Friday starts with the scrutineering of all the vehicles that enter the race, this includes all the driver/rider gear as well. It's a pretty big night out at the show grounds and all the teams put on a show and display their wares. It's a good opportunity to have a close look at the vehicles as some of the engineering on the buggies and trucks is incredible. We had an excellent night out there having a look around.
Saturday, and it's time for the prologue. At the start/finish line of the Finke race there is a 4.5k track that all the competitors race around to determine their start positions for Sunday morning. We picked a spot on the track and watched most of the day then headed for the track down to Finke. The day was freezing, I think it topped out at about 5 degrees or so with the wind blowing a gale.
We decided on a camp spot on the side of the track about 50k from the start. There weren't too many people around and as we found out later there were a bunch of young fellas just up the road. We set up camp and waited for the first of the vehicles. The nights were below zero as indicated by the ice on the car and swag!!
Sunday morning and the start of the action was signified by a couple of sweep bikes and a low flying helicopter checking the track. We waited for the first vehicle. We heard him coming from a a couple of Kay away as the sound of the cars engine pierced the still of the morning. the cars were first through then the bikes and quads. The spot we were in had them going by with a fair bit of speed and entering an s bend in the bush. The photo of the truck is the eventual winner.
Monday morning, and the vehicles make the return trip from the Finke Community back to Alice Springs. We watched most of the cars in the morning and packed up early to go to the 40k mark and watch the bikes negotiate a big sand dune, basically jumping it!! There were heaps of people there as it is a favorite spot for the locals to come out and have a look.
Have a look at some of the videos I posted on YouTube. Click the links.
Don't forget to click the pictures to get the full size.
First on through.
Toyota buggy.
Bike past the camp.
All in all we had a fantastic weekend and will definitely come back to see it again. We are now packing to head north and up to Darwin into warmer weather and some fishing. :-)
We leave on Thursday and will take a week or so to get to Darwin so there is no rush. There is plenty to see on the way up there, neither of us has been to Darwin and look forward to having look around the city. Will update on the way up.
Location:Larapinta Dr,Araluen,Australia
cool looking buggies.. would be great to have a drive of one.
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