DAY FIVE 8/6/09

Firstly happy  birthday to my father, David.

 

We were able to have a sleep in this morning  although I still was up by 5.30am the photo below was taken at about 7.10am from my room.

 

We arrived out on the track about 8.30am I did not accompany Stitch this time lol.

Tony started the race 14th off the start line.  We listened on the two way and were greatly relieved each time we heard our car number mentioned as it went through the checkpoints.  Last of the car photo’s for a long time I promise.

 

 

 

 

If you enlarge the last photo that’s Stitchie with the yellow vest on he’s got a huge smile on his face as Tony went past us.

Tony finished 12th outright and third in class.  Out of 75 cars only 20 something finished.

Winners are grinners, well Les never smiles but  you couldnt wipe the smile off  Tony’s  face for hours

After we packed up the pit area and repacked the trailer we spent the afternoon on our balcony celebrating the fact that they finished The Finke.  We went out to Dinner at the Todd Tavern , dinner well it’s not worth discussing at all.  I couldnt even eat it. 

The presentation was held at the Casino Im not even sure of the proper name of it.  We had a wild taxi ride to the Casino by a wild looking taxi driver who loved Slim Dusty up at full volume .  My camera takes crap photo’s indoors so I only got a couple.

 

OMG Les has broken into a smile I wonder if that’s because he had  a few drinks.

DAY FOUR 7/6/09

RACE DAY 230kms ,stay overnight then 230kms back.

A very early start Tony got up about 4am, starting pacing around and waking everyone up.  If he couldn't see lights on in their rooms he would send a text message asking them if they were awake.  Often the reply was well I am now.

I decided to keep Stitchie company and drive  with him about 30kms down the track to a spot than he wasn't sure where it was but knew he would recognise it once he saw it.  Did he realise it was going  to be still dark.  Ron, Brett and Glenys followed us out in the HEATED  hire car.

My goodness it takes a lot to make me nervous in a car but what a scary drive .  Here he was a cuppa in one hand and flying along the road I had no idea what speed we were doing as the gauges were broken.  I kept repeating to myself that Stitch was used to these roads and he drove a buggy also,I think he thought he was on the race track.   I lived to see another day lol and he found his spot.  As soon as we got there we got a fire going , what a great way to start the day.

The buggy above came to a very sad demise this car is worth over $300,000 it caught on fire and there was very little left of it.  The driver got out in one piece .

I took much better photo’s today.

I got the shock of my life after 20 cars had past the next car was Tony he had passed 10 cars in 30 kms.  The next photo is a dud but why was he waving at me and not  looking where he was going.

I was standing on the corner and just up from me was a small incline with whoops (very deep corrugation ) Ron and Brett were standing just before it and Stitch was up the top.  Ron was signalling to Tony that he was now fourth in class, obviously Tony saw him because when he looked back on the track  well lets just say a couple of seconds more and he wasn't on the track anymore.  To make matters worse the buggy hit a whoop and was sort of doing a wheelie and was only on it’s back wheels heading for a group of photographers.  I missed all this but Stitchie has the proof, he got the shot.   I cant wait for him to send it to me.  The crowd were running some were pulling each other along, it’s  a classic.  Lucky all ended well but it gave them a scare.

How cute is this.  I cant believe that this car made it there and back and did last year as well.

I guess the guy that owns it wouldn't appreciate me calling it cute but its so tiny, i would imagine that it almost gets lost in some of the larger whoops.

It amazes me that we were out in the middle of nowhere and we were still able to fire up the laptop and follow the race through the checkpoints.

Time for breaky Bacon and Baked Beans I settled for just a cuppa and a muffin

I did take some photo’s of the bikes

Stitch was so excited that Tony had made up so many places he decided to celebrate with  a few beers which meant I had the pleasure of driving the Hilux home.  Now I think I'm a competant driver.  I've driven buses , trucks and even a semi trailer once but this car was a nightmare. For starters NONE of the gauges worked and the drivers seat was broken, it slanted toward the door and it pinched your back and bottom every time you hit a bump which was the whole way back.  Now I'm not one to ever admit defeat but I fought with that car the whole way back and ended up not talking because I was concentrating so hard to keep it on the road.  I was so relieved to arrive back at the resort.  We chilled out in our rooms and had an early night.

DAY THREE 6/6/09

A bit about The Finke Desert Race

The Finke is an off road multi terrain two day race through desert country from Alice Springs to the small Aputula (Finke) Community.  The races crosses the Finke River which is said to be the oldest river in the world. 

“Finke” as it’s known is the biggest sporting events in the Northern Territory.  It is recognised as the richest Off Road Race in the Southern Hemisphere with the added reputation as being the most difficult  courses in one of the most remote places in the world.

The race started in 1976 for a group of local riders and has been held on the June long weekend ever since it saw the introduction of cars and off road buggies in 1988.It runs along the original Ghan railway track.  This year they expected about 10,000 spectators.

http://www.finkedesertrace.com.au/

PROLOGUE

An early start for the drivers briefing, a very chilly morning

Sunrise 7.13am

Last minute adjustments.

