Grenadier vs Simpson Desert

DesertGecko · Nov 8, 2023

globalgregors said:
Ignored the diversion and rolled straight on through. It’ll be a mess again come rains.

Ignored the road closed signs?

I'm pretty sure the cop in Birdsville would be displeased with that.

TheDocAUS · Nov 8, 2023

Tazzieman said:
Sounds like fun!
Snowball's chance in hell of me getting her indoors into that Martian environment!

Think outside the square, you and your mates can go! A trip with the boys.

Tazzieman · Nov 9, 2023

TheDocAUS said:
Think outside the square, you and your mates can go! A trip with the boys.

Ain't gonna happen!
I get that these long trips are on people's bucketlists , and probably 90+% are blokes drinking beer and getting covered in flies!
But it's like marathons , and if you're not interested in those either , there are other things in the list of bucket!

grenadierboy · Nov 9, 2023

Tazzieman said:
Ain't gonna happen!
I get that these long trips are on people's bucketlists , and probably 90+% are blokes drinking beer and getting covered in flies!
But it's like marathons , and if you're not interested in those either , there are other things in the list of bucket!

Could not agree more.
Anyway, sort of related - as previously noted wife's idea of a "trip out in the countryside" is an afternoon wandering around Melbourne Botantical Gardens.

So I can report the Grenadier is meeting all expectations in that it took my wife on a 3 day camping trip to the Howqua Hills, the Victorian High Country; that exceeded all expectations, which included her hiking up The Bluff.

globalgregors · Nov 9, 2023

Grenadier 1 : Simpson Desert 0

Arrived Mt Dare after a solid two days/one night crossing.

French Line was pretty hard going, temperatures were hot but not brutally so - mid to high 40s with a peak of 51C.

As mentioned elsewhere we would have been closing on GVM, with 80L of auxiliary fuel and 55L of water on board.

We ran the tyres at 16psi front and 18 rear. Pleased to report no punctures/failures.

Didn’t have to break out the shovel or maxtrax.

One particularly talc-y dune took three attempts but everything else the Grenadier marched up and over with minimal fuss.

Reported average speed 20kph, average fuel consumption in very challenging sand was 19.6L/100kms.

Aircon was running full blast (we are safari windows and no tinting) but cabin temperature was no issue.

The overnight stop:

globalgregors · Nov 9, 2023

DesertGecko said:
Ignored the road closed signs? I'm pretty sure the cop in Birdsville would be displeased with that.

Didn’t say road closed, just indicated a diversion, which I presumed applied only when the surface was not hard as concrete.

ddv · Nov 9, 2023

globalgregors said:
Grenadier 1 : Simpson Desert 0

Arrived Mt Dare after a solid two days/one night crossing.

French Line was pretty hard going, temperatures were hot but not brutally so - mid to high 40s with a peak of 51C.

As mentioned elsewhere we would have been closing on GVM, with 80L of auxiliary fuel and 55L of water on board.

We ran the tyres at 16psi front and 18 rear. Pleased to report no punctures/failures.

Didn’t have to break out the shovel or maxtrax.

One particularly talc-y dune took three attempts but everything else the Grenadier marched up and over with minimal fuss.

Reported average speed 20kph, average fuel consumption in very challenging sand was 19.6L/100kms.

Aircon was running full blast (we are safari windows and no tinting) but cabin temperature was no issue.

The overnight stop:
View attachment 7832190

Thanks for the report. Great to know. I see you are using Jerry cans as I am. I have found the following device great for transferring fuel https://www.rv4x4.net.au/4x4-accessories/fuel-related/tanami-pump/

DesertGecko · Nov 9, 2023

globalgregors said:
Grenadier 1 : Simpson Desert 0

Arrived Mt Dare after a solid two days/one night crossing.

French Line was pretty hard going, temperatures were hot but not brutally so - mid to high 40s with a peak of 51C.

As mentioned elsewhere we would have been closing on GVM, with 80L of auxiliary fuel and 55L of water on board.

We ran the tyres at 16psi front and 18 rear. Pleased to report no punctures/failures.

