Tanami Road

[juddles]

Hey there all,

I know this is probably the opposite of a flying thread, but I have learnt that here on AFF we have people who have seen/done everything.

Has anyone travelled the Tanami Road? This is the strecth of "highway 5" that goes between Hall's Creek in Wa, to a point on the Stuart Highway just north of Alice in the Northern Territory.

Am thinking of doing it. Mainly just as an outrageous method to break my Stockholm Syndrome travel thing with Qantas. (Thank you @TonyHancock )

Any experiences or advice out there?

 

[lovetravellingoz]

I am a basic peasant. Fire is just so fundamental to me. I see that amazing load of perfectly-dried true aussie hardwood and I am in awe

It is one of the great plusses of off-grid camping on the Murray.

Plenty of good dried red gum dead trees and branches to gather with a little bit of elbow grease.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

I am a basic peasant. Fire is just so fundamental to me. I see that amazing load of perfectly-dried true aussie hardwood and I am in awe

Since it seems you are into your Firewood cough....When on firewood runs we always keep our eye open for a hollow log, or stump, as they make for a beautiful campfire.

 

[kookaburra75]

kookaburra75, I had actually contemplated that route, but so far had not much info on it. One attraction was to kkep as far "south" as possible to avoid the temptation to get to Darwin - as want to save that for a future trip. When you say the "pub" is ok, do you mean one at Top Springs? Or Daly Springs?

The Top Springs pub is great. Daly Waters I haven't been to for a lot of years, but from memory it was a bit touristy.
Also for staying in Fitzroy Crossing, it has always been an issue about security. We always slept in our survey vehicles to keep an eye on things. In the past we stayed out at Geike Gorge as there was no reason to stop in Fitzroy.

 

[juddles]

T-36days.

The rebuild of the vehicle is going well. The Landcruiser is an interesting shade of red, and we have christened her "Ruby".

Once the "suppliers" realized we were dead set serious about being able to accommodate 250 cold cans, it has aroused their "professional" interest. We all love a challenge. So we have the best guys and gals available working towards this. My companion wanted to also put in a pie-oven. I drew the line at this, as the electrical requirements of those banks of fridges (and our need to recharge vaping devices and the batteries of my Phantom 3 drone) would be hard enough. But it seems we will also be able to have the pie oven.

Please understand the concept behind this all. We have both done a gazillion miles (in distance and figuratively) in sh_thole places and countries. We both grew up in the "bush". We have both fought to have very simple luxuries in desert camping. But we want to take advantage of the advances of technology and push these to the limit.

Some people like to climb Mt Everest, others want to circumnavigate the planet in a 20 foot yacht. We want to get out into the desert and sit happily knowing we have a weeks supply of cold rum secure, and enjoy a hot pie. Not seeking fame, but the opposite - sheer isolation and self-sufficiency.

As I have said, I will do a TR. Some people in the "off-road" commercial scene have already expressed an interest in doing some sort of coverage also. Because they have not seen this. Despite my new-found love for Bundy Extra Smooth cans, which will be the entire 250 can main load, I am thinking of buying some Giant Steps Harrys Monster via Qantas Wines. It would go quite well I think with a couple of steaks cooked over coals in a trench in the desert. So then maybe Qantas could advertise it as "served in Qantas First and by Juddles in the Tanami". Surely that has a better ring to it?

 

[lovetravellingoz]

T-36days.

The rebuild of the vehicle is going well. The Landcruiser is an interesting shade of red, and we have christened her "Ruby".

Once the "suppliers" realized we were dead set serious about being able to accommodate 250 cold cans, it has aroused their "professional" interest.

I understand the desire for the 250 cans being cold, BUT why do they all need to all be cold at once?

YES in the "old days" you would start off cold as you cannot get more ice in truly in the middle of no-where, and adding more warm cans would only make everything warm eventually.

But with solar panels, even if you are not driving for battery charging, one can easily chill your daily can consumption each day.

Just either top up at the end of the night, or first thing in the morning (ie the sun is back up and so charge is occurring again)..

Topping up vs keeping everything cold will greatly reduce the size of your fridge, batteries, solar panels etc.


The fridges also work better when kept full. ie start with 250 cans, but when you are down to 50 with all that air the fridges does not work as well.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

It would go quite well I think with a couple of steaks cooked over coals in a trench in the desert.

If you haven't already. Buy a vacuum sealer, or get your meat from a butcher who will seal it for you.

The meat keeps longer, and you do not have to worry about meat juices leaking.

We also marinate some of our meat first.

