Roos, Emus-----an ME AGAIN./YAY!!

[jeff]

Someone notify the Moderator, quick!
(I don't believe that I wrote that.
Shame job, eh, but that's life, I guess.maaf.)
So I assume that James approves? (or at least, doesn't overtly disapprove?).

OK, fast backward:
we live on the E coast of Australia,(Bundaberg ish )and recently drove to Perth,(W coast) via Alice Springs. Then back home.
As this is a Wood Fired Oven site, my link is tenuous indeed, but I reckon that the use of a home-made version of a Kitch'n Made just may pass muster.
It's a 20 litre domestic water pressure air resevoir, cut in half and capable of such fine control that the most dedicated of spinsters would succumb to it's pleasures.
It is a strange comparison - a tin can and a giant ant hill: yet they're so similar.(Mind you, many sites in Oz suggest that you source your fuel elsewhere).
We've been away for 56 nights. 9 nights at a reunion (Tracker dogs eh, just in case), 2 nights at Bruce Rock, 2 nights at Innamincka, and of the rest, all well.
At last, a pertinent detail.
Tipo 00 flour.
I thought that you bakers were messing with your genitals.
Strewth, now I know why.
That stuff is just so-o-o silky soft an sensous: as opposed to kneading bread.

James, I've rambled on at length on your site, for which I thank you
Also love your contributors - too many to mention.
Jeff.

[christo]

Re: Roos, Emus-----an ME AGAIN./YAY!!

Welcome home Jeff!

I want to hear more about the homemade KA!!!

No truer words from your mouth with the Tipo comment!!!

Christo

[jeff]

Re: Roos, Emus-----an ME AGAIN./YAY!!

Thanks Christo. It was a wonderful trip, but the KA is a poor substitute for the WFO.

Mate I'm still a luddite, but managed to load an image of the stove under the COOKING section. Change it around if you like.

I think it's fairly self-explanatory. The base bolts onto the two strips of 1" steel, with the rotating damper in between.
Inside is a lump of 1/2" mesh,through which the ash can be shaken out next morning, and the charcoal revived.

In use, a good fire is set, then bottom damper virtually closed to promote charcoal formation. Baking,roasting,grilling,stewing are all fine - even to the point of slow cooking with the lid on.

After fodder, the fire is stoked up again as a campfire. Bedtime sees all vents closed, and next AM it takes no time to boil the billy, then bacon, eggs,tomato and toast.
A key point is that it MUST be compact, as space is precious in the old 'ute.
All-up cost of the scrap stainless steel was under $20.
Happy cooking eh.
Luddite Jeff.

[RTflorida]

Re: Roos, Emus-----an ME AGAIN./YAY!!

WeLCOME BACK BUDDY!!!
I was wondering where you had been...but was afraid to ask.
I hope you have a few good tales of your adventure, your stories always make for great reading.

RT

[jeff]

Re: Roos, Emus-----an ME AGAIN./YAY!!

Thanks RT.
Strewth mate, while it was yet another wonderful trip, there's nothing of note to spin a decent yarn about. No crocks, monkeys or evil rednecks: didn't even rely on road kill for the old dog.(Maybe I'm getting cultured, eh.)
hahaha.
I guess the so called "mini cyclone" in Alice lent a touch of spice. It was a final restock point before we hit the 'desert'. So Liz did the groceries, I hit the butcher, and the ethanol was all ok.
So the sky has been looking strange for a good two hours, and here I am, needing 150L (what's that in primative speak - 38 US gallons ?) of diesel.
So the wind and rain hit. I've got 2 full jerrycans, and 2 empty, and I'm hiding behind a fuel bowser, hanging on to the empty jerrycans. Rain is sheeting through, and the hail is tiny: I just hope a stray dust bin lid doesn't impact the swaying windscreen.(Missus is in the cab, crapping herself. Dog is asleep; smart dog).

Storm over, and I went to settle for the diesel. The checkout chicks reckon I owe 40c. I reckon no, I got 40l, and at $1.80/L it's more like $70.
THEY reckon the computer is down, no record, so bugger off.
You sure you won't cop the bill Ladies?.....ok.....thanks eh...

Anyway, the town is crippled. Trees and powerlines down every which-way. Finally found a servo with power, loaded in another 110L of diesel, and buggered off. Weather bureau reckoned another hit was coming, and I sure didn't want to be in a busted town, thank you.

Fantastic trip West from there. One stretch of 'road' was heavily overgrown with spinifex, to the point that every half hour or so we'd stop, I'd crawl under the Old Girl, and yank the grass away from exhaust and drive train. Average speed was 20 kph that day(Spinifex is a mongrel, spikey,resin-laden tussock grass, normally growing to maybe 3'. This nonsense ranged up to 5'). There's more than a few owners of 4WDs that can attest to the flammability of that stuff, to their dismay.

