Alice Springs & Lawn Hill Trip - Day 12

Day 12 - 13/6/2016 - Finke Desert Rally Race Finish

It was a slightly later start to the morning because the cars were not scheduled to leave Finke until 7:15am.  They take just under 2 hours to get back to Alice Springs so we aimed to get to the track at about 8:30 to get a good spot in the stand.  It was good that it was slightly later as it was the coldest morning yet at 2.4 deg!

The last check point that the competitors go through is a fair way away from the finish line, so no one really knew who was leading the race and was going to be first home.  Quite often the positions can change between the last check point and the finish line.  The only way that you could tell that a competitor was getting close was the dust on the horizon.

Alice Springs & Lawn Hill Trip - Day 11

Day 11 - 12/6/2016 - Finke Desert Rally Race Start

Today was the first stage of the race.  The competitors were racing from Alice Springs to Finke along the Old Gahan railway track.  It was also a cold and early start.  5.3 deg and we were at the track by 7am.  Add the wind chill factor and it felt a lot colder than the 5.3 deg!  The cars were scheduled to start at 7:15 but didn’t end up getting under way until 7:45am.

Alice Springs & Lawn Hill Trip - Day 10

Day 10 - 11/6/2016 - Finke Desert Rally Prologue Day

Today was the first real race day.  It was a nice and chilly start for getting to the track early, 6.8deg.  The competitors were doing a time trial to work out the starting order for the following day.  The cars and buggies started at 8:30am with the bikes and quads at 11:15am.

We always like the prologue day because you are at the start and finish line.  You get to see them go out and then come back in again.

Starting with some of the slowest first - pretty much a stock BT-50

Oz Trip - Day 41

Day 41 – 11/6/2012 – Rally end day

Because day two of the rally started at 7:30am at the Finke end of the track we didn't have to have as early a start as the previous days. The first of the buggies were due at the finish line at about 9:30am so we arrived at the track at about 8:30 so that we could get a good vantage point and early morning Gloria Jeans hot chocolates – a ritual for the last couple of mornings.

This is how we could tell the lead vehicle was getting close

Oz Trip - Day 40

Day 40 – 10/6/2012 – Rally start day

It was a very early start so that we could catch the first of the buggies off the start line at 7:30am!!! On top of that it was another 0deg morning. Stage 1 of the rally was 200 odd kilometres south along the Old Ghan Railway line to Finke.

What can I say, Jodie puts up with a lot from me. Dragging her out to the middle of nowhere in the middle of winter.

Oz Trip - Day 39

Day 39 – 9/6/2012 – Finke Prologue

It wasn't easy getting up early on a 0deg morning for a 9am start for the prologue. The prologue was the time trial that all vehicles did to determine the starting order for the following day. We missed the first few buggies due to the line up to get in the gate. However we still managed to see a few of the big monster trucks take off. They sounded awesome!

The line up along the Stuart Highway to get in

Oz Trip - Day 38

Day 38 – 8/6/2012 – Alice Springs (Finke Desert Rally Scrutineering)

Unfortunately, we awoke to a beautiful morning. We wished we had this morning yesterday! As it so often happens, the day that you have to leave, is always the best.

We packed up camp and headed for Alice Springs. Our only real time line for the whole trip, (apart from having to go back to work :- ( ), was to make it to Alice Springs for the Finke Desert Rally. It is Australia's premier off-road rally, similar to the Dakar Rally but much shorter and smaller.

Heading to Alice Springs - MacDonnell Ranges in the distance