After breezing through scrutineering we should have been right for the 700 just to go to the ceremonial start on Friday but of course there are always things to finish off and tidy up on the quad, all three quad riders spent the morning tinkering and after the competitor breifing at Hillarys Horbour Yacht Club all headed off to the Safari Show which precedes the ceremonial start, I on the other hand had to got to go visit our good friends Brett and Lorene down at Legend Quad Services to pick up some last minute spare that Shane from Hardiman ATV had shipped over too us and also to pick up a set of rear 11 inch OMF bead locks for the 700xx, the upshot of that being that I cold use their workshop to fit the tyre balls to them rather than mucking about doing it back at the bivouac. Having driven across Perth to get there and back I only just made it in time for the Ceremonial Start proper after which we all headed back to pack for todays drive out to Southern Cross for prolouge.

So finally after all the work and preparation the 2010 is about to begin... well less than n hour out of Perth the Smittys Silverado decides to "reduce engine power" (as is says on the dash when it happens) we think due to a fueling issue, after a few minutes it is OK though so we head off again. Not far down the road it happens again and we begin to supect that the fuel filter may be blocked, one of the other crews pulls over to help (thanks Richard) one of whom is a diesel fitter and knows what may be wrong so a bit of fiddleing and we get going again..... once more though it loses power so we limp to the next major town to find a fix. Pulled up in Northam we try a new filter (not the right one) with no joy so we decide to clean the old one with some sucess but once again...... to cut a long story short we can drive the truck at around 90km/hr without too much drama and we will try to get a new filter frieghted out to us on Monday ( once we finout where one is)

After all that Kim's 75 Series Crusier over heated, on the way out to Southern Cross,  and blew out a hole in an alloy cover on the side of the engine which had to get fixed tonight (he was towed in) for Kim to get the fuel to the fuel stops tomorrow... heres hoping for a trouble free day for the service vehicles.....

With how late we were arrivied in Southern Cross, Smitty didn't get time to run the odometer calibration course and so just had to go to prolouge cold. Still he manages to post the fastest time for the 3 quads and is 16th Outright in the Moto/Quad Division. Funnily enough he also poted exactly the same time as Craig Lowndes did in the Auto division which he is very proud of....

We have hd a pretty easy time since prolouge, a few checks and fill her up the 700xx is ready to go for Leg 1 tomorrow. Col has had his Rengade apart already though with his muffler needing re-packing (as if it wasn't loud enough already it got worse during prolouge) while Johns Polaris/Yamaha hybrid has not had to be touched.

Tomorrow look set to be a busy day so its time to stop typing and hit the hay, first bike is away at 7am so that means a 5:30 start at the least to get packed and rolling by then.

Shiny New OMF 11 inch rear wheelfreshly fitted with tyre balls (the studs are to help pull the ring down)

Competitor Breifing

Ceremonial Start/Safari Show

Last Minute Lawson... still had time to get shirts made.

A Rare moment... the glove mean that he is about to help....

Col's apprentice Adam catching a nap at the Hillarys Bivouac

Smitty looking healty as always.

The Quad Crew

John and his mechainc Matty have been leaving these stikers wherever they go.

Ready to leave for prolouge

Smitty

John

Colin

Chris fixing Kimbos busted crusier.....

Bit of tidy up work on the 700xx after prolouge.

Smith marking his map scrolls for Leg 1

All three quads pitted together at Sothern Cross Bivouac

• < Prev
• Next >