Unfinished Business 2021

[Terry]

Hi,

time to start thinking about the next trip which I have dubbed Unfinished Business as I plan to visit a number places that we have managed to not get to in the past few years due to mechanical or biological reasons and being under home detention these past few months  tends to make you want to tick off a few more places on the bucket list.

The approximate plan, subject to change, is to travel over Easter 2021 to get to Maralinga for the tour we missed out on this year and then head down to the WA/SA border via the Old Eyre Hwy, but instead of coming back as intended in 2020 we are going to bust into WA for a few hundred km's before heading north to find the Connie Sue Highway and travel up to Warburton where we will take one of a few options to travel the old Gun Barrel Highway.

I hope to tick off Giles Weather Station from my bucket list also as we head into the NT to come in the back door of Uluru for a bit of rock gazing before heading up to Alice Springs to complete the unfinished parts of our 2018 expedition. Then back to the southern lands via the black stuff and maybe William Creek to fill in a missing piece on my map.

All up it will be three to four weeks with a couple of options for people to have a shorter trip if they need to.

Terry

[Mazy]

Oh Wow!
.......Sign us up!


     Mazy

[Mission]

I have been to Giles weather station, luckily on a dirt bike not a moke. I lived on a cattle station in the NT so have seen plenty of bad roads, but nothing like that road, it is truly atrocious and no way would I put my moke suspension across those corrugations and holes.  For the sake of your moke check out conditions first.

[moemoke]

I have been to Giles weather station, luckily on a dirt bike not a moke. I lived on a cattle station in the NT so have seen plenty of bad roads, but nothing like that road, it is truly atrocious and no way would I put my moke suspension across those corrugations and holes.  For the sake of your moke check out conditions first.

me too, back in '89 in Landcruiser and 2 motorbikes in the back, the road from Uluru to Laverton was the roughest we had been on in our half lap including Cape York but I think it depends on how far behind the grader you are, I think we were 11 months. lots of wrecked cars on the side of the road.

[Moke 71]

Sounds good Terry, I’ve booked leave 2/4 - 2/5

[Peter]

Count me in.
I will have to get the maps out and do some millage/fuel calculations. A quick looks puts the Cocklebiddy to Wartburton at just under 800klm which looks about the longest leg between fuel stops.

On the road again 

[Moke 71]

Well getting motivated and thomas is now on the hoist to finalise the front end repairs with new ball joints, bearings, shocks, bump stops and CVs. Rear end was rebuilt in prep for 2020 trip so that’s all good.
If we are looking at 800 ks between fuel stops I’ll be looking to take 3 jerry cans I reckon.
Let’s hope the Rona issue in NSW doesn’t hinder any plans

[Terry]

Hi,

I nearly got DS into the garage over the xmas break but ended up clocking up a few miles on it instead rescuing someone from having a non-working Moke at the beach house.

But maybe we don't have to worry about it.   Just got an email from Maralinga to say they are now taking bookings but not from people in the Eastern states, which would upset the Queenslanders and ACT'ers to be lumped in the same sin bin as Victorians and New South Welshman, but if you are from SA, WA or NT then you are welcome to book. Apparently on the advice of SA Health and not just the current border closures. Seems it is okay to drop nukes on the local indigenous population but you can't give them a cold.

So Dave you are the only one that can go, have fun.

Not sure what that is going to do to Unfinished Business, might have to come up with a Plan B.

Terry

[Moke 71]

Although happy to do it by myself I wouldn’t steal your thunder terry, don’t want to be part of that club.

My plan B preference would be to defer to August/ September . I think with the vaccine rollout in February might give us some certainty that borders would remain open and the APY lands More comfortable with you easterners.

[Peter]

I will put my vote in to defer until Aug / Sep. I have just been checking the weather and that time frame appears to be similar to April and before we get into the real heat.
Also it would appear there is a good chance that we could all be vaccinated by then regardless of age (for those that are going to get vaccinated)

Cheers

[Terry]

Hi,

according to their website the tours are running until mid October so we can wait a a month or three and see where things are at then. I will check with the Tour people and see if the ban on Eastern states is for the whole season or just at the moment. If I can get fit I have an excuse to go to Perth around October so maybe do it on the way.

Other options being suggested is to just have a week or two together somewhere, Tassie was put up or somewhere with a bit of challenging driving, but not driving everyday.

Terry

[Terry]

Hi,

A couple of emails later and it looks like August/September could be an option, or at least that is not confirmed as closed to Easterner....yet.

It seems the current restriction is in force from now until April/May and sometime in between they will be making a decision, subject to change at short notice, for the tours from June to October if everyone else behaves themselves.

Now we all have to find a time that suits everyone in August or September and see if we can finish the business this year.

Terry

[Moke 71]

Thanks Terry
I’m flexible so happy to go with the dates that best suits others just need some dates sooner rather than later so I can move my leave.
If you end up going onto Perth who will be responsible for robbie getting home or is he going to Perth with you?

[Moke 71]

Well at least the front end is all done now, new bearings, CVs, ball joints, bump stops and shockers. Just waiting on Rona to become a thing of the past now

[Terry]

Hi,

that looks pretty, for Thomas at least. Have you knocked over the locking tab on the ball joints, I can see any in the picture?

DS made it on to the hoist yesterday after a day and a bit away to an event cancelled by Covid. I put it on the hoist to weigh the Moke but it decided to leave me a rather large puddle of black liquid on the floor overnight so it looks like I will be replacing the drivers side diff seal in the next few days.

Terry