Camping, Motorcycles and Lies

[DirtyDave]

Two weeks to go. I can't wait, have wanted to go up for years but prior commitments have stopped me.
Who do I get in contact with to book a camp site and or pay????
I would also like to do an event report and take photos, do i need to acquire a media pass????
A brilliant Oil painter and Cartoonist will be joining us, so any one interested in getting work done let me know....
Please forward any tips re survival for Newbies, to the salt, as Dragracers stay in hotels when we race...
I would like to become a member of the DLRA, and purchase merchandise at the meeting. will this be available at the lake..or should i pre purchase...
See you'll soon.....

Cheers David Hinds
dirty@iinet.net.au

[ben james]

hi dave, hawkwind will give you all the tips, i've seen you many times on aus drag bike site you're a bit of a stirrer. you'll have the time of your life, hope you can give me some tips on my kwacka as it's its first run before it hits the strips.
regards ben

[DirtyDave]

I'm really looking forward to meeting new people and going to the Racing, Its funny, I love riding my A/Streetbike but don't actually like racing,
And when I crew for other teams (Probike n Nitro Funnycar) I have more fun, its been a long time since Ive gone to a race meeting and just hung out and enjoyed being a spectator..
Ben is your bike an ex Terrance Emery machine???

[Stayt`ie]

hay dirty dave,, be prepared for a culture shock ,, this landspeed stuff is really laid back ,, unlike dragracing which is "inyaface"...

[DirtyDave]

sounds like my kinda scene, drag racing is super cool and intense but there is way to much politics, I have been sucked into the politics but that is purely a defence mechanism rather than a choice. I have a motor sitting on the bench with to much deck height for the strip if the next couple of week turns me on you will have a serious naked naturally aspirated contender..ryor ryoor...

[PJQ2]

Dirty D,
Don't worry about booking a camp spot. Well, let me clear that up a bit: there's three camp areas.

1. Mt Ive Station.
About 30 - 40 minutes drive from the lake. The "real" camp ground for the Gawler Ranges district. They have a small shop, cabins, laundry, kitchen, petrol on sale, all the regular cara-park facilities. They would need a booking for cabin style accommodation (you'd be too late to get one at this stage), but not for tent camping.

The station owners run the camping, the kiosk at the lake shore, and look after the lake area. They're top people, going the extra mile for the DLRA: delivering food and drinks out to the pits (about 4k's out on the lake), putting on a BBQ during the week, top-notch roast dinners every night, fresh Oysters off the boats at Sandy Bay. The farm hands come for the week to work the kiosk, I can't praise them enough for the effort they put in.

2. The drivers camp.
About 8K's (15 - 20 minutes of rough) from the lake kiosk. Set up for last years event in and around an old shearing shed. There's hot showers, dunnies, cool room for beer, ice machine. There's a handful of permanent "cabins" set up cara-park style.

3. The old drivers camp.
Near the kiosk about 200 metres from the driveway onto the lake. There might be a dunny, and last year there was a cold shower that worked. If you don't mind roughing it, this spot is the easiest commute to the lake.

Camping cost.
Doesn't matter which camp you're in, the cost is the same. It's the basic National Park kind of fee of about $7.00 per night, per person (I can't remember, that's probably wrong - but it's less than a tenner). There's a fuel levy for the generator that runs 24 X 7 to power the cool rooms. Not sure what it's going to be this year, but it's worth every penny to chill the beer.

You can make the effort to find a Hadfield and pay, or wait till one of them pays your camp a visit. It's a bit on an honour system for the payment.

Deciding where to camp comes down to one thing... It's all about cold beer.

If you camp next to the lake there's a drive to the cool room for supplies. If you stay at the drivers camp there's the daily commute that really starts to bug everyone by day three. The Mt. Ive Station camp is for those that prefer comfort - not that there's anything wrong with that - if you know what I mean.

A note about the weather.
You wake up freezing about three in the morning, and by nine it can hit mid-thirty's.

Hey Ben,
Caught up with Morris A, at the City shop, was wondering about the origins of your bike as well. Reckons maybe his Dad might have built it.


Regs,
PJQ
Velocity Science Laboratories

[PJQ2]

Oh yeah, forgot to mention the "Press" thing.
There's no formal press kit situation. For an official run-down, grab a Hadfield, or Rob Carrol the club Prez.

A few years ago was my first time out, to do a short piece for Channel 31 bike show Two Wheel Torque. After a couple of days of getting our Salt legs it became obvious... It's all about the Beer, so sit back and relax.

Atmosphere wise, it's kinda like a bunch of guys hanging around the lounge room to watch a Grand Final, with a bit of organisation thrown in.

In the middle of this extreme landscape the whole thing becomes surreal - and you end up bitten - real bad. It's called Salt Fever, and I'd say you're a prime candidate for bad case that will last a lifetime.

Bring it on, hey.

Regs,
PJQ

[momec]

Well said PJQ
Only thing you forgot was the aural orgasms.
Chris

[outbacktrev]

G'Day all!,
Just to straighten out the camping fees bit . Camping at the DLRA "New Camp" (approx 8km from the Lake) is $9 per night for a max of 5 nights (Sunday to Thursday night). A one of diesel levy of $10 no matter how long you stay (this buys fuel for the genset which keeps the beer cold and the batteries charged ). I am told this year "spectators" will be charged a one of "entrance fee" to the lake of $20 for a day or the week. The DLRA has outlaid a considerable sum of money over the past couple of years establishing the "New" camp and its been decided somebody apart from Club members should contribute to its running and mtce.
DLRA ICE machines will NOT be running this year but ICE will be available in 10kg bags for $6 from an Ice truck on the Lake during the day and at the DLRA camp at night.
Cheers,
Trevor
#298
See ya there!

[DirtyDave]

Well that pretty much somes it up.
Cheers for the Heads up... ..
See you'll soon...