Didn’t have to break out the shovel or maxtrax.

One particularly talc-y dune took three attempts but everything else the Grenadier marched up and over with minimal fuss.

Reported average speed 20kph, average fuel consumption in very challenging sand was 19.6L/100kms.

Aircon was running full blast (we are safari windows and no tinting) but cabin temperature was no issue.

The overnight stop:
View attachment 7832190

If mid to high 40's isn't brutal.. good on you.

The amount of stuff I have to carry for a long desert run is waaay more than you carry (family of four..for two weeks). Lucky 1t payload in the old girl.

See many others?

Tazzieman · Nov 9, 2023

DesertGecko said:
If mid to high 40's isn't brutal.. good on you.

My thoughts exactly.

I'm more into -40C, you can always put extra skins on!

ECrider · Nov 9, 2023

globalgregors said:
Didn’t say road closed, just indicated a diversion, which I presumed applied only when the surface was not hard as concrete.

Again the Gren in it's natural habitat - great pics and sounds a solid adventure.

If mid-high 40's is daytime, presume cools sufficiently for desert and sleeping in a tent is no issue at night?

Steve.B · Nov 9, 2023

For Americans and British 51C temperature is 124F, quite warm.

ECrider · Nov 9, 2023

Steve.B said:
For Americans and British 51C temperature is 124F, quite warm.

nothing a pith hat and a cup of tea can't sort

DesertGecko · Nov 9, 2023

Tazzieman said:
My thoughts exactly.

I'm more into -40C, you can always put extra skins on!

I tried riding in it about late Sept. Highest I saw was 48. Riding a push bike over sand dunes in those temps is not ideal.

Tazzieman · Nov 9, 2023

DesertGecko said:
I tried riding in it about late Sept. Highest I saw was 48. Riding a push bike over sand dunes in those temps is not ideal.

If you have to scratch an itch , you have to scratch an itch!

globalgregors · Nov 9, 2023

DesertGecko said:
I tried riding in it about late Sept. Highest I saw was 48. Riding a push bike over sand dunes in those temps is not ideal.

View attachment 7832195

We saw some old bike tracks at one point and were thinking you’d need to be bonkers… respect!

globalgregors · Nov 9, 2023

ECrider said:
Again the Gren in it's natural habitat - great pics and sounds a solid adventure.

If mid-high 40's is daytime, presume cools sufficiently for desert and sleeping in a tent is no issue at night?

A breeze came through around 0130 and it was a really comfortable night.

ECrider · Nov 9, 2023

globalgregors said:
A breeze came through around 0130 and it was a really comfortable night.

I reckon the bottom left oven of my Aga was probably more comfortable temp wise last night!

Tazzieman · Nov 9, 2023

@globalgregors you could dabble with dude cooking
Manifold Destiny

globalgregors · Nov 9, 2023

DesertGecko said:
If mid to high 40's isn't brutal.. good on you.

The amount of stuff I have to carry for a long desert run is waaay more than you carry (family of four..for two weeks). Lucky 1t payload in the old girl.

See many others?

Sahara, Dasht e’Lut, Rub al Khali, Gobi… done all of these and they’re as hot while being seemingly even more hostile to life.
I guess this is what I had in mind. 45 feels like 35 versus 45 feels like the surface of the sun.

That said, co-pilot is from Somerset and is not quite so heat acclimated.

Didn’t see a single vehicle between Birdsville and Dalhousie Springs.

globalgregors · Nov 9, 2023

ddv said:
Thanks for the report. Great to know. I see you are using Jerry cans as I am. I have found the following device great for transferring fuel https://www.rv4x4.net.au/4x4-accessories/fuel-related/tanami-pump/

Thanks so much for this, I’ve been looking for a good solution.

Last trip it was jerry can into a Mr Funnel, as fuel contamination was an issue. Inevitably messy.

This time I was trying a regular jerry can spout (total fail), and a jiggle siphon (still a bit messy but actually not too bad).

I’m stuck with the siphon for now but I’ll put one of these on order.

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