Madi’s Manoeuvres.

Camp #7 on the Madigan Line to Camp #12 and a bit. Day 10 – 10 June 2024.

A magnificent sleep last night. The night sky makes a pretty good ceiling.

We head off about 9:10 to tackle another day of dunes and swales.
A little further along Steve pulled up to collect Stef who had gone for a walk this morning. Stef hid in the bushes after a couple of kilometres and I picked him up, for a little while I think Steve was still looking for him.

When we stopped to swap Stef back, Brian found that he had broken his left rear tie rod. So that was cable tied up and we collected some rubbish along the track and hit the track again. The slight pause allowed Kate Mary & Phil to catch up after attending to Kate’s blood nose.

The Dunes are increasing in size but given the moist conditions are still quite firm under the wheels. A stop at Camp # 8 for the obligatory photos, wee stops and Brian to tie up the tie rod a bit more. Mary is trying the drone in follow mode.

Stopped for lunch about 12:30 at #9. Lunch, in case you wondered, a sandwich thin with beetroot, asparagus, corn relish, cheese slice and tuna. At least until the thins run out, then its rinse and repeat with wraps instead of thins. And washed down with a cuppa tea. Rolled out of Camp 9 at 1:23.

Had my first dune that I had to back down and have another go at. Bugger! But happy to get this far without a failure

Then onto Camp 10 at about 4pm.

To pass the time along the way to find the camp spot I asked how it had come about that Ann and Brian were out in the Simpson.
Brian indicated that it was originally a Stephen and Brian trip, when Ann mentioned that Brian’s brother had taken Ann away and Brian never had. So Brian said “you can come to the Simpson if you want.”

Ann poo pood the idea initially but a couple of hours later rang and asked if Brian was serious.…and here they both are. Steve then chimed in on the radio and indicated how he had explained that he couldn’t come out into the Simpson without mentioning it to a group of friends. Then quick as a wink, Col came onto the Radio with the absolute clanger and asked “where were the friends?”Brian then shared that Cols timing was impeccable as Ann had just taken a drink of water and now he needed wipers INSIDE his window. This tale may not be well told and it might be a matter of “you to be there,” but it does need to be documented in my opinion.

Through camp 11 which was our potential campsite for the night only to find the group we crashed in on last night were there again. So we’re pushing on towards 5 o’clock and looking for a campsite before we get to the next official one which is still 23 kilometres away.

A few dunes over Phil and Kate pulled up to a likely looking spot. A few of us got out to investigate and eventually we made camp here.

Time to set up, toilet tent, fire place, our tents and settle in for some nibbles and drinks, all while watching a sliver of a moon set orange in the night sky.

Dinner of yellow Thai beef curry with rice.

Mary and I had a little play, taking some night shots. Mary caught the moon setting, I was too slow. Then some star shots. ( while others did the dishes.)

Then it was time to heat the Billy for hot water bottles and off to bed – late. After 11:30 while writing this. We’ve agreed to get an early start in the morning to get ahead of this other group that we are competing with for camps. Another amazing day in the desert.