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Red Centre Adventure !
- Thread starter RichardMcN
- Start date
Kristymay62
Member
Three amazing days (and zero mobile coverage) !
Setting out west from Alice Springs on Namatjira Drive (NT Highway 2)
So far so good ...
Standley Chasm
Indigenous Ochre Pits
The rangers at Ormiston Gorge kindly let us 3 phase charge but it proves to be a 10 amp outlet not a 32
Looks like a 32 amp but slightly different pin pattern and slightly smaller diameter.
Never mind - off to Glen Helen and a 15 amp charge. And a swim in this nice pool !
An early morning ascent of Mount Sonder (1380 metres)
(tourist photo)
Then onto the Mereenie Loop Road (NT Highway 2) at last. We have been given several warnings not to do this 150km dirt stretch in an ordinary car, citing large rocks, potholes and corrugations that will destroy the car. We'll let you decide...
Tessie of the Outback !
To be fair we probably averaged 75. Note GPS altimeter which is a really good tool when you are wondering where your charge is going.
Setting out west from Alice Springs on Namatjira Drive (NT Highway 2)
So far so good ...
Standley Chasm
Indigenous Ochre Pits
The rangers at Ormiston Gorge kindly let us 3 phase charge but it proves to be a 10 amp outlet not a 32
Looks like a 32 amp but slightly different pin pattern and slightly smaller diameter.
Never mind - off to Glen Helen and a 15 amp charge. And a swim in this nice pool !
An early morning ascent of Mount Sonder (1380 metres)
(tourist photo)
Then onto the Mereenie Loop Road (NT Highway 2) at last. We have been given several warnings not to do this 150km dirt stretch in an ordinary car, citing large rocks, potholes and corrugations that will destroy the car. We'll let you decide...
Tessie of the Outback !
To be fair we probably averaged 75. Note GPS altimeter which is a really good tool when you are wondering where your charge is going.
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More on the Mereenie Loop road ...
Advisory cornering sign - NT style !
The corrugations are there and you feel them but quite manageable
Desert Oaks line the road
! !
No problems for Tessie other than a harsh noise on braking at one point which we think was a rock stuck somewhere, but was soon gone. We'll get it on the hoist at Yulara just to make sure. After all Tessie still has a LONG way to go!
Back on the bitumen and Kings Canyon ...
The team after climbing to the top of King's Canyon
Some people say that Kings Canyon is as good as or better than Uluru
Turns out the Exec Director of King's Canyon Resort is discussing solar options with Tesla. Very keen on EV charging!
"Fooluru" on the highway.
Not the real thing but pretty cool in its own right I think.
Roo fillet, croc tail and emu sausage BBQ to top off the day at Yulara
And the rock tomortow !
Advisory cornering sign - NT style !
The corrugations are there and you feel them but quite manageable
Desert Oaks line the road
! !
No problems for Tessie other than a harsh noise on braking at one point which we think was a rock stuck somewhere, but was soon gone. We'll get it on the hoist at Yulara just to make sure. After all Tessie still has a LONG way to go!
Back on the bitumen and Kings Canyon ...
The team after climbing to the top of King's Canyon
Some people say that Kings Canyon is as good as or better than Uluru
Turns out the Exec Director of King's Canyon Resort is discussing solar options with Tesla. Very keen on EV charging!
"Fooluru" on the highway.
Not the real thing but pretty cool in its own right I think.
Roo fillet, croc tail and emu sausage BBQ to top off the day at Yulara
And the rock tomortow !
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*KT*
Member
Tessie of the Outback for sure!
I agree Kings Canyon is much more spectacular viewing. Beautiful photos thanks for sharing and taking the time to stop and get such fabulous shots.
I agree Kings Canyon is much more spectacular viewing. Beautiful photos thanks for sharing and taking the time to stop and get such fabulous shots.
Mark E
Member
Blue heaven
Fair Dinkum Tesla
I've been hanging out for these photos, well done Tessie and crew.
Thanks @Blue heaven . Daryl has now headed home, so Tessie and crew press on alone to Uluru !
Sunrise
Then a dash back to Kurt's workshop
Zero damage from the Meerenie Loop Road. Must just have been a loose rock.
However tyre wear is high. Always seems to be a bugbear on long trips.
Kurt Johansson. His Dad invented the self tracking arrangement which made road trains viable.
Even better, Kurt puts us in contact with the Tech Services manager for the whole Yulara multi-resort complex. Receptive to putting in 3 phase !
Tessie is going to carry her own set of blocks now. Every non-Tesla hoist in the world seems to have big round pads which need a set of blocks to fit the Tesla lifting pads. This set courtesy of one of Kurt's apprentices.
Some sort of record for Tessie. Certainly first blue Model S to Uluru !
Tessie does a clockwise circuit of Uluru in 20 minutes. Much faster than her 8 week Anticlockwise circuit in 2016 !
Lovely hidden valley with pool...
The Olgas !
Had to turn back before actually getting to the Olgas due to the charging situation. We failed to charge at all 6 planned/hoped-for three phase outlets since Alice!
- Ormiston Gorge - 10A not 32A
- Glen Helen 20A - four pin only
- Kings Creek Helicopters - outlet non-existent
- Kurt's workshop (3 outlets tried) - all neutral not connected
- Erldunda (waiting for electrician to install permanent TOCA / AEVA outlet) driveway 32A - 4 pins only
- Erldunda new shed 20A - plugged in but looks like it has never worked. They unsurprisingly did not want to turn off their main generator to toubleshoot!
