Simpson Desert

Simpson Desert Crossing - June 2006

MADE IT! - Trip completed on arrival in Birdsville at 6pm on Sat 24 June. 17 days for the crossing.

FULL TRIP REPORT

TRIP PHOTOS

Listen to the Wildcast Podcasts (pre and post trip)

An attempt to walk west-to-east through the centre of the Simpson Desert.

Travelling alone and without vehicle support, avoiding vehicle tracks and carrying all water and supplies.

Background on the trip

Has it been done before?

Motivation

Map

Paddy Wagon

Thanks to the following people and organisations who have helped me get this trip under way:

Thanks to Carl Roe, my fellow publisher and business partner for the time out for this trip. Together we publish the Adventure Gear Guide every October. We will launch the Adventure Annual, packed with articles about great adventures, destinations and the people who make them happen, in April 2007. www.adventurepublishing.com.au

Cocochia Energy Bars. These are the best tasting and most nutritious bars I've found. I'll eat a couple each day as a source of fuel and to supplement my otherwise mundane diet. They are made from quality organic ingredients with minimal processing and no artificial stuff. Cocochia bars are available from www.redbelly.com.au or email Samantha at sales@redbelly.com.au

Hang gliding legend and good friend Tony Armstrong gave me a set of beautiful high grade aluminium alloy glider frame tubes to use as the hauling shafts on my desert cart. I needed these to be as light as possible yet strong enough to bounce across 1000+ sand dunes. Tony runs a tandem flight and training facility just south of Sydney. www.hangglideoz.com.au The poles came to me with "soaring energy" from the sky surfer... I'll probably need it.

Paddy Pallin equipment (thanks Helen and Ben!) for the incredibly light yet warm Western Mountaineering sleeping bag and the ExOfficio clothing (very light, well vented and really comfortable). www.paddypallin.com.au

My amazing father, John, who took my rough sketches for the design of the desert cart frame and though some innovative thinking reduced the materials required, cut the weight by about 20% and probably made it stronger as well. Ollin Sustainable Technologies is where his latest inventions are in commercial production making the world's best combined hot water and home central heating units. www.ollin.com.au

Grant and Matt at Sea to Summit have helped out with some excellent Black Diamond Trekking Poles (the corrective angle grips are essential for prolonged hard pushing with a big load on the cart). The Montrail Hard Rock shoes I've been training in have stood up well to the endless rocky walking along Lawson Ridge where I've been training. Thanks guys! www.seatosummit.com.au

Endura have helped out with some Optimizer and Endura powders. These food supplement drinks have been great in training and will form an important part of my diet during the walk. Thank you Paula! www.endura.com.au

Garmin supplied one of their excellent new Garmin GPSMap60CSx units. The new SIRF chip is reputed to be head and shoulders above other GPS for under-tree satellite acquisition (didn't test that much on this trip!) and the other feautures and interface make this the best GPS I have used. A very smart and useful unit. www.gme.net.au

Peter Hodgkinson for help and advice in making up the aluminium desert cart and for volunteering to drop me out at the start of the walk!
Dave the wheelbuilder and Wayne at Dirtworks for the strong Surly wheels and tyres.

Summit Gear for the custom-made harness.

Damien Gildea for the loan of the solar panel and advice on how to pretend to be a beast of burden (he did 60 days to the South Pole a few years ago).

Richard Delaney with advice on charging things electronic.

Jon Muir for some wise advice (and a large dose of inspiration).

The Aboriginal people who own the Pmer Uplerre Ingwemirne Arletherre land that I'll cross early in the trip for permission to walk their land. And also the staff at the Central Land Council in Alice Springs for helping with the permit.

The owners of Andado Station (at the start of the walk) and the Brook family (near Birdsville) for permission to cross their land.

And last but not least - thanks to Liz, Jim and Paddy for the support and entertainment as I've prepared for this trip.

Lucas Trihey

April 2006

simpson main | background | map | paddy wagon | report | trip pics

			Thanks to Carl Roe, my fellow publisher and business partner for the time out for this trip. Together we publish the Adventure Gear Guide every October. We will launch the Adventure Annual, packed with articles about great adventures, destinations and the people who make them happen, in April 2007. www.adventurepublishing.com.au

			Cocochia Energy Bars. These are the best tasting and most nutritious bars I've found. I'll eat a couple each day as a source of fuel and to supplement my otherwise mundane diet. They are made from quality organic ingredients with minimal processing and no artificial stuff. Cocochia bars are available from www.redbelly.com.au or email Samantha at sales@redbelly.com.au
			Hang gliding legend and good friend Tony Armstrong gave me a set of beautiful high grade aluminium alloy glider frame tubes to use as the hauling shafts on my desert cart. I needed these to be as light as possible yet strong enough to bounce across 1000+ sand dunes. Tony runs a tandem flight and training facility just south of Sydney. www.hangglideoz.com.au The poles came to me with "soaring energy" from the sky surfer... I'll probably need it.


			Paddy Pallin equipment (thanks Helen and Ben!) for the incredibly light yet warm Western Mountaineering sleeping bag and the ExOfficio clothing (very light, well vented and really comfortable). www.paddypallin.com.au
			My amazing father, John, who took my rough sketches for the design of the desert cart frame and though some innovative thinking reduced the materials required, cut the weight by about 20% and probably made it stronger as well. Ollin Sustainable Technologies is where his latest inventions are in commercial production making the world's best combined hot water and home central heating units. www.ollin.com.au

			Grant and Matt at Sea to Summit have helped out with some excellent Black Diamond Trekking Poles (the corrective angle grips are essential for prolonged hard pushing with a big load on the cart). The Montrail Hard Rock shoes I've been training in have stood up well to the endless rocky walking along Lawson Ridge where I've been training. Thanks guys! www.seatosummit.com.au
			Endura have helped out with some Optimizer and Endura powders. These food supplement drinks have been great in training and will form an important part of my diet during the walk. Thank you Paula! www.endura.com.au
			Garmin supplied one of their excellent new Garmin GPSMap60CSx units. The new SIRF chip is reputed to be head and shoulders above other GPS for under-tree satellite acquisition (didn't test that much on this trip!) and the other feautures and interface make this the best GPS I have used. A very smart and useful unit. www.gme.net.au

			Peter Hodgkinson for help and advice in making up the aluminium desert cart and for volunteering to drop me out at the start of the walk! Dave the wheelbuilder and Wayne at Dirtworks for the strong Surly wheels and tyres. Summit Gear for the custom-made harness. Damien Gildea for the loan of the solar panel and advice on how to pretend to be a beast of burden (he did 60 days to the South Pole a few years ago). Richard Delaney with advice on charging things electronic. Jon Muir for some wise advice (and a large dose of inspiration). The Aboriginal people who own the Pmer Uplerre Ingwemirne Arletherre land that I'll cross early in the trip for permission to walk their land. And also the staff at the Central Land Council in Alice Springs for helping with the permit. The owners of Andado Station (at the start of the walk) and the Brook family (near Birdsville) for permission to cross their land. And last but not least - thanks to Liz, Jim and Paddy for the support and entertainment as I've prepared for this trip.