| Menu |
 Home Contact Us Sponsorship Wine Shop Lotto Syndicate Donations Story Archive- 2003 - 2004 - 2005 Jokes |
| Content |
|
2005 Vodafone SA Variety Bash Pt Lincoln to Adelaide Excitement was in the air as four intrepid Mexicans in the Cactus Car left Adelaide for Port Lincoln at 8.00am on Thursday the 11th of August. This was two days before the start of the Bash but we needed to have a final shakedown of the car. ( Just in Case ) It had been a rushed last couple of months preparing the car and all on board hoped nothing on the extensive list of things to fix had been overlooked. We had a new 3 speed gearbox fitted, the chassis plated, strengthened and welded ( 3 Times ), Four brilliant new COOPER 4WD Tyres fitted ( a big thanks to Cooper ). Bushes, tie rod ends and idler arm had all been replaced on the front suspension and new shockers on the front, thanks to Pedders. The Gas Guzzler was driving like a dream as we pulled into Port Wakefield for that compulsory pie and iced coffee at Possums Bakery. Refreshed the four amigos pressed on uneventfully through to Whyalla for lunch where two of the Mexicans told tales of their boyhood experiences of long ago. On the road again with a change of driver we reached Port Lincoln and the front bar of the Grand Tasman Hotel with out any dramas by 4.00pm. Friday morning minus one wounded Amigo, Beaurepaires performed the only thing we had left to do on the car - A wheel alignment. A big thank you to Terry Bonython and his team who provided the job for free as their donation to the Bash. We filled up the two petrol tanks ( 180 Litres) and were ready to go. Day 1 2005 Bash 8.00am Saturday 13th August A huge crowd filled the esplanade at Port Lincoln as nearly ninety Bash cars stood on parade at the Start Line. Children walked the street with their arms laden with goodies in awe as they encountered Batman & Robin, Pirates, half naked Kiwis, Barbie dolls, Bob the Builder and more. 10.00am The Chevy roared and we were off on the 2005 Bash. For the next two hours we toured through the area ravaged by the disastrous Bushfire earlier in the year. Although the area is now regenerating the extent and devastation is still very evident. Hundreds of miles of fencing have been totally destroyed. After a 120 Kl uneventful run we arrive at a crowded Port Neil School for a salad lunch at 12.30pm 1.30pm We take a drive around Port Neil to check out and see the Bowling Ladies at the town green with a crowd of locals in fits of laughter. On the road there is confusion 400 metres from check out with Bash Cars taking wrong turns everywhere. There is a que of about eight up a dead end in some ones driveway. We motor on through the crop lands and Darke Peake for 192k until we get to Kimba and fill up with Fuel. It is just getting dark as we begin the final 40k into Buckleboo. All is going well until the headlights go out about ˝ way. Very scary stuff at about 100k per hour on a bush track. We pull over replace a fuse and finally make our way to check in. We pick a campsite on the opposite side of the local footy Oval to the night activities, lay out the swags and go over for a very good chicken roast dinner. The Crows & Power are playing in the showdown so the focus is on the footy not the usual official speeches. The Amigos retire early to their swags in the bush for a night cap. Day 2 2005 Bash 8.00am Sunday 14th August The Amigos are up early and eager to be at the front of the field today. We check out of Buckleboo and head for the Kangaroo Well. Car is running well and so are the boys 175k later we pull into Kangaroo Well for Lunch after a great morning travelling through the Gawler Ranges. Highlight of the morning was the Tuna Tossing at the fun stop where Bones really did win. ( you could tell by the smell ) 12.15pm The cactus car cruised into Kangaroo Well for Lunch at the shearing Shed - a quick Salad roll and we were on our way with the afternoon route instructions. The weather was building, howling northerly was a holding the dust on the track as we headed directly into it. The dust and the corrugations were as bad as we had ever seen. The Car was taking a pounding especially over the cattle grids. Pedro Rob couldn't find a speed that was easy on the car as he steered us into the dust storm. One grid at the 77k mark shook the car by the scruff of the neck like a freight train. Just 2k later she stopped ! The battery bracket had broken & the battery shorted out on the body. No Go….. Soon an MW arrived on the scene, we had repaired the burn wires and tied down the battery with fencing wire so we just needed a jump start. This done we were on the road again ? We Had slipped to near the rear of the field so when we arrived at the Kyngoonya Pedro Shane stole some Ice ( more valuable than Gold out here ) as we left the car running and took Off for Tarcoola with the Storm festering in the north western sky. The rain came as we ploughed on through the ever increasingly slippery claypans and salt pans. 5.10pm we completed the 126k afternoon section & pulled into the ghost town of Tarcoola and helped increase the population by 400%. To our dismay there was one petrol pump and already about thirty cars lined up - OH No about an hour and a