of coke, can of beans, hamburger and not a hell of a lot more. Ouch! Still, could always do a bit of a car shuffle from one end of something to another. I'd like to do something like that rather than deal with the logistics of say, trying to get across the Simpson Desert - which would be a great trip, but not easy to organize or actually achieve. I think I might be missing a few 'adventure' chromosomes!! Although I am determined to get across to Lake Lefroy and buggy with Yourself and Chook one of these days. Cape LeGrand too... Quote
Kathleen Posted June 10, 2015 Report Posted June 10, 2015 XK Birdsville track (just thought I'd get in before Nigel) - kids will be old enough next year gum-nuts 1 Quote
nigel Posted June 10, 2015 Report Posted June 10, 2015 Birdsville track can be done, but does need some good organisation if it's to work. The biggest killer is the different skill levels of buggy pilots, if you have to cover a required distance per day.The more pilots, the less distance you will be able to do. Same for kites. If one person doesn't have the right size for the conditions, then they struggle and get left behind. Your sit in one place John, could be done!! These guys hit Lake Gairdner each year for their own speed week: http://www.dlra.org.au/ They have a food available, and the cars give all the family some thing to look at rather than just kites. The cars don't like much wind, so when the wind blows, they stop. It could then be our turn to post some official speed records?? Quote
jaysmith Posted June 11, 2015 Report Posted June 11, 2015 Been to speed week, Its an absolute blast. The DLRA has to get special permission from the native title holders to use the lake and has to adhere to some very, very strict rules, (Area used, damage minimization, etc). Mt Ive station is the place to stay, has caravan park and cabins, communal kitchen. Quote
OBEwan Posted June 11, 2015 Report Posted June 11, 2015 I'd be up for an outback adventure! From the bit of the outback I've seen myself (and a few parts of the video confirm it) the main trouble with outback roads is the ridge up the centre of the road which can consist of lots of big rocks, clay and other very abrasive things. After checking out the Old Eyre Hwy a few years ago I decided that if you were to tackle those sorts of roads you'd need far more ground clearance than provided by standard buggy wheels. Basing ourselves near a big flat piece of empty sounds good. Lake Gairdner seems to be set up for it. Quote
ssayre Posted June 11, 2015 Report Posted June 11, 2015 That's a cool video, but if it were me, I think I'd prefer on off road motorcycle pulling a small trailer of beer opposed to buggy or bicycle. Quote
RedSky Posted June 12, 2015 Report Posted June 12, 2015 (edited) I like what you've done with the place. A new coat of paint has really brightened things up. All the outback roads I've ever traveled on had corrugations, some so severe they loosen fillings. If you can buggy at 50kph then they kinda disappear. Maybe the more sandy tracks are doable as in the video. Edited June 12, 2015 by RedSky Quote
jhn.holgate Posted June 12, 2015 Author Report Posted June 12, 2015 All the outback roads I've ever traveled on had corrugations, some so severe they loosen fillings. I went up to Lake Mungo a few years ago - the road was so bad that it was a relief to get to the cattle grates! eyrewaves 1 Quote
Mez Posted June 14, 2015 Report Posted June 14, 2015 Chris mentioned he stopped at Eromanga (I think) and payed $52 for some snickers bars, can of coke, can of beans, hamburger and not a hell of a lot more. Ouch! I'll have to invest in a tuck truck and bring it along. Quote
jhn.holgate Posted June 14, 2015 Author Report Posted June 14, 2015 I'll have to invest in a tuck truck and bring it along. I had no idea what one of them was. Had to look it up. Filled full of food I assume? Quote
Mez Posted June 14, 2015 Report Posted June 14, 2015 LOL not a Tuk-Tuk John (still having a giggle over that) A tuck truck, like who visit the industrial areas selling sandwiches and the like to the workers! They sound their klaxon horn and the boys come running for their bacon sarnie! Must not get them in Ballarat Quote
jhn.holgate Posted June 14, 2015 Author Report Posted June 14, 2015 Ah, whoops. Shoulda had me other glasses on! Quote
