Day 11- Sunday

Forgot to mention in the last post that Tony prologued 25 out of 98 buggies.  To say he was happy is an understatement.  Our car is an older car and some of the top buggies are worth over two hundred thousand dollars, our is definitely not but it goes well for what it is.

Another early start Lucy and I took Stitchies  car and drove about 25kms down the track until we found a good spot that wasn't  too far away as we were recovery for our team.  The other pit crew had left for Finke which takes hours to get there.   The drivers leave first, race to Finke which is  about 223kms one way,   then the bikes leave and they stay the night at Finke and race back on the Monday. If you want to read more about it go here.

Another glorious sunrise as Lucy and I head out to find a good spot.

Our car 138

 

Our car 138

I was absolutely showered with dirt, it felt like hail but I stayed there and kept clicking.

 

I am so happy with my camera, this was the first time I photographed race cars with it.  I was hoping to get a practice run a few months prior but it didn't happen cant wait until I know how to use it properly.  After all the buggies and cars went through we were sitting in the car waiting for the bikes and we heard over the two way radio that car 138 had broken down near the 35km mark.  Not good.  I dropped Lucy back off at the pits, ran up to headquarters to find out exactly where they were, hooked Les’ dodgy trailer up and off I went.  It was so embarrassing,  after about 30kms I was pulled over and breathalysed  I'm so used to driving an automatic car as I pulled over I forgot to put my foot on the clutch and stalled in front of the police, I was more worried about the trailer I was towing.

 

A really sad sight, it was a long way to go to only race 35kms but there is always next year and as they say that’s racing.

Fortunately there is always spectators on the side of the track that are willing to give you a hand.

Lucky we didn't see any police on the way back as Tony had to sit in the buggy  as Stitchie’s car only seats two.  Now we were free on Sunday and Monday morning so we decided to wait until our friends Les and Glenyis finished the race on Monday and head out to Uluru a day earlier than planned. So the remainder of Sunday was spent packing up and back to the park we were staying at.  I was relieved in a way that Tony had broken down as Lucy and I would have had to spend the night in the fifth wheel out at the track as I don't have a licence to drive it and I wasn't looking forward to that.  Spent the rest of the day washing as that was going to be the last chance to wash clothes, towels and sheets  until we got home.

Day 10- Saturday

These holiday posts are really dragging on aren't they, I had better hurry up and finish them or we will be ready to set off again and I still wont have finished blogging about this holiday.

Saturday is prologue day and a really early start, we were out at the track by 5.30, the drivers had to be out there for the early drivers briefing and the first car goes out at 7.30am.  I wasn't happy with the spot Lucy and I picked for photo’s but we were on foot and it was difficult to find a good spot.  I had also been fiddling around with the camera and when I took the camera out of auto into the shutter  setting it was in black and white.  Do you think I could remember where to find the setting, no and the instruction book was back in the pits.  Don't think I will forget that again.

Hope he’s strapped in.

Camera out of auto, playing with different shutter speeds, without success  but it’s the only way I'm going to learn.

The rest of Saturday Tony made final adjustments to the buggy and make sure everything was ready to go for Sunday

Day 9 Friday

Not much happening today, time to catch up on some washing and the van needed some cleaning so Lucy and I got stuck into that while Tony went out to the track to have a look at the prologue course.  After he came back we went into town to do some things then went straight out to the Alice Springs show ground where scruitineering  occurs. 

This is a really long night but important as the locals get a chance to come to the show ground and have a look at the buggies and the hundreds of motorbikes.  Fortunately for us this year we had to take the fifth wheel out there as that is the only way we have of transporting the buggy so we were able to hang out there in comfort.  So different from other years, the cars and bikes are put into the pavilions , we usually get to the grounds about 4.00pm and the cars have to stay there until 9pm.  It is usually bitterly cold and by the end of the night the feet are killing you as is the back and you are well and truly over it. It was really like my army days, Hurry up and wait.

 

A budding photographer maybe?

Has he got his race face on yet?  Almost

Tony and Les, they are like an old married couple.

Another sunset and at this stage I retreated back to the van and put the heater on.  I only ventured out once and that was to go and find a coffee, which I did.  It was really remiss of me but I didn't go over to the bikes at all.

Day 8 Thursday

Great excitement started the day today my baby turned 15.  We made her wait until today to give her a portable DVD player yes we made her wait until we had already driven 3361.02KM I have always be against my kids having DVD players in the car I prefer mine look out the window and see a bit of this beautiful country that we live in.  Lucy survived. She also got some vouchers from Grandma, Grandpa and Nanny.   We were going to visit the Alice Springs Desert Park it’s a fantastic park I put it equal with Australia Zoo.  You can go on walks through Woodland Habitat, Desert Rivers and sand country.  There is so much to see even in winter, all the lovely plants and the spectacular wildlife.  Someone once said to me they thought the desert landscape was boring, you have got to be joking.

This photo was taken in 2007 but I forgot to take a photo of the entrance so I'm using this one, look at the gorgeous blue sky.

I hope to name these birds correctly I had to buy a bird book called Birds of the Red Centre by Malcolm Arnold.  This little guy above is a Rainbow Bee Eater

I don't know either of these but the bird below sings the most beautiful song,  I will have to go and find my other bird book.

Black Winged Stilt

A cute little fairy wren, sorry I'm to lazy to find out the name of the others.

 

Mum and bub a big bub at that.

After spending hours at the park we had to go and pick up Lucy’s birthday cake.  I was fortunate to have a friend that lived in Alice Springs and his wife was able to tell me the best place for cake was Cakes for You.  Just lovely was so pleased with this cake and it tasted delicious .

This photo just doesn't do this cake justice.  We went out to dinner to celebrate Lucy’s birthday I hope she had a good day.