Its got more knobs on it

[sharkcaver]

Because I know what to expect, having been there exactly 12 months ago today.

An 8 day, solo adventure to perform maintenance on Australia's most remote cache. Begins tomorrow.

* Drive to base camp over 2 days (1)

* Walk to 40Km return to Nichol's Knob to drop an ammo can off - (yep, I'm an idiot) (2)

* Meet the owners of Lake Wells Station (3)

* Mow the spinifex and get bogged in the dry creek beds of De La Poer Range (4)

* Sleep in a luxury donga at Moolart Well Gold Mine (5)

And if I survive all that, then take 2 days to come home. Another 3000Km adventure for one geocache: GCG3HJ......one I've already found. you crazy bastard.

[outbackogre]

Yep, you're an idiot all right ... lucky bastard!

[old Jack]

Sincerely hope you are going to wear better footwear and take more water and food than the last time you decided to go walkies!
Looking forward to a report on the adventure from you and not the evening news.


OJ.

[Nab]

I echo old Jack, this time I don’t think one thong and one sandal will cut it...

[sharkcaver]

I echo old Jack, this time I don’t think one thong and one sandal will cut it...

PMSL.....

My boots were ok last time OJ, they are my prospecting boots. A bit heavy and uncomfortable for long walks, but certainly tough enough.

I have purchased some hiking boots this time. They are still tough and uncomfortable, but a bit lighter. Some foam/gel hybrid inserts along with bloody expensive socks didn't seem to help much last weekend - I did a 20K over nighter for practise and ended up with a mighty blister on my left hand big toe.

So, the afternoon before I leave, I will be strapping both feet and toes with micropore and fixomull. Hopefully that takes care of the blisters.

I will also be a lot heavier this time around - no sleeping rough in the desert. A hike tent, mat and sleeping bag is coming along - at the expense of pack weight - I'm even taking a dehydrated lamb roast and mash for dinner.

On top of that, I will be carrying by hand a 2L bladder for use to the 1/2 way point, which will then be strapped to a tree, and an ammo can that has to be taken out to the knob.

If I survive all that, and I'm not flogged like last time, the trip home should be a breeze

The local plod has a full detailed plan of all my waypoints, my planned routes and what the hell I am doing out there. I have a PLB (which just so happens to expire in a couple of months) and 3 gps's for redundancy - cause without GPS, I'm screwed.

So, all the planning and prep I can do has been done. If I fall over, least I fell over doing what I love.

But I can tell you one thing for sure, my bloody feet are going to hurt.

[Dicko1]

PMSL.....

My boots were ok last time OJ, they are my prospecting boots. A bit heavy and uncomfortable for long walks, but certainly tough enough.

I have purchased some hiking boots this time. They are still tough and uncomfortable, but a bit lighter. Some foam/gel hybrid inserts along with bloody expensive socks didn't seem to help much last weekend - I did a 20K over nighter for practise and ended up with a mighty blister on my left hand big toe.

So, the afternoon before I leave, I will be strapping both feet and toes with micropore and fixomull. Hopefully that takes care of the blisters.

I will also be a lot heavier this time around - no sleeping rough in the desert. A hike tent, mat and sleeping bag is coming along - at the expense of pack weight - I'm even taking a dehydrated lamb roast and mash for dinner.

On top of that, I will be carrying by hand a 2L bladder for use to the 1/2 way point, which will then be strapped to a tree, and an ammo can that has to be taken out to the knob.

If I survive all that, and I'm not flogged like last time, the trip home should be a breeze

The local plod has a full detailed plan of all my waypoints, my planned routes and what the hell I am doing out there. I have a PLB (which just so happens to expire in a couple of months) and 3 gps's for redundancy - cause without GPS, I'm screwed.

So, all the planning and prep I can do has been done. If I fall over, least I fell over doing what I love.

But I can tell you one thing for sure, my bloody feet are going to hurt.

get one of these....

[Phil]

Mega once again, can't wait for the report.
Safe travels.

[greybeard]

Hope the old fella hasn't busted a tank mount or a suspension tower or battery or shockabsorber or a cv cover or had a thong blow out or ........... on his excursion. And I hope his Pajero is ok as well

[RUGGA]

Hope the old fella hasn't busted a tank mount or a suspension tower or battery or shockabsorber or a cv cover or had a thong blow out or ........... on his excursion. And I hope his Pajero is ok as well

[RUGGA]

get one of these....

Now were talking

[sharkcaver]

The old fella returns tonight. All is well, I survived 35Km's, solo, on foot of the best the GVD could throw at me - It's devastating stuff to walk. The Paj had no failures (wtf) and I saw some pretty spectacular country. Best of all, I came back with another bottle of cognac. What a fantastic 8 days away. More to follow:

Oh, and GB - funny hats required

[Nab]

Good job, no breakages must be a first for you...

I know you notified people of your plans, when you leave your vehicle do you leave a note on it in case anyone stumbles across it??

[sharkcaver]

Good job, no breakages must be a first for you...

I know you notified people of your plans, when you leave your vehicle do you leave a note on it in case anyone stumbles across it??

I did think about it the night before, but it's a conundrum....do you advertise you will be away for 27 hours?? Mind you, seeing someone out there would be a fluke.

In the end, I chose not to bother, for the said fluke reason. The coppers had my base camp waypoint, should they have needed it.

[greybeard]

Well bugga me he's still alive
There's a lesson in all this, walk more often, you break less stuff

And you do know that Dan Murphy's doesn't require a 35k walk in the desert to get another bottle of plonk

[sharkcaver]

Well bugga me he's still alive
There's a lesson in all this, walk more often, you break less stuff

And you do know that Dan Murphy's doesn't require a 35k walk in the desert to get another bottle of plonk

Haha, the cognac didn't come from the cache this time around. I did however swap my bottle of topaque out there with a freshie. Now I have a 12 month desert matured one to drink

And yeah,nah - I don't want to walk more often - especially after I break something. My feet are broken enough as it is.