You can also freeze, but I try to avoid this as I believe the meat (fat) does not taste as good.

PS: I also do this when I go on yachting trips. Both with the meat....and as in the last reply the grog too.

 

[juddles]

I understand the desire for the 250 cans being cold, BUT why do they all need to all be cold at once?
.........Topping up vs keeping everything cold will greatly reduce the size of your fridge, batteries, solar panels etc.
.....

Yes, but that is what everyone does

 

[juddles]

If you haven't already. Buy a vacuum sealer, or get your meat from a butcher who will seal it for you.

The meat keeps longer, and you do not have to worry about meat juices leaking.

We also marinate some of our meat first.

You can also freeze, but I try to avoid this as I believe the meat (fat) does not taste as good.

PS: I also do this when I go on yachting trips. Both with the meat....and as in the last reply the grog too.

I COMPLETELY agree!! Am not a fan of defrosted meats, and in general a good vacuum seal product is absolutely the best for storage. These days much of the meat from some suppliers (such as ALDI) is effectively vac-pacced and lasts very well.

As an aside, the one item that it appears many now try to build into a fancy modern camping rig, and something we will certainly NOT have, is a blooming singing-and-dancing coffee machine. Although I have been known to occasionally have a swish latte and don't mind them, this will be strictly International Roast territory. I want to attempt, through sheer isolation, to go back in time, to an age we remember when the concept of a "barista" simply did not exist.

 

[Daver6]

Surely a moka pot saves you from the instant stuff while giving you a great coffee still. Take some beans and a hand grinder; happy days!

 

[lovetravellingoz]

this will be strictly International Roast territory.

Now that is a step too far. Why drink the worst coffee on earth?

If you are going to go instant, why not at least get something more agreeable?

My idea of roughing it is plunger coffee.

When I hike I just normally go without any coffee.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Surely a moka pot saves you from the instant stuff while giving you a great coffee still. Take some beans and a hand grinder; happy days!

Yes moko pot for me in the van

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Yes, but that is what everyone does

Or you have a freezer for the ice cream and making ice for the drinks, another fridge to have really chilled drinks, and then another for your food and meat.

 

[juddles]

Surely a moka pot saves you from the instant stuff while giving you a great coffee still. Take some beans and a hand grinder; happy days!

For Christs Sake Daver6, you are talking to someone who chooses to drink Bundy!!!

 

[juddles]

...the ice cream ....

This is, without apologies, a "real man's" trip. Ice cream???? 250 cold cans is the mission. No ice cream

 

[JohnM]

For Christs Sake Daver6, you are talking to someone who chooses to drink Bundy!!!

Hey, mate, let up on him - he’s just a kid .

 

[love_the_life]

Time of year will be mid October - am hoping that is before the Wet arrives.

One disappointing thing I have noticed whilst researching the trip is the apparently very high rate of break-ins on vehicles at the towns up in WA (Fitzroy Crossing and Halls Creek) Seems it is a sport around there to smash your windows at night and steal anything. I think we will stick away from the towns.

If you are staying at some of the towns, the motels and probably camping areas (?) are fenced in and locked at night. I know the place we used to stay for work when in Halls Creek was and also the one at Warburton (other end of the state). Maybe after camping out you might enjoy a motel for the night. But then again.....

 

[juddles]

If you are staying at some of the towns, the motels and probably camping areas (?) are fenced in and locked at night. I know the place we used to stay for work when in Halls Creek was and also the one at Warburton (other end of the state). Maybe after camping out you might enjoy a motel for the night. But then again.....

Love_the_life, I am a person that doesn't mind living in the dirt for extended periods, but I do also really love to get to somewhere with clean sheets and hot water and....civilization

I suspect that we will manage a week or so without any town stays - as that is the whole point of the trip. But I will need something at some stage - do you recall the name of where you stayed in Halls Creek?

 

[love_the_life]

Love_the_life, I am a person that doesn't mind living in the dirt for extended periods, but I do also really love to get to somewhere with clean sheets and hot water and....civilization

I suspect that we will manage a week or so without any town stays - as that is the whole point of the trip. But I will need something at some stage - do you recall the name of where you stayed in Halls Creek?

Will do some hunting around to find the name

 

[love_the_life]

Pretty sure it was the Halls Creek Motel though the web photo doesn’t show a gate - pretty sure there was one. Restaurant and bar was fine

 

[lovetravellingoz]

I suspect that we will manage a week or so without any town stays - as that is the whole point of the trip. But I will need something at some stage - do you recall the name of where you stayed in Halls Creek?

The less you stay in towns the better IMO.