Paul - Nhill

Ulysses Club - Clarence Valley Group

Some late pics from the Nhill Rally

(submitted by Paul Malcolm)

Ulysses ARSIG - Adventure Riders SIG, Great Sandy Desert AGM in Nhill8-10 October.

We left Grafton 25Sep for Nhill Victoria; 1st night in Goondiwindi and then out along the NSW/Qld border to Innamincka; down through the Strzelecki to Arkaroola; across to the west and up to Marree for the weekend; a little 200k detour up to Mungeranie to deliver some papers to the publican on Saturday morning and then back 200k's to Marree; a ferry trip across the flooded Coopers Creek; a joy flight in a chopper over the flooded Birdsville Track; then our two GS's helped tow a SA Roads grade out of a bog - or at least that was the story in the pub that night and the grader (and the bog hole) keep gets bigger with every telling! Down through the Flinders Ranges and onto Adelaide via the Claire Valley; south to Point Jarvis and then across to Western Victoria via Port Elliott and Bordertown. After the weekend it took three riding days from Nhill to be home, with a couple of 800 k days among them. Excellent trip!!!

Day 1 - 1st stop out of Tenterfield

...where the coffee must have kicked in! "Do you reckon Collingwood and St George will win?"

1st wild flower for the trip...it's the little things that count!

Heading off to the wild west. 5" of rain on day 1 before Goondiwindi

The Wobbly Boot!

Helping Chris celebrate; definitely not under the influence; just trying to remember the words to "Happy Birthday..."

The Warrego in flood.

...and where else would you go for an Adventure?

Hydro powered street lights the same year as Paris.

Paris, New York and Thargomindah!

Noccundra pub for morno's.

Duck Chris.

Mystery bag and a stubby. What more could ask for?

A stop to decelerate before we get onto the first of the dirt.

A close ground inspection on the way into the Dig Tree.

The Dig Tree marker made 150 years this Sep 2010

A local artist on a nearby tree

...and some other bearded old men.

Getting close to Innamincka

Innamincka housing block release - if'n you're interested.

2nd priorities - food and fuel...

What was 1st priority did I hear you say?

Reprobates relaxing.

Down the Strzelecki Track - through desert?

Greenery everywhere and Honey purred along all day, every day!

Some of life's little challenges.

The western side of Cameron's Corner

A Kite's nest - not too many high point around here.

A blur of fleeting beauty can't distract you from where you are.

Morno's on the track - where's the Spam?

Best to stop and wait til you can see through the dust - too many tin-tops along here!

Sturt's Desert Pea - on the eastern side of the Gammon Ranges

Spectacular!

Sunset on the way into Arkaroola.

Plenty of dried river beds...

...and plenty of ruins scattered around, if you can find them.

Great views and tracks that wind off into the distance - what a trip!

Not much vegetation, but what there is, is green this trip.

Honey at rest - Nundamurka copper mine ruins

Honey at rest - Nundamurka copper mine ruins

Sam and Peter look like they know what they are doing...?

Up the valley into Arkaroola.

Nepabunna Aboriginal Community. We've bin offered a coffee and a chat with the locals.

Marree pub. Marree is the junction of the Birdsville and Oodnadatta Tracks

Local art in the Saloon Bar

Lake Eyre Yacht Club Marree

A day off in Marree, so Sam and decide to go for a wander 200k's up the Birdsville track and deliver some newspapers to the publican at Mungeranie - that's gotta be worth a beer!