half wait. NO not for the Mexicans, a few thousand Bash Buck Bribe and a bit of cheating and a few lies and a broken rear shocker mount saw us third in line for fuel. The Mexican scouts went to look for accommodation in this deserted town. What luck a 5 star self catering unit was declared vacant only 20 metres from the fuel stop and the town recreation centre where the evenings proceedings were to be held. Here was Grandmas house, still complete with furniture, TV and all, only things lacking were power and water. After helping the Mobile Workshop roll over an old 1964 International 3 ton truck to strip the rear end for Café 96, who were busted up bad and still out on the track the Amigos went to dinner at the respectable hour of 6.30pm. At 11.00pm cars were still cued for petrol as the Amigos decided to retire to their wonderful accommodation, light some candles and enjoy a night cap prior to retiring for the evening. Day 3 2005 Bash 8.00am Monday 15th August Nothing…… Silch ….. Zero After arising at 6.00am having breakfast and being out on the road to meet a mobile workshop for repairs to the shocker mount nothing is happening. BUGGER. All the mobile workshops are helping needy causes - worse than us. 9.30am The boys get to us and we are on our way at about 10.45am after some precarious welding between 2 x 90 litre petrol tanks - unbelievable work performed by the MW Boys. With two MW's as escort we take off to join the rest of the bash, only Café 96 remains in Tarcoola. The MW Boys decide we should emulate the morning tea stop the rest of the Bash had 2 Hours earlier - So we stop in the boulders at Gibraltar Rocks somewhere in the Woomwera Rocket Range. Unbelievable they produce fresh oysters, we provide the cold beer and spend the best ˝ hour you could anywhere in the world. With some mighty driving by Pedro Justin we catch the rest of the bash for a Lasagne lunch at Ingomar station. 2.00pm Pedro Shane steals another esky full of ice and we are Off on our way to Coober Pedy. The afternoon run is fairly dusty and full of twists and turns as we make our way along the dog fence but we eventually rock into the Opal Capital of the world in good spirits. We are looking forward to spending our night underground thanks to the ladies at COOBER PEDY REAL ESTATE who even escort 4 dirty Mexicans to the underground house. Showered & tidy we enjoy dinner at the Opal Inn Motel, welcome the arrival of the king viking & retire to the Dugout for a night cap and a good nights sleep. Day 4 2005 Bash 8.00am Tuesday 16th August Pedro Shane takes the wheel as we leave for William Creek via the spectacular breakaways ( about a 30k detour & where the Teddy Car comes to Grief ). Back in Cooper Pedy and we finally head for our destination - William Creek. About the 80k mark we turn to Boomerang Dam and enter the enormous ANNA CREEK Station. What a countryside of contrasts - one minute nothing but dry red dirt, then giant sand ridges and clay pans filed with wild flowers - Just beautiful. We are in the front couple of cars and enjoy the 161k run into William Creek and the race course. Today is only a half day so after setting up the swags & having lunch. we join every one else for the rodeo antics. The Mexican rodeo Clowns are a big hit - at least with the Mexicans. Day 5 2005 Bash 9.00am Wednesday 17th August We muscle our way up near the front at check out and head for the hills. The morning run is a short 70k but a winding one through a series of red sand hills. Pedro Gavin has them under control and unlike many others the Chevy just powers through. We arrive early for lunch at Coward Springs a former Water hole & fettlers cottage on the old Ghan Train Line. The wait is considerable for Lunch ( Hour & a Half ) but once again the organisers have done well with Fasta Pasta being flown from Adelaide to feed the hungry Hordes. After lunch we head off for an easy 130k run to Lyndhurst via Maree & the bottom of Lake Eyre South. Here lies a surprise for all - the Lake is almost full of water & the Corporate Crews have an unbelievable afternoon tea organised. What a menu - Lake Eyre oysters, Lake Eyre Blue Swimmer Crabs & the unbelievably rare Lake Eyre Mussels. These are so unusual they have been shipped to Adelaide to be opened & crumbed before their return to the smoking wok on the edge of the lake. What a gourmet delight most Bashers loved them - but being Mexicans we thought they smelt like the balls of sheep from the Rio Grande or Orroroo. Back on the track the older Mexicans point out the dilapidated garage in Maree that happened to blow up on the 1997 Bash with a Chevy in it. We say farewell to Maree and after a short stop at the Aboriginal Ochre quarry, we brave the breathalyser and arrive at the Elsewhere Hotel, Lyndhurst. Here we set up the swags and head for the pub. ( just to settle the dust ). We enjoy a wonderful night on the porch after the Big Bad Mexican boys help out the Where's Wally Team as Security Guards. Day 6 2005 Bash 8.00am Thursday 18th August Up early and full of bacon & eggs we depart check out on the Strezleki track but turn right into the bush only 750 metres out. The track is rough with many wash outs, twists & turns not to mention the ever present dust. At