Alice is Wonderland -Friday 12th October 2012

Our faith in Big 4 caravan parks was restored as we checked into the MacDonnell Range Caravan Park in Alice Springs. This is the most awarded caravan park in the Northern Territory and you can see why. Riding into town then out through the "Gap" in the MacDonnell Ranges to the caravan park brought back memories for me. I was here in 1975 just after Cyclone Tracey had hit Darwin. After a quick trip to town and the Information Centre it was back to camp and into one of the three great pools. Even though it is the off season there is a Masters Games on in town bringing over 4000 people to compete. Most are using hard accommodation so it shows things should go well for the 2014 Ulysses AGM in Alice Springs.

Memories of Ray Wright - Saturday 13th October

After a short sleep in Trish set about writing up some of her memories of "Riding with Ray Wright". Ray, a good friend form Armadale Heritage Branch of the Ulysses Club had recently passed away, and Trish was doing a write up that would be read out at the funeral on our behalf. We headed off to the Alice Springs Desert Centre arriving just after one of the Bird Shows had commenced. As it turned out that didn't matter as there was so much to see and do. After catching a great talk by an Aboriginal Ranger on "Bush Tucker", "Hunting and Gathering Tools"," Survival in the Desert" and how the "Skin System works for intermarrying" we head back to the theatre for an excellent video on the area. The big surprise was when it finished the very large screen slowly dropped down revealing an amazing view of the MacDonnell Ranges framed in a huge glass window. It was like a massive beautiful painting but it was the real thing and we both sat admiring the scene in stunned silence for 5 - 10 minutes.

The whole park is divided up into different type of terrain and vegetation. There was clay pan, salt pan, woodland, sand dune and each had its own vegetation and animals. The areas were alive with beautiful colourful birds and even though there were excellent set up aviaries there was actually more birds on the outside than the inside. Amazing ! Then it was off to catch the Bird show that we had missed when we arrived. Free flight birds and an excellent presentation by their handler. Some of the birds were being a bit cautious and as it turned out it was because there was a Wedge tail Eagle flying high above the range. After a final look around the main building we finally left at 5:00pm. Arrived at 10:30am left at 5:00pm just gobsmacked at the beauty of the day, then we meet people that say there was nothing to see there. Duh!

The evening was spent at a free concert to mark the opening of the Masters Games. Two bands with the first being Dr Elephant who turned out to be much better than the headline act, Vanessa Amorosi .

Queensland roads crack us up. Sunday 14th October

What better way to start the day than all you can eat pancakes for free. The caravan park put on free pancakes every Sunday. The most they have made in a day is 910, most eaten by a man 14 and most eaten by a woman 9. These were great pancakes, with all the maple syrup, lemon and sugar, golden syrup that you wanted. Trish and I were both full after 3 each as they were large and no way could we attempt the record.

It was time for a bit of a maintenance check on the trailer and bikes as the roads, particularly those back in Queensland had been giving us a beating. Close inspection of the A frame of the trailer revealed a crack going around 3 of the 4 sides of the tubing right next to the weld. No way were we going any further with it like that. Being Sunday it would have to wait until Monday to hopefully be sorted. The fiberglass top was unbolted ready for Monday leaving the trailer chassis looking a bit anorexic without the top. Better we found out here than half way to Uluru or worse.

Time for Trish to be in her element as we headed for the Todd Street Markets followed by a visit to the reptile centre and a bit more snake handling and back to the camp pool to cool off.

D Day for trailer repair - Monday 15th October 2012

Up early and with GPS loaded with addresses of welders, I headed off with just the chassis in tow. Expecting to get the run around with the "we are too busy" or "come back in a couple of days", it was a huge relief and surprise for the first on my list willing to do it in the afternoon. While I was out Trish did our once in 10 day laundry. The Intrepids catch call is "We don't change clothes, we just change towns" there comes a time when we just have to wash. Every 8 weeks or so Trish starts to get all manic about getting a haircut; personally I can't see what all the fuss is about, fringe in your eyes just does not compute for me.

She made an appointment at a rather fancy looking saloon and we were to come back in 1 ½ hours. Unlike Trish she did not ask the price other than asking if they do "Seniors Price". Yes no problem. This place was full of little Dolly Birds with all the latest cuts and colours. Anyway we arrived back a bit early and were sitting on a seat outside when a platinum dyed bimbo came out and said " even if you only want a dry cut it is the same price as all the wash and blow-dry thing, 10% off for seniors will cost $63. We both sat bolt upright and almost landed on our feet with the wheel spinning to get out of there. It must have looked a sight as the "Seniors" took off at top speed just in case there was a charge for sitting on the seat. I think Trish will go back to her practice of asking the price. Next hairdresser did a great job for $25. No Dolly Birds just a few mature age good hairdressers.

I picked up the trailer and the repair was great and the new reinforcing flange will prepare it for anything the roads can chuck at us now. With all the top of the trailer bolted back on it was back to the pool to deal with the 39 degree heat.

Dave - Loving Alice Springs