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chrisr1806

Member Since: 20 Oct 2012
Location: None
Posts: 2220

2011 Freelander 2 SD4 HSE Auto Santorini Black

Your car looked dusty in that picture!

23rd Jun 2013 12:09 pm

mikehzz

Member Since: 04 Sep 2009
Location: Springwood
Posts: 749

jaksbak@freel2 wrote:
Great to see you posting your photos and stories again Vesko. Always a great reminder of the spirit of freedom.
I'm heading off for another trip into the NSW/VIC high country in late July - can't wait!

Hey Jak, most of the tracks are shut by National Parks then due to snow. There are barriers on them from June to early October. That trip I did in January isn't possible in July. Cheers.

24th Jun 2013 9:01 pm

Vesko

Member Since: 18 Jan 2012
Location: Sydney
Posts: 184

2011 Freelander 2 SD4 SE Auto Stornoway Grey

jaksbak@freel2 wrote:
Great to see you posting your photos and stories again Vesko. Always a great reminder of the spirit of freedom.
I'm heading off for another trip into the NSW/VIC high country in late July - can't wait!

How could I miss this

Yes Jak, "the spirit of freedom"!

Good luck!

25th Jun 2013 9:51 am

Vesko

Member Since: 18 Jan 2012
Location: Sydney
Posts: 184

My trip to the Red Centre 2

This is the follow up of My trip to the Red Centre: http://veskopetrov.com/?p=6893

Click image to enlarge

For some reason I wake up very early, too early to go, but not enough to sleep longer. I stugy the map and realise that today I have much longer to drive. In my mind the distance to Dig Tree (the bush camp I am intending to spend the night), is less than 500km, but counting the kilometres on the map now, I realise that it is more than 800km.

I jump up in sudden earnest, with the panic that I must go as soon as possible! But then, because I like eating, I cook a large breakfast which somehow dampens my eagerness for immediate set off. Mind you, the breakfast (with the strong coffee) is delicious: toast, ham, eggs, cheese etc. m-m-m… It’s too much food and I cannot finish it, but I don’t throw it away (my mother taught me to never throw good food away). The left overs become a perfect idea for my lunch sandwich.

The early morning driving is fantastic, like in a dream with a fairy tale fog, which makes me switch off my senses and switch on the cruise control to let my Landie and my tranquillity float 110k/h on the highway. There are a few “nuts” kangaroos, but when I see their distinctive shapes, I cleverly slow down for the stupid creatures to choose their course of action: gracious jumps to the left or gracious jumps to the right.

Click image to enlarge

I switch off my anxieties and let my tranquillity float.

I drive to Cunnamulla without hitting anything. The fog is now gone and a happy sun is smiling on me. I stop at a petrol station to top up my diesel. The petrol station attendant is very interesting – a trim, leathery woman in her early thirties with a harsh, heavy smoker’s voice. She looks tough and weathered, and all no nonsense. I am a bit intimidated, but still ask her for directions and about the condition of the road, because from Cunnamulla I have to turn west, away from the main highway.

It might’ve been my stammer or my very ridiculous leather hat, that I stubbornly keep on my head, I don’t know, but while she talks to me, I witness an amazing transformation – the tough scary woman melts into the girl, that she should be – polite and open, even attractive… I start my drive west on the fittingly named Adventure Highway thinking about it – this image stays with me for quite a while.

Click image to enlarge

There are 12 kilometres to Dig Tree. Disappearing into the vast space, you can see Planet Arrabury Road. Tomorrow.

The full story (with more photos) of Vesko's progress is here:

http://veskopetrov.com/?p=6933

Enjoy. :D

Admin note: this post has had its images recovered from a money grabbing photo hosting site and reinstated

8th Jul 2013 3:20 am

duckworthparts
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Member Since: 02 Mar 2009
Location: Lincolnshire
Posts: 1131

great read again, keep them coming Sophie Alltoft

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8th Jul 2013 11:01 am

Vesko

Member Since: 18 Jan 2012
Location: Sydney
Posts: 184

MY TRIP TO THE RED CENTRE 3

Birdsville and Big Red

A short video just driving: http://s159.photobucket.com/user/veskopetr...d.mp4.html

The story: http://veskopetrov.com/?p=6983

Enjoy!