the 55k point we come across a most unusual sight a KFC sign - Steve and his New Zealand boys are Frying Kiwi birds on a stick with a gas torch. Funny people them from the land of the long white cloud. The track to our lunch stop at Warraweena takes us past the back of the Leigh Creek open cut Coal mine and on through the plains where we try to round up some very un co-operative wild donkeys. The wind is now howling from the north and when we are travelling South we can't see the road from our own dust - unreal. If we turn East the dust swirls up on the drivers side and deposits bucket loads of Bull Dust all over the car- it's quite dangerous as visibility is only a few metres. We then begin to make our way up into the Flinders Ranges and on to what was to become a very interesting place for lunch. Waraweena Conservation Park is the home of the Operation Flinders Foundation - where young men & women at risk face demanding physical and mental challenges in the wilderness to help them develop self confidence, motivation and the ability to work responsibly in a team. It is a great stop for us as we learn how some of the money we raise is used to help these kids become valued members of the community. After lunch, as we begin the 154k journey to Wilpena Pound we are asked to join the Shrek car & Car R for a live TV cross with Jane Reilly for the Channel 10 weather. This means we have to get a hurry on though Glass Gorge & on to Wilpena. But not before we kill the Rabbit with water bombs at the fun stop. Pedro Shane has kindly volunteered to help a virgin driver and we haven't seen him since Lunch - Ah well we have to press on to Rawnsley Park, after we fill up with Fuel at Wilpena to meet the TV Deadline. All goes well with the live weather cross and we drive the 20k back to Wilpena dodging heaps of roo's in the dark. Pedro Shane is waiting at the Bag Truck as we pick up the swags & set up camp for the night. We wander up to the resort for dinner but return early for a night cap and shut eye. Day 7 2005 Bash 8.00am Friday 19th August The weather turns as we begin to pack up the swags and head for breakfast. Light rain turns into heavy rain as we head for Hawker. Bugger - the Bash track is closed as we are sent straight down the bitumen to Hawker. We are one of the first cars in and stop for a cappuccino at the Hawker store and watch the cars plough through the knee deep water in the main street. The Bash visit to the local school is called off as the rain gets heavier & we take the main road to Quorn. Here the local school turns out in force and the kids had a ball as the rain held off for an hour. Leyton married a suspiciously fat Beck in the main street and we headed out for lunch at Port Germain on the main road. Lunch was in the Railway Shed at the end of the jetty and despite the continuing rain the locals lined up to greet the strange array of wacky cars. The Mexicans ate early then decided to walk down the street and test the local hospitality at the Pub. - it passed OK. Off we go on our way to Bungaree Station ( Clare ) through the Wirrabra Forrest and O'Reilly's Orchard. This was a great scenic drive and we were enjoying being back on the dirt. Then came the radio message Bash Track is too wet & now closed - follow the pink warning arrows to the bitumen. This means we do not turn right at Powerline Road -Ok. So why are there Bash cars coming the other way and turning up Powerline Road ? If they are going off the bitumen on the Bash track why not join them ? WE DID and enjoyed watching them going sideways as we powered through. Great those new Cooper Tyres - we never got out of line once. 5k and a hundred radio messages later, we found the bitumen & drove straight to Clare. The rain never let up and we were fortunate enough to find refuge for us & our swags in the shearing shed at Bungaree Station. The grand dinner in the marque that night was a little dampened by the ankle deep mud inside but the massive camp fire was sensational. The Amigos retired at various stages through the night, but all hoped the bloody rain would not spoil the final day. Day 8 2005 Bash 8.00am Saturday 20th August Still raining, as we have breakfast, pack the swags and squeeze our way to the check out point. We all hope that we might get back on the Bash track and not just go down the main road all the way home. Our spirits are lifted when 16k on we turn right into Spring Gully Road and a little later hit the dirt. Alas we only get about 20k in and the roads are closed again as the message come across the radio go down the bitumen to Gawler and the car wash. Car Clean, we take on Main North Road and find Police cars escorting walkers have caused a massive traffic jamb. We finally make it to Victoria Park and assemble for the parade with all the Bash Cars from other states through the city to Adelaide Oval. It was a massive collection of Bash Cars that joined our 86 S.A. Cars, we arrived at the Oval at 12 15pm and there were still cars coming in at 3.00pm. Pity about the rain it Just pissed down to finish the 2005 S.A. Variety Club Bash. But never mind there will always be next year !  |
| Photos |
|
Photos SA Bash 2003 Photos SA Bash 2004 Photos SA Bash 2005 |
| Sponsors |
      |