Madigan's Line with AJ120

[AJ120 Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close AJ120]

Hi Rob, glad you enjoyed the read.

Tyre removal

I break the bead using my home made beadbreaker, pretty straight forward, a rag between the bead breaker and the alloy protects the rim for this part.




this bolts to the OE jack




then place the tyre under the tow hitch (or anything else convenient) and wind the jack up.






Then to remove the tyre I use normal tyre levers; placing small lengths of poly pipe (19mm dripper hose) over the edge of the rim so the levers dont mark it. Also make sure you use plenty of lube, I find dishwashing detergent and water in a squirt bottle is ideal and you are likely to have these when in the bush. Combination of my knee, tyre lever and rubber mallet to replace the tyre.

The R&R is a good bit of kit, but its a bit bulky. Tyre levers have so many more uses in the bush and the shed than just changing tyres!

Mapping

I used the Ipad with the VMS (mudmap) app for the Madigans crossing, most of the other guys used Hema / Ozi explorer in dedicated GPS units, the Ipad seemed to be just as good as the other systems. When using the topo maps you could really compare the dune ridges to the map and work out pretty accurately how many more ridges to cross until you were in the correct valley to find a camp.

Nah no old boat in Eyre Creek, although we only saw small sections of it! Kuddarree water hole is a great spot, but after more than a week in the desert it was just magical, I wish I could describe the feeling when we reached it, the girls in particular were so happy, they didn't need to say anything, you could just see it in their faces.

Cheers Andrew

[rob_macca67 Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close rob_macca67]

Mapping

I used the Ipad with the VMS (mudmap) app for the Madigans crossing, most of the other guys used Hema / Ozi explorer in dedicated GPS units, the Ipad seemed to be just as good as the other systems. When using the topo maps you could really compare the dune ridges to the map and work out pretty accurately how many more ridges to cross until you were in the correct valley to find a camp.

Nah no old boat in Eyre Creek, although we only saw small sections of it! Kuddarree water hole is a great spot, but after more than a week in the desert it was just magical, I wish I could describe the feeling when we reached it, the girls in particular were so happy, they didn't need to say anything, you could just see it in their faces.

Cheers Andrew

Good to know.... on our recent trip across the simpson, I was using 2 GPS'a - Nuvi500 with Garmin Topo and and very old Street Pilot III with shonkymaps on it..... I was very impressed with the detail of the shonkymaps. Garmin topo was OK but had it's limitations....
I pulled quite a few waypoints off the exploroz website of things to see, etc and I was surprised to see that the waypoints were reasonably accurate.... as far as I could tell anyway....

[AJ120 Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close AJ120]

What I carried!

I have had a few people ask about what I carried for the trip; so I have put together a bit of a list, if I remember anything else I will add it later. The items in red were carried by me as part of my contribution to the overall group, although on a trip like this everything is up for sharing if the need arrises, including fuel, water and cash!

Fuel 240lts
Water 100lts
Food and drink for 17 days, stove, plates, cutlery, cooking utensils, pots, fry pan
Table, chair, dishwashing detergent and tub.
Spares x 2
Spare tube
Spare fuel and air filters
Spare hoses, fuses, fan belt, engine oil, brake fluid, gear oil, trans oil.
Fuses, wire, connectors
Spare shock absorbers and spring compressors
Recovery equipment - snatch strap, bridle, winch extension, Maxtrax, Highlift jack and shovel.
Fire extinguisher, 500ml spray bottle in consol, 7 litre weed sprayer for fire emergencies.
First aid kit, fly repellent, sunscreen.
Sand flag
Comprehensive tool kit, small socket set, solder and soldering iron
Tyre levers, bead breaker, tyre repair kit
Jumper leads
Silver seal.
Swag, clothes (hot and cold), toiletries, toilet paper
.12v lights and light pole.
Camera, go pro camera and tripod, laptop for downloading images and video.
Ropes, torches, spare batteries (rechargeable) and battery charger
Spare car key on outside of vehicle.
Medication
Matches, stored for quick access from drivers seat.
Spare wheel rubbish bag and plastic bags.
GPS
Shower, shower tent, waffle block
Cash $1000 for emergencies.
Satellite phone
Welding rods, welding lens, cables and battery terminals for welding kit.

Others in the group carried the following as shared items.

Angle grinder and blades, 1000 watt inverter and extension cord.
Second sat phone, epirb and spot tracker.
Another high lift.
Large socket set.
Toilet.
Camp ovens

Cheers Andrew

[rob_macca67 Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close rob_macca67]

Thanks for the LIST.... very helpful

I noticed that u listed a Toilet.... Was that a full size Port-a-loo for all to share or one of those stool type seats? If it was a full size port-a-loo type, I'm not sure I'd like that bouncing around inside my car Just in case it leaked

[AJ120 Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close AJ120]

Thanks for the LIST.... very helpful

I noticed that u listed a Toilet.... Was that a full size Port-a-loo for all to share or one of those stool type seats? If it was a full size port-a-loo type, I'm not sure I'd like that bouncing around inside my car Just in case it leaked

It was a home made fold up steel frame with a standard toilet seat on top. Dig a hole, put a plastic bag down the hole and up under the seat, when packing up camp remove the seat and bury the bag (biodegradable) and its contents.

The women in particular really appreciated it.

Cheers Andrew

[rob_macca67 Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close rob_macca67]

Thanks for that... it had me wondering....

JUst a question here regarding Direction..... Does or has anyone travelled the Madigan Line from East to West? Due to the shape of the Dunes, would it be too difficult?? Just wondering whether there's been anyone done it in the other direction......

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There's the Bumper Dumper http://www.bumperdumper.com/bumper2.htm

[AJ120 Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close AJ120]

Another thread today reminded me that I never got around to uploading the video from Big Red on this trip, it was almost impossible for me to load up until we recently moved into the 21st century and got ADSL broadband, so better late than never hey

The guy in the Nissan who comes for a ride with me had just tried at least a half dozens times to get up before giving up, this was my third succesful attempt, and just to rub salt into his wound; I dropped him back at the bottom and went up again, just for fun.

http://s1116.photobucket.com/user/fo...20c23.mp4.html

Cheers Andrew

[Snaga Wishing I was lost Find all posts View Profile Close Snaga]

Cheeky...

[mrkrinkle Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close mrkrinkle]

Dune climbs like this is one of the few places I'd prefer an auto... The gear changes kill your momentum towards the end of the climb

[blkd4d Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close blkd4d]

Can't wait to give it a try.

[Snaga Wishing I was lost Find all posts View Profile Close Snaga]

Haven't seen an 'in-cab' view before... makes it look a lot steeper/harder than the videos from a spectators POV.

[AJ120 Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close AJ120]

Dune climbs like this is one of the few places I'd prefer an auto... The gear changes kill your momentum towards the end of the climb

Yep, autos are king in the sand!

Haven't seen an 'in-cab' view before... makes it look a lot steeper/harder than the videos from a spectators POV.

2 guys videoed me from a spectators point of view and neither of them worked, I would like to have seen it from their point of view.

Honestly it was much easier than I had expected.

Cheers Andrew

[Snaga Wishing I was lost Find all posts View Profile Close Snaga]

What do you mean... 'neither of them worked'?
If it's on digital cameras (memory cards not video tape) it could possibly be recovered...

2 guys videoed me from a spectators point of view and neither of them worked, I would like to have seen it from their point of view.

[AJ120 Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close AJ120]

Both the videos cut out when I was half way up, it took six months to get those, so I just put it in the too hard basket!

I did watch a white 200 series go over so I got a feel for what it looked like, mind you he took several goes before he made it.

Cheers Andrew