Last edited by Vesko on 19th Aug 2013 11:38 am. Edited 1 time in total

19th Aug 2013 7:37 am

EYorkshire

Member Since: 18 Nov 2010
Location: (!)
Posts: 4392

Wow! that's a long straight nowhere road Vesko. Great story again and that Lake might just be Lake Nappanerica says someone 9/10 thousand miles away

19th Aug 2013 10:46 am

mikehzz

Member Since: 04 Sep 2009
Location: Springwood
Posts: 749

Most of the time that lake isn't there. It's been pretty full the last couple of years due to all the rain in Queensland. I was on Big Red in 2009 and it was dry as a bone in every direction but in 2011 the road from Birdsville to Little Red had 2 metres of water over it with a 10 km detour through the sandhills to get around it.
You did well to keep going Vesko. It's a big decision on your own out there. You had your Desert Parks Pass of course?

19th Aug 2013 12:12 pm

Vesko

Member Since: 18 Jan 2012
Location: Sydney
Posts: 184

mikehzz wrote:
You had your Desert Parks Pass of course?

Oh, I had it and promptly forgot it at home in the morning of my departure from Sydney. That was another anxiety I had to overtake. I bought it a few months in advance and just forgot it... damn

Hey Mike, did you fix your Landie?

19th Aug 2013 12:28 pm

mikehzz

Member Since: 04 Sep 2009
Location: Springwood
Posts: 749

It goes in for the abs sensor tomorrow morning. I've been driving for a month now with all the warning lights on the dash.

19th Aug 2013 1:10 pm

Vesko

Member Since: 18 Jan 2012
Location: Sydney
Posts: 184

mikehzz wrote:
It goes in for the abs sensor tomorrow morning. I've been driving for a month now with all the warning lights on the dash.

I would really like to know how did it go and where exactly the abs sensor is situated? Thanks mate!

20th Aug 2013 9:28 am

mikehzz

Member Since: 04 Sep 2009
Location: Springwood
Posts: 749

No problems Vesko. It was fixed by my mechanic today and the part cost around $100 but took 3 weeks from the UK. It's located in the wheel/brake assembly and has a wire going from there into the gizmo harness matrix. He had to clear all the error codes in the flux capacitor as well. I don't think any of this stuff is repairable out in the sticks, too high tech unless your name is Scotty.

I would like to know if there is any 4wd when the terrain response has been knocked out. Is everything electrically sensor controlled or is there some mechanical/fluid controlled action happening in the viscous coupling and haldex? I think not but hope I'm wrong. Cheers.

20th Aug 2013 12:47 pm

mikehzz

Member Since: 04 Sep 2009
Location: Springwood
Posts: 749

Also, in your very entertaining trip report, you mentioned about the big 4x4's out there and how small the FL2 felt beside them....mate that is so true. I climbed Mt Blue Rag in the Vic High Country and there was a 4x4 club group at the top. I could have almost parked underneath them.

20th Aug 2013 12:53 pm

Vesko

Member Since: 18 Jan 2012
Location: Sydney
Posts: 184

mikehzz wrote:
It's located in the wheel/brake assembly and has a wire going from there into the gizmo harness matrix.

Thanks mate, I hope all is good now. I needed to know to watch out for this eventuality. I am not in the least put off driving in remote country. Now I simply know something more, based on your experience.

Cheers mate!

21st Aug 2013 9:13 am

mikehzz

Member Since: 04 Sep 2009
Location: Springwood
Posts: 749

I'm one of those crash test dummies for you to learn off and then do it properly. So are you on for Fraser Island or Cape York next time? It's a long, long way to Cape York so I've never been. I've done Fraser a few times and you will have no trouble there except dodging crazy backpackers flipping their hire cars over.

21st Aug 2013 9:22 am

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