Escaping is one of my big dreams goals. There's a difference you know; a goal has a plan attached to it.
Escape: I mean from society, the senseless 'noise', drama, people and their behaviours which, I have to be honest, are spiralling downward in my opinion. Not everyone I'll concede, but generally. I live in a city but am, literally, a boy from the country and it's those sparsely populated wide open spaces in which I want to live. The cabin (or cave) in the wilderness is something I think about all the time, and have plans around achieving.
For now I live and work in the city so camping trips to the wilderness are all I have, and I do it as often as I possibly can. Eventually I'll just not come back I guess - I don't think I'll be missed too much, and there's not much I'd miss here either. A win-win.
Last week I ran a posting contest in which people were hypothetically handed $1000 to spend on entertainment over a weekend; you can see it here, and I thought I'd have a try at it to see if I could string a few words together that made sense. This post are those words.
THE Flinders Ranges WEEKEND
$120
When I go camping I like to eat well; good self-prepared fresh food consumed in the wilderness tastes better than it does in the city so my first stop was the market for supplies. Being the prepared man I am I had an idea of what I'd need, what I was going to prepare, which means I didn't buy any non-required items, however I always make sure I've got non-perishable emergency food; Australia's wilderness areas are harsh and unforgiving and sometimes trouble pays a visit and pays to be prepared.
A typical breakfast would consist of a three-egg omelette with finely chopped red onion, mushrooms, green capsicum (pepper), bacon and cheese; toasted sour dough bread too, of course. Lunch is something like a bread roll or sandwich with salad and chicken or ham, maybe tuna. Dinner is chicken, steak or sausages with salad and probably a baked potato done in the coals of the fire. If I'm feeling particularly adventurous I might make a stew. Of course, interspersed throughout the three main meals are snacks, especially if I'm hiking.
Fortunately the Big Dog, my four wheel drive, has a 60L fridge/freezer on board and I'm able to keep food fresh...It makes for some pretty spectacular wilderness meals and very cold beverages.
$200
My next stop was the service station for diesel. I threw the pump nozzle in and began pumping...and pumping...and pumping some more. $200.11 worth of pumping to fill the tank.
I'll get about 800 kilometres range from a tank of fuel when towing my camper trailer. My Land Cruiser is a 4.5L V8 twin turbo powered vehicle and it's not cheap to run but, to get to where I need to be it's the vehicle I need to have and so I have to feed it to get me there.
On this particular weekend get away it's a 1150 kilometre round-trip and that doesn't take into consideration the off-roading in low range I'll do when there which will chew fuel at a fast rate so I'll need more fuel later, but for now...this $200 hurt my back pocket badly enough.
$45
I hooked up the camper trailer, a seriously effective off-road trailer that I've had for seven years now, and headed out on the road with my shotgun seat passenger strapped in also.
As King Calaway's track, world for two, played on the speakers as the Big Dog ate up the kilometres and the combination of the hum of tyres on the black top and tunes began to relax me immediately. As the urban areas gave way to open fields and rolling hills I shrugged off city-feels and became the real me - That country boy I mentioned earlier.
To get to my chosen spot, a very legit camping area deep in the Flinders Ranges, South Australia I'd be driving for around six hours but there were snacks, tunes and my shotgun rider to keep me company, and that's about all I needed. I have driven for many hours straight in the past, and still can, but this trip is about living life and part of that is relaxing and taking my time...and eating breakfast at my favourite roadhouse/diner on the way.
I pulled in around 07:00 after two hours on the road and ordered the best big breakfast you're likely to find.
These country folk know how to fill up a plate y'all. Eggs, bacon, chorizo sausage, sauteed mushrooms, grilled tomato, hash brown and a couple thick-cut and heavily buttered toasted slices of rye bread is a lot to get through but where there is a will there is always away. Trust me, the G-dog is capable. My shotgun rider...not so much. A toasted bacon and egg sandwich was about it. Of course, there's coffee. There's always coffee.
Back on the road, and with Walker Hayes songs blasting on the speakers, the countryside sped by. Fields of grain and canola stretched to either side and the low rolling hills were growing into the mountains they would soon become. As I entered the Southern Flinders Ranges I felt better, I always do. We chatted a little but drove in silence for the most part, the enjoyment of the moment being all we needed to find our happiness.