Ready to roll (well lets hope they go a bit faster than that lol)

Ron, Brett and I went out along the prologue track to find a spot for some decent photo’s.  My photo’s weren't the best it had been ages since I had taken photo’s of race cars and I was a bit rusty.  Had a camera (or was that operator) malfunction just as Tony came past, it wasn't the first time so I didn't get one photo of Tony.   Fortunately Brett did so I will wait until he sends me a disc of his photos and his camera is so much better than mine lol.

The helicopters constantly follow the cars around the track it’s amazing how low they fly.

Tony didn't prologue the best ( he never does) he likes to hunt them down, he prologued 31st.

We went to dinner at a place called The Overlander it had the biggest steaks I have ever seen and am told they were so tender.  You could order kangaroo, emu or crocodile I wasn't that game lol.

Les and Glenys

Ron and Brett

DAY TWO 5/6/09

When you are involved in this type of racing I learnt years ago you just have to go with the flow and Friday was one of those days. Last time we were here you were able to do a reconnaissance of the prologue track, this year it was cancelled but Tony decided to go out to the track just for a look (yeah right lol)  He ended up walking the eight kms, I  should have gone with him for the exercise.  We had made plans to go to the Desert Park that afternoon.  Unfortunately it wasn't to be.  By the time he got back at 1pm he needed to do something with the tyres and we had to be at the show grounds by 3.30pm for scrutineering .  I could have gone sight seeing with Brett and Ron but decided to chill out at the motel.   I was feeling really tired, so just read, snoozed and watched TV.  I finally got to see Twilight I thought it was OK but really couldn't see what the fuss was over it.

We arrived at the show ground on time then proceeded to wait for HOURS AND HOURS for the car to be scrutineered  I was not impressed.  It’s a huge night opened to the public.  Two large pavilions one for the motor bikes and one for the cars.  It actually rained and was very cold.  I stood up for five hours on  a concrete floor I have never experienced aching feet and legs like I did that night.  I got a lift home an hour before Tony was able to leave next time I think I will give that part a miss. lol

Rain clouds forming over head.  There were about 75 cars entered this year and 500 bikes they started a wait list for the bikes in case riders decided not to race.

David, Johnny, Tony and Jude.

The paint job on this truck is awesome.

Just loved the Wicked Quick truck, it nearly left the track and ran us over on the last day of the race lol. First time I lost my nerve while taking photo’s I'm sure I wasn't in any danger but the guys standing next to me were very jumpy and making me nervous lol.

 

Hate to say but this was all the photo’s I took I really lost my enthusiasm that night lol.

DAY ONE 4/6/09

We managed to get up at 3am and were out the door  by 4, we picked up a friend of ours and headed to the airport.  We were nearly there when we heard on the radio that there were major disruptions at Brisbane airport.  Great, Lucky we had a bit of time up our sleeves to catch our connecting flight in Sydney.  We need not have worried as Sydney airport was closed for two hours due to fog. At the airport we met some more friends and we were set.  Our plane left for Alice Springs about an hour late and we landed there about 2pm.

We flew over western NSW and straight across the Simpson Desert.  I can not put into words how spectacular it was, if we were sitting on the other side of the plane we would have been able to see Lake Eyre.  We live in the most amazing country. It’s just so beautiful.  I looked on Google for some photo’s but found none that does it justice.

We were met at the airport by Les, Glenys, and Johnny, it was great they got our race car there in one piece lol.  Steve and Jude were also there to meet us.  The G &T Racing Team were almost complete.  Tony’s navigator Gary was unable to get to Alice Springs due to delays with his house settlement so Les was asked to navigate.  Les has raced the Finke three times before and has finished every time, would he be a good luck charm only time would tell.

We were staying at the Heavitree Gap Resort it wasn't our first choice but by the time we decided to enter the race  there wasn't a huge choice left with accommodation but it was fine, warm and clean you cant ask for more than that.  I didn't take many photo’s but here is the view out my front and back doors.

Every afternoon rock wallabies come down the cliffs for a feed, they are the cutest little things and so tame.

The photo below is from my back door, the dirt in front is the Todd River you have the main Highway to SA and the Railway.  We saw The Ghan and the longest freight trains I have ever seen go past. 

 

 

 

You could sit on the log with them and they would come right up to you.

We had a quiet night and just went to the Heavitree Tavern for dinner.

Bye for now

OFF TO ALICE SPRINGS

Ive just decided to turn off the State Of Origin, it’s just too depressing.  Anyway have to get to bed as we are leaving at 4am to get to Brisbane in time to catch our plane, then it’s a brief stop over in Sydney before going on to Alice Springs and we should get there about 1pm.  I will catch you all in six days or so.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY DAD ON THE 8th of June , LUCY AND KYM ON THE 9TH OF JUNE.

Bye for now

Jackie