(19-07-2018, 09:47 PM)DnP#960 Wrote: Some great stats there thanks 593. 14 psi.. Wow the secret weapon hey.. Interesting your economy didn't change that much between overall and the desert. An amazing adventure. What about traffic coming in the opposite direction? I've read quite a bit about groups "racing" across in a couple of days. I think I'd be paranoid about meeting someone on the crest of a dune.. Do the flags and the UHF chatter help with this?
The evenings and the stars are supposed to be beautiful..
Evening!
The Dmax has been a great vehicle, had since new (5years) & is the day to day work truck with a removal tool box (similar system to the Trayon) that sadly goes on when I have to take the Trayon off! (usually about 400 - 500 kg'!)
Day to day Melb/Geelong & running around, I usually get about 11ltr per 100 - when I take it off & drive naked, sports car performance and get down to about 9.....Trayon on, fully loaded & not very aerodynamic with roof racks & roof bag, I wasn't that disappointed with the average. On the way up when the roof bag was well packed, solar panel inside on an angle etc, I got 11.7, 12.8, 13.2 & 13.4 for the 1st 4 tanks...that got me to Alice via Coober Pedy & Uluru.....then I was just putting everything in the bag as I could....some of the pics show a slightly high bag!! lol!
Traffic wasn't too bad and communication on Channel 10 was great. we travelled as a 2 vehicle group and didn't strike any situations. The flags really do help, but must dunes as you get to them, give great vision of whats ahead. the only really issues with limited vision or not having some warning of what is ahead, is when you crest the 1st dune in the morning, after a lunch/snack/wee/photo stop etc, after time has expired and you are unsure if there is anyone on the other side. The Channel 10 Chatter is pretty continuous, with a lot of groups announcing 'cresting' (& commenting East or West bound on French, or WAA or the like)...but that's not that helpful as there is knowing which of the 1200+ dunes they are referring too!!
'party of 4 - eastbound - cresting'......helpful, but not easily identifiable.
Everyone was well behaved for our 5 days, 4 desert nights - with good brief chats with most passer by's & definitely good wave of acknowledgment. People did say there seems to have been a bit of an increase in those wanting to attempt East to West as it is so strongly advertised as the harder way & also plenty towing trailers, again seemingly because of the talk that trailers should be discouraged.....that said, everyone seemed to get along.
We would hear a lot of people needing mates to pull them out, snatch straps, max tracks etc, but our 2 vehicles never became stuck! (luck or management....I suggest luck!)
Such short days atm & 1 and 2 degree nights, 21 - 26 degree days (no cloud - 1 day with a pretty good breeze) that sunrise was magnificent, set camper up so kitchen prep area gets sun early!, and the sunsets also magnificent - just the colour contrast throughout the sunset duration and the beginning of the night time absence of light (Darkness) rising from the East as the sun disappears to the West was like nothing we had noticed before. PB for shooting stars was 4 in one evening!
Usually packed & driving by about 10am - drive for 5 or 6 hours - setting up camp by about 4....camp fire...beautiful!
Sorry - I have gone on a bit!
Hope info is of some use!
