5 vehicles met at the end of Stephens Road.

When we arrived, Leo was ready to let us test our recovery skills, after getting high centred on a dirt mound.

We moved Leo off his perch, and had a quick driver briefing before departing.

Today’s adventure is the ‘long way to the pub’. With a rough plan in place, a GPS in hand, and good knowledge of the local tracks, we set off east.

We stopped at the lookout for some members to take the climb to the top by foot, and take in the view.

Parts of the track towards Undoolya had been rutted out by recent rains, and it was clear the motorbike riders had been out – setting up rocks near the ‘ruts’ as warnings to other riders.

We reached Undoolya Road and continued North along the river bed towards a track Steve had explored a few weeks back, in the dark.

This particular track has some good sections to engage 4L, unique views towards the gap, Mt. Gillen, and the West MacDonnell Ranges, and obviously weren’t frequently traversed.

In the spirit of exploration, we continued on and took some tracks that may have been dead ends (ending up at the fence line for the Telegraph Station), but we were all having fun…

…until we heard that one car had been without air conditioning all that time on the 38-40 degree day.

With that knowledge, we high-tailed it in the most direct route straight to the pub!

Location

Stephens Road, Alice Springs