Well, packing was "tense" but we are packed!!
I went over the station and the boys assisted with getting the brackets in place to keep the tanks secured, thanks for that. Then, the big moment, putting diesel into the new tank. Nervous times.
I decided at the last minute to add 2 tanks, water and diesel. Water because I hate Jerry cans. Diesel because I want to cross a few deserts, and though I am aware there is always a solution re fuel, I wanted a choice as to where I would buy, rather than where I had to. So now I have about 350 litres in all, heavy but handy.
Deb did an amazing job (as always) of sorting the logistics of what else we needed to take.
I concentrated on the truck side of things. I'm not reel smart but I can lift heavy things. You know the theme.
The big
test for me was filling the new diesel tank, the thread sealer still hasn't set (the fittings have set, but the residue hasn't. Poly is such a difficult thing to seal to. And polyethylene does not weld to polypropylene apparently. And it held, not one drop. YES. Love you Locktite. Too late now for failures, and 150 lt of diesel leaking into the back was not attractive. At least not to me, might be ok to you, but I didn't see it as optimal. So now I have the factory 90 lt, Ridgeline 120 t, and the Jim Bendon Special, 150 lt poly tank. Nice.
Water , I deliberately overflowed it for a few hours, pumping rainwater into it and out of it, to remove any taste. Shouldn't be any, being polyethelyne, but who knows? Sipped the overflow, and it tasted fine. Of course I will whinge if the morning coffee tastes not "perfect". And Johnny Walker and plastic is not survivable.
Fishing rods were a late inclusion, they went in ok, but there wasn't much planning involved, they fitted where they fitted and that was that. Which surprises me a bit, your focus moves on a bit I spose, cameras were first , fishing second. No, not second, whisky and wine , food, warmth, lots of things came second, - but cameras first.
All the spare space went up in mist, Last minute inclusions, same as always
Wondering a bit about tyre pressures, suppliers always recommend manufacturers max rating, and its up to the consumer to work out whats best. The 37 inch tyres are something I have to work out for hard rocky dirt road, sand, mud, etc, and I cant get any sense out of anyone. The rig weighs 4.5 ton, so its a bit different to a Suzuki. Sand, not too much to think about, but hard and rocky? Each tyre/rim weigh 90 kilos, so I am not looking forward to changing one.
Tomorrow, to
Cairns then
Mossman, not too far at all. Friday, The coleman, 7 to 8 hours of steady going. Then pull out the cameras,, I cant wait.
Mind, I have to get a great deal better at dampers, I have a poor track record, a few spontaneous combustions. But hey, whats a few fires? Judgemental kids I reckon. But I will get it right. I am on advice from my brother to
cook in the hot sand, not the coals, must try that.
I wish I could upload photos, David is looking into it when things settle down from the big move. Weird stuff, it always reckons I am not financial when I upload a photo?
Anyway tomorrow I have to remember to turn on Trackme, and Ozi. Jim don't forget!!!
Will post some photos when I can
travel safe
Jim