windance Posted June 16, 2015 Report Posted June 16, 2015 Hey john I haven't heard TV referred to as the goggle box in many moons very funny my mother use to say that it's a word that is typically used in the North of England mostly in the Midlands Quote
windance Posted June 16, 2015 Report Posted June 16, 2015 Wow that guy must be fit to bike the terrain nice video Quote
jhn.holgate Posted June 16, 2015 Author Report Posted June 16, 2015 Hey john I haven't heard TV referred to as the goggle box in many moons very funny my mother use to say that it's a word that is typically used in the North of England mostly in the Midlands mum was Welsh and dad was a Yorkshireman. And I'm .....shhhh.... Quote
soliver Posted June 17, 2015 Report Posted June 17, 2015 HAHA... Tuck Truck... we call it a Roach Coach here in the states... usually a Pick-up truck (believe you guys call it a Ute) with a topper on the back with warmers and coolers full of all kinds of food... Usually bought at the closest corner store or restaurant and sold for twice the price... awesome. Quote
Chook Posted June 17, 2015 Report Posted June 17, 2015 Geez. Need to work out a trip. I'm in and I'll bring the bottle of port for the cool nights. Quote
roblukin Posted June 18, 2015 Report Posted June 18, 2015 I'd be up for an outback adventure! From the bit of the outback I've seen myself (and a few parts of the video confirm it) the main trouble with outback roads is the ridge up the centre of the road which can consist of lots of big rocks, clay and other very abrasive things. After checking out the Old Eyre Hwy a few years ago I decided that if you were to tackle those sorts of roads you'd need far more ground clearance than provided by standard buggy wheels. Basing ourselves near a big flat piece of empty sounds good. Lake Gairdner seems to be set up for it. Ive just been up for the Finke Desert Race (http://finkedesertrace.com.au/) and i found myself looking at open areas and thinking "that would be great for buggying!", but on closer inspection its a bit bumpier than it looks. And the tracks are just so changeable as well.. Im inclined to agree with John, find a good spot and buggy it to death. Quote
Landslide Posted June 22, 2015 Report Posted June 22, 2015 There was a dude from Brisbane done it a couple of years back. Took the old mail route. I was born and bred in Cobar (left of bumfracknowhere). worked a lot of the silver city and Birdsville areas. Take a good support crew, and notify the flying doctor service gum-nuts 1 Quote
RobG Posted July 20, 2015 Report Posted July 20, 2015 I've been out that way a few times now, mainly to Tibooburra and beyond for Gold detecting. The only issues I see are nearly all the land out there belongs to someone. You'd need to find landowners and find permission. A lot of the land is also quite stony with sharp ironstone and quartz. Take puncture repair kits! Which leads to the next issue - buggying on the roads? Vehicles are rare out there, but I have seen the odd outback cop car! And yes, the dreaded cattle grids and the 'dips' - there are warning signs for those so you don't hit one at speed and compress on the way up the other side. From a weather point of view, in my experience, the wind out there can be very strong. It's a clean wind - not too many obstructions, but it doesn't half blow ;-) Have seen a couple of outback dust devils / willy willys too. I also remember being stranded out there for the big dust storm that came through from SA, blitzed us in Tibooburra, then carried on to Sydney and made everything red. Cheers - Rob Quote
plummet Posted July 20, 2015 Report Posted July 20, 2015 I will jump on a plane, Fly over and ride a desert at some point. Maybe not for a few years yet. Will wait for the kids to be older. The $90000 question is, is there wind? and is there a route that will give your cross, cross on directions? Too down wind, too upwind will will suck and not be practical. https://www.windyty.com/?-23.221,132.891,5 Quote
outlaw Posted July 23, 2015 Report Posted July 23, 2015 I made some kites for this dude, he kite biked across the nullarbor These guys did some cool stuff too- http://www.wired.com/2013/02/evonic-ev-kite/ Quote
kiteballoon Posted July 26, 2015 Report Posted July 26, 2015 Perhaps we need to expand our buggy horizons here a little bit. Air ride anyone? For those of you who've driven a big truck, you know what I'm thinking what bumps? Quote
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