After that we enjoyed hail, bogs, tyre-eating limestone, closed roads, fantastic scenery, sunsets to die for, solitude for days at a time, and the endless corrugations. Best I stop wasting space.
Eat well, stay safe RT.
Luddite Jeff.
ps. I have an image that should accompany this text, but can't risk it.
Image to follow - maybe. jh.

[Ken524]

Re: Roos, Emus-----an ME AGAIN./YAY!!

Jeff, what a great story! Keep them coming and don't be a stranger!

[RTflorida]

Re: Roos, Emus-----an ME AGAIN./YAY!!

I love it - US gallons and our archaic systems of measure are now "primitive speak". I hope you don't mind if I borrow that phrase the next I get into a debate about how the US needs to get with the times (and the rest of the world) and adopt the simpler and more accurate "metric" system.

Again, I loved the story. You need to write a book - "Tales of the Luddite Leader...TRUTH"

Not sure if Oz has the equivalent of the American Thanksgiving.....if not take Thurs through Sunday of anyway and enjoy the great food from your oven and the time spent with your family...most of all give thanks for all you have.
Stay close Jeff, I think you have far to many friends on the board to worry about expulsion......we will stage a protest US 1960s style.

RT

[nissanneill]

Re: Roos, Emus-----an ME AGAIN./YAY!!

Hey Jeff,
sounds like you had a different experience with the Alice than me returning from a 16,000km Cape York, Kakadu, the Kimberleys and returning down the Tanami track to the red centre.
I left Derby at 9 am drove to Winjana George for lunch and a 7km walk, visited Tunnel creek and walked the full length, through Fitzroy crossing without stopping and camped in a roadside stop on sunset. Next day, I drove into Hall's creek from 150km out and left at 10 am as I couldn't get any water due to all the taps being secured from the local indigenous inhabitants.
Called into Wolfe Crater for lunch and arrived in the Alice at 2:30 am next morning. There was no way I was going to stop the night on the side of the road with carloads of drunk indigenous looking for more. I was the only vehicle and only person in it
Planning on doing the Merinie Loop and deciding otherwise, I left at 3:00 pm and drove to 150km north of Pt Augusta, arriving back in Adelaide mid afternoon. Not bad 3 1/2 days driving (41 hours on the road for just over 4,000+km) diagonally across this wonderful country of ours.
The most I paid for diesel was $1.75/litre at Drysdale Station well into the Kimberleys on the Mitchell Plateau Road and $1.85/litre a couple of months ago here in Adelaide.


Neill

[Frances]

Re: Roos, Emus-----an ME AGAIN./YAY!!

And here's me mixing the caputo 00 with half wholemeal all the time.
What have I been missing?!

No, don't answer that...

Sounds as if you've had lots of andventures since you last visited, Jeff. Good to hear from you again!

[jeff]

Re: Roos, Emus-----an ME AGAIN./YAY!!

Frances, we really shouldn't go there. Should we.
Bloody behave. Wholemeal!! Crikey!
Imagine if a feller spelt phonetically.......
Anyway, the pleasure associated with the gentle kneading of Tipo 00 flour does invoke some of the more memorable mammaries - sigh.
Beautiful. (I sigh again).
Shame I buggered it up with rough hands, eh. hahahaha

Neil,
Yes mate, very different. Alice was ok in the seventies.
We returned for the first time a couple of years ago, and just found it so sad.

" The Red Heart from Bali",

maybe. Just all bullshit, eh? The paintings, the didjeridos, the Nonsense.
But to each their own.
Like yourself, we travel solo. Camped at Fitzroy Crossing, and called in to meet kids at Halls Creek. One was a cop, the other a nurse. Alas they were off on leave, so I chatted up the little sheila representing the Police in Halls Creek. She reckons they go to Fitzroy Crossing on days off!
May their lord protect em, eh.
Reckon I've done enough damage Nissanneil: not intended.
Luddite Jeff.

[jeff]

Re: Roos, Emus-----an ME AGAIN./YAY!!

Neil,
I'm probly in the wrong to take up public space, but maybe some of this could be of interest to potential visitors to the amazing Oz.
Neil,to cover some of your points:
We paid $1.68 at Drysdale last trip. (Bloody robbers!)This time we peaked at A$2.64/L near Giles weather station. At the time I think our coin was about 0.9 cf US $. So a ruff estimate suggests maybe US $ 9.50 per gallon - feel free to correct my mental maths.
The Tanami, from Wolf Creek meteorite crater toward Alice was , indeed, a trial. Toward dusk, we took a track to the west. Drove maybe 6 clicks (having seen one good camp site), so returned to set up camp at the site mentioned.
Funny thing to see A SINGLE SET OF BOOT PRINTS - ALONGSIDE A SINGLE SET OF CAMEL PRINTS. The prints were hours old, so they were long gone, and one does wonder which other idiots traverse this land.
And so the story never ends.
Travel safe eh.
Idiot Jeff.