We arrived at camp around 15:00 Friday afternoon. We'd stopped at the Kanyaka Station ruins, a cattle station established in 1852 and now fallen into ruin, as my shotgun rider had never been there. We wandered, brewed a coffee and contemplated what it must have been like living all the way out here back then and moved on towards our destination. By 16:00 we were relaxing in the peaceful surrounds of the Australian outback, camp set up and feeling good about life.
$440
Usually hiking, relaxing, sharpening up my survival skills and reading is enough to keep me occupied during the day but with $1000 to spend on entertainment on this trip I decided to do something a little different.
On Saturday morning we headed into the Wilpena Pound resort, about ninety kilometres away, to take a thirty minute flight over Elder Range, Edeowie Gorge, Heysen Range, Lake Torrens, Bunyeroo Gorge, Brachina Gorge, St Mary Peak and the Pound Gap. It's a bit of an extravagance but hey, what the hell right? I've got $1000 to spend.
Nights in the Flinders Ranges are dark; it's a long way from anywhere and there's no city or town lights to pierce the inky blackness that night brings but...Then there's the stars. Each night after dinner we let the fire burn low and lay back to watch the sky show.
Day time winter temperatures in this region are usually in the 20°C - 23°C range with night time temperatures getting down to 0°C - 10°C so...pretty much perfect. Skies are almost always clear and that makes for some great night time sky watching.
Watching the last colour drain from the sky and the stars appear is a pretty special moment.
As we do, kookaburras call their last for the day, the heat drains out of the day quickly, the air becomes crisp and seemingly fresher and the low-burning fire crackles and pops...then thousands of stars capture one's attention. Laying there, captivated, for a few hours is easy. There's words between us, but few as words seem redundant in that moment. There's almost always a count the shooting stars contest though. I rarely win.
Later...well, it's the middle of nowhere with nobody else for many kilometres, there's a low burning fire with a million stars overhead, the air, and our skin, is cool and...people need to stay warm...so we did. It's the perfect place for the intimate moment. Primordial.
$80
Weekends like this have to come to an end of course and that means packing up and driving home. It's the least-liked part of the trip...The end.
On the way home we stop for a light lunch at the Sevenhill Hotel just outside of Clare in the Clare Valley. Established in 1863 (as the Black Eagle Hotel) it changed names in 1918 and now...well, you need to go and experience it for yourself to understand.
$115
After lunch we head right home with a quick stop off to top up with more diesel.
This is the part I hate, the getting home and back to reality aspect of a camping trip. I backed the trailer into its spot and tucked it in. Next weekend I'd pull it out again, clean and replenish it and get it ready for the next trip but for right then it was time for a shower and some cuddle time with my girl, my cat Cleo.
Design and create your ideal life, don't live it by default - Tomorrow isn't promised so be humble and kind
All images are my own and are not for your use
How epic a trip this must be! That mountain range looks so similar to the ones here between Knysna & Oudtshoorn.
Beautiful colourful scenery, good tunes and nice company out in the middle of nowhere? - sounds like a great weekend escape! You need to do it before the fuel price hikes G-Dog!
The only part of this trip I haven't done is the plane ride over Wilpena Pound however I'll get it done someday as it's not very expensive. It's a pretty cool place and gives me the feeling of being alone, of escaping society. It's rare to see anyone else there unless one wants to. Even then, it's only a handful here or there.
Always good to add an element that's new 😁
I understand wanting to escape society sometimes, this would be an excellent choice.
You have given a detailed description of your trip and expenses. Your vehicle consumes a little too much diesel though :) I would love to write one like this when I go for such a trip. 👍
Yeah, it's a big and heavy vehicle and when towing the fuel consumption increases. It's all good though, I work hard and have the ability to put a little money aside for fuel.
Now THAT is a fairly perfect weekend and one of the cornerstones of why I like you so much is you never forget to describe the food! lololol
It has been my experience that yes.....yes they do! The meal I posted about was a great meal, but I can definitely see enjoying your $1,000 weekend just as much as I would have enjoyed mine!
I'm glad you liked it...That's who I am, in this post. It's real. I just wish I could be me more often. 😁
Wow!
