Thread: Simpson Trip

Just returned from the Simpson a couple of days ago but we went west to east. We started on the Rig Road, turned north up the Knolls Track, then followed the French Line. The only time I headed west was to go back a few dunes to snatch someone over the top when stuck. From this brief experience I couldn't see much difference.
It's damned hot out there and we struck some ferocious wind storms from the South so tell your mate to take plenty of water and pick a protected camping spot.

Thanks for the quick reply,

What was the track conditions like. Especially rig road if you can remember.

How much snatching did you do?

My friend is travelling solo (he has done this before but via french line).

hey

i did the rig road east to west solo last year, although i have not travelled the complete french line the rig is easier going just a little further and a bit more remote, its mostly clay top with a bit a drift sand on the top of each sand dune. the main reason i did the rig road was less vehicals ( i only came across one other car) and i wanted to see lone gum tree, there were a couple of areas that were rutted nothing to waoory about.

from memory i used 78L of fuel and took three days, thats three 10hr driving days, never got into low range just cruise along in second/third gear, the only time i engaged low was when i was playing on big red

i went in september, i think it was the coldest september they ever had

Thanks weeds,

thats perfect.

sounds like you had a great trip as well.

thanks again.

It's very late (read hot) to be crossing the Simpson.

IMHO going solo at this time is stupid, as it is likely that no one will come along until next year if he gets into trouble.

The Rig Road was very corrugated in patches with more soft sand dunes than I was expecting (this was my first crossing).
We were in a convoy of 5 vehicles and only had 4 light snatches. Most could have probably dug themselves out in time, but it was hot and snatching was probably quicker.
As the others have said, there is very little traffic out there at this time of the year. We didn't see any vehicles on the Rig Road or Knolls Track and only 2 between Lindsay Junction and Birdsville. One of these was a lone Freelander heading East near Poeppel Corner. Strongly suggest your mate has HF or satphone as comms in case he has trouble.
The crossing was not as difficult as I had imagined but our club planned it carefully and I can see how you could get into serious trouble easily. The crossing should not be taken lightly.
The strong south winds with almost no traffic let the sand drifts cover the track and made it hard to find at times. Some in the back of our convoy noted that when we stopped for a recovery the tracks in front of them, made only 30 mins earlier, were pretty well covered over by the wind.

Another word of warning - if you are a water lice magnet DO NOT SWIM AT DALHOUSIE SPRINGS. I'm still covered in bites. Most of our group weren't touched but I must be attractive to them

Originally Posted by Disco123

Just returned from the Simpson a couple of days ago but we went west to east. We started on the Rig Road, turned north up the Knolls Track, then followed the French Line. The only time I headed west was to go back a few dunes to snatch someone over the top when stuck. From this brief experience I couldn't see much difference.
It's damned hot out there and we struck some ferocious wind storms from the South so tell your mate to take plenty of water and pick a protected camping spot.

i did this trip in reverse (E-W) in 2002. apart from the 2 clowns towing trailers with us, not a problem. a lot of it will depend on recent weather happenings. take your time and enjoy it.

apart from Disco 123,, maybe ask the Numptys,, they seem to have played on a couple of dunes,,

east to west is supposedly harder because of the prevaling winds,, but whos tested it by going "backwards and forwards"
?