Territory Time – Pre Finke 2021

1 June 2021

Camped near Kulgera, the weather has been overcast. This has tested our new battery system, and we currently used more than 50% of our 300ah capacity, something we would have never previously entertained. Last night we had a few drips of rain and it was only a few drips. We also caught up on Anne’s blog https://chatterann6.wordpress.com who has also been doing similar country to ourselves. We also finished bring our website up to date. Felt a bit slack for not having done it earlier, but motivation has been light for it lately.

This morning we headed northwards, arriving at Erldunda Road House about 11am. This is the turnoff to Ayres Rock/Uluru, and is always busy. They also have a pretty neat emu enclosure, so we stopped to look.

From here we made our way up the highway before a quick visit to Henbury Meteorite Craters. We decided to camp west of there in a pretty valley which had no name, between two creeks.

2 June 2021

After a peaceful night we headed off to Rainbow Valley. Back on the highway we had a quick stop off at Stuarts Well Roadhouse for a bit of a look around and internet catch up, before the turn off into Rainbow Valley.

It was here that we met Peter and Ellen. We decided to do an afternoon bush walk and enjoyed a great evening around the campfire. We enjoyed campfire cooked spuds and the beautiful sunset.

3 June 2021

This morning we bid goodbye to our new friends and wished them safe travels as we headed westward on the backroads.

Once on the Finke Road (Maryvale Road), we realised there were some bikes practicing for this year’s Finke Desert Race, so we decided to put on hold the trip to Chambers Pillar and spent the rest of the day photographing the action. Met one of the entries for the Finke Desert Face 2021 Thomas Donnelly from Gundedah NSW. Goodluck Thomas.

Last night we enjoyed a warm campfire with some travellers who have been camping at the race track for 20 years.

4 June 2021

Left our campsite this morning for the trip into Alice Springs to fill up with water, catchup with showers and to buy some food. Just before we left camp a buggy went flying past on the Finke Race track. This turned out to be Toby Price doing his first run through! Woohoo!

After a day of shopping we returned to our campsite at the Alice Springs show ground, to find out we were camped close to Toby Price. Today can’t get any better than this!

Tonight we enjoyed pizza from the pizza truck in the show grounds.

5 June 2021

After a slow start to the day watching the goings on at CMS Racing we headed for town. Spur of the moment we decided to get the first Covid-19 jab. Of course everything went well except I was a little hesitant! We all left friends, thanks Rani, you were so good!

After our jabs it was off to catchup with an awesome friend we know from Rainbow Beach. We could not believe it when he drove past us in the street and let us know he was in town. Andrew runs a tag a long business Global4WD and ws just about to head out from Alice Springs leading his next expedition. You would go along way to find such a nice man and we always love catching up with him.

6 June 2021

Well it seems Steve has come through the Covid-19 first jab with flying colours. Alison has a sore arm and nose bleeds, but generally in good spirits. This morning we headed off to the Finke Merchandise shop opening. Sadly they had no 2021 merchandise, not arriving until Friday next week!

Also met this morning Nigel Harris, a fellow photographer from Canberra. He was lovely and looked forward to catching up over the next 10 days as he was also staying in the show grounds with us.

While visiting Kmart we met Warren and Lyn who own a Fuso Camper truck.

It turns out they are travelling with Ann and Rob who we were about to catchup with.

With that out of the way it was time to catchup with Ann and Rob. We have been travelling the same pathway in life for the last few months so it was awesome to put faces to the name and blog. We enjoyed a lovely lunch and found we had met many of the same people in the 4WD truck forum. Its so surprising we haven’t met each other sooner.

7 June 2021

A little bit of a rough night for me last night, aches and pains and night sweats. On the positive side awoke, bright eyed and bushy tailed! Arm tender,  but not too painful. Think the worst is behind! The big news for today is that Toby Price’s trophy truck has finally arrived after the transport truck did a gear box..no Toby wasn’t driving! So we had to take a look!

Then it was time to find the butcher Neil and Connie recommended called Milner Meat & Seafood. From here we it was time to head down the race track to practice our photography. You can see some of those images on the Finke Desert Race 2021 page.

Took a run past the Alice Springs Airport plane graveyard. So many more planes here now than when we last visited here in 2016. Caught up with Nigel as he also was fascinated with the photo opportunity.

We all headed further along the Finke Desert Race track to search out photography spots and practice technique. Steve helped pull a couple of bike riders from the track after they came to grief coming over a hill jump. Later that night Steve caught up with Nigel, and was impressed with the images he had taken.

8 June 2021

By lunch time we were back on the  Finke Desert Race track to search out photography spots and practice technique. Once again Steve pulled another bike rider from the track after he kissed the dirt. Another rider was able to get himself going after he also came down heavily. Met Terry Hill another photographer here for the Finke. Lovely guy whose photographs are just amazing. Terry is very inspirational. Check out his incredible photography at https://terryhill.zenfolio.com

9 June 2021

Rest day – with friends arriving late afternoon at the camping ground. Carl and Annie, who we haven’t seen since 2016, Martin and Renata (last week) and new friends Jo and Anna. All SRLV owners with great rigs.

10 June 2021

OK that was one cold night! Ice on the windows and with wind chill -6c degrees outside. By 10am we headed off to town to see “The Ghan”. From here it was off to see a Show and Shine of some of the Finke Race Bikes and Buggies. Spent night with the SRLV trucks, with a warming session around the camp fire. It would be another very cold night.