How I wish that I could be taken so far away from the noise that happens 24/7 in a day, to a quiet place where I worry not about the car horn, people yelling, hawking and selling of items, consistent background noise and the rest of it.... It's a big blessing to me!
Sometimes whenever my roomie goes home for the weekend I normally stay indoor all through because I enjoy the serenity and no one is watching or coming in and going out!.... This gives me time to think properly about my life!
This is an opportunity you have explore it to the fullest and am lovin'that phrase you often use at the end!.... Design and create your ideal life because tomorrow isn't promised ... Relieving and thoughtful
It's good to have some time apart from otters and, for me, it's required. People make things complicated, the wilderness is simple...as long as one knows how to stay alive out there of course.
What a wonderful escape that must be! And it sounds you do it every weekend, that's an awesome lifestyle :) Camping is one I hope to experience one day...
Your Big Dog eats a lot but it does its job well so it's worth feeding :)
Every weekend would be great, and all week long would be better. In truth it's not every weekend but as often as possible. And yep the Big Dog is hungry!
A week long would really be awesome! Just let the days go by as you enjoy the time of your life away from the noise of civilization :)
The longest I've been is five weeks and totally loved it. I didn't want to come back.
Oh wow! You practically had a detox :)
I think I would book the experience, but for a whole year or two!
Ahead or two would be about the right time I'd say. 😁
Wow, a camping trip with you seems like it would be a perfect combination of well planned itinerary, over eating, and a hell lot of fun!
Preaching to the choir my good sir!
I honestly just love how everything is well planned out in this trip; from the itinerary - to the rather questionable, it is clear you know how to make a $1000 beg for mercy.
But still, I am resolved to ponder on having to pay $200 dollars for gas!
Oh yeah, that's one hell of a vehicle.
Haha, yeah, the diesel is a bit of a worry. That fuel receipt was a few days ago and now diesel costs more than $1.77/L. I saw it at $2.03/L today. My Land Cruiser takes 120L and gets about 15L/100km so...It drinks the fuel greedily. When towing and off-roading it uses even more. But fun isn't cheap right?
I do this sort of thing, camping, hunting, off-roading and stuff. I love it. And... one must over eat sometimes right? 🙄
Damn.. it most certainly isn't.
Ahh... I see. That's lovely to hear. Not to surprised though, you always struck me as one.
Oh yeah! For food only.
wow, As i read and see these beautiful pictures from your camera, I can only Imagine what its like to make such a goal, this is epic to me. I also wished I knew about the contest earlier, i would have loved to make a post to spend a wonderful weekend with a 1000 bucks. Congrats to the winners and I wish you happy escape any time you just wanna try more.
Maybe you'll catch one of the other contests I run someday.
Thanks for reading my post and taking the time to comment.
This weekend is like my dream weekend). Great trip with amazing views!
!PIZZA
Cool huh?
Mega cool!
Why didn't you take Cleo too? She deserves a vacation ❤️
!ALIVE
@galenkp! You Are Alive so I just staked 0.1 $ALIVE to your account on behalf of @wrestlingdesires. (3/10)
The tip has been paid for by the We Are Alive Tribe through the earnings on @alive.chat, feel free to swing by our daily chat any time you want.
She is a domestic cat and doesn't go outside the house. Also, animals are not permitted inside National Park, except the ones that are naturally found there, of course.
Oh, they don't allow dogs either??? I can't imagine camping out there without a dog :(
!PIZZA
Only G-dogs.
But you can't smell an animal hundreds of yards away in the brush 🤣
!PIZZA
If I have $1000 for spending alone, going on a vacation will definitely be the number one. Sometimes, it is needful to just escape from all the cares and troubles of life and just go relax.
You really had a great and adventurous trip. You must have enjoyed it all the way
I like adventures.
A lot of people do.
Wow what a great trip is this. The environment is looking beautiful and nice.hope you enjoying yourself there.
Yeah, thanks.
PIZZA Holders sent $PIZZA tips in this post's comments:
stdd tipped galenkp (x1)
@wrestlingdesires(2/10) tipped @galenkp (x2)
Learn more at https://hive.pizza.
Thanks for your comment, it's much appreciated.
Winters are mild here.
You can write one after the contest is over 😄
Mee too!