Should have reliable 32 amp at key locations soon though, given the positive contacts we have made. I'm hoping we can hold a TOCA AGM here as per @PJF000 's idea!
Quite good really. The dust seems to go as far as the seal but no further.
A tough 70km/h day today getting back to Alice 450km from Yulara on one charge given the above situation and with 30km/h headwinds. 2% remaining which is Tessie's equal lowest!
A well deserved 3 phase charge after a well deserved wash (great non-contact carwash on Gap Rd).
This place is really comfy and feeling like home.
And a nice journalist visit from the Centralian!
And a volcano for us from the pancake stall.
Tomorrow - the famous Henley on Todd ! ! !
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Dylanpete
Member
Richard, I'm checking in a bit late here on your story...
I'm in awe for what you're doing here! Great adventure and pioneering. Would love to be there!
I love the pictures!
I'm in awe for what you're doing here! Great adventure and pioneering. Would love to be there!
I love the pictures!
You are definitely here in spirit @Dylanpete !
I read your pioneering articles quite a few times while waiting for Tessie to arrive ...
Tesla Model S in Australia: Breaking the shackles and conquering new frontiers
and
Taste of Tasmania by Tesla Model S85: 10 days energized with renewable energy
not to mention @MDK and @Techno-phile 's Nulllarbor epic and @Blue heaven 's West Coast WA Mystery Tour and more !
Thanks for the inspiration, and (on a more pragmatic note) thanks for offering to help with those 6 missing Qld sites on the TOCA / AEVA Round Australia Charging Route !
.
baillies
Member
Great work, can't wait to follow in your footsteps but unfortunately a few years away for me. You planning to go to rainbow valley on the way back down?
Great photos Richard. I was going to ask how Tessie's tyres were handling the roads, but you mentioned it up thread.
Dont forget to keep the a/c on outside air when travelling in the dirt, helps to keep the cabin pressurized and dust out.
Dont forget to keep the a/c on outside air when travelling in the dirt, helps to keep the cabin pressurized and dust out.
You're aren't going to get in any trouble for hauling all that dust out of Uluru etc, are you?
Chuq
Active Member
Fantastic Richard. Every time someone on a news or Facebook comment thread says "They'll never be any good in Australia" I post a reply that has no text, is only a link to picture of Tessie in front of Uluru. Brilliant.
Richard, thoroughly enjoying your adventure on fb, and good to see Greg along for the ride!
Henley on Todd day !
Tessie in the parade
The Dirt Shovelling Competition!
Greg explains lots of things
National Anthem. Such an unpretentious Australian event right in the middle of Oz with all walks of life present. Brings a tear to the eye.
Vikings vs Navy
Off to Yuendumu with Richard Bentley
A centre of Indigenous Art in the territory. Unusually lots of colour.
Aquila Audax
(or Wedgie)
Tessie in the parade
The Dirt Shovelling Competition!
Greg explains lots of things
National Anthem. Such an unpretentious Australian event right in the middle of Oz with all walks of life present. Brings a tear to the eye.
Vikings vs Navy
Sadly Greg jumps on the plane home.
Off to Yuendumu with Richard Bentley
A centre of Indigenous Art in the territory. Unusually lots of colour.
Aquila Audax
(or Wedgie)
Blue heaven
Fair Dinkum Tesla
It's all very good that an electric car can go anywhere in Australia but what if I want to go to Antartica? Electric cars will never be any good for Australians unless they can all go for a drive and spend the weekend spotting Penguins.
Still in Alice ...
THE train ...
This is a short one today only 900m long. At full length it is 1km long !
Last sunset in Alice
Actually we are held up by tyre problems again. Inside rear wear is high and we wait 2 days for (apparently) the only 2 tyres in Adelaide that fit the car. The permanent camber seems to be the bugbear with a fully loaded car in the bush, especially I guess with the 64kg octopus and a spare tyre in the back. The tyre guy shows the link that adjusts toe-in also affects camber but I'm not willing to try this yet. At least the new (Roadstone) tyres are cheap and have really deep tread. I think I'll adopt a practice of putting new ones on the front as old ones retire from the rear.
On our way...
First charge is at scenic Barrow Creek
Until last year the NT had unrestricted speed zones in the Alice to Tennant Creek section. This is one of them - really beautiful drving conditions and you have the road to yourself ! I let Tessie off-leash for a bit !
Some tight corners
These mobile phone amplifiers are scattered around
Just put your phone on the cradle and reception goes from zero to 2 bars with good data!
And plenty of parking at the Devils Marbles Hotel !
THE train ...
This is a short one today only 900m long. At full length it is 1km long !
Last sunset in Alice
Actually we are held up by tyre problems again. Inside rear wear is high and we wait 2 days for (apparently) the only 2 tyres in Adelaide that fit the car. The permanent camber seems to be the bugbear with a fully loaded car in the bush, especially I guess with the 64kg octopus and a spare tyre in the back. The tyre guy shows the link that adjusts toe-in also affects camber but I'm not willing to try this yet. At least the new (Roadstone) tyres are cheap and have really deep tread. I think I'll adopt a practice of putting new ones on the front as old ones retire from the rear.
On our way...
First charge is at scenic Barrow Creek
Until last year the NT had unrestricted speed zones in the Alice to Tennant Creek section. This is one of them - really beautiful drving conditions and you have the road to yourself ! I let Tessie off-leash for a bit !
Some tight corners
These mobile phone amplifiers are scattered around
Just put your phone on the cradle and reception goes from zero to 2 bars with good data!
And plenty of parking at the Devils Marbles Hotel !
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